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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 98

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. 98

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


Q. We are replacing the wallpaper in the main entry to the house and a passageway that leads off it with Resene paint. Our query is – what would you suggest as a suitable colour? We need a light colour and some that spring to mind are Resene Jet Stream, Resene Meditation and Resene Quarter Truffle or Resene Eighth Truffle. What would you suggest?

A. For a delicious colour in the entry and passageway it can sometimes be a nice change to use a definite colour rather than a neutral. Passageways especially, being a space that you move through quickly on your way to the 'interesting' rooms, have lots of doors in it but not a lot else.

Resene Jet Stream is a lovely duck egg colour with a hint of aqua and green in it. It has a restful and serene ambiance.

Resene Meditation is a much brighter type of pastel colour – it is playful and fresh.

Perhaps you might carefully test the colours by painting them (all of the testpot/two coats) onto a A2 white card leaving a narrow unpainted border all around the perimeter.

You can tape it up on the walls – moving it around – so you can see how it responds to different light and shade throughout day and night.

Colours in an interior can appear a lot brighter (or deeper depending upon the type of colour) sometimes doubling in depth so it is really important that you know that in advance of purchasing a larger quantity of paint.


Resene Meditation

April 2020


Q. I want to repaint three bedrooms (master and two spare rooms). I want a fairly neutral, warm colour (same for all three probably). Two rooms are sunny one is not. Rooms have a mid-green carpet.

A. I recommend you try Resene Rice Cake or Resene Half Thorndon Cream.

April 2020


Q. I am trying to decide on a colour for the weatherboards on an 18 unit development. I have chosen a Ruapehu style brick from Midland which is a sandy colour. I want something that would go well with this. Preferably a lighter colour whites, greys etc. The window and door joinery are a very dark colour, I believe Ironsand.

A. I recommend you try Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Double White Pointer.

April 2020


Q. I'm organising to paint the outside of my house, in sunny coastal Wellington. The front of the house faces west and can be in bright sunlight a lot of the day. At the back is quite a high retaining wall (there is a small patio) so the back can be quite shady. I like the look of Resene Half Silver Chalice with Resene Quarter Black White. My son loves orange so I'm considering a front door of Resene Outrageous or Resene Adrenalin.

I am tending towards Resene Half Silver Chalice on the weatherboards and Resene Quarter Black White on the windows but was wondering about the other way around? However, I don't want a house that is so bright white it hurts your eyes to look at it!

Assuming Resene Half Silver Chalice goes on the weatherboards, would Resene Outrageous or Resene Adrenalin be better for the front door?

I was thinking about reversing the scheme for the interior of the veranda so Resene Quarter Black White on the walls and Resene Half Silver Chalice on the trim. I'm thinking that the veranda will shade the bright of the white a little but using white will lighten the room (main bedroom).

The floor of the veranda is painted. Presumably this should be painted in Resene Quarter Black White. Is there a 'rule' for this?

A. I think Resene Half Silver Chalice and Resene Quarter Black White are a great combination for the exterior of your home.

I think doing Resene Half Silver Chalice on the weatherboards and Resene Quarter Black White on the windows would be the best option, not the other way around.

I like the idea of reversing it for the veranda too. I would however probably suggest painting the veranda deck in Resene Half Silver Chalice though so that it doesn't get so dirty. If you wanted more of a contrast you could even do this full strength Resene Silver Chalice.

In terms of the front door both of those oranges are quite intense. If that is the look you are wanting though I would be leaning towards Resene Outrageous. However, if you want something not so bright but still intense then I would recommend looking at Resene Hyperactive or Resene Party Zone.

April 2020


Q. We have a small square cottage surrounded by a lot of trees. We want to paint the whole thing white including trims, so all one colour. It will have a lot of green next to it, like box hedges. What shade of white would you recommend for an entire house?

A. I think one of the following would work well for you – Resene Quarter Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Merino.

The first option has a slightly warmer cleaner undertone. The second has a muted shadow in it – it isn't a grey tone but if you compared it to a 'real' white (like a sheet of printer paper) you would see the shadow.

If you vary the sheen – full gloss or semi-gloss enamel on the windows and doors and a softer sheen on the main weatherboards – it would create a satisfying subtle difference that would please the eye.

April 2020


Q. We are reroofing and considering COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey or Thunder Grey. We will also be repainting the white weatherboards soon and would appreciate suggestions for a light grey, please.

