Subtle sparkle

From the Resene decorating blog

When we think of metallic, our first instinct is often of brash and brassy finishes, but Resene metallics have an array of beautiful finishes that can enrich your space adding dimension and layers to your interiors.

A moodboard featuring Resene metallic finishes

A bedroom with a metallic paint finish

Take this room, soft subtle pewter tones create a masculine feel in an organic way. Starting with a wall colour of the neutral Resene Eighth Cloud to layer from, the headboard painted in Resene FX Metallic Pure Pewter offers a beautiful neutral yet rich base to continue layering colour and texture. Blend the natural fibres of linens, woollens and cotton to create a harmonious bedroom with a hint of delightful shine.

Resene Colour Consultant Brenda Ngatai recommends using a spray on technique to get the best finish when using metallics. And while they look spectacular, Resene’s metallic range is all water based so you can easily clean up in water and return any of your paint cans to your local Resene store and they’ll take care of the recycling for you.

If you want to push the boat out and add some real sparkle while staying within the pewter palette, Resene Silver Aluminium is a bright silver that captures the light beautifully and reflects all surrounding colours. Used sparingly this can add great dimension to your space.

Using Resene Gold Dust metallic on an interior mural

If you prefer the warmth of gold tones, look to Resene Gold Dust for a rich deep shine. Resene Gold Dust metallic used as part of this feature mural, pulls your eye and creates focus without overwhelming the area. Selecting the soft blue tone of Resene Half Escape for the background wall colour and Resene Tangaroa for the plant lines of the mural, makes the limited use of Resene Gold Dust really shine within this room.

When painting with Resene metallics, use a base colour first like Resene Apache used on this mural, to prepare the area for your metallic paint. If you’re not able to use a spray application, or the area you’re working on is small like in this mural, apply the metallic paint using a crow’s foot or ‘criss cross’ technique to allow the full effect of the metallic effect to shine.

Painting small items allows you to build your confidence and see the effervesce come to life. Starting with a soft neutral background like Resene Half Blanc for the walls and grounding the floor in Resene Eighth Blanc creates a serene base for this room. Selecting curvaceous soft toned furniture further enhances the calming effect. Choose a few small bowls or vases to create your metallic impact. Prepare your bowl or vase using a base oat like Resene Quick Dry and then a base colour like Resene Triple Blanc to prepare your item for the metallic finish.

When painting a smaller item like this use the dabbing or ‘criss cross’ technique when applying the metallic paint, so you’re able to build-up and see the effect the metallic paint is having as you work.

For a subtle impression, choose Resene Bedrock for its soft tawny shine. Though you can add more oomph to your bowls by painting each a slightly increased metallic shade. Opt for a trio of vases or bowls in differing sizes to balance out your styled space. Paint each a slightly different shade within the same palette – Resene Magma, Resene Bullion and Resene Rose Gold would work beautifully for a rosy warm trio of vases.

Resene FX Metallic paint can also be used to great impact on walls, or for a section of a wall to create an impact. Painting a geometric wall design on one wall with just two colours, can be a simple and cost-effective way to decorate the space. Consider the wall colour of the rest of your room and choose your metallic finishes to work in with that palette. If your room has a cosy dark colour like Resene Aubergine, choose the metallic Resene Basalt for one side of your chosen pattern and Resene Bedrock for the lighter areas of your design. These colours will create an impactful design and work well with the base colour of Resene Aubergine.

Painting household accessories with a metallic finish

If ‘more is more’ in your world, then prepare a full wall to paint your favourite metallic colour. Working on a larger area like a wall, Resene Colour Consultant Brenda Ngatai recommends using a spray application where possible. This allows for a very even finish and will help the metallic finish really shine. Firstly though, preparation is key. Once your wall is clean and dust free, use Resene Broadwall Surface Prep & Seal before applying a basecoat in the coloured basecoat colour, followed by your choice of Resene metallic colour. Allow each layer to dry completely before applying the next, this will optimise your metallic finish. Complete the effect with a topcoat of Resene Aquaclear to give a high gloss shine to your wall, while also offering protection and washability.

Metallics are not only for interiors, add a touch of sparkle to your exterior walls or fencing using Resene FX Metallic paint. Take a metal outdoor bench to new levels by painting it with a rich dark tone like Resene Blast Grey. This will not only enhance the metal but allow the surrounding greenery to glow against the dark backdrop.

While metallics have historically been reserved for car paint finishes, these days they’re a trend that creates a wonderful hint of sparkle and adds personality and shine to your space. Head to your local Resene ColorShop for advice on how and where you can apply these gorgeous colourful metallic shades and remember that when you’re clearing up after painting Resene is there to help recycle your paint tins for you.

With over 30 metallic shades to choose from Resene has the perfect tone to enhance any area, be it small and subtle with a trio of vases painted in your desired metallic shades or bold and brave with a whole room coated in the dusky tone of Resene Bedrock, you can delve into the world of Resene metallic paints and seek out your inner sparkle.