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Happy feet

Project ideas and inspiration from Good magazine

Give a fresh look to favourite shoes.

Do you have old shoes that don’t go with any of your wardrobe? There’s no need to throw them out when you can easily update them. Use Resene paint to revamp tired sandals, customise trendy sneakers, slides or colour match that great pair of shoes you just found at the op-shop to your outfit.

Restored shoes freshly painted in Resene colours

Resene testpots are ideal for picking the perfect colour for each shoe makeover

Resene testpots are ideal for picking the perfect colour for each shoe makeover, they’re all made in Wellington and they come in New Zealand’s widest range of testpot colours and hues. Most Resene testpots come in Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen, tough and hardwearing paint that is ideal for use on a huge range of projects and very popular for small jobs like this.

You will need

Canvas, leather or vinyl shoes
Resene testpots
Dishwashing liquid or other cleaning solution
Scrubbing brush, damp rag, bleach (optional)
Resene drop cloth
A selection of fine paintbrushes
Washi Advanced masking tape (optional)

Step by step instructions

Step 1:

Step 1 - wash canvas shoes, whitening if required

Step 1 - wash sandals

Step 1 - wash leather shoes

Remove any laces and whiten with diluted bleach, if necessary. Thoroughly wash the shoes using warm soapy water. Give more robust shoes, such as canvas sneakers, a gentle scrub. Allow the shoes to fully air dry.

Step 2:

Step 2 - painting canvas shoes

Step 2 - painting sandals

Step 2 - painting leather shoes

Lay out your Resene drop cloth. Decide which areas of the shoe to paint. Carefully apply paint in two light coats of paint, allowing ample drying time between each coat. Mask edges with Washi tape when painting straight lines. Use the damp rag to wipe any smudged edges, as necessary.

Step 3:

Step 3 - allow canvas shoes to dry and re-lace

Step 3 - also sandals to dry

Step 3 - allow leather shoes to dry

Allow the painted shoes to dry for 2-3 days before wearing to allow the paint to fully set. Relace sneakers with the washed laces or switch them out with another colour.

Shop this look

Testpot colours and products marked as "buy in-store" may not yet be available in our online ColorShop, however, they can be purchased at your local Resene ColorShop or reseller.

Resene Quarter Fossil

Resene Tangerine

Resene Lumbersider

Words and photography Sarah Heeringa.

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April 2025

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Resene Paints Ltd – www.resene.co.nz