How to choose paint colours for your home

Does choosing paint colours for your home seem hard?

Slight white, off white, black, white…who knew there were so many shades of white! And if you don’t go with a shade of white, what colour should you go with?

If you find yourself staring at shades on a colour chart with no idea where to start, you’re not alone.

But thankfully help is out there. We have talked with the experts at Resene, and the colour wizards have given us a snapshot of the trends and helpful tips to choosing flawless colours for your home.

Here’s what to do.

What’s on-trend?

It’s safe to say that 2023/24 on-trend colours follow on from previous years. Grounding earthy tones, off white neutrals and highlight special colours.

You hear the term “neutral tones” all the time but why is it so important? By choosing neutral tones you can introduce your favourite splashes of colour through feature walls, cushions, artwork, furniture and soft furnishings. This way when you’re bored of the colour or no longer like it, it is easily changed by introducing new splashes of colour. Now that makes a lot of sense.

How to pick a shade of white

Picking a shade of white comes down to the natural light you get in your home. Newer homes are generally designed and built to capture as much natural light as possible. Older homes might be a little darker.

Due to more natural, warm sunlight, newer homes tend to go for a more grey-white shade, such as these:

Homes with not so much natural light is better off with a warm, beige-white like these to make up for the lack of natural light.

What level of sheen to use?

The level of sheen (or gloss) depends on the condition of your walls, trims and doors.

Because all Ezyline homes have a fabulous wall finish you can use low sheen on the walls and ceilings. And when it comes to trims, skirtings and doors you can choose from semi or high gloss. To add a really nice contrast and luxury feel use high gloss. It oozes amazing richness.

Choosing a colour for all your ceilings, trims, skirtings and doors is easy. Take the main colour of your walls and then select a ½ or ¼ of the same colour for the ceiling. Trim and doors. This creates a wonderful continuity of colour throughout your home.

Are feature walls still a thing?

Yes, they are most definitely still in and on trend.

Feature walls are a chance to show your wild side. They’re meant to be bold, show off your colourful style and create a room with personality. And because you’ve gone with neutral tones in the rest of the house you can totally pull off a funky feature wall to complement the overall look.

But what colours are in?

If you’re a blue lover, then try Resene colours ‘Nocturnal’ or ‘Dark Side’. Or, if you’re into earthy tones go for Resene colour ‘Diesel’, it’s got a deep gorgeous red tone.

When choosing paint for your Ezyline Homes you can choose any colours you like from the Dulux and Resene colour palettes.

Now to those exterior paint colours

Have you heard of Light Reflectance Value (LRV)?

It’s something to bear in mind when picking exterior colour for your home.

LRV is the reflectance score given to a colour. 0% = Black and 100% = pure white. There are restrictions in place when painting the outside of your house. The colour you use should be 40% LRV or more so that the paint can perform at it’s best.

What are Resene’s top 3 colours for exterior in 2023?

Deciding on colours is a tough task. Hopefully we’ve made it slightly easier, and you can press on with the more important things like organising the housewarming party.

Keep up-to-date with what’s happening at Ezyline Homes, as well as relevant industry news.