Paint Brands I Love That You Need to Know About

The paint you choose for your home needs to do a lot of heavy lifting. It should work beautifully with your natural light and shadow, be highly durable, in budget, appropriate for the surface, and easy to maintain. What it shouldn’t do—ever—is negatively impact your health.

A word about health and safety

Not all paints are created equal. The majority of the ones used in homes, offices, and schools are acrylic-based. They’re popular because they’re affordable, quick-drying and tough, but acrylic-based paint is essentially pigment suspended in liquid plastic. While durable, they emit Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) both during application and drying, and as paint breaks down with age, heat, and humidity.

That poses long-term health risks to residents, especially the very young, older adults, and people with respiratory illnesses. allergies. Beyond that, since these paints don’t biodegrade, they go on to pollute the natural environment.

Paints with heart and soul

That’s why I prefer to work with artfully curated, nature-inspired paints that are eco-friendly, mineral-based and plant-derived. They all have low to no VOCs. Some have natural antibacterial properties to combat mold. Some even absorb carbon dioxide. Not only are they jaw-droppingly beautiful, but they actively improve air quality and contribute to a healthy microclimate.

Let’s get into it.

• Argile

  Four dreamy collections from French brand Argile are inspired by plants and vegetation, as well as the rich colors of the earth, sand, and minerals. High coverage and high pigmentation make the results beautifully complex and vibrant. Often made from bentonite clay or bio-sourced vegetable oil resins, they’re a natural, mineral-based, low-chemical alternative to traditional paints. The professional-grade finish justified the price tag.

  At a glance: Complex, artistically conceived collections created by master color specialists, Argile paints are high-performance, durable, low-chemical, and sustainable.

Argile’s Terre Collection

• Bauwerk

  It doesn’t get more elemental than a product made using earth, fire, water and air. Bauwerk’s modern lime-based paints are made from calcium carbonate (limestone), clay, minerals and natural pigments. Its eco-credentials are hard to argue with. A thin layer of limewash absorbs directly into your wall, taking in carbon monoxide from the air, like a plant, making it breathable and protective. This permeability means it doesn’t trap moisture, so no mold and no peeling. And the color! These paints are made using natural pigments, which refract light differently from industrial pigments, giving them a soft luminosity and depth that’s mesmerizing.

  At a glance: Solvent- and VOC-free, 100% non-toxic, antibacterial, and absolutely stunning natural colors that positively glow.

Bauwerk’s pigments are responsibly-sourced and tested to ensure they’re highly stable, lightfast and non-flammable.