Back In Time
Published April 27, 2012 | 
The Space Needle, Seattle’s most known landmark debuted at the Worlds Fain in 1962. It was painted a shade of what would be best described as Crayola’s burnt-sienna orange. The designers however called it “Galaxy Gold”.
The Space Needle hasn’t adorned that color in quite some time, but to commemorate the landmarks 50th Anniversary it’s going to its RETRO roots as it were, and being painted Galaxy Gold again!
And the paint I might add is being supplied by none other than Miller Paint. Proudly coloring your world since 1890!
Melanie Gibbs
Big Things Happening In Seattle For Miller Paint!
Published April 25, 2012 | 
Big things happening in the Seattle, Wa market for Miller Paint!
As we did about a year ago in the Portland area, we are taking over business operations of Kelly-Moore stores in Seattle. What is different is that we will keep those locations open.
Please check out our website… for more details and information on this acquisition!
Thanks for your continued support!
Melanie Gibbs
Is Your Deck Ready For Summer?
Published April 20, 2012 | 
Proper Surface Preparation Ensures A Beautiful Looking Deck.
Spring time, Project time! As it starts to dry out (as much as it can in the Pac NW in Spring), we start thinking of heading outdoors again. Sitting out on the deck early morning with a cup of coffee watching the sunrise, or heading out for the ever loved barbeque! We have to take advantage of the good days when we get them!
Now is the time to get your deck spruced up for just those occasions! Cause what’s better than heading out your back door to enjoy your beautiful, and protected deck?
If you plan to stain your deck, here’s the right way to get the best results. First you may wonder why you can’t just go out and sweep off the dirt and get staining… Well, whether you have new wood or old wood there are 2 things we recommend you do, sanding and power washing. Both are recommended but sanding is always the best method to ensure a clean porous surface.
Dirt, weathering, and Mill Glaze are three causes of coatings failures on wood. They not only prevent good penetration and adhesion, but if you are using a translucent finish it alters the look you are trying to achieve.
The following instructions are for new or weathered uncoated wood…
First: Get yourself a basic garden sprayer. Apply a solution of 4oz. TSP, 1quart of household bleach, and 3quarts of water to DRY wood, keeping it wet with the solution for 5-20 minutes.
Second: For the most effective cleaning, keeping the wood wet you lightly scrub with a synthetic bristle brush to remove dirt, mildew spores, mill glaze and old weathered finishes.
Third: Thoroughly rinse with a power washer @500 PSI, keeping the nozzle AT LEAST 8-12 inches from the surface. Doing this any closer than that pushes the water entirely too deep into the wood and can cause a lot of damage.
Fourth: WAIT 3 days after cleaning to allow wood to dry completely before sanding. Use an electric sander with 60-80 grit sandpaper for the floor surfaces and 80-120 grit sandpaper for the vertical surfaces. Hardwoods however should be sanded with 60 grit or less. Always sanding in the direction of the grain.
Fifth: Thoroughly remove all sanding dust with vacuum, broom or blower before applying stain. Any leftover will absorb the stain and prevent penetration.
You are ready to stain, so come on down to your local Miller Paint Store & get going!
~Melanie Gibbs
When Color Sings
Published April 16, 2012 | 
When Color Sings By Gretchen Schauffler
Are you longing for that perfect combination of color to make your house truly divine? So many of us worry if one color works with another, or if a color is “In” right now.
I am a believer that the perfect color is in the eye of the beholder. When given an extraordinary and timeless palette to choose from, there is a way to have that perfection in your home.
Here at Miller Paint we manufacture Devine Paint. Gretchen Schauffler is the brainchild behind Devine, and she is brilliant with color. The colors in her line Devine Color are truly timeless and her book can help you unveil the color wizard within.
Learn how to unleash your inner decorator. I encourage you to open her book and be inspired to think outside the box, and let your creativity go wild when you discover which colors make you sing…
Find “when color sings”, a book written by Devine Creator Gretchen Schauffler at your local Miller Paint Store.
Melanie Gibbs
Spring Has Sprung!
Published April 7, 2012 | 
Spring Has Sprung In The Northwest
One of my favorite parts of Spring is the rebirth of color. The trees start budding their leaves and blossoms, and the bulbs are popping up their sprouts in gardens everywhere.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, I appreciate it even more. With so many wet, gray days even throughout the Spring months, that pop of color amongst the otherwise sometimes dreary façade is especially great!
