The approaching autumn seems to invigorate us with the need to clean, repair, fix up and paint.  One of the complaints that I hear the most often is how difficult it is for homeowners to pick paint colors. People agonize for hours over paint chips. Eco-Chic is ready willing and able to help you over the paint-chip hurdle so that you can actually get to the painting. See color palette option below.

With so many paint choices available today, it's easy to understand the challenge of selecting the appropriate paint.  Unlike citizens of our great country, not all paints are created equal.  A garden-variety gallon of paint may contain 150 - 400 g/l (grams per liter) of VOC's.  VOC stands for volatile organic compound (sounds even scarier spelled out). VOC's are toxic gases that can affect indoor air quality, contribute to respiratory or allergic reactions, and be a factor in greenhouse gas production. Common VOC's found in standard paints include formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and xylene.

Some companies have developed low- and no-VOC paint formulas. The low-VOC paints (usually contain <100 g/l or grams per liter) and no-VOC paints which sound like they should contain zero g/l may have up to 10 g/l. 

Other varieties of paints include milk and clay paints which have no VOC's and generally no other harmful chemicals.

Picking the right paint for your project is as important as picking the right color.  Here are some tips to consider when selecting an interior paint:

• Location (bedroom, home office, garage, etc)
• Indoor air quality -- who uses the room and how well is it ventilated
• Durability -- does the area get a lot of heavy usage especially by children and teens
• Maintenance -- is the paint easy to clean or will it rub off when I wash it
• Type of lighting in the room -- colors look different in natural light than they do with artificial light
• Color and mood -- what feelings do you want to evoke in the room

Here are some suggested paint brands (this is not a complete list as there are many brands).  I would be happy to send you some additional brands if none of these work for you.

• Mythic Paint (zero VOC) is available locally at Emigh Hardware Sacramento and Ace Hardware in Davis. This is the paint used on Color Splash for all those HGTV fans.
• Yolo Colorhouse (zero VOC but some chemical additives) is available locally at Green Sacramento and Sage Haus in Fair Oaks.
• Benjamin Moore Natura brand is available at Roseville Ace Hardware.
• Freshaire Paint is available at Home Depot.
• Milk Paint available online at the MilkPaint.