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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 97

Here's a taste of some of the Colour Expert questions and answers to help you with your own colour scheme.

If you would like more colour advice for your project, please ask our Colour Expert for help or come in and see our staff at your local Resene ColorShop or Reseller. Colours are a representation only.

 
 
 
 

Q&A   p. 97

Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.


Q. I want to paint my timber kitchen cabinets in Resene Quarter Tea. I have to get a new benchtop and was thinking a white marble look. I am stuck for the light neutral wall/ceiling colour (one colour for both). This neutral would be used in all rooms of my two bedroom apartment. Also which accent colour would you suggest?

A. You could have a lighter/whiter wall and ceiling colour so that the kitchen cabinets look slightly deeper toned. You could try Resene Half Albescent White, or lighter – Resene Quarter Albescent White (these two are tonally similar to the Resene Quarter Tea), or Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Quarter Ecru White (this has a slightly warmer look compared to Resene Half Sea Fog).

Accent colours fall into the category of what will work best with what other coloured things you might have – i.e. drapes, carpets, upholstered furniture. You might check out these suggestions as a start point – Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue, Resene Half Lemon Grass, Resene Cloud, Resene Double Tea, Resene Simply Red or Resene Haven.

March 2020


Q. I would like to have more light in our kitchen so I am thinking of painting the joists on the pergola in white (or a variation of white). What do you think? Would this look ok? I think all our joinery is painted in Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta. Would this be the logical colour to use there too?

A. You are spot in regards to your idea of using Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta. You could use this colour on all wooden parts of the pergola – posts and fascias etc – and it would increase the light aspect as well as merge with all the joinery.

Have you considered putting up some artificial lightning under the pergola so it could be used in the evening for functions?

March 2020


Q. I have purchased a brick and cedar home and need suggestions for colour for the roof, cedar and possibly painting over the brick (or not). I do like the black, white and golden wood look.

A. It looks as though the cedar has been stained previously. It is very important to stay with the same type of coating to ensure good adherence.

Stain colours are semi-transparent so using the same colour again is usually the best option. It is tricky to choose a paler stain colour to go over a deeper stain colour because of the 'see through' quality of the stain.

Alternatively a much darker colour could work and may block out the existing colour. Perhaps one of these options might be considered – Resene Woodsman Dark Oak (similar) or deeper Resene Woodsman Bark or Resene Woodsman Banjul.

The roof and possibly the garage door could be a blacker type of colour – Resene Nocturnal or Resene Element.

If you did choose to paint the bricks then the roof line, fascias and guttering could match so it ties together. That might be something to consider. You could try Resene Villa White, Resene Quarter Sisal or Resene Cararra. These are warm but lighter colours that may work well with the darker roof and deep tones of the cedar.

March 2020


Q. Which grey colour for our villa deck best complements Resene Rice Cake which is the exterior colour of our villa?

A. You could try Resene Stack or Resene Double Silver Chalice.

March 2020


Q. Our house has long run iron which we have just had painted Resene Ironsand. We would like to paint the stucco exterior but are having difficulty deciding on the colour as the aluminium joinery is pale pink and there is a lot of it. There are floor to ceiling windows with doors on three sides of the house. The current colour is creamy but I would prefer something whiter.

A. Try these colours that I think will work for you – Resene Sea Fog or Resene Black White.

March 2020


Q. I'm looking for a warm white for a really dark cold basement room.

A. Try these warm whites – Resene Bianca or Resene Rice Cake.

March 2020


Q. I want to paint my kitchen. Currently it looks like a duck egg blue. There isn’t too much wall. The blinds are light blue, I will keep them but they are quite pale so should be OK. I quite like Resene Coriander and Resene Avocado but you might be able to suggest something less 'safe'. Ceiling and trim suggestions too please.

A. There isn't a lot of wall so you might feel inclined to look at a deeper type of colour – one of the following perhaps? Try Resene Green Meets Blue, Resene Cutty Sark, Resene Biscay or Resene Undercurrent, or for some other types of lighter green – Resene Organic or Resene Peace.

