Benjamin Moore Roadshow Success

By Grace Garwood
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Last week we saw the Benjamin Moore on Tour pod pay a visit to G C Johnson Harlow. This fantastic event allowed our decorators a chance to try out some of Benjamin Moore’s most popular products – and even better – to indulge in some yummy breakfast while doing so! If I had to say so myself, the Greggs sausage rolls were reason enough to make an appearance, however the paint seemed just as popular.

With the tour set to visit 24 locations nationwide, it may be biased for me to claim we have had the most success, however I will do it anyway! We had a great showing from our customers, all willing to learn more about the Benjamin Moore brand. The team from Benjamin Moore were fantastic, taking the time to answer all our questions & listen to all our feedback. They put on a show our customers are sure not to forget.

Our customers took full advantage of the opportunity to try out the products

I personally found it a great opportunity to get more familiar with Benjamin Moore’s latest products; Ben Interior Matte, and Elementguard. Of course the star of the day was Scuff-X, the revolutionary, single component paint devised to resist the toughest of scuffs.

For those who couldn’t make it, I’ll explain a little about these products & what makes them so special.

ben® Interior Matte

ben® Interior Matte can be considered Benjamin Moore’s alternative to vinyl matt emulsion. It is available in 3.79 litres ( US gallon ) with a sheen level between 3-6%. It’s extended open time makes for flawless application with excellent hide, you can even touch up with ease! To make it even more appealing, it boasts scuff resistant properties to make it easy to maintain & looking like new.

Elementguard

A whole new take on masonry paint, Elementguard performs in any weather. We all know the British weather isn’t the most reliable, so with Elementguard, the stress of checking the forecast every 5 minutes is taken away. It has been specially formulated to tackle one of our most tricky painting environments – high moisture. This new product can be applied up to 60 minutes before rainfall & in temperatures as low as 1.7℃. Excellent adhesion & resistance to cracking and peeling are additional benefits.

It suits those who are after the ever popular flat finish, with a sheen of between 0-3%. Also popular with decorators as it is touch dry after just 1 hour and has a recoat time of 4 hours.

Scuff-X

One of Benjamin Moore’s most renowned products, Scuff-X is well known as being the toughest paint on the market. Originally sold as a paint to resist scuffing in the most demanding high traffic commercial settings, it has taken off in the UK residential market providing more than enough durability for our homes. Quick drying, great touch up ability and all with a low odour only adds to the reasons to give it a go.

Available in four finishes; Matte, Eggshell, Satin & Semi-Gloss, there is something for everyone.

Those who attended the roadshow were lucky enough to leave with a sample of Scuff-X to test out.

It goes without saying this is just a small selection of what Benjamin Moore has to offer. Not only does their product range wow us, their extensive collection of over 3,500 colours is quite impressive. They use their very own Gennex Colour Technology to curate stunning colours that hold their depth & vibrancy whilst maintaining their exceptional performance.

From the catwalk to our homes

By Grace Garwood
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Many of our interior design trends can also be seen among the fashion industry.

There are many similarities between the two, both working with colour, patterns & textures. You will often notice that the runway defines what is to come in interior design. Each offer an artistic way to express oneself, and so you see many similarities between the way one might dress to how their interiors are designed.

One trend we have seen cross over is ‘Sunset Hues’. Predicted to be a big trend for 2023, pinks, reds and yellows are making a come back. Even deep mustards and chocolate browns are proving increasingly popular. These warm & nourishing tones have been seen during fashion week shows across the globe and are most definitely making their way into our homes.

Along with the still trending green hues, these colours express our collective desire for a closeness to nature. These cosy colours are a welcome change from the cold greys we have seen for so long in the industry.

Colour of the year predictions show a variety of these shades;

Pantone – Viva Magenta

Dulux – Wild Wonder

Benjamin Moore – Raspberry Blush

And while we have also seen a clear boucle trend within the interior design industry the last year, it is going no where. Check out some looks from Chanel’s 2023 runway:

Not only is it obvious that the signature boucle of Chanel is here to stay, these colours are a clear link to our ‘Colour of the Year’ hues mentioned earlier.

We have also noticed an increase in demand for stripes. With new collections from Osborne & Little showcasing stunning stripes in colours not seen before. You can get a sneak peak of a stripe in the shirt of this Chanel look.

Striking reds hitting both our homes & our wardrobes!

What are your thoughts on the current trends?

So, what else is new?

By Grace Garwood
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Happy new year!

Welcome to 2023…

Our company is now in its 54th year, and I’ve been reminiscing about new things that I watched arrive in my 36 years here and that are no longer with us!

Innovations such as the Hammerite Magnetised spray machine, the Dulux PaintPod, the Hedgehog wallpaper scorer, the folding ruler, the Beeline self pasting table, Dulux Duette and Sonata, and my favourite: Mythic Paint.

There have been loads more but the point is, so many innovations have failed to capture the market, it makes me wonder what’s needed to truly change things up?

I’d probably hark back to the glory days of ICI and their introduction of Diamond Matt in 2003 if I wanted to point to the real last industry changing introduction.

However, I’m not alone in seeing that one area of our industry has seen a sea change: varnishes.

We used to varnish every wooden surface, yacht varnish, polyurethane varnish, carriage varnish etc…

But out of nowhere came the oil revolution.

Spearheaded by Osmo.

Their Polyx Oil offered beauty, protection, and sustainability all in one go. The industry took to it like a duck to water.

And then the bandwagon arrived, no one quite got to the same level of quality but there was suddenly a crowd.

So…what to do if you’re Osmo, the innovators?

How about a Polyx Oil tinting system? Any colour of transparent oil you like…immediately!

And exterior oils.

Oh, and while they’re at it, what about a new colour system for your opaque garden furniture and fixtures?

It’s called Elements, based on the elements, earth, air, fire and water…

OK. Game on (again).

The hugely anticipated system arrives with us in the next couple of months, we hope just in time for Spring.

I can’t tell you how excited we are about it.

We should have Elements colour cards soon, we’ll play the fanfare when they arrive!

As I say: welcome to 2023!

Be well.

Pat.