Unleash the power of colour

FRESH AS SPRING: Lift the doom and gloom with splashes of paint

Changing the mood of your decor

Brush away the blues with spring’s strong hues.

In all this doom and gloom, “we’re attracted to colours that are optimistic, upbeat and full of life, and at the same time drawn to neutrals that give us the sense of stability and permanence of solid foundations,” says hue guru Kate Smith.

So why not grab some paint and coat your home in shades of happiness.

Paint is powerful, says Smith.

“Without changing anything else, paint can change the entire way you feel in a room and take it from so-so to sensational in just hours.”

The wall colour creates a background for your furnishings but also sets the mood of the room and expresses your personality: “there is a lot of value in a can of paint.”

Continue reading on The Expositor

Martha Stewart remains a decorating favorite because she instructs us on how to make everything in our home more beautiful. She has taken the same approach with her paint line.

Unlike most paint sample cards that include a single color or several shades or tints of the same color, Martha’s color swatches include stripes of two coordinating paint [more...]

Besides the fact that just listening to Christopher makes me smile, I enjoy his down-to-earth style of giving decorating advice. This same approach is reflected in the way he put together the colors for his signature paint line.

Christopher has developed what I call an “edited” palette. What this means is that rather than offer hundreds of paint colors he has selected 40+ colors [more..]

What I like most about Ellen Kennon’s beautiful palettes of paint is that her colors are blended from the seven colors of natural sunlight. Without light-absorbing black or gray, her paints reflect a broader range of light.

By using several pigments, rather than the usual two or three, Ellen creates colors that seem to change in different light and space. [more...]

Ralph Lauren Paints

The name Ralph Lauren has become synonymous with American style. He redefined American fashion and home decor and has always stayed true to his vision.

Ralph was the first designer I ever had a love affair with and he has held a special place in my heart ever since. I was so taken with him in fact that [more...]

Cath Kidston

Visiting Cath Kidston’s website is like going through my grandmother’s attic and finding a treasure trove of beautiful floral fabrics and classic furniture items. What a treat.

Whimsical, classic and nostaligic are all adjectives that describe her unique, vintage inspired paints, fabrics and accessories for the home. [more...]

The Old-Fashioned Milk Paint Company

Just looking at the colors of The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company takes me back to my grandparent’s farm and sitting  on the back porch with a glass of lemonade and a plate of homemade molasses cookies.

For over 30 years, The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company has been faithfully producing a genuine milk paint as close as possible to the original home-made paint made [more...]

Susan Sargent

Susan Sargent’s color sense is simple and playful. She is a fan of rich, vibrant colors and is not afraid to pair a hot pink chair with zebra print or lime green walls with brown furniture.

A textile degree earned in Sweden and 15 years spent in a studio gaining hands-on experience as an artist, dyer and weaver … [more...]

Of course even the best brands can have some imperfections, so I also will caution you about any problems I have found so that you can be aware of them when you are selecting paint.

I’ll be working on this series over the next few weeks but invite you to check out the brands that I have already commented on and would enjoy hearing from you as to what else you would like to know in general or about a particular brand.

See what brands I’ve commented on so far…