From the magazine Period Homes, it’s titled “A Primer on Paint,” and offers a detailed view of trends in paint products. It’s not about ‘color trends’ but rather about the actual development of paint products.

It's the pigments that make color visible. Aren't they beautiful? Kremer Pigments manufactures pigments from natural materials to create a wide range of historically authentic paints and finishes. Photo: courtesy of Kremer Pigments.

Major paint and pigment manufacturers are featured, with comments from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, Behr, Fine Paints of Europe, and Kremer Pigments.

If you have been wondering about Waterborne – vs. – Oil based paints, differences in paint qualities, “VOC’s,” and pigments, be sure to read the article. You will also glean a few tips from color consultants James Martin and Barbara Jacobs (Yes, I am honored to be included in this article).

I hope you enjoy reading it, and perusing the magazine, in general.

Do you have a “Period Home?’ What are the joys and challenges?  What do you love the most about it? Let us know about your experience.

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What is the story about the paint price increases? It’s not just for a few “premium” companies, but apparently all across the spectrum of brands, quality and price points.

What’s in that can of paint?
Basically, all paint colors are made up of tinted bases. In sheens from flat to high gloss, the base material is a combination of materials, but this story is about, essentially,  “titanium dioxide.” That’s what makes the the paint color white, in the can, before adding tints to make Your colors. So, when the cost of that material goes up, so goes the price of paint.

If you’re into the economy of science–or the bottom line on why paint products are continuing to get more expensive– you might enjoy this article.

But OK, I will still say it—Paint is the way to go.  All the more reason why we want to really carefully consider what colors we’re using, and paying for.  And, all the more reason to make the most of the paint we are using—and enjoying.

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So, when it comes to actually deciding what colors to use for our homes or even for our businesses, some confusion usually ensues. Typically, the ways color is decided when we need help is one of these:

Paint store defined palettes: Makes it easy, requires little imagination (ie: it’s already done for you). At the very least, this can be a good place to start, to explore testing some colors in your own home.

Ask-a-friend or family member: sometimes works, but the friend or family member is then responsible for their advice (and the relationship!)

Painter recommendations: Painters have more experience with applied color than anyone else in the field.
While some painters are happy to work with you closely to arrive at your specifically personal colors, I’ve noticed that they will typically want you to tell them what colors to use, so they can keep rolling.

However, on the side of patience and imagination,  there might be more that’s needed to achieve something really personal and interesting.

Copy the house down the street: this can be good for inspiration but might not suit your house, Or You, even if it’s the same style building.

What’s different?

• You are different! There are no two people alike, even though they might like the same kinds of colors.
• your House is different – even if it’s only the specific physical location
• Landscaping is likely to be different.
• lighting is probably not the same

Whether it’s for interior or exterior colors, in the process of determining a unique, harmonious and balanced personal color palette for your home, the four qualities in the title of this post are essential to really get it right.

They are all part of eliminating the frustration of being confronted by thousands of colors, and turning the experience into one that’s enjoyable and informative. At some point you may want to consult with a professional about any of these aspects of selecting colors:

1. Imagining – artistic
   
2. Knowing – educated, trained specially in the field
   
3. Envisioning – experience
   
4. Creating – putting it together
   

And finally: Enjoying
Something you can do without any help at all!

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After all, sometimes contrast is just what a space needs to emphasize shape and architectural details.

A new black with No Black! EcoHues Full Spectrum Paint: Deep and cool-toned Mysterio

TIPS
About paint finishes
The thing to remember when using deeper colors in a flat finish, in any brand of paint, is that the very very deep colors can ‘burnish’ when you brush against the surface. This means that if your elbow, for example, happens to rub against the painted surface it might make a mark that looks shiny in some lights.

So, we have three finishes: Flat, as with all EcoHues colors; SemiGloss; and Eggshell. The recommended sheen when using this kind of very deep color on a wall: Use the semi-gloss! It will be a brighter looking color and still retain the depth and mystery of, well, Mysterio!

