You lucky readers are in for some fab advice on paint and color with this post. Welcome Paula Pavlik-Douglas, a color consultant from the great state of Michigan!
Lots of times contractors will take great pains with woodwork and cabinetry, sanding, sanding, sanding new drywall and patches; then when it comes time to paint, they go for whatever’s cheap. Paint is the thing people see! Take a little time and get harmonious colors and good quality paint and it will appeal to most people. Personally, I specify Benjamin Moore, but find myself put off by all their marketing. The color combinations they use in their brochures are pretty awful and people get too hung up on what the new “hot” color is. If you don’t like it, it’s not “hot”, no matter who says so!
Sherwin Williams on the other hand, has some very good quality products, but beware…a lot of their colors are garish. They have a new collection called Color Concepts which is nice, but limited. In general, the big manufacturers use too few colorants and too many binders to get any real depth of color.
Pratt & Lambert have a superb color collection that is no more expensive than Benjamin Moore. I don’t think they have any super green(no VOC’s), however they do have a color called “Moss Lake” that changes from gray to blue to green depending on the light. That’s what I’m talking about when I say depth of color.
On a recent trip to Chicago I re-discovered Farrow and Ball paint. You can get a free color card from their website: beautiful, timeless colors, and very green. These are colors created from the manor houses of Great Britain found in restoration work and taken from old records. They can be interpreted easily for more contemporary surroundings.
If you are rehabbing for resale, always remember color is a personal choice issue, and you will never please everyone, but in my work as a color consultant, I can say that most people are more attracted to warm colors. Cooler colors can be used in smaller rooms and as accents.
Keep the outside environment in mind too. Water reflects blue, so if you are redoing a house by the water, whites should be adjusted warmer. A lot of greenery will reflect in the house as well. Strong light and direct sun take strong earth tones well. They just seem to absorb it.
And finally, always, always sample!
Paula Pavlik-Douglas
Color Consultant
What are the folks saying?