The kitchen cabinets look to be a cream/white colour and because of that I think the ceiling and trims should have a similar type of warmth – one of these colours perhaps – Resene Quarter Bianca or Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta.

March 2020


Q. I am repainting my house and would like some advice on what would be nice colours to go with the bronze aluminium joinery and the newly painted Resene Scoria roof. I’m quite keen on neutral colours but would like a good freshen up so it looks more modern. I don’t want it too white but would be happy with greyish neutrals or another colour that would go with the joinery. Could you advise on how I should paint the pergola veranda poles etc – should I go lighter or darker shades than the house? I definitely don’t want dark brown poles as the painter has suggested. I’m looking for colours that give the place a smart update and a, very open to your suggestions. The painter is all for light colours and says they look best but as I said not too white!

A. The pergola and veranda poles could be a deeper version of the main house colour. This would give a soft toned look – not a hard dark look.

The following are some colours that may appeal to you, the second colour foe each is a deeper colour – option 1 – Resene Truffle, Resene Triple Truffle, or option 2 – Resene Quarter Napa, Resene Napa, or option 3 – Resene Half Tea, Resene Double Tea.

If you would prefer a crisp colour on the pergola/post then you could use Resene Half Sea Fog. It is a white colour but not too white.

I recommend you pop in to see the large A4 size colour swatches that I have mentioned in the Colour Library at your Resene ColorShop. Seeing and comparing colours in a larger true to reality format is very helpful when you are wanting to make decisions.

March 2020


Q. I have a house I would like to paint. The top storey is weatherboards. The bottom floor is large concrete block. Currently all paint is white. The house is 1960s era with wooden joinery. A new garage door added about five years ago is in Grey Friars. The roof is Grey Friars or Ironsand as well I think? The roof can hardly be seen as the house pretty tall. Under the eaves is a light blue.

I was wondering what colour to paint the house and blocks. Same colour or different? I’d like something neutral. Thinking perhaps Resene Half Ash on top and Resene Quarter Ash underneath?

A. Painting the house all one colour is the tidy simple approach. If you were to use two colours – as you have mentioned – it may need a bit of forethought. The colours mentioned – when seen in a bright light situation – may look exactly the same. Would that worry you?

If you were keen on the two colours I think you may need to adjust the weatherboard colour to full strength – i.e. Resene Ash – so it showed as a contrast. Colours on an exterior always appear lighter so full strength Resene Ash may look a bit paler than you think it will do.

Is the soffits (under the eaves) painted a definite colour because you feel that the area needs to be a feature?

They could be painted the same colour as the concrete block bottom storey or the same colour as the wooden joinery. The wooden joinery could look very clean and crisp if it was painted one of the following – Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Black White.

What is the door of the house like – is it a wooden door? You might choose to paint it a gloss enamel to match the garage door.

March 2020


Q. My two storey house needs new exterior paint and I need to decide on the colours. I would love some advice please. It would be good to have a lighter colour on the top storey.

A. The following suggestions are worth checking out to get you started – option 1 – Resene Tea for the main upper storey, Resene Triple Tea for the lower storey, Resene Quarter Tea for the bargeboards, fascias, window and door surrounds, Resene Ironsand for the garage door, deck balustrades etc and Resene Untamed for the main door.

Or option 2 – this has a slightly different layout of colours – Resene Ash for the main upper storey with Resene Triple Ash for the lower storey, Resene Half Thorndon Cream for the barge boards, fascias, window surrounds, door surrounds, deck balustrades etc and Resene Twisted Sister for the garage door and main entry door.

March 2020


Q. We have just purchased a doer-upper and wondered what advice you have.

We need an exterior paint colour. I wondered about a grey tone of some sort? It needs to go with a terracotta roof. We will paint eaves and windows a nice crisp white. Any particular white you recommend?

We also need an interior wall colour. Again, I plan to do all the skirtings, architraves, windows etc a crisp white but wondered about something slightly warmer but still light and fresh for the walls. Note there is a warm creamy/taupe coloured fireplace that will stay in place in one of the rooms, while other rooms have grey carpet.