A few ideas about trim colors

• Don’t feel obligated to paint all the trim in a room the same color.
• Think about the purpose of the trim: to accent a particular architectural element, frame a space, or create unity.
• Painting the trim the same color as your walls, but in a different finish, is a subtle way to add the illusion of a different color
• Painting crown moldings the same color as your ceiling, in a different finish, frames the ceiling and defines the space in a subtle way.
• Painting the crown moldings the same color as your walls adds height.
• Window trim in the same color as walls opens the space by bringing your focus to the outside.
• Using a very dark, contrasting trim color in a higher sheen can be a meaningful design accent To illustrate, a few images from Houzz.com that use  black.
  It’s not Mysterio, but you get the idea:

Modern kids design by DC metro interior designer Laura Manning Bendik

 

This designer’s name is a coincidence!


Eclectic bathroom design by San Francisco interior designer Jacobs Design, Inc. 




Boston-area LDa Architecture & Interiors always does stunning work.

Traditional family room design by Boston architect LDa Architecture & Interiors 

 

Contemporary dining room design by Tel Aviv photographer Yaniv Schwartz – Photographer

We have two very deep colors, and one of them is Mysterio. Another time I”ll feature CharPlum Gray.

Of course, digital color is nothing like the real thing.  Half-way down this linked page you’ll find details to order your own hand-painted color cards in various sizes from 1″x4″ to 8″x10″, with options for 9″x12″ painted on SmallWall.

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With that caveat, I began to look at various yellow paint colors for the exterior of a Victorian home in a Boston-area suburb.  Not only was the only option to be “Yellow,” but the painting was going to be done by an area company specializing in a ‘never-paint-again!’ method, and so it had to be the right yellow to last…and last…and never be changed.

One view, from the back of house, "before." Note existing color-testing by the owner, on the siding

Originally built as a single family house, as were most structures of this general style, this house has been made into apartments.

Stuck on Yellow, the owner had done a few swatch tests and come up "empty."

The house was already yellow…

Before: looking for the right change to make the difference

Selecting a different yellow for the body, with a more subdued color for the doors and an earthy color for porch floor and steps, was not a huge color change but it was a significant one overall.

The new palette: Sherwin Williams colors

• Body: SW 6374 – Torchlight
• Shingle accent:  SW 2817 – Rookwood Amber
• Window and door casing trims, and stair risers: SW 6372 – Inviting Ivory
• Porch floors and stair treads, front and back: SW 7053 – Adaptive Shade, a stoney gray
• Front and back doors: SW 6278 – Cloak Gray, a deep plum
  

  The palette: all from Sherwin Williams. Note: your monitor will not look like mine so please get the actual paint colors to test them.

New colors, almost done - but lacking the detailed accents

I had specified Rookwood Amber to be used on the details of millwork as well, which would have been a lovely detail, and would not have appeared over-decorated. Some of the column detail was done, but other details that were to have been done on the peak trim and some of  the other decorative millwork would have completed the picture.

Ultimately of course it’s up to the homeowner, who is the person hiring the painting contractor. Sometimes the finishing touches are omitted due to the budget constraints and the result, even if beautiful, seems to be missing something.

Three quick tips

• In homes with architectural detail, consider using color in the architectural details as a way to add balance and refinement. “Painting out” the detail sometimes works but the inclusion of the right, subtle color can make a world of positive difference in the overall appearance of your home.

• Even a simple color change can make a big difference. In this case, where Yellow was the only color family considered, it was a matter of getting the right one to suit the building.

• Testing: you can see that the tiny strips of color-tests, applied close together, don’t provide you with much ‘information’ about how the color will look on the house. It’s important to test on large areas that you can move around the building at different times of day, on the different surfaces.  Testing your paint colors on primed card stock or even pieces of wood (ideally, using siding to replicate the shadows) is a better method that small swatches. Be sure to use 2 coats of any colors  you are considering.

Overall, it's a big improvement!

