White Paint

Posted in art supplies on 06/01/2010 02:30 am by admin

White Paint

Paint It White: Which White?

I wanted to paint my walls white. How hard could that be? You go to the paint store, buy a few gallons, and slap it on.

I did that first part: I went to a paint store. But when I told the salesman I needed white paint, he pulled out that color chart that opens up like a fan to reveal six hundred different shades of white and throws you into a full on panic attack. (I've never responded well to a multitude of choices.)

"Can you narrow it down to, say, the creamy ones?" I asked. The salesman licked his fingers and snapped shut about a third of the Panic Wheel, leaving me with only about 400 decisions to make. I grew a whiter shade of pale and moisture sprang from my armpits. Clearly this was too much for me.

I went home and launched a large-scale obsession. I asked friends and relatives for their thoughts on white paint. I visited my neighbor on the pretext of borrowing a can opener and secured the name of her paint color. I called a hotel where I'd once admired the bedroom walls. I asked the bookseller, the neurologist, the florist, anywhere I saw a good white, I asked someone what it was. I went online, did some social networking, picked the brains of people I do not know.

When I'd finally assembled a group of color candidates, the wall of my dining room became a patchwork of samples, which I checked on at different times of day as the light shifted.

I also painted the colors on white Bristol board and carried the samples from room to room. I made decisions, booked the painter, panicked and un-booked him. I threw away rejected colors, and then, in a frenzy of uncertainty, re-bought them for another look.

I kept all this activity covert, under my husband's radar, so he wouldn't have me committed. I did eventually make a few selections, and it worked out all right, if not perfectly. (One room suffered through two repaints.)

I offer here a list of my top choices of white wall paint (which are really almost-but-not-quite white) from a variety of manufacturers. This will save you weeks of trial and error, time better spent mastering the tango, buying a new garden hose, or writing your congresswoman. (If you do write her, please ask what color she painted her bathroom.)

Benjamin Moore ($20-$50 per gallon)
I used both "Oatmeal" and "Linen White," the latter being more yellowy, the former more, well, oaty, but both nice colors. "Swiss Coffee" is another one I have used, which is like white with a little splash of espresso. "Alabaster" is a good B.M. color for trim, also.

Donald Kaufman ($90 per gallon)
"#28" is a beautiful creamy white my sister-in-law has all over their house. I was too cheap to buy it, but D.K.'s paint is amazing, more like light than paint, so you might want to splurge in a room or two.

Farrow and Ball ($70 per gallon)
This manufacturer makes my favorite colors, all of which have inspiring names. It's pricey, so I limited myself to using "Matchstick" in my office only, but if I were going to splurge I'd have also gone for "Satin Slipper" or "Clunch," colors so interesting they inspire conversation.

YOLO ($40 per gallon)
If you are in eco-friendly mode, these paints are non-toxic and low VOC, and Air.01 and Air.02 are lovely whites.

Restoration Hardware ($32-$36 per gallon)
"Mediterranean White" and "Buttermilk" are good choices and reasonably priced, and "The Right White" is great for trim.

About the Author

Jessica Harper is a Hollywood-based actor/singer/sonwriter/author whose website, jessicaharper.com , features musings and tips on many of life's pleasures and curiosities.

How can I remove white paint from black Italian leather?

It wasn't until I had a buyer for a glass top table with 6 beautiful black Italian leather chairs, that my son, had to come clean and tell me he had splattered white paint on one of the chairs. The seat and back are speckled with white paint, is there any way I can safely remove it, without ruining the leather?
Thanks so much.

The specs of paint may be able to be picked off with something like a dental tool. Please do not use solvents of any kind as this will also remove the finish on the leather.

The following generally applies for paint spillages.

The secret is to act quickly whilst the paint is still wet. Remove the excess using a knife or wallpaper scraper, taking care not to scratch the surface, and work form the outside in to avoid spreading it further. Once the bulk is removed, mop up the rest with a cloth or paper towel, again working from the outside. Finally, clean the area with Leather Shampoo.

This is a tricky problem once the paint is dry. Try cleaning the area first with LTT Maxi Cleaner. If it won’t come off with this, then I’m afraid there’s nothing you can safely use without damaging the leather. Don’t be tempted to use brush cleaner, white spirit, turps or nail varnish remover as these are likely to damage the leather finish and make final repairs difficult or impossible. Instead, leave it to the professionals who should be able to reduce the paint stain and colour over any residues.

Please do not use a magic eraser as this will only rectify the problem by removig the finish on the leather and will cost even more to fix.
Source(s):

http://www.LTTleathercare.co.uk

Leather repair consultants

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