Sring Cleaning

It's that time of year, time to clean out the garage, or maybe the basement.  Most people have an accumulation of cleaners, pesticides, and paint that you just don't know what to do with.  Along with spring cleaning comes HazMat drop off days in most communities.  These are days when you can rid your home of all those harmful chemicals without the environmental impact of disposing of them yourself.  I have attached a link for the HazMat day on May 1st for the residents of Farmigton, Farmington Hills, Novi, South Lyon, Southfield, Walled Lake, and Wixom.  Check out your city's website for information on your local drop off day.
Farmington Hills HazMat day  
FYI-most communites accept latex paint with regular trash pick up.  The paint must be dried.  This can be achieved by leaving the lid off the bucket for a few days, adding kitty litter, or adding a special waste paint hardner(sold at most paint & hardware stores).

 

Spring has sprung....almost

We have been so lucky the past few days to have had a wonderful glimpse of spring.  The beautiful weather may have inspired you to start planning those outdoor painting projects.  Just keep in mind that, while we have had a few nice days, the weather is still not ideal for exterior painting.  Not just the weather either, moisture is the #1 cause of exterior paint failure.  After so much snow, most surfaces are still damp.  Better safe than sorry.  Start planning now but wait until atleast May to act on your plans.   

Creative Wallpaper

I was flipping through a magazine the other day and saw gorgeous dresses made from wallpaper.  We thought it was such a cool idea, Laura and I decided to attempt to make one yesterday.  Look at how it came out!  It's amazing what you can do with some scraps of wallpaper and fabric and a little paint.  Look for more styles to come. 

Countertop Transformation

Do you have countertops you don't like?  Maybe they are worn and showing their age, or maybe they are not a color you would have picked.  We can help!  We now carry Giani, a granite paint for your counter top.  The kit can be used directly over laminate or formica, and simply needs a coat of primer before painting over ceramic tile.  The kit covers 35 square feet.  It is easy and fun to apply and comes in a variety of colors.  Stop in to any of our stores to see the color choice that's right for your home.       

Arizona Dreaming

It's HGTV Dream Home time again!  This year's offering is a contemporary inspired, southwest home in New Mexico.  There are many things to love about this year's Dream Home and some that I, personally, am not too excited about.  The best thing about the Dream Home though is the many design ideas you can use in your own home.  There are many inspiring features in the 2010 HGTV Dream Home.  So, if you get a chance, take a look at the Dream Home and hopefully begin some dreams of your own for your home. 

Auto Inspired

Do you go to your local car show? Do you think of it as a place to gain decorating ideas? 

For the first time, Dupont released their color findings for the Global auto market as a whole. The top selling colors across the planet?

Silver – 25 percent

Black – 23 percent

White – 16 percent

Gray – 13 percent

Blue – 9 percent

Red – 8 percent

Brown/Beige – 4 percent

Green – 1 percent

Yellow/Gold – 1 percent

Ubiquitous "Others" category – <1 percent

Automotive design and color can offer many hints of what's to come in fashion and interiors, too. Especially look at the color, the finishes, and the details in hardware. At most car shows you'll find lots and lots of black white, but that just makes the pops of color stand out even more.  So keep your eyes open for the latest in home decorating trends in the unlikeliest of places.   

Chalkboard paint

Create a fun, functional chalkboard in any room of your home with paint that is erasable, washable, and durable enough to stand up to little hands. 

See instructions and ideas for chalkboard paint!

Green Promise

The Green Promise® designation is Benjamin Moore's assurance that its environmentally friendly coatings meet and exceed the strictest industry standards, while also delivering the premium levels of performance you expect from Benjamin Moore.

Click on the link to a video to see our Green Standards.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/bmpsweb/portals/bmps.portal?_nfpb=true&np=public_site/articles/promotions/promo_greenpromise_experience&_pageLabel=fh_getinspired

The Fifth Wall

Color for the Ceiling!

When it comes to choosing a paint color for your room, start at the top — ceilings need color, too! Learn how color on the ceiling can transform a room.

Warm it Up On the flip side, a large room with high ceilings can feel impersonal or unbalanced sometimes, with furnishings, floor coverings and accessories visually occupying the bottom half of a room, leaving the top bare. Experiment with a deeper color on the ceiling in this case. A rich cocoa, in a soft sheen such as eggshell or pearl immediately cozies up and balances a large open space with style.

Dress it Up Consider experimenting with glazes on your ceiling, including metallic and pearlescent effects. Benjamin Moore offers a complete line of specialty finishes. Watch videos and learn how-to techniques for glazes here. Our specialty plasters can elevate your ceiling to an art form, adding texture, color and dimension. Click here for ideas you can try yourself or explore with your professional specialty finish contractor.

Get inspired!

Get Inspired
Do you want ideas for painting and design projects around your home? Choose from the following areas to see fantastic projects that can help you decide how to remake your spaces or get professional advice on specific design issues.
Envision Color 2010
Picture the possibilities....love the results.

Go to

http://www.benjaminmoore.com/bmpsweb/portals/bmps.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=fh_getinspired&cachebuster=Wed%20Jan%2013%2009:22:43%20EST%202010

Ten Design Solutions to Kick Off Your Resolutions
The Benjamin Moore Personal Color Viewer will show you how paint color combinations will look in a room or on a house before you pick up a paintbrush.
Become a Fan. Get the latest news on color trends, share photos, and get the inside scoop.
Benjamin Moore's Senior Interior Designer, Sonu Mathew, will help you stick to your New Year's resolutions in style beginning January 4. Check out 10 days of experts, resolutions, and prizes!

http://www.tendesigndays.com/