Hoyamom, I love your home! Thanks for posting. Do you happen to have pics of the berry red?

Lots of people on this forum have used her paint and like it, myself included. If you do a search of her name on this forum and also on the gallery side of this forum, you will see lots of posts and pictures. I recently painted a bedroom Gustavian Grey.

The thing I love about her paint - besides the colors - is the personal advice she will give you over the phone.

I put the berry red in my half bath but the flash keeps going off so it doesn't show the richness of the color. I love my berry red too. :)

Yes, my entire home is painted with Ellen Kennon paints; I believe I have eleven different colors, some of them custom colors.

Almost every room it's evident that it's a little different than normal paint--I'm very glad I used them.

Hoyamom, (sorry, quick hijack) what are your curtains in your family room? I really like the combination with your walls. Very pretty room. They look a lot like Chris Madden Mystique in Apsen Gold..?

I haven't used EK paints but hear how wonderful they are. There were a few paint photos on her website during different times of the day where the color was SO completely different it's made me hesitant.

I have used several EK colors in this house and our previous home - I love what they look like, and a previous poster is right, Ellen provides wonderful advice. She's so helpful and friendly!

HOWEVER, one caveat.......it is very difficult to clean or touch up. I have only used the flat paint, but in my experience, when it has gotten marked up, I have found it impossible to clean our touch up without the spot being very noticeable. I don't know if that's the nature of the flat ICI paint, or if it's the nature of full spectrum, but either way, it's very frustrating. We're not terribly hard on our walls, but normal wear and tear with two adults, a kid, and a few pets means that we occasionally need to clean or touch up spots on the walls. I have not yet been able to successfully do this with EK's paint. In fact, I need to repaint our staircase wall due to very noticeable spots that I attempted to clean in the 3 years since it was originally painted. I have not had this same problem with BM or SW flat paint.

I know you'll love the look of EK if that's what you decide to go with, but it my experience, it has been difficult to maintain over the long haul.

hoyamom, gorgeous rooms! Please tell me about your family room floors, I think they are exactly what I've been looking for.

Kimberly, I've had the opposite experience with touch-ups of the flat ICI (now Glidden) paint that are the base for EK's colors. I have both touched it up and gently cleaned the paint without burnishing. I wonder - is it a particular color that's doing it? And did you apply two coats of paint when you originally painted?

Thanks for all of your responses. I have always used eggshell or satin paint so I wonder if I would go with the flat? Touching up is a problem with the eggshell as well. I also tend to use dark colors which probably does not help.
Graywings-are your colors dark or light? Also, has her formula recently changed since you mentioned it is now glidden? Thank you.

As I understand it, the parent company to ICI Dulux and Glidden started a professional line of Glidden paint, and EK's formula is now being made with that line of Glidden.

The ICI paint stores are now Glidden stores.

EK's Buttercream (pale yellow) in Velvetsheen has cleaned up and touched up well for me. To be honest, the other colors haven't needed to be cleaned.

Sheesharee - the drapes are custom dupioni silk and they are actually slightly striped to give off different colors.
Paulines - the floors are Bruce hardwood in Gunstock.

And, I must agree with Kimberly - the one color that does burnish is the Wheat which I have in the common areas including the stairwells. My son whacked the wall carrying up his duffel bag suitcase and I have a black mark on the wall. I very carefully wiped just the black area bc I didn't want to have to repaint the entire wall. DH whacked the Wheat wall leading to the basement and I wiped that down and it burnished so I had to touch it up and it didn't blend well at all. Now every time I go downstairs my eyes go right to that spot. My painters put on two coats too. The other colors I have not had any trouble with.

graywings - I have had problems with Buttercream (the color in the wall of our staircase), Honeysuckle, Mushroom and Violet. All were Velvetsheen, if I recall correctly. All walls were given 2 coats, and all had more than enough time to cure before we ever attempted to clean our touch up.

Another EK fan here, who painted her entire house with EK colors over 5 years ago. I'm still as happy with the colors as I was when they first were applied. And I still get compliments about the colors. I painted the walls and ceiling with the colors, because I wanted to feel surrounded by the color.....and I love the effect!

