There's a reason wallpaper went out of style. It's messy, a pain to hang and an even bigger pain to remove. But a company called Murals Your Way wants to bring wallpaper back by eliminating those headaches long associated with wallpaper.
The company's "repositionable" wallpaper is removable and can be "reused hundreds of times" without losing its ability to adhere to walls. The product comes in vinyl, "smartstick" and canvas materials. The smartstick material comes with a backing that gets removed to expose the adhering side, while the vinyl and canvas versions do require a wall covering adhesive or paste for installation. (Which makes one wonder truly about the ease of removing the product at all.
In truth, the product is meant to be more of a mural than an extended pattern to cover an entire wall or room. (Take a look at their Example Page for an idea of what customers have done with the stuff.) There are some cool ideas there, without a doubt.
The Huffington Post reported today that the EPA has chosen to drop their proposal to toughen the lead paint rules in existing schools, day care facilities and homes. Faced with agitated opposition in the form of construction groups and organized business, the EPA abandoned the rule, which required strict regulations on businesses and contractors doing work to structures that contained lead.
Those opposed to the rule claimed it would "cost an extra $100 to $500 per project and hurt business."
Obviously these companies and contractors want to keep their costs to a minimum. But can we really put a price on lead paint safety?
If you're anything like me, picking a paint color for a room is like buying a car or choosing a college. It's a decision that speaks to who I am and who I want to be. Sure, it's reversible, but it doesn't feel that way, probably because of the work involved in the reversal process.
For those indecisive would-be room painters, I give you the Voice of Color. The brain child of Pittsburgh Paints and Porter Paints -- two premium architectural paint brands -- the Voice of Color provides homeowners with an innovative color selection program that gets to the heart of who you are and which colors will best suit your lifestyle.
A key component of the Voice of Color program is the Color Sense Game, which asks not "what color do you like?" but "what color do you feel?" Deep stuff.
The Color Sense Game is about much more than color and paint. You're asked to select your favorite from among a dozen different decors, decorating pieces, and even inspirational words. (I chose "optimistic.) It's a refreshing new method to discovering tastes I didn't even know I had. Definitely worth the time, although I have to question if my personal color palette REALLY is "Pop Art."
Having just watched Dan Gilbert's TED talk on synthesizing happiness, I cannot help but wonder if my own satisfaction with any color selected would be enhanced if I was told there was no going back.
As of Friday, the EPA's new Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule--which took effect this past April--will now be enforced. The new regulation covers work done on homes built before 1978 and is in place to protect against lead paint.
Failure to comply with the new regulations can earn a contractor a whopping $37,500 fine. Work performed on homes, schools and day-care center built before 1978 must comply with the new regulations.
Homeowners would do well to know the new regulations and to ensure that a hired contractor is in compliance.
It's not so much the fact that every part of the Green Toad paint system--including the plastic parts, handle, brush heads, bristles and internal parts--is biodegradable and compostable. No, that's very cool, for sure, but that's not what turns my head.
With a toy-gun grip handle and a quick release button for easy attachment switching, the Green Toad paint system is claiming ergonomic superiority over the traditional paint brush and roller.
Designed to reduce hand and wrist strain, the brush head can rotate 360 degrees and lock into eight different positions. You can also throw a roller attachment onto the handle, which probably then feels like you're wielding a crossbow.
Will the average consumer take to this new paint brush design and concept? I have to say I was a bit wary when I first took a look. I haven't put hand to grip, yet, but the more I think about it the more I feel inclined to give this product a go--we've all suffered the hand, wrist and forearm strain of a long day (or days) of painting. If Green Toad is saying those days are over, who am I to reject the notion without first trying?
Green Toad will be sold exclusively through QVC at www.QVC.com
The EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) regulations are set to go into effect tomorrow. Under the new restrictions, any contractor who works on a project that could disturb existing lead-based paint must be certified to do so and must follow specific steps to avoid potential lead contamination. This means that any renovations, repairs or painting done on homes built before 1978 must be done following the new requirements.
Full details on the requirements can be found on the EPA website.
While these new restrictions have probably caused some headache (and expense) to contractors, they seem long overdue. It's good to see the EPA taking a hard stance on the topic of lead safety and lead based paint.
Think all paint brushes are created equal? Think again. Purdy -- manufacturers of painting tools -- has just launched a new site called Paintrelief.com, which features educational videos that demonstrate the importance of a good paint brush.
The site shows visitors how using a quality paint brush can help you achieve better and faster results, and how a durable paintbrush will actually save you money -- and the environment. The videos are cute and obviously intended to sell Purdy paintbrushes, but they raise good points about the vital role a paintbrush plays in a painting project.
So you may not end up buying Purdy, but you'll come away with an appreciation for a good brush!
