baltimore county - Mason Dixon Arrive Magazine

LOCAL BIZ
By Nancy Menefee Jackson
Telling a Story Through
Exciting New Paint Colors
These are the colors you’ve been looking for.
Benjamin Moore has unveiled a new palette of
striking paint colors, called “Color Stories,” which consists
of 200 authentic handcrafted artisan hues illustrated
in eight inspirational color themes.
“They exceed the depth, complexity and elegance
of any color collection on the market,” says Bryan
Koerber, president and fifth-generation owner of
Budeke’s Paints & Decorating, adding that the paints
give a luminous glow to even the most humble of
rooms. “You feel good when you walk into the
room.”
Budeke’s – which has stores in Pikesville, Fell’s
Point, Fullerton and Columbia – has just moved into
a new 5,000-square-foot showroom at 9484 Deereco
Road in Timonium, where customers are quickly
embracing Color Stories.
“People seem to be drawn to the display like a
moth to a flame,” Koerber says.
Part of the appeal is that
these colors are made exclusively
in Benjamin Moore’s Aura paint,
and guaranteed to cover any old
color in no more than two coats.
“It’s the finest paint Benjamin
Moore has ever made,” Koerber
says.
While he realizes that a
premium paint might cost a
little more up front, “a gallon
goes further, dries faster and is
extremely scrubbable, meaning
that you won’t have to use as
much, or paint it as often. The
true cost of paint is the cost per
square foot per year. It’s a ‘nobrainer’
decision in the biggest
investment most people have –
one’s home.”
But it’s the colors themselves
that are capturing hearts and
minds. The wide variety of colors
allows people to decorate
around what they already have.
Want to paint the kitchen in a
color that complements the vein
in your marble countertop? Find
the precise shade to pick up a
subtle print in the fabrics for the
living room? Add warmth to the
dining room? Color Stories offers
200 colors in its collection.
Another color palette that
Budeke’s carries, the Affinity
Collection, boasts 144 colors that
are harmonious, meaning that
they all complement each other.
This feature helps anyone, from
professional designer to homeowner,
select worry-free color
combinations for any space.
To see what else is new in
color, all you have to do is look
up … it’s all part of a trend that
embraces the ceiling as the “forgotten
fifth wall.” Advances in
paint technology let you paint
the ceilings in hues, textures
and sheens that enhance the
room’s features and add a little
something special. Ceilings can
be done in the same tone as the
walls, or you can add a darker
color to the mix. New ultra flat
waterborne ceiling paints are so
flat that no matter how much
colorant you add, the paint
remains flat to hide imperfections.
“Ceilings provide another
opportunity to express oneself
and express architectural details
in a way you wouldn’t normally
think of,” Koerber says.
“Metallics can also be very
attractive in the right measure.
Mixing glazes and metallic paints
can produce stunning effects.”
But it’s a bold statement, and he
recommends starting in a small
area such as a powder room.
If you’ve always painted
everything off white, take heart.
“We find that when people
are inspired and they’re willing
to try a more saturated color,
they’re happier with the results,”
Koerber says. To mitigate risk,
customers can buy 2-ounce
samples, 16-ounce samples or
18-inch-by-18-inch, pre-painted
samples. “When you put a sample
on the wall with your furnishings
and accessories around
it,” Koerber says, “you have the
best chance to evaluate the true
color experience.”
Speaking of experience, the
staff at Budeke’s is ready to help
homeowners with the right tools
and advice to apply their paint.
“The last paint ingredient is
advice to help homeowners have
a great experience with their
project. That’s where we come
in,” Koerber explains. “We have
the expertise to help with color,
products, surface preparation
and application techniques so
clients get great results.”
Budeke’s Paints & Decorating
has five area locations; visit
budekes.com for more information.
62 Mason-Dixon ARRIVE | APRIL 2011 Mason-Dixon ARRIVE | APRIL 2011 63