These examples, mostly from the Resene Whites & Neutrals collection, describe the different types of dark neutrals and their effects:

Toasty neutrals, like Resene Triple Pravda and Resene Triple Mondo. These colours are dark and dense but retain the lovely, soothing warmth of coffee bean or chocolate tones.

Going greenish, with Resene Tapa or Resene Masala. These moody colours give a more earthy twist to darker neutrals, and can look quite different from room to room depending on the light.

Resene Triple Mondo bathroom walls; designed by Lloyd Macomber of Salmond Reed Architects.

Truer charcoals, such as Resene Gravel, Resene Double Stack and Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey. Flinty and sophisticated, these colours are cool and urbane.

Ideal on their own or to anchor a scheme, dark neutrals provide a soulful backdrop for brighter, more intense feature colours. Add drama by using a sharp accent colour, like chartreuse green, yellow or teal. Team dark neutrals with cream or crisp white trims. This works especially well with older homes, where skirtings, architraves and cornices will be highlighted by the contrast with smoky dark walls.

Dark colours make a room feel more intimate and cosy – great for bedrooms, media rooms or large living spaces. A far wall can appear closer when painted in a dark colour, or use a dark wall colour to offset a beautiful sideboard, mantelpiece, free-standing bath or upholstered chair.

If a full colour scheme of dark neutrals is too much, use varying shades of the same neutral in different rooms. The Resene Whites & Neutrals collection is particularly useful, as varying strengths of the same colour are displayed on the same card.

The right light, Make sure your lighting is up to the task. Dark walls absorb light, so you may need to beef up your lighting to compensate. Spreading the light around the room, rather than having one central ceiling fixture, achieves a more even effect and gives you flexibility.

Left: Resene Masala; interior colour selection by Wendy Campbell, architect Ian Cumberpatch. Right: Resene Curtain Collection Unison in colour Naturalle with Resene Talisman walls.

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