Top tip: If you do end up with too much paint or have old cans stacked around, the Resene PaintWise recycling programme is a great way to responsibly clear them. Resene PaintWise will recycle the pails and cans for you. Solventborne paint is sent to solvent recovery to extract all solvents for reuse by other companies and large quantities of waterborne paint is made available to councils and community groups to cover graffiti.
The most obvious way to spend less on your interior project and avoid waste is to get as clear an idea as possible about how much paint or wallpaper you need.
Resene colour consultant Connor Watson says it's just as important to avoid under-ordering in the first instance as well as over-ordering, particularly with products like paint and stain.
"You may find you need a 10-litre pail, which will work out to be more cost effective than returning to buy several four-litre cans because you've under-estimated."
Connor recommends carefully measuring your space and using the Resene paint calculator at www.resene.com/paintcalculator to gauge how much paint you need or taking your measurements into your local Resene ColorShop, where staff can help you estimate just how much paint and wallpaper you need.
If you have leftover wallpaper from a room renovation, add a drop or two to another room for a high-impact feature wall or add smaller leftover sections to decor pieces like a lamp. Walls painted in Resene Conch with wallpaper feature on wall, lamp and tray base in Resene Wallpaper Collection M53304, floor stained in Resene Colorwood Bleached Riverstone, pendant light, coffee table and planter in Resene Green Meets Blue, table pots in Resene Big Stone, tray and lamp base in Resene Half Black White and small vase in Resene White Pointer. Sofa, trolley from Le Monde, glassware and throw from Nood. Project by Megan Harrison-Turner, image by Bryce Carleton.
For wallpaper, measure your wall from floor to skirting, adding 5cm for trimming, then work out how many drops you will need based on the width of your roll. Most wallpaper rolls cover about five square metres, but this can vary, so definitely take your measurements with you and chat over how much wallpaper you'll need with the experts at your Resene ColorShop.
Top tip: If you have chosen a wallpaper with a repeating pattern like Resene Wallpaper Collection 39501-6, you may need to allow slightly for each drop so you can pattern match at the seams.
Do it once, do it right
Planning is everything when it comes to a successful renovation, particularly minimising waste.
A good plan for your renovation should include a clear idea of what colours, paint effects, wood stains or washes and wallpaper patterns you are going to use where. Before you commit to those things you also need to consider:
1. What you want the finished room to feel like; how warm or cool, airy or cosy
2. Your lighting - natural and artificial.
3. What furniture you have and whether you need to repaint or recover any of it to fit your new plan.
4. What your skill set is, so you can determine what jobs you're comfortable doing yourself and what you might need to outsource to avoid costly and wasteful mistakes.
5. What gloss level you want in your paint finishes, taking into account the quality of the surface, and how much wear and tear it will be subject to. High gloss is durable but can highlight imperfects, flatter finishes, hide dents and flaws but are harder to wipe down.
Upcycled wood crates and Resene testpots or leftover Resene paint make an eye-catching and versatile display feature. Wall painted in Resene Half Washed Green, floor stain colour washed in Resene Colorwood Shade, chair in Resene Green Meets Blue, crates and accessories in Resene Obelisk, Resene Armadillo, Resene Gunsmoke, Resene Thunderstorm, Resene Big Stone, Resene FX Metallic Blast Grey 3 and Resene White Pointer. Project by Megan Harrison-Turner, image by Bryce Carleton.
To help bring your plan together, make good use of tools like Resene testpots and Resene A4 drawdown paint swatches, all of which help you see how your colours will work together in your room. Make sure to test your colours in different parts of the room - or on different exterior walls for outside projects - at different times of the day and in both natural and artificial light so you get a clear idea of what they look like in your space.
Top tip: When choosing an exterior colour, remember colours will tend to look lighter, especially when used over a large area, so you may want to consider a darker shade. If you like a beige neutral like Resene Half Drought for exterior walls, you might want to try a stronger version like Resene Drought. View the large swatches of colours in the instore colour library at your local Resene ColorShop to help you visualise how well they work together.
