Color Your World

Transform what you have into what you want with a simple stroke of a brush.

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Color by Color

Color your world with Benjamin Moore Paints

Envision orange, blue and yellow. When you think of these colors, you’re thinking of families of related colors that vary in intensity and value. “Whites, for example, come in a staggering variety. A pure or ‘clean white,’ which contains no deep pigments, is the whitest,” says Lesley Riva, author of Benjamin Moore Paints’ Interior Style: How to Use Color Throughout Your Home. “And yellow — warm, cheerful, uplifting — may feel too intense in large quantities, so consider softer shades of apricot, peach and mango. The secret to a broad appeal is the use of rich texture and layered neutral shades.”  Riva offers secrets to finding your palette:

How do your clothes impact your paint choices?  
The shades in your closet — or the absence of them — will tell you a lot about what colors you’re comfortable with. If you wear bright colors, you probably don’t want to live with them.

How does the style of your home impact paint color?  
Ornate Victorians or streamlined contemporaries — architectural style can help determine interior as well as exterior color choices.

Does the location of your home decide a color palette?  
Yes, take color cues from your environment. A downtown apartment may lend itself to brighter, saturated jewel tones because there is no nature outside the window — or it may beg for soothing neutrals to balance the bustle on the street.

What’s a hot color for 2012?  
The universal appeal of blue, Wythe Blue, as it evokes the sea and sky.

Pick Your Colors Like a Pro

Lesley Riva offers these valuable do’s and don’ts:

Do what you would for any painting project: Prepare the surface and mask off the ceiling, baseboards, doors and window trim.

Do keep most of your colors within the same tone, using a few accent colors when creating a mosaic border.

Don’t apply a finish over a coat that isn’t fully cured; it may end up blistering or peeling over time.

Don’t remove tape straight out from the wall. Instead, fold the edge back on itself and pull gently.

Don’t forget to organize the paint job so that you have enough time to complete a full step or an entire wall before taking a break.

The Benjamin Moore Paints line is available wherever paint is sold, including Ace Fixit Hardware of Oakmont, Daniels Hardware & Variety Store and Westmoreland Supply. For store locators and where to buy Benjamin Moore Paints, go to benjaminmoore.com.