Pondering The Power Of Paint

It would be a cinch if one could taste test paint to see which color was the yummiest. One thing we do know is that all that delicious color equals power - the power to transform a home. Color is as close as you can get to an instant personality makeover or wardrobe change for your home. It’s an inexpensive design tool that can elevate a mood, make a workspace more productive, energize a cooking area, add sexiness to a bedroom, be a dramatic backdrop for art, or just set a calm tone for living. All that power comes from a can of paint. In the past, this elemental powerhouse has failed in one major area—its environmental healthfulness. I was standing in the paint department of my local hardware store (Williams Lumber) with paint chips and fabric swatches in hand in preparation of painting the main living spaces of my home (living room, dining room and hall.) While contemplating the overwhelming color selection, I'm thinking, “How do I want the space to feel and which color do I choose?” Well, I want it to feel cheerfully neutral. According to a very reputable source (the guy behind the paint counter), DIY interior painting is easy, but selecting a type of paint and paint color can be mind-numbingly difficult. He said, “People get dizzy looking at all the color choices. Try the new eco-friendly paints - they cover just as well as the regular paint.”

I wrote an article about eco-friendly paint, and we had already greened up a few painting projects. The health benefits for my family and the environment were enough reason to choose no-VOC  eco-friendly paints in the two bathrooms we recently renovated. Since one small bathroom is particularly prone to mold and mildew, we used an earth-based natural wall finish, American Clay. We also had great results in the other bathroom with Aura Paint from Benjamin Moore.

How do you choose a color from all of those “dizzying” choices? It seems the paint companies are trying to make the answer to that question easier with free color apps. Just snap a picture and you can instantly match it to one of thousands of hues in the color app systems. Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams provide coordinating color palettes for your inspiration. If you don’t have an iPhone (like me), take a cue from these apps and bring a photo to the paint counter with you when you choose colors.

How much paint to buy? Measure twice, paint once. Here’s a handy paint calculator to help determine how much paint will cover a space. With DIY projects like painting a room, you don't want to make a costly mistake. You'll want to get it right the first time. Most paint companies provide coverage estimates on the paint can label.

I'm still in the process of sampling Aura and Natura paint colors. My wall looks like a tasty patchwork quilt, but I'm determined to get it right. I would love to know how you choose a paint color?

Credits: Main Image via Happy Mundane, iPhone, Drawing – Michael Maslin

5 DIY Rugs

Have you ever seen a tag on a carpet that said it contained “unknown man-made fibers?” Are you scared of the “unknown?” If it’s hanging off a carpet or rug, maybe you should be. “Unknown” carpet or rug fibers are generally made from a cocktail of synthetic fibers such as nylon, acrylic, polyester, or polypropylene. These fibers may be treated with fire retardants, anti-static treatments, fungicides, dye and adhesives made of VOC's. Carpets are backed with polyurethane, synthetic latex, or PVC. Take a whiff. You can even smell the chemical odors of new carpets and rugs wafting up from the floor when you bring one home.

Don’t want to lay down the bucks for a new carpet? Then make your own rugs. While I love the look of wood, bamboo or cork floors, nothing cozies up a room like a rug. Small rugs can even transform into mini-versions of carpet when put together. Check out these 5 DIY rugs: CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Credit: Home Workshop

Rerooting

One thing I learned early in my writing career was to record my thoughts immediately after an event - anything that could be deemed post-worthy. This is especially true for emotional subjects. Once the moment is passed, it no longer tugs. So, last week I wrote this post after my friends, Brad and Cindy came to visit. Here's an excerpt:

"Here’s the scenario: As a young family you buy a home in a vibrant community, raise a few children and nurture enduring friendships. One by one, the children empty the nest. You find the once-perfect home and community no longer meets your needs. The empty rooms, the maintenance of keeping a large house and gardens, the increasingly far proximity to those fledglings that flew the nest, and a new sense of freedom that makes for a restlessness that builds until it gives way to a wanderlust that takes hold.

This happened to two of my favorite people. We raised our babies together, discussed our kid’s schooling, commiserated about teenage angst, had endless conversations about the interconnected lives of the members of our community, and then we watched our respective children (all five of them) fly away from the nest. Then...my friends flew the coop. They sold the family home, left their friends tearfully behind, and set off on a new adult-sized adventure. Eventually, they rerooted in a new community and a new home."

Have you or anyone in your life rerooted? CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Artwork: Bradley Clark

Can Green Design Save The World?

Inhabitat is one of the top environmental blogs in the world. Their mission is simple, “Green Design is Good Design ~ Good Design is Green Design.” Inhabitat also believes, “Green Design Will Save The World.” I follow Inhabitat daily, and want to thank them for choosing an idea from an econesting post. Their post titled: Time Flies With the Recycled Aluminum Epigram Clock via econesting displays on Inhabitat's front page today.

Inhabitat is a top notch “green” blog that continues to provide innovative ideas, while provoking the cautionary green vs. sustainable issue. They share a frustration that I also have about considering “green design” as a new category in the field. Is “green design” separate from good design? Inhabitat doesn’t think so:

“We believe that all design should be inherently “Green”. Good design is not about color, style or trends – but instead about thoughtfully considering the user, the experience, the social context and the impact of an object on the surrounding environment. No design can be considered good design unless it at least attempts to address some of these concerns.”

I am pleased Inhabitat picked up A Clock With a Conscience (and a mother's gush), for the same reasons I chose the witty Epigram Clock. It encompasses all that is good about design: It is thoughtful and cleverly designed, with a nod towards environmental impact (the clock contains up to 70% recycled content), and it was created within the social context of giving back (a percentage of the proceeds goes directly to the International Rescue Committee, an organization that responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives). The clock also represents what all design should – form, function and style.

What do you believe constitutes good design? Are you in agreement that green design can save the world?