Prep and care
Resene paint expert Jay Sharples's best tip for avoiding waste is to take your time and perform the best methods of preparation for your surface.
"Everyone knows preparation is key, but it's always the part people want to skip. The better the preparation, the easier the painting will be and the longer the paint job will last."
Adda burst of individuality and energy to a teen bedroom or hangout space withvibrant touches of colour using leftover paints and stains. Walls stained inResene Colour Enhance Japan Black mixed with Resene Aquaclear, floor in ReseneColorwood Bleached Riverstone, wine barrel in Resene Colorwood Iroko, stoolspainted in Resene Indian Ink, chalkboards in Resene FX Blackboard Paint withframes in Resene Hullabaloo and Resene Fire and vertical chess board in ReseneColorwood Natural and Resene Colorwood Teak. Cushions from Nood, dartboard fromMighty Ape. Chess board by Fleur Thorpe, project by Megan Harrison-Turner, imageby Bryce Carleton.
For new walls to be painted that means ensuring the surface is clean, dust-free and coated with a sealer like Resene Waterborne Sureseal. For surfaces that are being repainted, sand and clean with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner. Fill in any dents, gaps or holes with filler, dry and sand smooth.
Always check for signs of damp before you prep your walls as well, and treat with a product like Resene Moss and Mould Killer. It's also important to find the source of the damp and fix that, so it doesn't keep returning to ruin your painted or wallpapered walls.
Jay adds that it's also important to plan in a regular clean once the painting is done. "You clean your car regularly to help protect the paint; your house needs the same. It's your biggest asset!"
Top tip: The free Ask a Resene Paint Expert service online about the right preparation products and paint for your house exterior. They may vary based on the type of substrate material and the condition it's in. Or ask staff at your local Resene ColorShop for advice.
Creative ideas for leftovers
If you want to repurpose leftover paints, wallpapers and stains - or just save money on redecorating - the team of Resene experts has some ideas:
Amy Watkins, Resene colour expert:
Use Resene wallpaper as the backing on a shelf or bookcase. It creates an artistic feature that you can use to inspire what colour you paint the rest of the piece. It's a great way to upcycle older or second-hand pieces. Consider using full gloss Resene Enamacryl to intensify your chosen colour.
Resene testpots can be a great cost-effective tool to turn any wall into a work of art. It might be a theme for a kids' room or an exterior wall or fence that needs to brighten up.
Meryl Southey, Resene colour expert:
Repurpose old paint cans as planters or for storage. Make sure they are clean and dry, prime with a metal primer and finish with two topcoats of leftover paint.
Jill Marsh, Resene colour expert: Label tins of leftover paint, so you know what colour is in each and what area it was used in, in case you need to do touch ups later or paint another area the same colour. Store the paint up off cold concrete floors and out of direct sun, with their lids cleaned and then sealed well.
Try a small piece of leftover Resene wallpaper in a picture frame as a piece of art. Wardrobe doors are another area that can use up small amounts of left over wallpaper. Larger pieces can be used behind glass as splashbacks.
Adding small sections of leftover wallpaper to furniture creates a bold, unique finish that can pull a space together and connect it to other rooms where you've used the same wallpaper design. Walls painted in Resene Spanish White, floor stain colour washed in Resene Colorwood Shade, bedhead and draw surrounds in Resene Night Magic with wallpaper features in Resene Wallpaper Collections 39653-1, lamp base and small vase in Resene Nullarbor and vase in Resene Gunsmoke. Throw and cushions from Nood. Project Megan by Harrison-Turner, image by Bryce Carleton.
Connor Watson, Resene colour consultant:
If you're fully changing your colour scheme, look at what furniture you already have that you can repaint or stain rather than buying new.
Consider using one gloss level and colour on both walls and ceilings so you don't need to buy separate cans of paint. Try a versatile finish like Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen.
Christine Hodges, Resene colour expert:
Put the roller sleeve back in the plastic bag it came in and seal it to keep it fresh while you take a break from painting or overnight.