The Role of Color:
So you want to paint the outside or inside of your home. The question is, do you keep the colors you have or do you find new colors to update your home's look?
Many people shy away from colors because they add a level of difficulty - matching furniture, spatial impact, etc. But if you can move away from these worries, adding color to your home, beyond cream, can make a real statement, give rooms greater dimension, highlight architecture, elevate artwork and bring greater warmth or space to a given room. The key is to relax and have fun with it.
There are some great books that demonstrate how to effectively color spaces. It's always a good idea to browse a good bookstore to see what they have. If you haven't the time, we can always loan you some of our favorites.
Paint Manufacturers and Specialties:
Today there are all sorts of different paints to choose from. The following are just a few types to consider.
Tried and True Paints like Kelly Moore, Benjamin Moore and Pratt and Lambert are accessible, vary in cost and have different variations of shade and clarity of color. Explore them all. You may decide to do most of the rooms in your house with Kelly Moore because it's more affordable, but a particular room in a Pratt and Lambert color because it draws from the natural light more effectively or matches a stroke in a painting you are using for your inspiration.
Unless we are told otherwise, we base our estimates on Kelly Moore paints and will need to alter our prices for some of these other paints.
Designer Paints like Ralph Lauren are usually developed to reflect the aesthetic of the designer, the quality of the actual paint can be suspect.
Color Specialist Paints like Donald Kaufman Color Collection that use the technique of fine arts mixing to develop their color spectrum. The quality can be wonderful, but they can be difficult to come by, expensive and can take an extra coat or two in application.
VOC Free Paints. Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs are carbon containing chemical compounds that readily evaporate into the atmosphere, damaging the ozone layer. A few of the larger producers like Benjamin Moore make a VOC Free variety. There are even more natural options out there like Milk Paints that offer not just the toxic free benefit but also an interesting texture and color that can further dimensionalize your space.
Imported European Paints like Fine Paints of Europe offer exceptional enamels for cabnets or doors. These are also more expensive, but perfect for highlighting something like the front door of your home.
