Home help

Your guide to home makeovers that won’t break the bank.

Contemporary interior with walls painted in Resene Villa White and Resene Spring Fever

Testing your paint colours to see how they appear in different lights will make sure you have no surprises and no need for repainting.

Rear left wall and top half of front wall in Resene Villa White, bottom of front wall and fruit bowl in Resene Spring Fever and book in Resene Villa White. Bookshelf and side table from Kmart, chair from Noho. Project by Amber Armitage, image by Wendy Fenwick.

Beautifying your home needn’t break the bank. Maybe you want to add some flair and colour to your home, maybe you’re planning to sell and don’t want to overcapitalise or maybe have pressing maintenance to address on a limited budget.

Whatever your home improvement goals, there are a range of tips and tricks you can employ to help stretch your dollars further.

Resene’s team of colour, design and technical experts have seen it all when it comes to home maintenance and design projects. Here are some of their best cost-saving tips as well as suggestions for care and restoration to help your tools, surfaces and finishes last longer.

Resene Colour Expert Meryl Southey

Do as much as you can yourself; cleaning, sanding, painting, gardening and upcycling are all achievable for basic decoration, then leave the difficult stuff to the professionals if it’s out of your skillset.
There’s a lot of online tutorials on all aspects of home renovation and maintenance, including on the Resene, habitat by Resene and MasterStroke by Resene websites, offering excellent advice and tips.
If you’re new to home renovation, start small.

Resene Colour Consultant Jill Marsh

Adding just a feature wall, a single drop of Resene wallpaper, or a small pop of colour can transform a space with minimal work or expense – and it can be changed out easily. Small areas like behind a TV or one wall in an entrance can change how a space feels.
Don’t skimp on painting equipment. Buy good quality, clean it well after each use and hang to dry. This will keep brushes and rollers in top condition for multiple uses.
Protect your home exterior by annually washing with Resene Paint Prep and House Wash diluted as recommended with water.
Revive interior walls by removing marks with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner.

A kids’ playroom featuring pops of bright, vibrant colour

Tackling small creative projects that are easy-to-achieve and fun are a cost-effective way to revive a room. Wall painted in Resene Wan White, floor stain colour washed in Resene Breathe Easy, large balloon and shelf in Resene Boundless, smaller balloon and shelf in Resene Nirvana, ropes in Resene Top Notch, large crate basket in Resene Rulebreaker, smaller crate in Resene Lakeside, toy box and shelf box in Resene Soft Apple, table in Resene Fluffy Duck, stools in Resene Pale Rose, Resene Rulebreaker, Resene Sugar Plum Fairy and Resene Tequila Sunrise, tall planter in Resene Sauvignon, small planter and cat ornament in Resene Aoraki, pen pot in Resene Divine and mason jars in Resene Scrumptious and Resene Divine. Project by Annick Larkin, mural by Hannah Tapner, image by Bryce Carleton.

Resene Colour Consultant Connor Watson

Use the Resene paint calculator to gauge how much paint you need. Not only can it help you avoid waste, but you may also find you need to buy a more cost-effective 10 litre pail, rather than returning for multiple four-litre cans.
If you’re fully changing your colour scheme look at what furniture you already have that you can repaint or stain rather than buying new.
Consider using one gloss level and colour on both walls and ceilings so you don’t need to buy separate cans of paint. Try a versatile finish like Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen which can be used throughout your home from dry areas like living rooms to wet areas like bathrooms.

top tip Low sheen finishes are great at covering small imperfections in your walls, particularly in darker shades.

Wallpaper may be a cost-effective – and time efficient – alternative if you have damaged walls that require a full skim coat.

Resene Colour Consultant Amy Watkins

Always test your paint colour in the room it will be used in. Try out your Resene testpot painted using two coats onto A2 cardbaord, leaving a 2cm white border, to ensure the existing wall colour doesn’t affect the shade you are testing. Check the colours in both natural and artificial light, in different parts of the room, and at different times of the day.

Bedroom with a wallpapered feature wall, featuring a pattern from the Resene Wallpaper Collection M37302.

Painted flooring and a wallpapered feature wall can be cost-effective ways of breathing new life into worn or damaged surfaces.

Wallpapered in Resene Wallpaper Collection M37302, floor and skirting painted in Resene Quarter Sisal, bedside table and basket in Resene Sisal, bench seat, coaster, planter and knot ornament in Resene Double Sisal, pendant light, tabletop book and palm hooks in Resene Triple Sisal and shelf book in Resene Double Rice Cake. Bedlinen from Adairs. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Bryce Carleton.