A. Try these colours that will work with your COLORSTEEL® options – Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Quarter Friar Grey.

April 2020


Q. We want to modernise our beach house with a new paint job. It has brown aluminium joinery and a brown roof. I like the greys but would like help on a colour palette.

A. Here are some options to try:

Option 1 – main walls, downpipes and posts in Resene Ironsand, deck and gables in Resene Timberland, fascias in Resene Pravda and soffits in Resene Half Sea Fog. Or:

Option 2 – main walls, downpipes and posts in Resene Bokara Grey, deck and gables in Resene Dark Oak, fascias in Resene Stonewashed and soffits in Resene Black White.

April 2020


Q. We are thinking of painting our brown tiled roof a different colour as brown doesn’t work with the rest of the colours of the house. We were thinking of a grey and was wondering which option out of Resene Grey Friars or Resene Mid Grey would be best. The roof has a high pitch that comes to a peak in the centre of the roof. It is a two storeyed house.

The house was built in the 1930s and is stucco painted in Resene Thorndon Cream. At the base of the house there is a smooth band of plaster that we have painted in Resene Stack. It also has shutters on the side of the windows painted in Resene Licorice.

I am just not sure whether to go for the darker Resene Grey Friars or not and would appreciate any advice you have to offer.

A. My preference for you would be leaning towards Resene Grey Friars. Either of them would work well but I think Resene Grey Friars would work better. It's a really lovely charcoal and will look really nice with the rest of your colours. It also allows the Resene Licorice shutters to be its own colour as well without looking like you've tried to match to them.


Resene Thorndon Cream

(stucco colour)

Resene Stack

(plaster colour)

Resene Licorice

(window shutters colour)

April 2020


Q. Is Resene Half Alabaster on the ceiling, scotias , architraves and skirtings alright with Resene Half White Pointer?

A. Resene Half Alabaster and Resene Half White Pointer work perfectly together. There is a really nice contrast between the two and they complement each other really well.

April 2020


Q. We are planning on using the Resene Concrete on the retaining walls at the front of his house. The Council would like a second colour to be added to visually break up the expanse of blank surfaces. They have suggested a darker colour would be best.

Can you please suggest 2-3 colours that would work well? Please note, the house is in a character area where the Council is quite strict around maintaining the heritage character.

A. You could try Resene Double Stack, Resene Gunsmoke or Resene Kensington Grey.

April 2020


Q. We are currently building. Our roof is a dark charcoal colour while our windows, spouting and fascia is white. We like the look of Resene Blue Charcoal for the exterior. What would you recommend? We want something trendy so that it will sell quickly but something that also matches the mountains and lake atmosphere of Fiordland.

A. I think Resene Blue Charcoal would look really stunning. You could also try Resene Blue Bark or Resene Dark Knight.

April 2020


Q. We are using Resene Pattens Blue for our house exterior with Resene Double Alabaster for trim. It looks amazing so far. Our garden beds need another paint colour – we would like something that draws attention away from them, so the focus remains on the blue and white house. It has to go with the garage door wood stain colour (a reddish brown). We would also like a nice bright yellow door (like Resene Turbo) that goes well with the Resene Pattens Blue!

A. My initial thoughts would be to do the garden beds in Resene Double Alabaster also. I think this would work well and allow the house itself to still be the feature. The other option would be to go really dark to blend in with the planting such as Resene Grey Friars.

For the front door try Resene Spotlight or Resene Half Turbo.

April 2020


Q. If I wanted to have Resene Half Spanish White on the walls what is a good white for ceilings and trims?

A. Try Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Eighth Spanish White.

April 2020


Q. I have a stucco house built in 1996. It overlooks the sea with a terracotta tile roof. I want to paint it blue. I like Resene Undercurrent or maybe something like Resene Seachange.

A. They are really nice blues but are quite intense. I would probably lean towards Resene Seachange as opposed to Resene Undercurrent. It may look better to slightly soften it a bit – you could try Resene San Juan or Resene Streetwise.

April 2020


Q. Can you recommend an accent colour for Resene Silver Chalice that is darker than Resene Armadillo?

A. Try Resene Nocturnal or Resene Foundry.

April 2020


Q. My house is currently on the market. My roof’s a dark tone, think it might be Ironsand. I have white trellising around the front and back decks. And some older aluminium joinery around the windows, which I don’t want to stand out too much. Out back I’ve got a stained kwila deck.