Hmm… makes me want to bring that feeling indoors! And so comes the inspiration for indoor cleaning and sprucing up! Maybe do a little painting?
What color would you most like to bring into your home for the Spring?
Melanie Gibbs
Why Buy Higher End Paint?
Published April 5, 2012 |
Let Miller Paint Help You Find The Best Paint For The Job
It’s human nature to want to get the best bang for your buck. So why buy higher end paint? The number of reasons may surprise you! Paint comes in a variety of types specifically designed for different purposes. Within those types, there are also a variety of quality levels. So how do you choose which paint is right for you? At Miller Paint CO, we’re here to help you get the most from you paint.
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Better dirt resistance means less scrubbing resulting in longer paint life. $$
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Better Mildew resistance means less repaints. $$
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Better coverage means using less paint, as well as less time. $$$
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More refined solids mean less brush lines or roller marks. $$
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Thicker paint means less splatter, and less damage to flooring, and trim. $$
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Less chalking in Exterior paint means less repaints. $$
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Better flexibility in Exterior paint means less cracking, peeling, or blistering resulting in less repaints. $$$$
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What this means for you is that the extra $5 to $10 per gallon you spend in the beginning will save you a whole lot more in the long run!
Miller Paint – Soon To Be Serving You On Sundays!!!
Published April 1, 2012 |
Select Miller Paint Store Will Be Open Sundays - Beginning April 15th
To better serve our Weekend Warriors we are opening more of our locations on Sundays!
Starting April 15th, 2012 these locations will be open 11am to 4pm:
Alberta Street (Portland)
Ashland Street (Ashland,OR)
Beaverton
Corvallis – (Now open 10am-2pm. Starting Apr.15th will be open 11am-4pm)
Division Street (Portland)
Eugene
Gresham
Medford
Oregon City
Salem
Salmon Creek (Vancvouver,WA)
Tualatin
Andresen (Vancouver,WA)
See you soon on Sunday at a store near you!
Melanie Gibbs
And The Color Is….????
Published March 31, 2012 | 
And The Winner Is......Tangerine Tango!
The color of the year has been named by Pantone, (yes I realize its March and I’m a little late). Tangerine Tango… Designers everywhere have shown use of this energizing color in interiors, wardrobes, and accessories in recent months.
Orange you say? Hmmm, how will I add this vibrant, bold, and sometimes intimidating color to my home? Good question. I have a few ideas…
I would start small. Pillows, throws, or vases perhaps. If you have a very neutral palette you can still throw in some Tangerine in a vase of tulips, or an old painted side chair or lamp. But be careful, there can be too much of a good thing. Too many of these accents in one room can be overwhelming. Toning down your Tango with neutrals and patterns can help. It’s also a good idea to spread the color evenly throughout the room instead of saturation in one area. This is a great color if you use it well. Have fun with it!
Melanie Gibbs
What Makes A House A Home?
Published March 27, 2012 | 
Applying the Ideas of Feng Shui Can Create A Cozy & Comfortable Room
Home means different things to different people. Some like antiques, some like art modern, most like something in between or all of the above. The things you have and the colors you use show a lot about you. Whatever makes your house a home to you it’s easy to change the mood of a room, or just improve the ‘feel’ in your house.
Eastern design and philosophy are great ways to experiment with this idea. In Feng Shui, for example, there are many different ideas and principals in achieving improved chi at home and positive changes within. Whether or not you believe in such things is fairly irrelevant, because I find that applying the ideas and applications used in Feng Shui simply creates a cozy, comfortable, and inviting atmosphere for both you and your guests. Which is good for chi (the flow of energy), and as a result is good for you and your mood. Who doesn’t want to come home to their own little sanctuary just waiting for them to relish in its warmth?
Of course everyone is different, but the applications can be simple, taking into account your personal tastes. For example; You have a huge fireplace in your living room, red paint, wood floors, brown furnishings, wood furniture etc. (Sounds lovely by the way) Its nice to create balance with all of the FIRE, WOOD, EARTH elements by placing WATER elements in the room, such as a mirror over the fireplace, a wrought iron lamp on a side table, or metal or glass art/sculptures on display on shelves or the walls. Or in the opposite scenario with perhaps many modern less earthy items you may have like cooler colors and modern glass, plastic, stone, or metal furnishings with perhaps tile floors, you could try adding accents for balance like rugs and plants.