View from the street. The colors of doors, porch and stair treads complement the roof color.

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Try this before painting!

There’s a time to be actively creative, and a time to be methodical and patient.
The paint process reminds me of my experience in studying tailoring (as in: make a suit!) years ago. Old-world style, our European professor would exclaim with drama and flair…“Rrrripp it Out!” when we students made even a near-mistake. We were always watching out for her incisive eye.  There was no room for shortcuts.

How does this translate to the wall-painting process?
As with many things we undertake, in painting, meticulous preparation is critical to the outcome. The better and more through the prep, the better your room will look.

Source: http://www.faqs.org

Shortcuts in your paint prep often necessitate creativity. But you might not be in the mood to be creative or have the experience and tools at hand to remedy a shortcut error. Think about this: are you ready for the often-dubious benefits of immediate problem solving that sometimes does not give  the best possible result?

Put another way: instant gratification vs. method and planning
We’re definitely not all experienced professionals…and are not quite like the ingenious MacGyver. Personally, I prefer to avoid those last-minute needs for being super-creative, that can be both frustrating and time-consuming. Taking the time to ‘do it right’ usually outweighs the perceived benefit of a shortcut. On the other hand, of course, there’s the benefit of “winging it” that can be the mother of great invention!

So, if you’re in the “careful” mode, here are a few tips from my own experience and from watching and talking to the paint pros:

• Do prep for all areas at the same time, while you have all prep materials at hand.
• Start with a clean wall: remove any surface oils, grease, tape, “stars” (from the kids’ rooms ceilings?)
• Careful patching and sanding of all needed areas
• Prime: use a high quality primer-sealer
• Sand, and Re-patch any areas revealed by primer that are not covered or that look funky
• Caulk edges
• Spot prime as needed
• Light sanding for a smooth base surface
• Apply the first coat of finish color

If there are gaps that need caulking it’s ok to apply caulk between coats.
Try to make it as thin a bead of caulk as you can do, for a crisp edge.
This will give your finish coats a nice clean, professional edge.

• Light sanding as needed
• Apply the second coat of finish color
  

  Image courtesy Ellen Kennon Full Spectrum Paints

One coat or 2?
It’s always best to do two finish color coats, as noted above. In the 2nd coat the color really comes out to it’s true, intended hue.  It’s easy to miss some areas on the first coat, that you don’t notice until its dry.

• Work in smaller areas, around 3′x3′.
• Keep the paint the same thickness throughout.
• Try to keep a wet edge of each section to minimize roller marks.
• Work from the ‘new’ area filling back into the just-painted section. This will help you keep a more even thickness.

Two schools of thought

1. Some pro’s  like to start with the trim. You can save a little time this way because you can overlap a bit onto the wall.  Then, when you paint the wall and ceiling colors you can cut up to the trim,going around the trim.
2. The other school of thought is to do the 2 coats on the wall then do the 2 coats of trim, making a clean line where trim meets the wall. Caulk as needed, as noted above.

Other details

• Use high quality tools
• Keep all brushes and other tools clean during the process.
• Use a drop cloth
• Use high quality painter’s tape when needed: Not the tan ” masking tape!”

Clean brushes and tools make the job go more smoothly!

A note about exterior painting
Painting exteriors naturally includes a whole additional array of precautions and instructions. Pro’s will know this, but during a recent trip to my local hardware store I was reminded of this important tidbit: Be sure to remove all old wood particles from the surface. Sanding is a good way, and you might also check out other products that can help  make a clean, fresh surface for your new paint color.

Last but not least
Always use the highest quality paint and tools that you can manage to get.  You might even save money in the short or long run. The cost of a professional paint job is around 85% labor, so the best products will make the job go more quickly and you’ll be more confident in having the best possible outcome even if you do it yourself.

Source: House Beautiful.com

I like to look at this as a sort of meditative experience. After gathering all the materials and setting up in an orderly way, the focus is just on the wall as a surface. While Creativity might happen—as, in fact, it often does—it’s more of a happy consequence while I am working on the mechanics of wall prep. After all, I’d rather not have to “Rip it out!”