The interior is mostly dark grey carpets and drapes, some timber flooring in kitchen/dining room, and most the joinery is a light charcoal sort of colour. So I’m trying to blend it all together.

I have looked at testpots of Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey, Resene Fuscous Grey, Resene Quarter Surrender or Resene Tuna. I don’t think I want a light colour like Resene Quarter Surrender but it was my favourite of the light tones, and I thought it’d make a good comparison. I’m leaning towards Resene Tuna at the moment but haven’t made my mind up yet.

A. I really like your favoured colour – Resene Tuna. It has a subtle blue undertone which could look very smart with the white trellising you have and the stained kwila deck.

The two other options that may have merit also are Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey or deeper Resene Half Fuscous Grey. These two have a warmer undertone which may sit a bit better with Ironsand – if that is what your roof is.

In regard your aluminium windows – please think about how they will like being coupled with deeper greys and charcoals.

Resene Quarter Surrender is gorgeous – i.e. it has a silvery/blue lilac undertone – but perhaps it is a colour that suits being used in a very bright sunny interior or on a colonial cottage with lots of white decorative trims.

April 2020


Q. Do you have a COLORSTEEL® roof colour recommendation to go with a Resene Bokara Grey exterior?

A. You might check out the following colours – COLORSTEEL® Ironsand – this is warm like Resene Bokara Grey, COLORSTEEL® EBONY – this very slightly darker than Resene Bokara Grey though it may not look deeper depending upon the angle of the roof to the sun, or COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey – this is a light grey neutral that looks nice with Resene Bokara Grey.

April 2020


Q. I am looking for a white for the exterior of our house (mainly casement window trim, fascia board and eaves) that would go well with the other external colours we have selected – Resene Bird Flower, Resene Karaka and Resene Helium. We live in tropical north Queensland where the light is bright. Can you suggest a couple of whites that would go well with all three of these colours?

A. Check out the following whites to see if they appeal to you – Resene Quarter Black White, Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta.

April 2020


Q. We are doing a new build and want the interior colours to be bright, fresh and airy. Our joinery and external colour are Resene Element. Flooring will be a natural wood look laminate and bedrooms will have grey carpet. I am thinking of doing Resene Alabaster on the ceilings, trims and internal doors and Resene Half Sea Fog on the walls. Will this combination offer enough contrast?

A. I think that sounds absolutely perfect. Another option you could consider which is similar but also really nice, just in case you want to look at something else, is ceilings and scotia in Resene Quarter Wan White, architraves, doors and skirting in Resene Quarter Wan White and main walls in Resene Wan White.

April 2020


Q. We’re remodelling our kitchen, which adjoins our living and dining areas and would like to choose two or three paint colours for the walls. We have white cabinets, light wood countertops and a bright yellow pantry door. I like Resene Half Truffle, but I’m worried it will look drab. I’d love some thoughts on classic shades that will look bright and match the wood trim/counters and yellow pantry door.

A. Try these classic colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Half Pearl Lusta, Resene Rice Cake or Resene Black White.

They are quite different to each other, but they would all work with white, light wood counter tops and a bright yellow pantry door.

April 2020


Q. We want to paint the handrail at our new house a white, with the possibility of painting the trim on the house the same colour in the future. At the moment the house is Resene Quarter Malta and all the trim is the same colour. The handrail is bare wood out the back and Resene Half Nullarbor at the front. The steps at the front and the dark beams above the front door are Resene Nullarbor.

A. If you were keen on using a white you might check out the following colours – Resene Quarter Bianca, Resene Quarter Black White or Resene Quarter Albescent White. These all work with your colours.

April 2020


Q. I have just painted my walls in Resene Black White. Is Resene Quarter Blanc going to be a white enough white for the ceiling? Or any other suggestions? I have Resene Quarter Blanc for the doors/door frames and windowsills.

A. You may have noticed when you trialled the testpots that Resene Quarter Blanc looks quite a mushroom pink tone compared to the grey/white of Resene Black White. Are you ok with that? Did you choose that particular coloured white (Resene Quarter Blanc) to work with another pink/mushroom colour in the room – i.e. carpet? drapes? upholstery?

All white colours carry undertones of colour in them.

If you want a whiter colour that works really harmoniously then perhaps a lighter/whiter variant of Resene Black White may work better for you – i.e. Resene Quarter Black White.