Sophisticated outdoor deck with a bamboo screen, featuring dark wood stains

Opting for a darker stain instead of classic wood tones creates a high impact finish in your outdoor areas without a huge cost outlay.

Rear wall stained in Resene Waterborne Woodsman in Resene Charred Black, decking in Resene Woodsman Decking Oil Stain in Resene Tiri, sandbox and bamboo screen in Resene Waterborne Woodsman in Resene Bark, planter box painted in Resene Dark Rum, table in Resene Cobblestone, stools and tray in Resene Burgundy and tall pot in Resene Bullwhip. Lanterns from Look Sharp. Project by Melle van Sambeek, image by Bryce Carleton.

Resene Paint Expert Jay Sharples

Keep a record of the colours and products you use so you don’t have to guess if you need repairs or touch ups. Take photos of paint cans and keep them in your phone, or write the colours behind the light switch fitting in each room, which can be a big help to new owners too.
Don’t ‘set and forget’ once you’ve painted. Protect your finishes and ensure longevity with regular maintenance and cleaning. Remember, you clean your car regularly to help protect the paint, your house needs the same. It’s your biggest asset!
Wrap your brush in cling film or a recyclable plastic bag between coats or while taking a break. This helps keep the paint fresh and saves you from having to continually wash out brushes.

Resene Colour Consultant Christine Hodges

Always have a plan with a budget and try to keep to it.
If you’re unsure about any aspect of your project, ask an expert for advice so you don’t make costly mistakes.
If the project is beyond your abilities, consider getting a professional tradie in to do the work. It might cost less than starting something and being unable to finish it properly yourself or having to redo it.

Resene Colour Consultant Hannah Lynch

Proper preparation is essential before painting. This means using the right cleaners, tools and primers, and don’t skip that important sanding step to ensure your paint or stain has the best surface to adhere to.
Always remember to wipe off any sanding dust.

Resene stylist Moneuan Ryan

Simply paint your room in a versatile warming neutral like Resene Blanc, Resene Thorndon Cream or deeper Resene Double Parchment or Resene Perfect Taupe. Neutrals give your room an immediate lift, and most will be versatile enough to work with existing furniture and decor.
Look at the areas and pieces you pass every day that might need care and attention as they’ll have a big impact on how you feel about your interiors. A good example might be your front door or a bench near your entrance area. Add a bolt of colour to give both the space and you a lift. Some of my favourite colours across the spectrum for these types of projects, in different degrees of boldness, are: Resene Racing Green, Resene Double Cod Grey, Resene Eternity, Resene Turbo, Resene Buttercup, Resene Poppy, Resene Red Berry, Resene Red Oxide or Resene Avant Garde.
If you have a wooden dining set, give it a quick sand and an upgrade with a fresh coat of paint or stain. Try a traditional stain shade like Resene Colorwood Matai or have fun with an unexpected stain colour like Resene Colorwood Apollo Blue.

top tip For pieces like a dining set try a nature-toned stain like Resene Colorwood Natural, and a bolder colour on chairs.

Spruce up your kitchen by painting outdated laminate kitchen units. Start by cleaning thoroughly then prime with Resene Laminate and Melamine Primer, followed by two coats of Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom in your chosen colour.
If you’re renovating to sell, avoid overspending and overcapitalising by getting good advice on what your home is worth, so you can recoup your costs on the sale price.
Repainting ceilings is a good way to make a whole room feel fresher. Clean thoroughly and paint with Resene SpaceCote Flat in your chosen colour for a washable finish.

top tip Whiter ceilings can help make rooms feel lighter and brighter. If you want a cosier finish consider painting your ceiling in a bold colour like moody blue Resene Coast against walls in neutral Resene Sea Fog or pastel blue Resene Casper.

If you’re renting, add moveable colour on canvases, sheets of ply or furniture so you can take your paint feature with you. Sections of a bold patterned wallpaper such as Resene Wallpaper Collection 39507-4 added to canvases can also make eye-catching artworks that can move with you.
Instead of painting a whole room create a fun, creative mural instead, using Resene testpots or one-litre paint cans in simple geometric shapes or stencils. Experiment on paper first before committing to the wall.
Sanding and painting wooden, concrete or even tile floors can be a quick and cost-effective way to revive a room. Try a stencilled pattern to replicate the appearance of tiles in paint or try a block colour that gives the space a lift and works with your existing colour scheme. Use Resene Walk-On flooring and paving paint for a durable finish.

Colours mentioned in this article

Colours marked as "buy in-store" may not yet be available in our online ColorShop, however, the testpots can be purchased at your local Resene ColorShop or reseller.