For tips about working with a painting professional, check out previous COLORVIEWS blog posts.

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I think that ultimately it’s just about feeling that the colors work together and  are harmonious in the space where they appear. Personally I believe that a more interesting space is created when “matching” colors is not even an issue.  I’d rather see it as the best way to enhance the space while referencing qualities of art work, furniture, rugs, and other important objects in view.

Dining room wall colors reference the art work and stained glass panel. Color design and photos by Barbara Jacobs

What makes a harmonious result?
It’s true that when we’re in a paint store —with literally thousands of colors at our fingertips—it’s easy to bounce from one color family to another, and even from one tiny color swatch to another. Even when we bring along fabrics, pottery, pieces of wood, or other “match-worthy” items there are seemingly infinite possibilities. As with a satisfying meal, harmony comes from combining the contrast and balance of a few key ingredients.

Warm dining room transitions into the cool kitchen. From the kitchen, we also see the blues of the painting in the dining room. Note the glowing warm and cool colors of the art-glass pendants.

Kitchen wall color refers to the tones of leaded glass and granite.

On another note, here’s a problem area resolved with color. Floor tile is harder to change than paint color!

Problem area resolved with color balance. Color design and photos by Barbara Jacobs

Stone wall is the inspiration for new paint colors in kitchen and adjacent family room. Color design by Barbara Jacobs

Context is Critical!
There’s just about no way a color that originates in a fabric or other material can be re-created to an exact match in paint. Even if you have a look-alike color in the paint store, on your walls it might be another story.

Here’s why

• We perceive color as reflected light. Space lighting has a lot to do with how we see color—considering the time of day or night, and the light source.
• Even when using the exact same paint color on different walls, color appears different when light is reflected onto surfaces at different angles.
• Color on adjacent walls intensifies in the corners.
• Ceilings are always in their own shadows, in a way– so using color on a ceiling will be deeper than using the same color on a wall.

Tip
We have a natural tendency to look at color chips on a horizontal plane. Always view paint color chips at the same angle as they will be used on the walls.

Surfaces and textures
Whether on a horizontal, vertical, or curved surface, texture makes a difference in both the source color and the destination color.

• A deeper, irregular texture creates subtle shadows and might even make a pattern.
• A smooth surface will typically be more reflective, even with a matte paint surface.
• Colors on a high gloss surface are the most reflective and will appear brighter.

Test the new colors
View the colors in actual painted large color cards, noting how they work with your furniture and fabrics. Look  from one room to the next, and back the other way.  Look at the colors in all times of day and night, with your painted samples taped onto the various surfaces. This is my most-recommended way to really test colors in your home.

You can read more on this subject in my “Perfect Palettes: Mix and Match” article on HGTV.com.

Thanks for reading ColorViews. You’re invited to write to me about your color experiences and project questions that I’ll consider for publishing!

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You’ll probably also want to feel comfortable with people in your  home even though you don’t know them well. There might be times when you are not there, but the project must go on!  Even though it’s temporary, their presence is a part of your life. Some of these things you can infer when you meet them, and some things you might just have to ask directly.

Apples to Oranges?

Trying to level the playing field can be tricky, because when you start to interview your painters you find that each one can have perfectly reasonable explanations for practices and processes. If you develop a way to keep track of comments and suggestions, and balance that with your own list of project requirements, you will have something to review to try to make “apples to oranges’ into “apples to apples,”  to make your best-informed decision.

Here are a few questions to start with:

How long have they been in business?
Don’t be shy–ask for references.

Do they work alone or with others?
If using a crew, will the owner be available for questions, follow-up and supervision? This will have a lot to do with your level of satisfaction and confidence.

What brand of paint do they use?
You may want to just take the painters recommendation for brand, but you should also feel comfortable discussing this, and specifying the brand you want.

