Eco-Friendly Painting in Newton

Making our dwellings gorgeous is nothing new. Humans have been decorating their homes for millennia. From the Australian Aborigines painting ochre onto cave walls over 40,000 years ago to the almost modern Egyptian pyramids of only 4,500 years ago we all have an innate desire to express ourselves and make our surroundings part of that expression.

But we have always paid a price for this activity. Paints have always contained poisons and toxins that not only pollute the environment but the air within a Newton home. Early paints famously contained lead, which had a sweet flavor tempting for kids to ingest. We all know the horrible affects of these paints that caused problems with developing nervous systems in children and kidney damage, mood changes, memory and high blood pressure in adults.

The ingredients used to make paint can be broken down into four areas — pigments, solvents, binders and other additives. Color comes from the pigment while the solvent and binder provide the pigment with a base and helps the paint stick to a surface. The remaining additives are used to help the paint dry and prevent mildew from forming.

The solvents and pigments contain toxins, which not only pollute the environment but also, if improperly disposed of in a landfill, can contaminate the surrounding earth for decades. The solvents and pigments also contain volatile organic compounds that we know create smog and pollution in the environment, but can also have very harmful affects on the internal air quality of a home.

Recent government rulings have not only put in to practice some controls on the toxins and VOCs in paints, but has also drawn attention to this scary situation. The response has been for many paint companies to produce eco-friendly paints that either contain low or zero VOCs. It should be considered though that the majority of paint companies that create these non toxic paints also manufacture and market toxic and high VOC paints — so when you are looking to paint green you may think about who you are supporting with your dollars.

There are a handful of companies that do not have these legacy issues, and only create eco friendly paint. These non toxic paints range from completely organic ‘milk paints’ which are totally safe but lack in durability, to high-performance latex based paints that simply lack VOCs and all toxins.

The newest and most modern Newton eco-friendly paints can come in any color and, although a little more expensive, have very low odor and zero VOCs. These paints are created in a completely new way, which means that they have all the durability of toxic paints, but without any of the toxins and VOCs. When looking to buy these paints you need to read their labels very carefully. The first thing to notice is if they carry a government warning label. If they do, then they are not completely safe and may contain some VOCs or toxins. Those paints with no warning label and state that they are zero VOC paints as opposed to low VOC are the best. These can often be found at independent hardware stores nationwide and can be researched online.

Color in the Workplace

- Can the choice of color have an effect on the productivity of employees?
- What about warm color being used as a tool to enhance the comfort level of employees?
- Can certain colors promote harmony stability and yes, even camaraderie?
- Which colors will promote clear fresh thinking, creativity and planning?
- Are there any colors that can be used in executive offices and boardrooms?
Productivity can mean different things to different people. If images of workers moving at a blazing speed
across the shop floor is what you have in mind, color is not going to do that for any production facility
and it really shouldn’t.
Creating a comfortable work space for employees by using color as a tool, is a more realistic
expectation. The existing lighting situation, artificial or natural, is a strong consideration. Another factor is
the current color of other elements such as carpets, window coverings or furniture. Taking into account
the above as well as the proven influence of certain colors, a comfortable space can be created for
employees. It is safe to assume that comfortable and happy employees will always be more productive.
In “thinking” rooms such as classrooms and meeting rooms, very strong and contrasting tones may
interfere with concentration. This does not necessarily mean that only boring and bland tones and
colors will work in these rooms. Calm and cool colors can be used to promote clear thinking, creativity
and planning. Such colors can be light sage greens, even clean beige’s (not muddy). Clean, cool and
light blues can also used thoughtfully to help the creative mind.
In executive offices and boardrooms, strong colors such as burgundy, royal blue or brown can be used
to state authority, promote respect and loyalty. There are circumstances where space, size of the rooms
and lighting will not allow for the strong colors. The alternative is to use these colors on highlight walls,
bulkheads, columns and sometimes doors, door frames and trim.
Sometimes the workplace is also where the customer is (for example retail or hospitality). In that case, the
customers comfort level has to be balanced with that of the employees. Branding considerations,
marketing decisions and how it affects the buying habits of the consumer should be of course taken into
account. In reality, the comfort level and interests of the customer and company staff do not have to
clash, especially in today’s evolving marketplace.
In conclusion, the primary question always is: “what do you want color to do?”
After a clear understanding is evident and expectations are realistic, choosing the workplace colors can
be a rewarding experience that most employees can participate in. The ability to have a say and influence
on the colors at work can be a powerful morale booster. And of course the jokes and light-hearted
suggestions about the new pink, lilac or lime-green decor will last for days to come.

3 Tips To Selecting Paint

Moving into a new Massachusetts house can be quite an experience. You are totally in a new zone, surrounded by new ceilings and floors near stairs in an entire new layout. You want your home to look the best, so it’s important to pick out the right kind of paint. Of course, in a single article, we can’t show you absolutely everything that you need to know about moving into your new house, but we are going to try to give you some good tips on picking out a new house quality Massachusetts house paint.

1. Match it. Buying new house paint is already difficult as it is, and you definitely don’t want to paint your house a second time. Make sure whatever kind of house paint that you buy matches up with your existing paint. Maybe take a picture or find out exactly what kind of paint you have in your house right now so that when you go to the hardware store, you can show them exactly what you need.

2. Buy high-quality paint. Take a look around at the different types of paint that are available for you to buy in the store. You will quickly notice that paint varies in quality drastically and you generally get way you pay for. Granted, you have to make sure that you’re not getting ripped off and you really are getting a good deal, but if you are serious about making money on your house, try to buy the best type of paint that you can afford.

3. Ask a professional Newton Painter. It’s okay if you don’t know everything about home remodeling. Some people do it for a living. Builders, contractors, subcontractors and other home decorators might be able to give you some words of wisdom and help that you might not be able to get otherwise. Don’t be afraid to ask. Just ask them for a little help and you might be able to save yourself some time and headaches.