YOLO Colorhouse's line of 100% acrylic exterior paint features a palette inspired by nature and a formula that's kind on the environment

/PRNewswire/ - This summer, put a garden-fresh coat of color on your house while reducing your impact on the environment. YOLO Colorhouse, the Portland-based company specializing in zero-VOC paint finishes, features a Green Seal® certified, "Outside" line of 100 percent acrylic exterior paint, in a palette of unique colors inspired by landscapes and nature. Formulated to be durable and weather resistant, "Outside" has been shown to outperform leading premium, conventional paints in accelerated weather testing.

Selecting an environmentally responsible product is the first step; choosing the right color palette for the job is next and represents another big decision. YOLO Colorhouse co-founder and artist Janie Lowe offers tips for boosting your home's curb appeal with color and advice for managing a paint job you will be happy with for years to come.

All-Day Color
"When selecting colors for the exterior of your home, remember to account for the way the light changes over the course of a day, which may include full sun, shade and everything in between," explains Lowe. "That and the scale of the project mean you should keep the following things in mind when making color choices."

Lowe suggests going with a color that's slightly darker and browner than the one you think you're after. To give windows depth and interest, use a color on the sashes that is darker than the outer trim. And paint the foundation and porch deck with darker "anchor" colors, to prevent the illusion of a floating house. Finally, Lowe also suggests finding houses that you like and noting the body, trim and accent colors.

Drawing from 36 rich warm exterior hues, divided into six distinct color families--OCEAN, DESERT, PRAIRIE, CANYON, FOREST and CLOUD--YOLO Colorhouse offers homeowners 90 recommendations for exterior color combinations to perfectly complement the gardens, trees and urbanscapes of your outside world. This free consulting service is available my emailing info@yolocolorhouse.com.

Prep Makes Perfect
A topcoat is only as good as what is underneath. For the best adhesion and a flawless finish, have a lead-safe certified contractor remove all loose paint, prime areas of raw wood and be sure the surface to be painted is completely dry. Let wood and shingles dry entirely before painting or bubbles created by trapped moisture may appear later.

Clean is Green
Homes painted before 1978 are likely to contain lead-based paint. The EPA recommends hiring a Lead-Safe Certified contractor to perform renovations or repairs that might disturb lead-based paint. Any risk of lead paint contamination is lowered significantly by three simple precautions and one pretty preventive measure: contain the work area; minimize dust; clean up thoroughly and plant sunflowers around your home after it has been painted to absorb the lead in the soil. For more information, go to http://tinyurl.com/2fheysj.

Using zero VOC paint is better for people and the environment. Lowe reminds, "If everyone in the United States selected a zero VOC finish instead of a 'low VOC' or traditional paints, we would eliminate between 150 million to one billion pounds of chemical solvent from being released into the atmosphere."

Homeowners and paint contractors can find YOLO Colorhouse "Outside" paint and primer at eco-home improvement stores nationwide. For a list of dealers or more information about the company, visit yolocolorhouse.com. Follow company co-founder and artist Janie Lowe on Twitter http://twitter.com/yolocolorhouse and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/YOLO-Colorhouse/88129628652?ref=mf.

YOLO Colorhouse LLC

YOLO Colorhouse LLC

YOLO Colorhouse is an independent paint company focused exclusively on producing high performing, zero-VOC, Green Seal approved finishes. Founded in 2005 by professional artists and custom paint designers, Virginia Young and Janie Lowe, YOLO Colorhouse is an expression of their passion for color and concern about the environment. Self-described “color nerds,” Young and Lowe set out to create a cleaner paint that is easy on the earth and people. In June 2009, YOLO Colorhouse became the first paint company in the U.S. to earn Green Seal's new, more stringent GS11-2008 certification, which verifies that all YOLO Colorhouse coatings are completely free of carcinogens, toxic solvents, formaldehyde, phthalates, odor masking chemicals, hazardous air pollutants and ozone depleting compounds.

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