Those who are familiar with our in store operation know that we carry the Ralph Lauren paint line. This paint line is not as readily available as it used to be, it used to be carried by a few major retail (big box) outfits. I believe that in some cases this was done in favor of their own store brands, it was no referendum on Ralph Lauren’s paint in particular. Those who very much wanted to get their hands on Ralph Lauren’s paint had to find it, and hope the dealer was close. There are not many selling it. Now for those who wanted to get their hands on Ralph Lauren’s paint but aren’t near our store in Englewood New Jersey- you’re in luck!

We’ve put it online on our website. 406 colors are live as of right now. In all honesty, we were actually receiving online orders before all of the products were uploaded! Both fan decks are also available of course.
This is the banner for the section on our mainpage with an arrow pointing to the category on our left side menu:

Shown here is a screenshot of the section’s layout:

These images were taken using techniques and technology optimized to keep the image’s color representation as accurate to the original color chip as possible.
Now remember: The images on our site are intended to be reference colors. We do not recommend to anyone that they start printing out pictures and attempt to use them as color chips. Printers, monitor resolution, how certain ink prints on some paper brands – all of those things can vary. Please, if you want the genuine article and real accuracy, order a fan deck. If you’re comfortable with the idea of “close enough” because you’re, say, working on a clean slate and there’s a bit of wiggle room on the colors? Then you could give it a shot, though I would personally advise you not to do so.  Regardless, we wanted customers to have the best color preview that we could provide, we’ve done that here.

Thoughts on this line in one sentence:
The colors are great, the complimentary colors are great, and it’s an easy palatte to work with.

There is no true self priming paint. There just isn’t, sorry. Truth be told it’s something of an inside joke with contractors and retailers alike. This morning I said those three words to a contractor, “Self priming paint,” without any conversation preceding  it. He laughed, smiled, looked down and shook his head. Say it to just about any paint company sales rep and they will sigh exasperatedly too. After so much buzz about the topic, I felt compelled to share my thoughts.

1) If anyone thinks that buying a primer is a complete rip off, they don’t know much about paint. It isn’t anyone’s fault really, most people have different uses of time for their life than learning all the intricacies of paint. After all, that’s why they go to the paint people to ask their paint questions!  Customers should not look at primer like an extravagance or a thing to be cut away for the sake of efficiency, primers should looked at as bread to go with their sandwich’s contents. To a paint person, when a customer says, “I don’t need/want primer, you’re just trying to rip me off!”, they might as well say, “what do I look stupid, of course I don’t want bread with my tuna sandwich!” Forgive my harshness, but sometimes it does sound like that!

2) There’s only so much material in a gallon. The chemical makeup of primers and paint are different. It’s like the difference between a Mack truck and a VW beetle. Built for totally different things. There are compromises but nothing that can perfectly do the job of either.

3) My own theory: I believe that paint companies have put this claim on their product’s can in response to clever advertising gimmicks by cheaper brands located in big box outfits. I’m not alone in this belief. Quite simply it has become a marketing war, and they’re wondering how to combat these advertising claims. In this bidding war, quality, customer education on the differences between the products, and the truth are the sacrificial lambs.

4) “How can they say that?” Paints have improved quite a bit. A regular gallon of paint can have some of the “seeping in” chemical properties of a primer. The competition of the paint market has improved the entire field in terms of their product’s ability to cover. Technically speaking, some of these paints do somewhat work as a primer for a few situations. Do they a real 1 for 1 substitute for a primer? Not for a second. But do they have “primer like qualities”? Yes. Perhaps in the future may we see a TRUE primer/paint combination that is not a compromise. Without tipping my hand, I will say that there’s a product in the works.

I feel compelled to add this: Putting a “bargain-base” flat finish paint without a properly primed glossy surface, say a cabinet?, is an experience that will make people a believer in primers after a single event. Fresh sheetrock in a new home, unprimed, would cause another one of these events.

5) “But some contractors swear it works?” And some contractors will charge their customers for both a primer and a paint, but buy a “Two in one, works for none” option! Frankly: Not all contractors are equally as knowledgeable on their products. A second generation professional painter will, with very few exceptions, know more than someone who started last month.

