The Transformative Power of Paint
STORY Sharon Grech, Benjamin Moore Colour & Design Expert and Regular Guest on CityTV’s Cityline
Of all the elements of design, colour is one of the main players in establishing mood in any room. Walls tend to take up the largest amount of visual space, therefore any change on them leaves a big impact. Relative to the cost of other finishes and furnishings, paint is one of the more economical. Here are some tips for using paint to refresh your home this season.
LEFT WALL: Blue Danube 2062-30 Aura Eggshell
RIGHT WALL: Buxton Blue HC-149 Aura Eggshell
MOODY HUES
As a design tool, paint colour can be employed to energize, relax, inspire, motivate and more. Pops of high chroma colour can enliven both our spirits and our living spaces. Switching from a warm hue to a cool one, or a pale colour to bold instantly changes the mood. In general, cooler colours bring a fresh and invigorating sensation to a space where warm colours cocoon and feel cozy.
WALLS & CEILING: Beacon Hill Damask HC-2, Regal Select, Eggshell
TRIM: Atrium White OC-145 Regal Select, Semi-Gloss
UPCYCLE
Furniture is the perfect medium to express creativity and infuse colour into a room. Instead of replacing wooden furniture, consider repainting to give your home a refresh. From chairs to coffee tables and dressers, you can easily update furniture to give it and the room, a fresh new look. Benjamin Moore ADVANCE® Paint is an excellent choice for painting furniture, available in 3 popular sheens it suits any furniture style from farmhouse to ultra-modern. If you are unsure of the condition of the furniture and how-to-paint it, visit your local Benjamin Moore paint retailer for advice.
CABINET: Black Bean Soup 2130-10 ADVANCE, Satin
WALLS: Iron Gate 1545 Regal Select Interior, Eggshell
CEILING: Soft Chamois OC-13 Waterborne Ceiling Paint, Ultra Flat
TRIM: Soft Chamois OC-13 ADVANCE, Semi-Gloss
COLOUR BLOCK
Try painting an accent colour in an unexpected place like a ceiling, stair riser, or the back of a display cabinet to bring colour inspired joy, energy and whimsy to your interior. If you are hesitant but really want to try out a more daring colour option, start small with a washroom or simply paint a colour block behind artwork or in place of a bedroom headboard.
WALL: Iceberg 2122-50, Aura Interior, Matte
TABLE: Palladian Blue HC-144, Advance, High Gloss
FINISH FIRST
When refreshing your home with paint, choosing the perfect colour is not the only consideration. Selecting a paint finish that complements the aesthetic look and the functionality of the space is just as important. The most popular paint finish for walls traditionally is an eggshell finish. It has a very subtle sheen and wears well. More recently however matte finishes have increased in popularity and are a designer favourite. The fact that matte does not reflect light means it offers excellent coverage to hide small imperfections on the walls.
ACCENT WALL: Rosy Apple 2006-30 , AURA®, Eggshell
MAIN WALL: Alabaster OC-129 , AURA®, Eggshell
CEILING: Alabaster OC-129 Waterborne Ceiling Paint - Ultra Flat
TRIM: Alabaster OC-129 ADVANCE®, Satin
TEST DRIVE
There are thousands of paint colours to choose from, but the best way to avoid a risk is to purchase a Benjamin Moore colour sample first and try it on for size. Paint it on a board that you can move around the room to give it context or if you prefer, paint it directly on the wall to get the truest picture for your rooms’ transformation!
