Paint is = prime

Rollin' Rollin'=20 Rollin'
Paint is prime

by Shelly Bucksot

photo by = Heidi Birky=20 Goldman

=20

Before Lucy Henderson moved into her 2,000-square-foot Sugar Land, = Texas,=20 home, she knew she wanted to change every single room's color. "I'm a = big fan of=20 paint," she says. "It's an easy, inexpensive way to change the entire = look of a=20 home."

Henderson admits she's made some bad paint choices in the past. So = for this=20 job, she decided to hire Design Decisions to help with color selection. = "I like=20 really bold colors, and some of the designer's choices were more = neutral," says=20 Henderson. "She'd say 'pale yellow,' and I'd say 'gold.' I wanted to = remove=20 paneling in one of the bedrooms, and she suggested I paint over it. In = the end,=20 we did some negotiating, and the whole house turned out great."

Last year, American consumers spent $8.8 billion on paint for their = homes,=20 and that number has risen steadily over the last decade, with experts=20 forecasting even greater gains for the industry. At an average price of = $15 per=20 gallon, that's nearly 587 million gallons of paint per year. And = according to=20 New York City-based Scarborough Research, a leading authority on = identifying=20 lifestyle patterns in the United States, it has become the No. 1=20 home-improvement project in the country.

Paint by numbers

More than 5,000 Angie's List members took = our Quick=20 Poll about painting. Here are the results.

percent say they plan to paint in 2006.

percent report that they painted one or more = rooms in=20 2005.

percent plan to apply a decorative finish to = their=20 walls.

percent say they hire painting professionals = instead of=20 doing it themselves.

Thirty-five percent of the more than 200,000 homeowners Scarborough = surveyed=20 painted one or more rooms in 2004, up 30 percent since the 2001 study, = when=20 landscaping was the top project. "People are taking refuge in their = homes more=20 than ever, and keeping one's sanctuary fresh and new - even by taking on = simple,=20 inexpensive projects like painting - adds to the feelings of peace and = warmth=20 people get from their home," says Bob Cohen, president and CEO of the = research=20 company. That trend is set to continue, especially for Angie's List = members.=20 According to our web survey of more than 5,000 members, 58 percent = painted one=20 or more rooms in 2005, and 76 percent plan to do the same in 2006.

Dan Hayes, owner of Custom Coatings Painting & Restorations Inc. = in=20 Charlotte, N.C., has been a painter for 20 years and says that more = homeowners=20 today are hiring out for paint jobs. "In the last 10 years, my revenues = have=20 tripled," he says. "A lot of it comes down to personality - some people = think=20 painting is therapeutic, but most people don't."

Rene Gebhart, owner of Rene Gebhart Designs, a painting and = decorating firm=20 in Canonsburg, Pa., agrees. "Homes are getting bigger, and people are = getting=20 busier," she says. "They just don't want the bother of painting = themselves. My=20 clients want to be involved in color selection, but beyond that, they = often=20 don't have the materials or the confidence to pull off the job."

That's how Peter Scott felt when he decided to repaint the kitchen, = bathroom,=20 office and two bedrooms of his Indianapolis home last year. "I don't = enjoy the=20 process of painting, and I know a professional will do it faster and = better,"=20 says Scott, who hired Susan Bordenkecher of Northeast Decorators not = only to=20 paint, but also to help with color selection. "Some people get so = carried away=20 after watching those home-decorating shows, like painting Barbie pink in = one=20 room and something completely different in another. I knew I wanted a = warm,=20 contemporary color scheme, but I also wanted a second opinion."

Scott finally decided on sage, tan and wheat - mainly because he was = going to=20 put his house on the market soon and wanted to attract a broad base of = buyers.=20 "We talked about doing some faux-finishing techniques, but we decided = simple was=20 best if I was going to try to sell it," he says.

photo by = Randy=20 Brown

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Lucy Henderson of Sugar Land, Texas, is a fan = of paint.=20 "It's an easy, inexpensive way to change the entire look of a = home," she=20 says.

Each year ushers in a new spectrum of fashionable colors, and even if = you=20 aren't looking to be on the cutting edge, it's a good idea to stay = close,=20 especially if you think you'll be selling your home in the near future. = The=20 Color Marketing Group, an international consortium of colorists and = designers=20 based in Alexandria, Va., has made it their job to identify = up-and-coming hues.=20 "Trends drive colors so we are very tuned in to what customers are = buying and=20 why," says former CMG President Melanie Wood. "Politics, theater, = fashion and=20 the economy all impact the direction of color, and our job is to get = into the=20 heads of consumers and predict what they'll be looking for."

For example, in the late '90s, when "Titanic" was a blockbuster, = bottled=20 water was flying off the shelves, spas became a vacation destination and = more=20 homeowners than ever were purchasing hot tubs. Based on those = preferences, CMG=20 forecasted that blue would be hot, and it was. For 2006, blue-green=20 combinations, gray tones and softened purples will be the colors of = choice,=20 according to Wood. "We're moving toward a mid-tone palette that's easy = to live=20 with and classic," she says. "Today's customers are looking for serenity = and=20 fulfillment away from the crazy world we live in."