Amongst the “good guy/girl” contractors who use the stuff? They’re usually short changing their own abilities if they think the product is just as good. Contractors, in trying to work around substandard products, often don’t realize how hard their job is and how talented they are. They’re sticking by a shoddy product never realizing that their good work results are more a reflection of their ability to bend over backwards, than of the material’s quality.
There are sales representatives who occasionally read this blog, they will likely want my head on a platter after reading some of this, but I stand by this post. The experience (which is mirrored by that of our customers) is this: While some products do a good job of acting like a primer and have primer like qualities, using an actual primer is always best.

Which manual? Benjamin Moore’s “Fresh Start: Your first steps to becoming a Benjamin Moore brand Ambassador”
It’s a handy book, filled with quite a lot of information. It runs the gamut from the history of Benjamin Moore, to  fixes for common challenges for individual product applications.

“In the early 1900′s nitrocellulose paint first used in auto production, replaced a twelve coat 24-hour dry per coat brush on system.” (Page 2).
All I can say is wow.  Twelve coats, 24 hour dry time each. In the words of John McEnroe, “You cannot be serious!”

The above image is from page 36, showing the basic formulation differences between a higher and a lower quality paint.

“Regardless of the intended end use of wood products, they must have a protective coating applied.” (Page 63).

“New concrete should be cured 28 days prior to coating, and tested for moisture. All concrete should be acid etched and rinsed thoroughly prior to coating. If acid etch does not work, surface of concrete likely contains a silicone based sealer that no coating will properly adhere to.” (Page 72).

“Different pieces of the same type of wood accept stain differently, therefore always use a piece of original stock for testing.” (Page 77).

“Color Flow – This is the linking of rooms with color to create spaciousness. For example, when the dining room is connected with the living room, both can be painted with the same color to create continuity and spaciousness.” (Page 127).

“The most common exterior paint failure on masonry construction is peeling and scaling, often caused from painting over heavy chalk deposits that have not been properly removed. The most practical and efficient way to remove these deposits is with high-pressure spray equipment.” (Page 134).

“Quality in a brush refers to durability and how well it performs. Professionals measure performance by pickup (amount of paint a brush picks up and holds) and release (rate and amount of paint being applied). A quality brush should have good paint pickup and release at a steady rate to avoid dumping paint on the surface. Also important are leveling (smoothness of paint laid on), hiding (how well paint covers previous coating), and cutting in (ability to paint a sharp, straight line when desired). ” (Page 144).

“These are some basic painting tips.
Dip the brush in the can so that one-third to one-half of the stock is coated. Remove excess paint by wiping one side of the stock against the inside rim of the can. For walls and other large areas, hold the brush with a relaxed grip. Don’t press too hard as you apply paint, and flex the brush so that the paint contacts the surface well. Use long, steady strokes, lifting the brush gradually at the end of each stroke as you work back and forth.
Always work from an unpainted area to a painted one, overlapping as you go. This will help prevent unsightly lap marks. For narrow surfaces such as windows or molding, use a smaller brush and grip it as show in the illustration.
If you take a break during your painting and the interval is not more than two or three hours, there is no need to wash out your brushes. Simply wrap them in foil to keep them moist and workable when you come back.”  (Page 148).

“Chain link fences-
When application is made by spray, figure the square foot area of the fence as a solid because of the over spray. Always double paint requirements for both sides. in estimating the paint requirements for chain link fences your first consideration should be the method of application. The most economical and recommend method is with an extra long roller. ” (Page 166).

Those who have taken a look at our web store may have noticed that we have Modern Masters Metallic Paints.
Like many of our favorite offerings, it’s a top quality product. Many of our customers use it for movie theaters, art projects, mirrors, antique restoration, ceiling domes, you name it. The product’s versatility really is amazing; it’s an excellent choice for someone with a creative mind.

Color wise it offers a wide range of possibilities, as the colors are not only metallic, but inter-mixable as well. The palette of possible colors is quite broad. When working with a properly prepped surface, there are select colors that are suitable for exterior use (when coated with the correct topcoat of course). That’s a fact most people don’t know about Modern Masters Metallics- that it’s an interior/exterior product.