I used:

Mustard Seed in LR
Mustard Seed on 2 walls of DR & Citrine on the other 2 walls, and Citrine on the ceiling
Citrine in foyer, FR and hall
Shrimp in MBedroom, guest room & office
Honeysuckle in hallway
Sand (I think) in basement

Be sure to apply sample paint to your walls. And be prepared to paint at least 2 coats, and maybe 3 coats to get the desired effect.

After I take the Christmas decorations down, I'm going to do major touchups for areas that have been dinged the past 5 years. Hope I don't run into any problems.

EK fan here (paints and person!), here, too. I have used Tulip Leaves, Olive, Gustavian Gray, Mushroom and Christine's Cloud. Also used a white color for trim, but the name escapes me at the moment.

Being the lazy housekeeper I am, I have not touched up anything, so can't comment on that.

All colors are flat except trim.

I had mustard seed in a room and loved the color and the depth that full spectrum gives. I had a terrible time cleaning the flat paint, wiping it gently seemed to be not gentle enough and must have lifted some color because it never dried to match the rest of the walls. Also, tried touching up several small spots but that just made things look worse.

I am going to have to agree with kimberlyrkb: The paint is beautiful but impossible to clean!. I have it in a stairway and I cant get anything off of it including fingerprints. One other problem; after painting there are some areas that look like someting has bled through (like a dark oily spot) this has happened in more then one room. Can't say for sure if it is the paint but never had that problem before. I used the velvetsheen and was told by EK that it should be easy to clean.

Yes, I love it, love her. We have endless compliments on the paint. The process was so much easier than traditional paint, I thought.... after months of hanging countless swatches on the wall:) Hers jumped out and said ahhhh.....
We have Sage, Parchment, Alexandria Blue and Dusk. There is a link on the gallery side to look at her colors. I don't have any problem cleaning. We didn't use flat though.

I spec EK in LifeMaster eggshell. Not sure what it's called under the new Glidden Professional lable - I just still ask for the same thing.

LifeMaster egg is not super shiny - at all. It has a slight "slip" to it at most and everything but dark colors touch up rather easily. Dilute with a FEW drops of water first and I like to use a mini sponge roller or brush to do the touch up.

I've used several flavors of VelvetSheen over the years - not that I know for sure because I do not - but I suspect the formula for the paint has changed once or twice. Which is why there are varying degrees and opinions on how well it cleans up.

Me, me, ME!!!!

Last year I contacted Ellen and had her do a color consult on my first floor. Over the year I painted and then posted before and after pics here on the forum. I have her honeysuckle, cognac, mustard seed, blue color that I forgot the name of, spring green in my kitchen and cafe au lait in my family room.

I love her paint, in eggshell in high traffic areas since some of the flat does burnish, but it is so alive, it has depth, can't even put it into words. I have painted my house numerous times over the 12 years we've owned it and have never been so happy, so satisfied, as her paint I did this last year.

Ellen is a kind, patient, lovely soul who works with everyone from high end folks to normal people like me and I bet she gives the same attention to whoever she talks to.

I am working with her now on a new 'teen room' for my daughter and can't wait to see the end results.

Fun colors--are you saying the eggshell would be better to clean and touch up than the flat? I don't want to put you on the spot, but how does it compare to bm paint as far as durability and coverage? I love the EK colors but I do not like burnishing at all! Hope to hear from you and others. I so appreciate all of your input. If anyone used the color olive. I have a pottery barn rug called Franklin that I want to pull a green from. Thanks.

If anyone has pics of olive walls, please post them. Many thanks.

She has pictures of olive on her website.

Tons of EK paint in this house and my last house, too. I have had mixed experiences cleaning it and I suspect it has to do with how it was applied. Walls that I rolled myself washed and touched up brilliantly. In this house, many of the walls were sprayed and they do not seem to wash as well.

LifeMaster in egg cleans up like a dream - that's what I spec for my homes. Touch up - ya got a fair shot at gettin' it to look good. No better, no worse than any other brand's eggshell.

Flat in any brand will always be the easiest to touch-up. But you have to choose. Committing to flat means you won't be able to clean off *as much* and you will be touching up more often. Eggshell you're mostly cleaning up and only touching up the *bad* dings, scuffs, etc.

