emerged as a leading
inspiration, highlighting the correlation between an artist’s use of
color and light to create mood.
According to the
company, Benjamin
Moore’s Color Trends
2017 palette features
23 rich and sophisticated hues ranging
from muted pales to
saturated deeps. In
curating the palette,
the Color Studio lent
significant consideration to the pairing of colors and relationships between color families, as well as a newfound level of
color confidence in deeper hues among design professionals
and consumers.
The palette celebrates “how shadow and light travel through-
out a space during the course of a day.”
Sherwin-Williams’ 2017 Color of the Year, Poised Taupe
(SW 6039), is described as “a modern take on a timeless classic.”
It, too, strikes a balance between tones and moods.
“Poised Taupe signals a new direction in society’s ever-grow-ing thirst for beautiful neutrals that bring warm and cool tones
together to create one irresistibly versatile color. It celebrates
everything people love about cool gray as a neutral, and also
brings in the warmth of brown, taking a color to an entirely
new level. Not cool or warm, nor gray or brown, Poised Taupe
is a weathered, woodsy neutral bringing a sense of coziness and
harmony that people are seeking,” said Sue Wadden, director of
color marketing for Sherwin-Williams.
Performance and technology
One of the first things homeowners do – either when moving
into a new place or sprucing up the old one – is change the paint
color. While this is arguably the easiest way to change the look
and feel of one’s home, interior coatings manufacturers know
that color comes second to performance. After all, who’s going
to notice that trendy paint color if it is marred with food stains
or wear-and-tear from furniture?
According to Dunn-Edwards, a few performance properties
that painting contractors are looking for with interior paints
are excellent sheen uniformity, touch-up and blends well, good
opacity, and ease of application.
Additionally, as more and more contractors and consum-
ers are in search of sustainable products – particularly those
that reduce odor, improve air quality, etc. – companies such as
Dunn-Edwards offers a wide array of interior paints that are
environmentally friendly.
“Dunn-Edwards offers a complete range of Zero VOC and
Ultra-Low VOC paints lines for interior application. All Dunn-Edwards paints bearing the EG Free logo, are EG-free and TAC/
HAP-free. Ethylene Glycol, a solvent often used in water-based
paints, is listed as a Toxic Air Contaminant and Hazardous Air
Pollutant. In 1983, we were the first in the industry to voluntarily replace EG with Propylene Glycol, a non-toxic alternative
‘generally regarded as safe’ by the FDA. Also, every Dunn-Edwards product with the EG-Free logo is free of any other
TAC or HAP, too,” the company said.
PPG’s Passinault said that consumers are looking for paints
and stains that offer high quality, durability, convenience, easy
application and pleasing aesthetics without high VOCs or
strong odors.
“In the architectural coatings industry, low-VOC is no longer a specialty product offering, it is a must-have option for all
brands in the space,” he said. “In a crowded and competitive
landscape, it is important to know how these products differ,
understand the standards for low- and zero-VOC certification
and how they impact job specifications.
“The main differentiator in the market is the classification as
‘low’-VOC vs. ‘zero’-VOC. Previously, painters were forced to
make major sacrifices with product application to achieve lower
VOC levels. However, low- and zero-VOC products have come
a long way and now apply similarly to regular paints in coverage and spreadability. In addition LEED V4 is now a primary
requirement for most commercial new construction projects
which calls for a higher level of understanding and commitment
to sustainability in product offerings.
“As the low- and zero-VOC paint space progresses, we find
that consumers will be looking at additional ways to be environmentally friendly, such as using recycled paints or paints made
from bio renewable resources, or participating in Paint Care
programs,” Passinault concluded.
To meet these needs, PPG’s Glidden brand debuted earlier
this year its newest product offering, Glidden Diamond interior
paint + primer, which provides “a smooth, beautiful finish with
diamond-tough durability at an incredible value.”
Also this year, the PPG Paints brand introduced the next gen-
eration of the < 50 grams per liter volatile organic compound
(VOC) version of Break-Through! interior and exterior water-
borne acrylic paint.
“One of the PPG Paints brand’s most popular products,
Break-Through! paint offers a unique and versatile technology
that provides excellent adhesion, hardness and block resistance
to a variety of residential and commercial surfaces as well as
quick drying time,” Passinault said.
PPG’s Olympic Paints & Stains brand provided consumers
with the opportunity to extend staining season, Passinault added, by introducing Olympic Maximum Stain + Sealant in One
with Weather-Ready application. The product’s features enable
homeowners to stain when they want to, even if the weather
isn’t perfect.CW
Benjamin Moore’s
Color of the Year 2017,
Shadow (2117-30)