Painters often suggest substituting brands with “we can mix any color in any brand.” However, paint companies have base materials that differ and this can affect the outcome. For example, it’s simply not possible to replicate a “Full-Spectrum “paint color in a non-full-spectrum method, no matter how it looks on a small piece.

Three questions about preparation

• How would the painter treat mildew areas?
• Will the painter plan to fill all holes and caulk seams?
• Will the painter be sanding the walls for a smooth finish?

What is the painter’s typical procedure?
General painting practice specifies two topcoats and often a primer/sealer coat. Does the painter plan to prime the walls under the color coat? Some topcoat colors require a tinted primer.

How many coats of finish color do they recommend?
What kind of paint for ceilings and walls? In most cases, flat finish paint is best for ceilings. However, the paint that is used for walls is often a higher quality than “ceiling white” especially if a tint or stronger color is used.

Contracts are essential
The purpose of a written contract is to make sure all parties understand the scope of work, with clear explanation and details about surfaces to be painted, preparation, methods of working, time schedules and payment procedures for the project. Once you have met the painting contractors in person, this is the best way for you to evaluate the different proposals you receive. Equally important, it protects both you—the client—and the contractor. Reputable contractors will encourage the use of a written contract.

Last but not least: remember these important documents
Do they carry commercial liability insurance?  You can request a certificate of insurance from the painter’s insurance company.

As with most home repairs and other big projects, aligning the details in advance will set the stage for a better experience.

Do you have a question you would like to see addressed here?
From time to time my blog will include a specially selected Q & A item. I’d love to hear about your projects.
email: info@integralcolor.com

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This is part 1 of a 3-part series on planning your paint jobs and working with paint professionals.

Are you a do-it-yourself-er, or will you hire a professional? Here are  some tips to get you started.

(see the full post of Part 1, first appearing in this Boston Design Guide blog.)

Not for me!

Help is on the way!

Most homeowners have tried their hand at painting a room. Some are more successful than others, but most people think it is “easy.” But, of all the work you could do or have done in your home…(see the full post of Part 1, first appearing in this Boston Design Guide blog.)

Stay tuned for future installments on this subject.

Two special offers on paint and color consultation, through February, 2010

Paint: 10% discount on your entire paint order.

LM2010 is the code you need when you  place your order for any Full Spectrum color from Ellen Kennon Full Spectrum Paint mixed in the Flat finish of Lifemaster ® “certified green” interior line. (All the same beautiful, healthful colors are also available in Eggshell or SemiGloss finishes, but are not discounted at this time)

No VOC-No Odor Flat paint 100% acrylic washable

VOC-Free Lifemaster® Flat is a Premium paint

• Certified green by the US Building Council
• ICI Paints’ premium quality water based 100% acrylic finish
• Specially formulated for exceptional washability
• Super adhering
• Oil and stain resistant
• Virtually odor free and has no VOC’s (volatile organic compounds)
• A true low-odor paint
• Ideal for hospitals, schools, hotels/motels and office environments
• Perfect for families with allergies

What color to order? Select from your own set of hand painted color cards
It’s easy to get your own actual painted color cards from ellen@ellenkennon.com.

A selection of the Full Spectrum painted color cards. TWO SIZES YOU CAN ORDER: 1"x4"s for $5, and the full set of 90 - 3"x4" cards for $24.

The cost will be credited to your order of at least 3 gallons of paint.

And, a  Companion Offer to help you select your colors, through February, 2010
To help you make those important color selections and create that perfect feeling you seek for your home, or even for your workplace, I’m offering special rates on color consultation to accompany your discount on these beautiful Full Spectrum Paints.

It’s easy to receive an estimate for your project.
I will be happy to provide an estimate for consultation services once I know a bit about your project needs. Because your home is unique, fees are based for the most part on the number of rooms, amount of detail, and other factors.

Contact Barbara Jacobs with a description of your needs.
Photos are helpful.

IMPORTANT: In your email be sure to mention this offer code: LM2010

I look forward to helping you use color to create the beautiful spaces you want to return to!

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