April 2020


Q. We have Resene Alabaster on the ceiling, doors and trims, and currently Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream on the walls, with a brown carpet. We are going to be replacing the carpet with a dark grey colour, and want to repaint the walls, but leave the ceilings and trims as they are. Can you suggest a white that will work with both the white/grey tones we want to bring through in the house, while leaving the Resene Alabaster as is?

A. The following greyed whites may be worth checking out – Resene House White, Resene Athens Grey, Resene Sea Fog or Resene Double Black White.

April 2020


Q. Which is the best colour for an old corrugated tin fence, recycled, south facing on a quarter back section. It is backdrop to rhodos, small trees, shrubs, climbing rose and some clear spaces. I have been favouring charcoal/black.

A. I like your idea of using a charcoal/black. All foliage and flowers would pop when seen against that type of background.

Try these colours – Resene Zeus, Resene Nocturnal, Resene Baltic Sea, Resene Bokara Grey or Resene Element. They all carry coloured undertones so it would pay to check them out and compare them, so you get a better idea of their reality.

April 2020


Q. If you were having FlaxPod or Slate for joinery what would you suggest as an internal light wall colour?

A. How they work will greatly depend upon what other colours in the house – i.e. flooring, kitchen cabinetry, bench tops, drapes and upholstered furniture. Try Resene Double Sea Fog, Resene Double Black White, Resene Half Thorndon Cream, Resene Merino, Resene Half Titania or Resene Half Ecru White.

April 2020


Q. I am looking at a new COLORSTEEL® Gull Grey roof and have a Grey Friars garage door. I would like a light white/cream colour to paint the house please. Any suggestions? The windows are light grey aluminium.

A. The following are a few coloured white options that you might consider – Resene Sea Fog or Resene Half Barely There. And some colours that have creamier tones you might like to try – Resene Rice Cake or Resene Half Thorndon Cream.

April 2020


Q. What is the most common/popular (white) colour to paint the ceiling?

A. Either Resene White (untinted) or a coloured white such as Resene Black White, Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Eighth Rice Cake.

April 2020


Q. I have two 90sq metre offices and am looking for a colour scheme to paint them. They are 10x9m and have the large old fashion sliding up and down windows giving plenty of light. The ceilings have a stud height of 3.6m. The floor will have dark tiles. The walls are plasterboard with old fashion facing round the windows.

A. You don't mention whether you want both offices to be the same colour – simple option – or completely different.

The following colours are neutrals that work well in an office environment – try Resene Eighth Bison Hide on walls with Resene Alabaster on trims, or Resene Quarter Perfect Taupe on walls with Resene Quarter Black White on trims, or Resene White Pointer on walls and Resene Quarter White Pointer on trims.

Some slightly more distinctive colours that may also be considered are Resene Duck Egg Blue on walls with Resene Alabaster on trims or Resene Eighth Lemon Grass on walls with Resene Eighth Rice Cake on trims.

April 2020


Q. Our garage roof and door is Sandstone Grey. The walls are Resene Half Sea Fog. What should we do the window trim and garage door surround with?

A. Three options spring to mind – Resene Triple Sea Fog (deeper than Resene Sea Fog but not as deep toned as COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey) , Resene Gauntlet (Resene version of COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey) or Resene Half Sea Fog (same as the main house colour).

April 2020


Q. What would you recommend in the colour white for a car showroom?

A. The following are a few options that you might consider – Resene Half Barely There or Resene Black White.

They are slightly different to each other but both are very obliging 'white' colours.

April 2020


Q. We are looking to paint our brick exterior Resene Double Foundry. We have Silver Pearl joinery. We are looking at a light roof – either COLORSTEEL® Gull Grey or Sandstone Grey. Would love some guidance on a suitable colour for soffits and fascia?!

A. This is going to look great. Resene Double Foundry is a beautiful colour. Here are some suggestions for your soffits and fascia, they will work with either of your roof colours: Resene Sea Fog or Resene Milk White.

April 2020


Q. My lounge is currently Half Tea. I want something warmer but not too colourful as it is not a huge room and it has only moderate amounts of light.

A. If you undercoated all the walls in white (undercoat) and then tested colours against that white background it may help you see the reality of the trialed colours.

It is important that you see how changing natural and artificial light alters the colours throughout a 24 hour period of time.

Try these colours to get you started – Resene Quarter Spanish White, Resene Bianca or Resene Eighth Parchment.

April 2020


Page 98

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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