Even a slight edge of sheen in a can of paint means it will be more "cleanable" than a flatter finish. Matte will have more slip and wiggle room to clean than a flat but matte doesn't trump eggshell. Then you have to remember that sheen or gloss levels are not consistent brand to brand - like all of this wasn't complicated enough, right?

Never used EK Olive - that I can remember.

ICI/Dulux's top grades (now Glidden Professional) are every bit as good as Benjamin Moore. Ben Moore's top grades are really no better than any other major brand's top grades.

Ben Moore's Aura not included. Aura has to be a different discussion because it's in a category -pretty much- all by itself.

The LifeMaster is a far, far superior lo/no VOC product than anything from Ben Moore - in fact Ben Moore's lo/no VOC products aren't even on the same playing field as LifeMaster. Again, Aura not included.

A Ben Moore store can be a tricky place to navigate. If it wasn't for their full-on marketing efforts, they'd be in a pickle because not all flavors of their paints have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with other brands and grades. Brands and grades that are actually a better overall value when you look at it as true value = quality + price-point.

There are many, many "sleeper" brands and grades out there that few people know about. A thousand times better in quality and value compared to anything from Ben Moore. Diamond Vogel is a really good example - few people have access to that one. Dunn Edwards is yet another. The Pratt & Lambert color palette slays both Ben Moore's color collections put together when it comes to actual, viable, sophitacted architectural color int/ext. But Pratt & Lambert is exclusive to established independent paint destinations. The ACE brand can hold its own against some of the better-known names too.

I could go on and on.

Ben Moore is not necessarily superior on all points; it's just the one people talk about the most. Back to that marketing thing.

As far as being put on the spot to talk about brands - obviously, I don't mind. :~D Unlike many color consultants and designers, I'm not afraid to put in black and white exactly what I think about paint products and color palettes. Far too many consultants or 'color experts' out there think that using social media to promote brown-nose and suck up to major paint brands is gonna get them somewhere (it won't). Half the time I don't even think they've ever even cracked a sample pot of the brand they're gushing all over - but whatever. (I think this is where I'm suppose to say, "but I digress").

Amysrq and Funcolors--Thanks for your responses. I do plan to look at using the EK paint in my dining room. After all I need to try it in order to really know. I really appreciate all of your help.

I've been a lurker for a long time, so thanks to everyone for providing lots of excellent information.

I've used 3 EK colors in my house: Honeysuckle, Aqua, and Powdered Pebbles. I love the colors. But I've had serious fading problems with Powdered Pebbles. Less than a year after painting my dining room (north facing, no direct light), I removed a picture from the wall to find the color much darker where the picture had been hanging. I've not seen any other complaints like this.

Sis46--that is troubling to hear. Has anybody else had this problem?

Bump! I'm considering ICI Manilla Tan. Does anyone have a photo of that color? I guess I should visit a store (our painter made the trip) to see if Ellen Kennon colors are carried on the west coast!

In my experience Pratt & Lambert Swiss Coffee is the prettiest of that trim color group. A much nicer color than our usual California painter's choice, Dunn & Edwards!

Scrolling for a photo of a paint color and I happened upon this blog. It might offer some inspiration, although they aren't Ellen Kennon paints.

Here is a link that might be useful: Frugal Home Ideas

My daughter used her paints after I told her about them. She talked to Ellen and choose Olive, Buttercream, and Gustavian Gray. I helped her paint and I found the paints to be high quality that covered well.

I don't know what finishes she used and I don't know if she has ever tried to clean the painted walls, but it's been less then 2 years and they look fine.

My daughter liked that there weren't an overwelming number of colors to choose from, it made it very easy to pick colors.

She is very pleased with the colors. But honestly, I can't tell the difference between them and other painted walls. They don't seem to glow or to be deeper or richer, to me anyway.

I took a detour to the local Glidden store today and they had never heard of Ellen Kennon! I called her office for direction to a store that she works with, but the answering service was on call. From the website, I like Camelhair, but it might be more yellow than I want. I also want a dusky reddish color to paint the inside of the white bookcases in the den. I think one of her colors might be perfect for that. It has to be a rich but not vibrant color, so that the objects d'art stand out against the background.

