Pondering The Power Of Paint

It would be a cinch if one could taste test paint to see which color was the yummiest. One thing we do know is that all that delicious color equals power - the power to transform a home. Color is as close as you can get to an instant personality makeover or wardrobe change for your home. It’s an inexpensive design tool that can elevate a mood, make a workspace more productive, energize a cooking area, add sexiness to a bedroom, be a dramatic backdrop for art, or just set a calm tone for living. All that power comes from a can of paint. In the past, this elemental powerhouse has failed in one major area—its environmental healthfulness. I was standing in the paint department of my local hardware store (Williams Lumber) with paint chips and fabric swatches in hand in preparation of painting the main living spaces of my home (living room, dining room and hall.) While contemplating the overwhelming color selection, I'm thinking, “How do I want the space to feel and which color do I choose?” Well, I want it to feel cheerfully neutral. According to a very reputable source (the guy behind the paint counter), DIY interior painting is easy, but selecting a type of paint and paint color can be mind-numbingly difficult. He said, “People get dizzy looking at all the color choices. Try the new eco-friendly paints - they cover just as well as the regular paint.”

I wrote an article about eco-friendly paint, and we had already greened up a few painting projects. The health benefits for my family and the environment were enough reason to choose no-VOC  eco-friendly paints in the two bathrooms we recently renovated. Since one small bathroom is particularly prone to mold and mildew, we used an earth-based natural wall finish, American Clay. We also had great results in the other bathroom with Aura Paint from Benjamin Moore.

How do you choose a color from all of those “dizzying” choices? It seems the paint companies are trying to make the answer to that question easier with free color apps. Just snap a picture and you can instantly match it to one of thousands of hues in the color app systems. Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams provide coordinating color palettes for your inspiration. If you don’t have an iPhone (like me), take a cue from these apps and bring a photo to the paint counter with you when you choose colors.

How much paint to buy? Measure twice, paint once. Here’s a handy paint calculator to help determine how much paint will cover a space. With DIY projects like painting a room, you don't want to make a costly mistake. You'll want to get it right the first time. Most paint companies provide coverage estimates on the paint can label.

I'm still in the process of sampling Aura and Natura paint colors. My wall looks like a tasty patchwork quilt, but I'm determined to get it right. I would love to know how you choose a paint color?

Credits: Main Image via Happy Mundane, iPhone, Drawing – Michael Maslin

5 DIY Rugs

Have you ever seen a tag on a carpet that said it contained “unknown man-made fibers?” Are you scared of the “unknown?” If it’s hanging off a carpet or rug, maybe you should be. “Unknown” carpet or rug fibers are generally made from a cocktail of synthetic fibers such as nylon, acrylic, polyester, or polypropylene. These fibers may be treated with fire retardants, anti-static treatments, fungicides, dye and adhesives made of VOC's. Carpets are backed with polyurethane, synthetic latex, or PVC. Take a whiff. You can even smell the chemical odors of new carpets and rugs wafting up from the floor when you bring one home.

Don’t want to lay down the bucks for a new carpet? Then make your own rugs. While I love the look of wood, bamboo or cork floors, nothing cozies up a room like a rug. Small rugs can even transform into mini-versions of carpet when put together. Check out these 5 DIY rugs: CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Credit: Home Workshop

Eco-Wallcoverings: Not Your Parents’ Wallpaper

It’s common knowledge among remodelers and interior designers that the easiest way to transform the look of a home is by changing the wall color. Often the design element used is paint. Not so in my childhood home. See, pills I had a wallpaper designer parent (Dad), and my other parent was over the moon over wallpaper. My father’s flocks and my mom’s modern metallics were in full bloom all over the walls of the house. Along with the rolls of wallpaper samples and those thick, stumpy wallpaper books, there were tiny flecks of film that caught on all the textured surfaces of the house. My Dad’s handprinted silk-screening pieces from his graphic design process landed on more than just the walls. It gave new meaning to “wallpaper world” and let’s just say they had their share of wallpaper wonders and woes.

Now we know the lowdown on wallpaper is low. Traditional vinyl wallpaper leaks VOCs. The adhesives used in pre-pasted wallpaper emit vapors. The chemicals used in vinyl wallpaper have the potential to harbor mold. Mold growth behind wallpaper aggravates a plethora of health problems. No wonder wallpaper wallowed away from the home design scene. But lately, wallpaper has been popping up all over the blogosphere. Here’s an article from the Dwell magazine blog about the resurgence of wallpaper in homes.

There’s one basic credo about green home design: If it is eco-friendly, eco-chic and makes the homeowner happy, then bring it home. Wallpaper hasn’t seemed to fit this model … until now...CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Photo Credit: Echo Designs