Character darks

From the Resene colour inspiration – latest looks gallery

Dark exteriors have always held appeal. Black-painting weatherboards or other styles of cladding give a house a smart urban look, or teamed with white trims and a classic gable profile, they take on an appealing rustic country barn look.

There will always be a place for black and charcoal but the the trend has moved away from pure colours such as these to more character dark colours. Think sooty faded black, brackish green, bruised purple-grey, bitter brown and briny blue.

These are stormy, twisted colours that on the one hand can be brooding and torrid, but on the other hand can be comforting and enclosing.

The cladding on this house is Resene Safehaven, a blue that has interesting stormy depths but is also able to team with a variety of accent colours. Dark colours such as this is a robust backdrop to allow bolder and brighter accent colours to shine. Or create a crisp scheme using just a dark colour and white – dramatic!

Accessories: Assos Turkish Towel from Republic Home. Shell and Jute Tassle, Not Heidi Shell Necklace, and Sunny Woven Bag, from Indie Home Collective. Hanging Baskets, small and medium, from Epicurean Trading. Kilim Cushion, and Rose Fluro Cushion, from Madder & Rouge. Assorted plants from Kings St Lukes. Hat, stylist’s own.

These kinds of colours need stronger shades to match their power but if you want to go soft and dusky, just use a lot of it. Accessories and furnishings can also be switched out for seasonal effect.

Here, vibrant-coloured pots bring a Moroccan or Pacifica vibe to the courtyard, painted in Resene Daredevil (deep orange), Resene Party Zone (bright orange), Resene Pink Ribbon, Resene Lazy River (blue) and Resene Poppy (red).

A series of hook racks offer handy storage, and are painted in Resene Lazy River. The bench seat is finished in Resene Furniture and Decking Oil, which is specially formulated for exterior use so that timber stays looking good. The concrete has been finished in Resene Walk-on paint tinted to Resene Traffic. This gives a gritty texture for non-slip safety.

Top tip: Remember that if you are choosing a dark colour for your exterior, ask for Resene CoolColour paint which is specially formulated to reflect some of the sun’s harmful UV light, and protect your paint and cladding.

Colours: Fence/wall in Resene Safehaven. Concrete in Resene Walk-on Traffic. Bench seat in Resene Furniture and Decking Oil. Hook rack in Resene Lazy River. Plant pots in Resene Daredevil (deep orange), Resene Party Zone (bright orange), Resene Pink Ribbon, Resene Lazy River (blue) and Resene Poppy (red).

Colourful pots