Phoenix-based interior designer Jill Morse of JCM Design agrees with = CMG's=20 predictions but believes a large portion of the general public will = still seek=20 out golds, reds and greens because they're classic and easy to live = with. "We've=20 exhausted the taupe palette. Now we're headed toward colors with a lot = of gold=20 undertones. Sage is pass=E9, but khaki with a prominent green undertone = is=20 immensely popular, as are olive greens," says Morse. "And red will = always be hot=20 - from burgundy to Tuscan brick. It's just a classic color." She adds = that=20 chocolate brown and aqua, a prominent color in the '50s, are also making = a=20 comeback. "Anything with pale blues and browns is definitely in," says = Gebhart.=20 "Those colors are big in fashion and home decor, and those two areas = naturally=20 influence paint choices."

Angie's List members who took the survey overwhelmingly indicated a=20 preference for the middle of the color palette, with 53 percent of = respondents=20 picking neutrals as the colors they will most likely use when decorating = this=20 year - beating the next most popular tone, golds and yellows, by nearly = 5-1.=20

photo by = Renee=20 Rosensteel

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Rene Gebhart of Rene Gebhart Designs in = Canonsburg, Pa.,=20 sketches out a new project.

Bordenkecher isn't a designer, but she knows a great deal about color = and how=20 it can change a room's atmosphere. She includes one hour of color = consultation=20 in her estimate, but encourages homeowners to do some homework and have = several=20 ideas ready beforehand. "As you start to look at colors, take into = account any=20 of the room's permanent fixtures, like flooring, furniture and artwork," = she=20 says. "Window treatments and decorative accents can always be = changed."

And her best tip for making the final cut: Buy test quarts, available = at=20 paint retailers for a reduced price, and paint the samples on poster = board,=20 which you can move around the room and leave hanging for a few days to = really=20 get a feel for it. "I had a client who wanted a gold family room and a = pink=20 living room," Wood says. "The problem was you could see both rooms at = the same=20 time. I hung the poster boards and after five days, she agreed that it = wasn't a=20 good combination. I'm too busy to repaint rooms. I want my clients to be = happy=20 from the beginning."

The decision to introduce a bold color, like red, deep gold or = chocolate=20 brown, depends on the homeowner's bravado. "A good rule of thumb is to = use the=20 color on one, three or four walls," says Morse. If you're really brave, = go for=20 four. If you're a little gun-shy, use the color as an accent on one = wall. "An=20 accent wall should be the first wall you see when you walk into a room, = not a=20 wall on either side because that will throw off the visual balance of = the room,"=20 she says.

Another consideration is perceived space. Dark colors tend to make a = room=20 look smaller, while light colors will open up the space, according to=20 Bordenkecher. But she warns that a room's size is constant - only its = visual=20 perception will change. "If you fall in love with a color, use it," she=20 says.

Finish is yet another consideration. Eggshell and satin finishes will = accentuate any imperfections in the wall. "A matte or flat finish is = always the=20 safest route and the better grades are very washable," Bordenkecher = says.

In the end, there's no hard-and-fast rule about how many colors you = should=20 use in a house. It just needs to flow well. "Gold hues are a great = uniter=20 because they're easy to work off of," Bordenkecher says. "Greens are = romantic=20 and great for the bedroom, lavenders are calming, gold brings warmth and = red is=20 excitable. It's also been shown to increase appetites and that's why you = see it=20 in a lot of kitchens and restaurants."

Specialty Coatings

You won't cover an entire room with these surface coatings, but they = are a=20 fun way to do something out of the ordinary. "Today's paint = manufacturers are=20 constantly looking for new surfaces to paint and new techniques to apply = it,"=20 says Paint and Decorating Retailers Association CEO Nicholas = Cichielo.

True = Pearl
Brings=20 an iridescent shine to otherwise flat surfaces. "It's a very classy, = exotic=20 look," says Albert Banoun, vice president of sales and marketing for = Alsa Corp.=20

Great for: Walls, cabinets, crown molding and columns. =
Price: $125=20 per gallon
Manufacturer: Alsa Corp. Available online at alsacorp.com = or via=20 telephone orders.

Fusion
Introduced=20 in 2003 as the first no-prep paint for plastic, it's now available in = eight=20 different color collections. "Fusion offers incredible decorating = panache in=20 relatively little time," says Krylon Craft Product Manager Michelle = Neuhauser.=20 "It can pull together a collection of mismatched furniture to create a = unified,=20 coordinated decorating scheme."

Great for: hand-me-down plastic=20 play-houses, resin chairs, planters, birdhouses, trashcans, mailboxes = and toys.=20
Price: $3.99 - 4.99 per 12-oz. can (MSRP)
Manufacturer: Krylon.=20 Available at select retailers. Visit krylon.com for store locations.