If you’re asking yourself the question, “Do I want to try Modern Masters?” I assure you the answer is yes!
Don’t take our word for it, see for yourself and give it a try the next chance you get.

You can read read more about the green room in Melissa Dunlap’s article:
http://www.sheknows.com/home-and-gardening/articles/951195/backstage-at-the-2012-oscars-architectural-digests-greenroom

Fab features of the 2012 Oscar Greenroom

Fernandez’s design delicately balances masculine and feminine aesthetics while giving a nod to old Hollywood glamor. Here are our favorite parts of the sophisticated decor — and tips for recreating the look.

1. Gray walls. The deep-hued walls were selected by color specialist Donald Kaufman. The dark color creates a cozy space that allows colorful accents to stand out. Get the color used in the Oscar greenroom, DKC 98, from Eagle Paint & Wallpaper, Inc.

 

While the paint industry is now embracing the concept of full spectrum color, it’s been the hallmark of the Donald Kaufman Color collection for 25 years. As a retailer that carries several other high end brands and lines, I can say that the DKC line is something demonstrably different. The root of the differences is simple: I. M. Pei’s partner, James Freed says: “I’ll tell you exactly what makes him special. He starts from a different perspective. He starts as an artist.”
-James Freed, Architect.

Architectural color was a very natural extension of their body of work for both Don, and his wife and partner Taffy Dahl. When transitioning from fine arts to art in homes, they found paint offerings lacking; they then set out to create their own colors. The result was the Donald Kaufman Color full spectrum color line.  It’s interesting to note that when the DKC line was created, the newer paint lines now being labeled as full spectrum colors would not exist for another 20+ years.

I anticipate other brands coming out with colors bearing the full spectrum moniker in the future. I think having colors that shift under light (the minimum threshold) still have value for customers, as I believe in innovation and I like to see new ideas, as well as customers having as many choices as possible. However, as it stands now and for the foreseeable future: Only one brand’s colors were created with the utmost respect to spectral energy distribution, the original: The Donald Kaufman Color collection.

You can read more about Donald Kaufman Color on their website: http://www.donaldkaufmancolor.com/
If you’re ready to see firsthand why so many designers choose DKC first and foremost for their clients, you can visit our web-store for gallons, samples, or color cards: www.eaglepaintandwallpaper.com/store/DKC

Full spectrum colors are now starting to gain prominence, and in the future will become an increasingly conversed about concept. It is the opinion of this writer, that in the future there will also be discussion on what makes a full spectrum color, a truly full spectrum color. Being able to “change a little bit in light” will likely become the minimum threshold for what is considered one. However, a full spectrum color is quite a bit more than that. There is the color’s spectral power distribution to take into account. In nature, colors are compromised of elements of several other colors that range across the color spectrum. Their sum, is the dominant color’s spectral energy. Failure to take spectral energy into account would be akin to an orchestra missing musicians, or a culinary creation missing an ingredient.  The balancing of spectral energy gives a color a quality that’s often hard to get from a paint chip, its “soul.”

Music needs to be heard, food needs to be tasted, textures should be touched, and architectural colors need to be truly lived in. They need to be seen up close. All of those things are intensely experiential and very personal.

Color collections near the high end of the full spectrum definition will answer an emphatic “yes” to the following question: “Does the color not only seem to change, but pull together elements of what other colors you put adjacent to it? Does it truly bind the different color elements of a room together, as opposed to merely “looking sort of different sometimes”?”

There is such a brand that fits what I perceive to be the most pure definition of “full spectrum color”, one that I believe is undoubtedly the measuring stick. The Donald Kaufman Color collection.

For those not involved in the paint industry or other industries related to home improvement, the content of this post might be news to you. If someone were to have sat down in 2006 or 2007 and thought, “What hardships could occur right now that would cripple this booming industry and change people’s lives forever” and began writing down the ideas?  The nightmare-list would look a lot like a blueprint for the events that would unfold through 2008.

