Farrow & Ball Brochure

If you thought all paint was equal, guess again. There's paint and then there's full spectrum paint.

In the world of color there are two ways to change the value of a color. You can add white or black to make it lighter or darker OR you can use the color opposite in the color wheel to change the shade. Full spectrum paints use a mix of pigments to achieve a color instead of using black and grey to get the paint to a certain color value. And full spectrum paint is typically made with genuine ingredients such as powdered minerals resulting in more luminous and more expensive paint. Fans of full spectrum paint say that they no longer have dull flat looking walls or grey shadows. While some complain about the higher cost of full spectrum paints, its advocates argue that this paint is generally much thicker than average paint, thereby requiring only one coat. 

The following are a few full spectrum paint brands.

Farrow & Ball

The British company Farrow and Ball manufactures what is considered, by some, to be the highest quality interior paint. The company's recipes follow traditional paint making techniques, and it is because of their adherence to this lost tradition that their paint is highly regarded by people especially in historic preservation circles.

What makes their product so different? For starters the Farrow and Ball process uses far more pigment (the ingredient that gives the color to a paint) than any other manufacturer. On average, standard grade paint uses anywhere from one to five pigments and it is the blending of these pigments which provides the color shade. The pigment is also the most expensive component and different pigments can cost vastly different amounts. Most paint manufacturers use synthetic pigments which are less brilliant.

Farrow and Ball may use up to 18 pigments to achieve a single color. The use of so many pigments imparts an incredible level of depth to the color as well as a superior level of flatness, or matte, chalky appearance, to the surface. The company's paints are often described as having a life of their own and looking very different in different shades of light.

For more information go to www.farrow-ball.com.

Citron Paint

OTHER MANUFACTURERS TO EXPLORE

Ellen Kennon (www.ellenkennon.com) – Kennon's Web site explains that the company's "paints are blended from the 7 colors of natural sunlight and closely mimic nature's elements such as sky, water and stone, with infinite color and variation. Standard paint colors are usually a blend of two or three pigments that includes black, which absorbs light. Ellen's paints omit black and have a broader range of pigments that reflect a broader range of light and coordinate more easily with the colors and furnishings around them. They are chameleon-like in their ability to pick up colors from adjacent materials and to change character as the light changes. Also, because of the absence of black and the perfect balance of a full spectrum of pigments, they don't tend to turn muddy or lose their character in low light conditions."

C2 Color (www.c2color.com) – C2 Color's paint line offers 496 colors of what the company refers to as "ultra-premium" interior and exterior paint. American decorators have been equally impressed with the beauty of the color palette as well as the quality of the product.

Citron (www.citronpaint.com) – CJ Volk, the mastermind behind Citron paint, explains that the big commercial paint companies are really chemical companies in disguise. In her line of wall color she produces 99 gorgeous complex hues that demand attention or simply nudge you with beauty.

Anna Sova (www.annasova.com) – That fresh paint smell is nothing more than an invisible cloud of harmful compounds. These chemicals, which include solvents, mercury, formaldehyde and benzene, are huge contributors to indoor air pollution. Anna Sova has a unique solution - 99% of the company's ingredients are food-grade, such as human consumption quality milk.

Ellen Kennon Paint Swatches

Donald Kaufman

Donald Kaufman is an expert in the field of color and paint and has been regarded by many of the upper echelons of New York City interior design circles to be THE color guru for more than twenty years.  He is most famous for his ability to bring the perfect atmospheric nuance to any project. Interior designers have often invited him to select color, stain and finish for the walls of a project - and in turn he would generally tweak the colors of the selected materials as well.

After years of being asked for custom mixed paints, Kaufman has branched out and developed his own pre-made paint line.

For more information go to www.donaldkaufmancolor.com.

C2 Color