Magnetic=20 paint
Create magnetic surfaces throughout your home. "Its uses = are=20 numerous," says Neuhauser.

Great for: kitchens, kids' rooms, = craft=20 rooms, workshops, home offices and homemade greeting cards.
Price: = $7.99 -=20 10.99 per 13-oz. can (MSRP)
Manufacturer: Krylon. Available at = select=20 retailers. Visit krylon.com for store locations.

Eclipse
A=20 water-based, thermochromatic paint that, when touched, changes from = light blue=20 to white based on body temperature. "Consumers love it because it's = something=20 they've never seen before," says Banoun. "This is a fun, fun paint."=20

Great for: kids' rooms and day care centers.
Price: $200 per = gallon=20
Manufacturer: Alsa Corp. Available online at alsacorp.com or via = telephone=20 orders.

Chalkboard=20 paint
Create smooth slate surfaces that will allow you and = your=20 children to express long-lasting creativity on a temporary basis. "We've = found a=20 growing popularity for chalkboard paint as families seek to organize = their=20 households and minimize clutter," says Neuhauser.

Great for: = playrooms,=20 home offices or the weekly menu you're always hoping to highlight in the = kitchen.
Price: $4.99 - 6.99 per 12-oz. can (MSRP)
Manufacturer: = Krylon.=20 Available at select retailers. Visit krylon.com for store = locations.

In addition to color, technique also plays an important role in the = finished=20 product. One trend that remains popular is faux finishing, which sprang = to life=20 in the early '90s and encompasses a series of painting techniques such = as=20 glazing, aging, stenciling, marbleizing and wood graining that bring = texture and=20 depth to an otherwise flat surface. In just the last five years, paint = retailers=20 have gone from spending $78 million on the products to more than $169 = million -=20 a 117-percent increase. "We don't see the faux-finishing trend declining = any=20 time soon," says Nicholas Cichielo, CEO of the Paint and Decorating = Retailers=20 Association, based in Fenton, Mo.

Sandra Kiss-London, vice president of Faux Like a Pro in Allston, = Mass., an=20 industry leader in products and educational seminars, says that = faux-finishing=20 techniques are constantly evolving, and it's up to the industry to keep = the=20 designs current. "Right now, the palette is very bright and graphic = prints are=20 big, so we have to find ways to incorporate those trends into = faux-finishing=20 products and techniques," Kiss-London says.

Hayes, the Charlotte-based contractor, says faux finishing is like a = tattoo:=20 Most people don't have them, some have a few and a handful goes crazy. = Angie's=20 List members tended to reflect that observation, with 78.5 percent of = web survey=20 respondents saying they had no plans to add any faux-finishing or = decorative=20 painting techniques to any of the rooms in their home. "The people who = are=20 really into faux finishes are either very artistic or have a lot of = money,"=20 Hayes says. "Compared to a regular paint job, faux finishing is four to = six=20 times more expensive." He adds that Venetian plaster and rag rolling are = two of=20 the most requested techniques for his business.

Henderson decided on a stucco finish for her bathroom, kitchen, = breakfast=20 nook and bedroom and loves the Old World feeling the technique inspires. = "The=20 Venetian plaster effect brings life to the room and sets our home apart = from the=20 typical tract house you walk into," she says.

Morse says the Old World finishes will continue to be popular for at = least=20 the next five years because they complement the style that is so = fashionable=20 with home furnishings and design plans right now.

Some new decorative paint treatments are also emerging as popular = choices=20 among homeowners, especially in game rooms and kids' rooms. "The mere = act of=20 adding color to a wall gives the room an attitude, but decorative = treatments=20 make an even bigger statement about who you are," Gebhart says.

Color meshing - the combination of up to six colors on one surface; = striping=20 - taping off various widths of lines to create a striped pattern; color = blocking=20 - filling blocks of wall space with complementary colors; and creating = diamond=20 patterns and fabric textures are all emerging as fresh alternatives. = "Color=20 meshing creates a very soft feel, while striping and diamonds are great = for more=20 formal rooms," Gebhart says. The denim look, achieved by dragging two = shades of=20 blue both horizontally and diagonally, is fun for kids' rooms and adding = stitching patterns on the wall and bandanna curtains to the windows make = great=20 accents.

Murals are also popular for kids' rooms. "The top two themes for boys = are=20 sports and jungle scenes while the girls want princesses and fashion," = says=20 Gebhart, who adds that horses are a good choice for both. One of = Bordenkecher's=20 secrets for girls' rooms is mixing sparkles directly into the paint. = "That=20 process works best with an eggshell sheen in a well-lit room because the = sparkles really come alive," she says.

In the end, paint can have a dramatic effect on your home by opening = up=20 rooms, lengthening hallways and raising ceilings. And the technology = behind it=20 is no secret, says Cichielo. "The secret is buying quality paint that is = washable, durable, covers well and will last as long as your personal = tastes."=20