Century Paint by Benjamin Moore

America’s favorite paint company introduces 75 new colors and first-ever soft touch matte finish.

Earlier this spring Benjamin Moore launched CENTURY, a new line of pre-mixed, small batch, ultra-premium paint in a “soft-touch matte” finish. The palette consists of 75 brand new colors, ranging from mid-tone to dark shades, intended to enrich the color collection of interior designers.

 “We needed something for the architects and the designers—something more elevated and more studied,” says Benjamin Moore creative director Ellen O’Neill, who has been working on the collection for more than five years. “So we really went back to the hand of the artists.” It started with texture or, as O’Neill puts it, making “more of a covering than a coating.” She explains: “You can almost see a nap in it when you turn a certain way or see it in profile. It beckons you to touch.

Century Paint | Cobalt

{how to pick the right paint color for your home}

Painting the exterior of your home doesn’t happen often, so when you’re deciding on a color, you have to be 100% confident that this color will be timeless, elegant, and beautiful.

At Hirshfield’s, we carry countless exterior paint colors to choose from, giving you the freedom to explore to find the exact color you are looking for.

Siding: Sag Harbor Gray HC-95 Windowpanes: Midsummer Night 2134-20 Door: Gloucester Sage HC-100 All by Benjamin Moore

Here are some tips to consider when deciding on an exterior paint color for your home:

• Consider pre-existing factors such as roof color, chimney, trim—if you aren’t planning on painting it—and landscape. Roof color is especially important because unless you completely re-roof your home, it isn’t going anywhere for a while. So instead, find an exterior paint color that complements the color of your roof.
• If your home has stone, copper, or brick accents, consider a color that will accentuate the current elements that make your home truly beautiful.

Revere Pewter (HC-172), Night Train (1567), Firenze (AF-225)

 

• When deciding on an exterior color, feel free to focus on not only the body of the home, but also the trimming, shutters, and door. It can really make a home come to life if all three of these components complement each other seamlessly.
• Be aware that paint samples can often look darker or richer in-store than they will appear when they are applied to the exterior of your home. Don’t be afraid to sample paints before tackling the entirety of the project.
• Take note of the color palette of the surrounding homes or landmarks in your neighborhood. Originality is important as you don’t want to completely blend in among the masses. However, showcase your individuality without stepping on neighbors’ toes (i.e. painting your home Pepto Bismol pink when the neighborhood has chosen a more neutral palette!)

Lower Body is Hirshfield’s Historic Tankard Gray, Upper Body HC-87 Ashley Gray, Trim and Shutters, 0197 Thistle Gray. Color schemed by Mark Masica, Hirshfield’s Color Services

Neutral exterior colors have remained timeless and popular in Minnesota throughout the years. The above homeowner chose a neutral palette which really played up their stone accents nicely.

When selecting exterior paints be sure to check out Hirshfield’s and Benjamin Moore paints for durability, ease of application, resistance to mildew, mold, and UV rays, and overall performance.

REGAL SELECT ON SALE

Now through June 17, Regal Select Exterior and Interior Paints are $10 off per gallon.

Regal Select Interior available at all Hirshfield’s stores; Regal Select Exterior available at select Hirshfield’s locations. Regal Select Exterior may be special ordered in, or Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior may be purchased at $10 OFF msrp at all Hirshfield’s locations.

Happy weekend and painting!

Since Frank and Elizabeth Hirshfield opened their first store in 1894, it has been our mission to do the best job possible meeting customer needs and solving customer problems. Hirshfield’s. People and products you can trust.

{spring home makeover: front porch edition}

The return of warm weather means it’s time to get outside in Minnesota! Spring is the perfect time to open up your windows and revamp your front porch so you can enjoy the outdoors for the months to come.  But time is wasting, so here are some decor tips  for a quick and easy front porch makeover.

Paint the Front Door

Minnesota ASID Showcase Home 2015

For the biggest impact, add some bright, inviting color to your door and accessories. Whether you go bright or light the key is using complimentary colors. For every blue, green, or violet, choose an orange, red, or yellow.

Credit: Hannah Brown

If you’ve got warm brick or siding, try a cool color like spring green, teal, or turquoise. If you’ve got white siding, no color is off limits — not even this canary yellow.

Credit: LDa Architecture & Interiors

Plant Your Flowers

Flowers and planters are another quick fix, but you need to be thoughtful for maximum impact. These planters are a great choice because they are similar to the chandelier in shape, but opposites in finish — traditional warm metal compared to a contemporary cool plastic.

Credit: Historical Concepts

Turn On The Lights

Adding new lights will give new life to your porch. It will make your entrance bright for all those late-night comings-and-goings if you’re looking for safety and security. Don’t forget about scale. People often make the mistake of not buying large enough outdoor fixtures. Looking for the soft glow of porch ambiance? Welcome your guests with a string of decorative twinkling lights.

Credit: JS Interiors LLC

Add More Furniture

If you have enough space, consider adding more furniture to create a room with a view. Whether it’s conventional wicker furniture to create a three season sitting room, or the right rug, and chairs, you’re sure to enjoy the warm breezes all summer long.

Minnesota ASID Showcase Home 2015

Give it a Swing

And if there’s one look that’s made for any porch lover it’s the porch swing. This updated swinging sofa completes a classy yet comfortable porch combo – perfect for enjoying a late night in the still summer air.

Minnesota ASID Showcase Home 2015

Whether your goal is extra color or extra comfort — or both — the right choices can add to your curb appeal and the enjoyment of your home. So, now that you’ve been inspired, how will you make over your front porch?