If the things in your home are too precious to change of course, there is always paint! Instead of adding or changing items, you can add or change color. Simple changing or adding a color on the walls can create that balance you want. In that earthy room you could add a Smokey Purple or Blue, and in the art modern room try adding something with a warm feel to it like a Mocha or Cashew color.
Melanie Gibbs
Posted in Color, Color Advice, Color Trends, Paint Color | 
Design, Design Philosophy, Feng Shui, Miller Paint, PaintColor Guild Global Color Forecast: Colour Canvas 2012
Published February 6, 2012 | 
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COLOR GUILD GLOBAL COLOR FORECAST
COLOR CANVAS 2012
Because Color Guild has a membership of 55 paint companies all over the globe it is possible to gather information about worldwide trends that can affect any number of other countries. Pat Verlodt, Color Guild’s Color Spokesperson has the unique opportunity to design colors for paint companies across the globe and shares her knowledge and experience with the entire Color Guild membership. This article reflects the trends for 2012 and highlights colors that are or will be best sellers.
A GLOBAL POINT OF VIEW, COLOUR TRENDS UNITE
A colour trend becomes stronger when it comes from many points. The sources can be from other countries’ customs, fashions, products or even politics. Here are 6 colours that are the most common among emerging global trends.
Gold Coast:
From Australia the earthy outback colours emerge with a rich gold hue, Gold Coast. This gold hue also appears in Asia as the heritage color of Emperor’s Palace and from Africa as Golden Chinchilla, a component of animal prints and tribal designs. A softer version surfaces in South America as Golden Steps for exteriors paired with terra cotta and cream.
Cape Town Plum:
This hue is showing up on items never coloured in this hue before such as kitchen cabinets and leather sofas making sure that it will stay around for the long haul. Purple influences come from Asia as a pastel, Shanghai Plum and it surfaces as a new gem in the Far East. Many Asian countries have embraced this colour as a Western influence. The deep purples of Africa, Cape Town Plum, also come forward from classic batik fabric patterns.
Ayer’s Red:
Ayer’s Red, a deep rich rust colour, is part of the Australian collection of earthy outback colours. It also appears in South American fabric designs as Sao Paulo Red, the spark of colour that makes a perfect accent alongside beiges and creams. A more muted version of rust is a growing trend as a cedar colour, Cedar Heights, in North America, often seen on Arts and Crafts style home exteriors flanking Craftsman Clay and Crisp White trim.
Provence Lemon:
The sweet lemon hue of yellow continues to please homeowners across the globe. Provence Lemon from Provence in France is combined with French Blue, a common combination in French textiles that have universal appeal. A softened version, Dainty Daisy, comes to light as an influence from English gardens with a soft green and delicate pink as companions.
Great Wall:
Gray is growing strong as a neutral across the globe, it does not replace beige as most popular background colour but is making strides in that direction. In Asia, Great Wall, a soft gray is seen as a companion colour for the new pinks and lavenders in their palette. Washburn, a deeper gray is seen in North America as a neutral for both interior and exterior applications and often seen next to the iconic glue jean colour of Worn Jeans. Gray has taken over in the fashion world and is spotted hanging out with browns and a broad range of other hues as it is the perfect neutral for almost anything.
Bengal Brown:
This universally accepted hue has powerful on many countries and products. It is the basically the earth at everyone’s feet, the woods that surround us, the rocks in the mountains that rise up around us. How can it not be evident in everyone’s designs including African craftsmanship, Door to Tangiers, in Australian retro and monochromatic room schemes, as Down Under and as beige in almost every home in the world?
Overall colour changes have been as slow as the economy but optimism is always on the minds of colour designers so sparks of colour appear on the horizon. But for now, the neutrals dominate as bestsellers and that is seen as not changing in the near future.
To view the Colour Canvas 2012 click here
Visit the Miller Paint store nearest you, and ask about the new Colour Canvas 2012 Color Card.
This post inspired/contributed by ColorGuild. ColorGuild, the global paint and color authority, is a member based organization serves as a definitive resource on color and coatings. As a member of ColorGuild, we welcome their contributions and appreciate their opinions.
Posted in Color, Color Advice, Color Forecast, Color Trends, Paint Color | color guild, color trends, colour canvas 2012, Miller Paint