In my mind, this story starts with the oil crisis in the summer of 2008. During that span of time, oil based product prices went up for an obvious reason. Fuel prices were soaring too. (Note: Titanium Dioxide, a major component of higher quality paints, also saw price increases. A trend that continues to this day). Business costs for everyone up and down the supply chain skyrocketed. The paint brands had to increase the prices of their products. Most of the increases were in line with each other, with some of the bigger brands on the high side.  (When the oil prices came down, this was not reflected in the prices.) Shipping surcharges occurred as well due to the rising fuel costs. Sundry suppliers had to raise prices too, with price raises coming about every 2 weeks mostly due to transportation/shipping costs on their end. On the retailer side, we knew that price raises would send contractors looking elsewhere and understandably so. Painters knew that passing on costs to customers could lose them jobs. Painters had their own trucks and their own transportation costs, on top of material and labor costs. The situation was awful for everyone: Eat price increases or raise them and risking losing business. “Shared pain” became a phrase the independent dealers were using with greater frequency. Fingers were crossed as we were coming out of the normally busy summer season into the colder months.

Then “9-15” happened. I still remember seeing the talking heads talking about the fear of a depression in the aftermath, as even the people most aware of the details were trying to make sense of what had just occurred. A political leader of a finance committee said something to the effect of: “Had we done nothing, a run on the banks would have crashed our financial markets inside of 24hours, followed by a crash of the global markets, followed by a meltdown of the world’s governments.” Boots were shaking. September 2008 was not a busy month.  As the housing market was crumbling, people were slow on paying bills. There was less work to go around, and they were taking hard looks at their payroll rosters, all this with the slow winter months approaching.

With the housing market in shambles and the economy “on life support”, a housing market that was getting used to “bubble” prices and demand levels had painful adjustments to make. Home construction was high, people were renovating their own homes, and suddenly there was nothing. Suppliers were running on “skeleton crews” in once busy offices. As suppliers that were once very consistent started to have issues, dealers began leaving them for other suppliers.  Independent dealers started to have to lay off workers, cut back hours and salaries. Many of the businesses that did not make cuts and tried to “Ride out the storm” hoping things would improve soon, were not fortunate, as the short term realities became protracted. In some dealerships the stores are down to the original owners, working 60+ hour weeks. Stores that had been in families for generations closing up shop was much too common for anyone’s liking.

A lot of these trends have become the norm today. ”Ouch,” right?

If you’re thinking about remodeling or renovating this year, I’d like to remind you of an often overlooked step in the process: Vet your contractors, f ind out who they are. There are many good men and women out there doing excellent work! Do not saddle yourself with someone that’s  incompetent, unethical, or both. Why so you might ask? Here are some problems with questionable contractors, and you’ll notice they follow a similar avenue.

Common Contractor Hiccups:
-Knock offs. Some people will invest in a high quality paint, choose their colors in said paint, etc. The contractor then takes the color chips to another outfit, “knocks off the color” accepting a similar match as “good enough”, usually pocketing the rest of the allotted money. The customer never suspects a thing. The paint isn’t the same quality, the colors may not be right – and this doesn’t get discovered until it’s dry on the walls already. “Too late.”

-Take the cheap job knowing they’ll come back twice. When looking at the cost of paint, many people make 2 mistakes. The first is to assume that the pricing structure follows the rules of many other products and services, that higher end paints are luxury products, and you’re “just paying for the name”. This is not true with paint, the reasons are ingredient costs, tint costs, and quality control. The second is to ignore the labor cost! Some contractors will choose a cheap paint specifically because they know they will be back sooner to repaint again, because the paint does not last as long. If you were to annualize the cost of painting- that is to say, spread out the project cost over how many years it lasts, “more expensive” paint is a very worthwhile investment. For instance, Fine Paints of Europe is spec’d to last around 5 years longer than a good number of other paints.