A. For the exterior you could try Resene Quarter Taupe Grey for walls with eaves and window joinery in Resene Quarter Wan White, or Resene Quarter Friar Grey for walls with Resene Eighth Rice Cake for window joinery.

For the interior would could try Resene Milk White on walls with Resene Quarter Wan White on ceilings and trims. Or try Resene Rice Cake on walls with Resene Eighth Rice Cake on ceilings and trims.

March 2020


Q. I am undergoing a basement conversion (fully self-contained one bedroom unit) and I am looking at the best 'white' or 'off-white' colour in which to paint the unit in. As it is under the house I am wanting it to look as light and bright as possible. It will also be rented out to tenants so I want a white or slight off-white colour that appeals to the majority of people for the walls. Ideally I would keep the same colour on the walls throughout the unit. I want something which is light and bright but not boring or too pure white if that makes sense.

A. You could try Resene Wan White or Resene Sea Fog.

March 2020


Q. We have done our master bedroom in Resene Blue Night and Resene Alabaster and want to continue using Resene Alabaster throughout the house with a grey for the rest of the interior walls. Which grey would go good with Resene Alabaster? We have warm/neutral furniture and want to decorate walls with blue prints.

A. You could try Resene Triple Black White or Resene Quarter Silver Chalice.

March 2020


Q. I have a house to paint. It is very basic in design. I like the idea of Resene Lemon Grass but my partner is not so keen on the green look. So with this considered I am looking at Resene Half Ash with Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta windows. There are two aluminium doors that look very crisp white. I want it to have a cottage look. I also like the idea of building and painting a white (Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta) picket fence around the property. Any subtle green wall colour you can give me other than Resene Lemon Grass and Resene Half Ash please?

A. I love your ideas and think this is going to look great once completed. Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta will work well for the joinery and picket fence. Try these suggestions for the main walls: Resene Copyrite or Resene Linen.

March 2020


Q. I have used Resene Pohutukawa red in my outdoor entry and I have been happy with the effect however I would now like a change although I still would like red I would like a suggestion for another red. Can you help me?

A. Here are some other reds to try – Resene Code Red or Resene Jalapeno.

March 2020


Q. I recently purchased Resene Archive Grey for a bedroom to go with taupe linen curtains. What sorts of colours do you suggest for accessories?

A. The following are a list of colours that work well with Resene Archive Grey. If you get the colour palettes and cut the suggested colours off and put them on a white card and take them with you when shopping it may help you to find appropriate accessories.

Try accessories in colours like Resene St Kilda, Resene Aquamarine, Resene True Blue, Resene Blue Night, Resene Dynamite, Resene Rice Cake or Resene Thorndon Cream.

March 2020


Q. What are the best shades for a dimly lit house? In my reading I have discovered that we need warm whites to help lighten. My concern is that I also want a white kitchen, would this work? What light colours (white and other tones) would be good options? It is a 70s house with high ceilings and not enough windows.

A. I agree with what you have read. I think a warm white would definitely be in your favour. A white kitchen will definitely still work. There are many different white cabinetry options available these days that will work well with white walls. It is quite commonly done these days.

Try these colours:

Option 1 – Resene Rice Cake on main walls with ceilings, trims and scotia in Resene Eighth Rice Cake, or option 2 – Resene Milk White on main walls with ceilings, trims and scotia in Resene Quarter Milk White.

March 2020


Q. My whole house is Resene Quarter Tea and I now want to introduce a white to my kitchen and living area. I want it to blend with rest of the house. I wondered about Resene Wan White.

A. I actually think Resene Wan White would work really well, it's a beautiful white. Other options you could try are Resene Half Milk White or Resene Half Sea Fog.

March 2020


Q. I want to paint an interior concrete block wall and some internal pipes an industrial grey/steel look possibly with a slight metallic hint to it. Which colour would you suggest?

A. You could try these metallic Resene options – Resene Silver Steel or Resene Sword.

March 2020


Page 97

Colours are a representation only. Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.

 

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Colours shown on this website are a representation only. Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.   See measurements/conversions for more details on how electronic colour values are achieved.

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