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Product Review
I use this taped line drop cloth for specialty painting projects, it is great! It could be used to tape off furniture, windows, doors and trim. It is available from several different manufactures all work the same, however sometimes if the product has been sitting on the store shelf for too long the tape does not unroll. If this happens to you just return it for a fresher package.
Color Psychology as Therapy
Ancient cultures, such as the Egyptians and Chinese, used colors for healing. This approach is still used today as holistic or alternative treatments.
Most psychologists view color therapy with skepticism and point out that the supposed effects of color are often grossly exaggerated. What do you think?
Pink
“I fell off my pink cloud with a thud.” –Elizabeth Taylor
The Smoothest Finish
Paint rollers are made for different surfaces and finishes. There are dozens of different rollers to choose from today. When selecting a roller remember, the longer the nap the better it is for a rough surface. Also the longer nap means you will be able to apply paint to your surface more quickly. The shorter the nap the smoother the application. So if your goal is a smooth surface, use a shorter nap and take your time applying the paint.
Three of the smoothest finishes are the Flockfoam, Microfiber and a Mohair Blend rollers. The Flockfoam roller is great for varnishes and urethanes, yet not so great for paint. Microfiber rollers work well on a rough surface. This roller however is an excellent roller to apply a smooth metallic finish to your wall.
My favorite is the Mohair blend — it works great with all paints and gives the smoothest finish. For instance, use this roller for the smoothest finish on a wood door.
The Color Purple
Purple is a color occurring between red and blue on the color wheel. It is created by mixing the primary colors red and blue in varying proportions. Purple has been associated with royalty and nobility. A mysterious color, purple is also associated with spirituality. The opposites of hot red and cool blue combine to create this intriguing color.
Purple has a special, almost sacred place in nature: lavender, orchid, lilac, and violet flowers are often delicate and considered precious. Because purple is derived from the mixing of a strong warm and strong cool color it has both warm and cool properties. A purple room can boost a child’s imagination or an artist’s creativity. Too much purple, like blue, could result in moodiness. Deep or bright purples on painted walls suggests riches and nobility while lighter purples are more romantic and delicate. Use redder purples for a warmer color scheme or the bluer purples to cool scheme. A deep eggplant purple with neutral tans or beige are an earthy, conservative color combination with a touch of the mystery that purple provides.
“There is no blue without yellow and without orange.”
— Vincent Van Gogh
During our lifetime, trends are constantly changing. What we liked 10 years ago is different than the present, trends change, we change. Textured finishes have come and gone and then some have come back again.
Popcorn textures were common in the 60’s and 70’s and thankfully have never returned as a trend. First it was a trend, then it became a treatment to cover imperfections in dry wall installations. Many homes today still have this texture because it is difficult and expensive to remove. There are products to remove the texture and you can scrape and sand. But an easier option is to plaster over textures. The best results are achieved by hiring a professional. A professional will cover the finish with minimal sanding required, the result less of a mess.
One to three coats of plaster are skimmed on top of the texture then lightly sanded for a smooth finish. Average cost $500 to $1,000 depending on the size of the room and the amount of coats needed.
Pantone 2015 Color of the Year
Marsala Pantone 18-1438 – The impactful, full-bodied qualities of Marsala make for an elegant, grounded statement color when used on its own or as a strong accent to many other colors. Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal while its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness.
“This hearty, yet stylish tone is universally appealing and translates easily to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings and interiors.”
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute
(excerpted from www.pantone.com)
Is Restoration Right for Your Old Windows?
In many older homes windows were custom made of hardwoods. Hardwoods such as oak, redwood, and maple are all woods which, with proper care, can last hundreds of years. However, as the years go by older windows can become hard to open, rattle and drafty. The easy solution may be to replace the windows with new insulated windows. Expect to pay an average of $500-$1,000 per window for replacements placed inside existing and structurally intact window frames. Vinyl is less expensive, wood more expensive. Double and triple-glazed windows, or those filled with argon gas, increase energy savings but bump the cost to the higher end of the scale.
Affordable vinyl windows come in standard sizes which may mean losing window size in order to fit today’s standard sizes. With the less expensive vinyl windows, the vinyl may last a lifetime but chances are that the insulated gas component will not. This means ~ 20 years latter you will be replacing the windows again.
However, replacement windows are not your only choice. Consider taking the green approach — Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Older windows can be restored by simply refinishing the paint and replacing or repairing the pulley system which can make your window work like new.
Your old windows efficiency can be increased to achieve similar energy ratings to new insulated windows by installing an energy efficient storm window and proper weather stripping . Check out the Energy Miser Storm Window by The Burch Company.
http://www.burchcompany.com/.
Color of the Year 2015 – Benjamin Moore
Monochromatic colors feel right, right now. Try warm, cool, dark and light layers of the same hue. It’s one chromatic concept, gracefully flowing room to room.
Guilford Green (HC-116) is the color that ties this altogether, our 2015 Color of the Year. A neutral color that is a natural. A silvery green that works a wide range of color combinations – from neutrals to daring shades.
(excerpted from www.benjaminmoore.com)
