Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/178290
Paint, by the Numbers THE PAINT AND COATINGS INDUSTRY LEADERS LOOK OPTIMISTICALLY AT THE YEAR AHEAD by Laurie Jones P Paint colours continue to set the stage for fashion in homes, from subtle shades to vibrant tones that pop. 2012 offerings from manufacturers will not disappoint designers and homeowners who are ready for a change. While Benjamin Moore already has an impressive number of colour choices – over 3,000 . The company has now launched its Colour Stories palette that includes 240 exceptional hues. These colours have a greater clarity, purity and are richer than conventional colours because they are formulated with more pigments in precise amounts. "We have broken all the rules with the creation of Colour Stories and have achieved colours we've never been able to before," says Ray Gomez, Benjamin Moore's director of colour marketing. "These are full-spectrum paint colours, meaning that we're combining anywhere between ive and seven pigments, using no black or gray tints. Conventional colours use only three pigments and often ill in with black or grey." Unlike other pigments or colourants, Benjamin Moore's are zero-VOC. The company makes its own colourants and assures this standard is upheld. When the colourants are added to Aura, the brand's ultimate performance product and only paint formulation being offered for this special series, the paint remains low-VOC, under 50 grams per litre. "With Colour Stories, there's an amazing complexity to the colour experience," says Gomez. The Benjamin Moore team has created eight descriptive volumes to help as colour-decorating choices are made. Sherwin-Williams has enhanced its zero-VOC Harmony product with a formula that offers improved application, better hide and new odour-eliminating technology that actually reduces odours in the air, keeping rooms smelling fresher, longer. The length of time Harmony actively reduces odours depends on the concentration, the frequency of exposure and the amount of surface area being painted. "We are committed to being a recognized leader in the development of sustainable products, processes and initiatives that help preserve natural resources, protect the environment and contribute to social improvement," says Steve Revnew, vice president of product development. "We call this our company-wide EcoVision™ mission, by which we work to develop solutions that reduce environmental impact. Expanding our portfolio of environmentally preferred coatings is an example of these efforts, as we provide solutions our customers can turn to when seeking quality performance and good value." Harmony is one of ive Sherwin-Williams coatings that carry the company's GreenSure® designation, which identi ies products that offer maximum performance and are designed and manufactured talking steps to reduce environmental impact and to meet or exceed the most stringent Paint & Coatings p.50-53Paint.indd 51 Citrus Spice by PPG Pittsburgh Paints. regulatory requirements. Harmony also withstands frequent washings and resists mildew on the paint ilm with an antimicrobial agent. CIL Paints is giving Canadians something to blush about in the year ahead announcing red as 2012 colour of the year, meaning home décor enthusiasts will be sporting a touch of rouge. "The hottest colour of the coming year is a blushy, lively, juicy red," says Alison Goldman, marketing communications manager. "It's a colour that can mean many things to many people. Red is held in high regard around the world. In China, red means good fortune. In India, it signi ies marital bliss and in many Western cultures, it's the colour of passion, power and festivity." This year's red is like a chameleon, says Goldman. Depending on what it pairs with, it can be reassuring or edgy, soft or bright, warm or cool. Toned down from the iery red of 2011, it is a deep, warm blush of pinkish, tropical red with a subtle hint of peach that makes it more versatile than before. CIL recommends using a touch of blush to change the game when it comes to home décor by applying red to offset other colours, brighten the mood or add a sense of depth in a room. The return to strong colour has gained momentum this year, according to PPG Pittsburgh Paints' colour forecast for home décor in 2012-2013. Homeowners who were reluctant before will take the plunge into deep and vivid hues this year. "The overarching theme this year, and going into next year, is a real intensity of colour," says Dee Schlotter, brand manager. "Clean colours are everywhere, whether it is tangerine or red, which is surprising because for so long the trends were towards subtle hues. We see this in how people are looking to engage the senses. You can see this in a number of places, including store windows and loor displays, cosmetic packages and fashion. They are all highly charged with colour." On a quest for intensity, consumers will inject their decor with deep indigos like Blue Tang, saturated reds like Rum Punch, sharp pinks like Tutti Frutti. "We are also seeing differences in sheens, like putting a lat right next to a gloss in stripes, which can be beautiful, or putting a mural or stencil in a high gloss on a matte wall to create a 3D effect," says Schlotter. PARA Paints is proud to present its 2012 colour and design trends with the help of four well-known Canadian celebrity design experts – Glenn Dixon, Ambrose Price, Marc Atiyolil and Elizabeth Wharnsby. With this line, PARA has unveiled four distinct colour trend palettes – Digital, Rhythm, Urbanage and Inhale. These have each been interpreted by one of the designers, featuring eight go-to hues. "This is an exciting, interactive year for PARA Paints," says Garry Belfall, senior brand manager. "We are thrilled to have worked with some of the most active Canadian designers in the industry in developing our four distinct colour trend palettes and their expertise will help us to engage Canadians to make their own colour choices for 2012." Glenn Dixon says the Digital palette expresses a vibrant, youthful, futuristic glow. Marc Atiyolil's Rhythm collection offers colour and design choices to celebrate a bold interplay of traditions, with a luxurious, regal lair. The Ambrose Price palette, Urbanage, expresses a distinct metropolitan vibe that creates a feeling of well-heeled, well-honed, downtown chic. APRIL 2012 /51 3/26/12 2:26:33 PM