-Misleading customers on product information – As a paint retailer, this issue is the cause of much head shaking and gritted teeth. Some will state that X paint line and Y line are “Exactly the same”. (Note: This stuff will frequently be followed by the “take the cheap job” play).  They will claim they can “get the exact same quality and color” in another product too, (usually a cheaper product, so they can pocket what’s left over). This is false, as it’s pretty much a fool’s errand to match every facet of a high end paint, with weaker bases and tints. This is compounded by another problem.. There’s an age old saying: “Water finds its level.” The “bait and switch” types tend to congregate with the likeminded. Do you believe that this contractor has quality first minded people behind the counter doing their knock off for them?

There is a second kind of product deception: The unintentional. Some less seasoned and less knowledgeable contractors will accidentally mislead customers on the virtues of a product. Situations like these are heartbreak for everyone involved, their goal is not to mislead, but a mishap occurred anyway.

Sometimes advice like this is useless without seeing it play out… so I will indulge you with a story!

A Horror Story
We supplied a customer with a custom color in a very reliable product. We also reduced the price for this customer, selling it at the minimum selling price. This is the minimum price the particular manufacturer allows us to sell it for. If we dip below it, they pull the brand from the store.
Well, the contractor lied to them and stated they were fleeced, that we overcharged them by close to 300%  over the price. The customer then did web searches on the brand of paint, disregarded the fact that the paint brand has several different lines and options, then emails us upset. This is akin to going to a car dealership, and then looking at their “entry car” selection and being upset because X-brand “Costs $11,000 per car”. They then wanted part of their money back sincerely believing they were had. We were upset too! We knew exactly what had happened once we heard the name of the contractor. Not only did we feel awful that this person felt like they were taken to the cleaners, but because they were absolutely lied to by their contractor. Said contractor, who has a long and illustrious career of demonizing us (and a few other paint stores in the area), was claiming that he/she normally gets said paint at a price that’s completely impossible. We are a high volume dealer of that brand, we understand their pricing structure. The number he quoted her as the magic number he gets his paint for, is considerably lower than the DEALER’S BUYING COST of that brand’s cheapest contractor grade big box competitor paint, when bought in bulk! Back to the car dealership analogy: This is like a “friend of a friend” swearing up and down that they got their new 2012 model Lexus for $6,000. To those with even passing familiarity on the offerings of Lexus, it’s not even believable. But… to someone who doesn’t have familiarity with it, and is keeping an ear open to someone they trust? Suddenly the mess becomes explainable.

Please, don’t let this be you. Being the protagonist in stories like this is very stressful. This person trusted their contractor to do a good job, in the end they were lied to. Please avoid situations like this and vet your contractors as best you can!

For those who haven’t heard of the Michelle Winick Color Collection and want to know more about it, you’re in luck! Today’s article is about just that.

This color line is one that started under our roof here at Eagle Paint and Wallpaper by a trusted friend, Michelle Winick. Her intent was to solve a few problems that all had one thing in common, and that’s “confusion”. When it comes to painting a home, most people are understandably confused by the myriad of different paint brands, lines within those brands, colors, finishes, and systems! Setting out to simplify the process, she first started at the colors.

First, she selected only the best colors, the colors that work. The fact of the matter is: Thousands of colors sitting on a monolith of a color rack tends to, very understandably, confuse most people. They’re often full of colors that even the best of designers would have a hard time coordinating with other design elements, colors that may be out of fashion in a few years, and colors that many would never dream of putting on their walls!

After solving the color problem, she chose Muralo Ultra to be her paint of choice. Muralo Ultra is line with quite a lot of value, as well as excellent performance. In a theoretical “blind paint test”,  its performance  would rank up with paints that command quite a premium. If you’ve not tried Muralo Ultra, I suggest you do. The hallmark of Muralo is their commitments to quality and value, and it would be safe to say that Ultra is their “flagship” product.

If you would like to read more about Michelle Winick’s line, or you’re curious about her thoughts, you can find her on her website: http://www.michellewinickdesign.com/
If you would like to know more about the Muralo brand, their website is here: http://muralo.com/home/

Lastly: If you’re ready to try the Michelle Winick Color Collection, you can order online at our webstore: http://eaglepaintandwallpaper.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=41&zenid=b299119ef6e895de287f8c97501fc66d