Check out Benjamin Moore’s photos for an inspired exterior. Paint is your best friend when it comes to upping your curb appeal!

Since Frank and Elizabeth Hirshfield opened their first store in 1894, it has been our mission to do the best job possible meeting customer needs and solving customer problems. Hirshfield’s. People and products you can trust.

{benjamin moore 2017 color of the year: shadow 2117-30}

Shadow 2117-30 | Benjamin Moore

The reaction to Benjamin Moore’s 2017 Color of the Year has been a bit of surprise and delight. Shadow 2117-30 is a deep, dark, subtle mixture of charcoal and purple.

House Beautiful called it “anything but neutral,” and Architectural Digest discussed the versatility of the “moody, amethyst hue.”

“I love it. It’s sophisticated, warm, and fresh. I can see it in a library or a small office. It would make a room feel cozy,” says designer Ally Banks of Ally Banks Interiors in the District, who is using the color on chairs, accent pillows and stools in a current project. – Washington Post

{5 ways to be adventurous with your trim color}

It’s amazing how much you can change the look of your walls, even the mood of the whole room, with the trim color you choose. Maybe, you want more of a design statement than trim painted white? We have some colorful inspiration: five ways designers used less conventional combinations to create different moods.

Cool Contemporary

Trim: Gettysburg Gray (HC-107) | Walls: French Canvas (1514)

Credit: Dresser Photography

In this remodel, Gary Dresser decided to paint the trim darker than the walls. He says, “I spend time just sitting on my sofa admiring the way it looks. It’s crisp and modern but somehow mellower than the other way around. And it works in any style room with any style trim.” Here’s a similar look in a bedroom, where mellow means marvelous.

reDesign home llc

 

Desire To Inspire

A long and dark hallway off the main room in the above photo is painted red, from floor to ceiling. Ka-pow! | Desire To Inspire

{holiday deals: hirshfield’s labor day paint sale}

Labor Day. It’s the traditional end of summer. And the last chance to get out and have some fun — or get your projects done. That’s why we have our own tradition — Hirshfield’s Labor Day Paint Sale.

Whether you’re working inside or outside, with paint or stain, you’ll find a deal to help. Here are some of the highlights:

Hot Deals

• Sikkens SRD Transparent Wood Finish — Save $11 on Gals. (with sale and mail-in rebate) Offer expires Oct. 15
• Cabot Exterior Stains — Save $13 on Gals. (with sale and mail-in rebate) Offer expires Sept. 11
• Storm Wood Care Systems — Save $9 on Gals. (with sale and mail-in rebate) Offer expires 12

{friday finds: paint colors with a cult following}

What are your “go to” colors?  Remodelista asked designers and architects for their favorites — 10 Paint Colors with Cult Followings — and it’s no surprise that some of our favorite colors from Benjamin Moore and Farrow & Ball dominated the list.

Simply White | Benjamin Moore

1. Simply White from Benjamin Moore

Simply White | Benjamin Moore

Benjamin Moore’s 2016 Color of the Year was called “the perfect wall color” by New York designer Lauren Rubin, and San Francisco designer Kriste Michelini added, “it is my go-to white — fresh, versatile, and warm — and it works in any home, whether traditional or modern, with a warm or cool palette.”

{exterior painting: how to pick an accent color}

So you’re painting the exterior of your house, and you’ve got the main color picked. That’s a good start, but the next choice is often more important. How will you choose the accent color — the color of your door, trim, or shutters? It’s all a matter of taste, but we have some time-tested guidelines to help you along the way.

Saturate

Chances are, your main color won’t be loud or highly saturated — unless you’re trying to paint your home Vikings Purple — but your accent color can be bolder. If your siding is toned-down, your accent should be pumped-up, and vice versa. For a white house, you can pick any color you want as an accent — except an off-white, which would just look like you forgot which paint to buy.

A bright red door is a classic choice for a white house. You could go a bit more contemporary or trendy with a coral or orange.

Benjamin Moore Raspberry Glaze

If you have a brightly colored house, though, pick an accent color that isn’t so saturated — either a neutral or a color with a bit more white, black, or gray in the mix.

{friday finds: benjamin moore wins j.d. powers satisfaction award}

Benjamin Moore is the clear winner of the 2016 J.D. Powers Paint Satisfaction Study, receiving the highest ranking in customer satisfaction for interior paint and exterior stains in the J.D. Powers 2016 Paint Satisfaction Study. The study also shows that a customer service plays a significant role in customer satisfaction.

Best In Class

J.D. Powers measured satisfaction on a 1,000 point scale, and Benjamin Moore had the highest score for both interior paint (836 points) and exterior stain (814 points).

{ 2016 asid showcase home highlights}

The “before” exterior of the Mpls. St.Paul Magazine’s MN ASID Showcase Home 2016

It’s that time of year again – the Mpls.St. Paul Magazine’s 2016 ASID Minnesota Showcase Home Tour is up and running. This year, the Minnesota Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers have chosen a 5,600 square foot, 1950s Edina rambler to redesign with their 22 person team of professional designers.

“This is our kind of dream home. It’s simpler living, more modernist, and more long-term. I felt like we could stay here when our kids are gone, because it’s not too much upkeep. This was our idea of a dream home, more modest living.” -Jeanne Anselmo, Homeowner

The theme of the home is “50 Shades of Greige” – the mix of gray and beige that everyone currently wants in their home. Using textured fabrics, repurposed antiques, and glamorous finishes, it’s quite the home to see.  Paint used throughout the home is supplied by Benjamin Moore and available at Hirshfield’s.