I used EK Giverny Blue in Velvet Sheen in the laundry room on a north facing wall and not had any problems with it. Ellen recommended the sheen level and to touch up rather than clean. I have done both without any issues. I think the paint is three years old now and looks new. It was very pleasant to use, although I do still prefer the (non) odor of Farrow and Ball.

I have used EK Edgewood Green in my son's bedroom. I did touch it up once already because he got fingerprints on his wall. I didn't have a problem with it matching. Touched up well. I did use the flat paint (new formula). The paint definitely has more glow, which is good for this low light attic room. I need to touch up another area so I will pay more attention to the touchup now.

I used two EK colors in my house, her Seaglass, which is a light blue and a wonderful yellow called Luminaire in our bedroom. I needed specific colors which she had. Neither of these has any color shift.

The ICI paint does have some off-gassing. I could smell it for at least 10 days.

However, I am very pleased with the colors, the excellent surface and the way it's wearing after 3 years. No burnishing or fading.

I'm super picky bordering on addiction to a surface quality of paint after it goes up. Primarily I use Farrow and Ball because it has a velvety surface quality, is as thick as Greek yogurt, and hides small imperfections. Also, as KD said, there is 0 odor -- no hint any painting was done with F&B. But that comes at a premium.

The EK colors are in rooms adjacent to others painted with F&B and it holds its own. It doesn't have the velvety thickness but I feel the surface is impressive.

Further, my wonderful F&B eggshell trim looks great with the EK flat. I paired the Luminaire with F&B New White, which is an ivory that looks almost glazed.

I would use EK paint again. As for Moore, I used that on the first go round and had to repaint after 2 years.

Here's an article some might find helpful that explains what you actually get with private label paint as well as the extras.

Here is a link that might be useful: Paints that Bring Emotion to Your Walls

Most of my house is painted with EK paints. The colors are gorgeous... 1/2 Mustard Seed in downstairs guestroom/bath; Cognac in LR/Den/Upstairs Public Rooms; Rust in DR; Honeysuckle in Kit; most of my ceilings are Dusk. No matter how lovely the colors are, I could never "see" the full spectrum magic that everyone talks about. I desperately wanted to, but can't really see it. I mean, the colors do have a tremendous depth to them. I thought maybe that was it, but that's not such a big deal. Then, my bf and her husband were visiting, and he saw it! He was just staring in disbelief at the walls, asking how I found paint that had so many colors in it. Then he went off on a long description about the colors of light at different times of day, and that he plants all white flowering plants, so he can enjoy the gorgeous color shift of light. He thought I was getting it, but I just said "oh yeah... I've heard of people like you. So, you can really see the colors?" Yes, he can see them. Nice, but it still doesn't make it worth the big price tag when you factor in the lousy quality of the ICI paint. It's garbage, if you ask me. Now, that I realize it's Glidden, no wonder... that's junk too. When I painted the Rust in the Dining Room, it was so bad with streaking and burnishing, yes, even after tinted primer and 3 coats, that I called them to complain. The folks at EK graciously gave me a free gallon of the next sheen up to paint over the Velvet, Eggshell, I think. That did the trick! Honeysuckle in Kit is the eggshell. No problems at all. The rest of my LR and Den is Cognac/Velvet. It is a disaster! I am disgusted with how ugly it looks. Cannot clean it, even with a very soft cloth with clear water. Cannot be touched up at all. I am going to contact them, since I am going to have to repaint the entire area. Will take 3 to 4 gallons, of one coat. I doubt they will do anything about it, but otherwise, they may have lost me. We are just 2 adults, 2 cats, and one little boy. We are not tough on walls. What a lovely, expensive mess!

Yes, I have used Ellen's paint including Taupe, Mustard Seed, Lilac, and a custom color or two. I normally ordered eggshell and not the flat.

The paint I really LOVED was Citron Paints from Tuscon AZ. The colors are great; the paint is wonderful. Expensive but worth the money.

Citron Paint color Lantana

EK Taupe:

Here is a link that might be useful: Citron Paint

I didn't use EK paints but I did spend some time on the website and was particularly enamored with gustavian gray. any one have any pix in real rooms to share?

This is Gustavian Gray in my Dining Room. Classic Cream is on the kitchen wall to the right. I have Gustavian Gray on all of my ceilings in my current house.

Amy--love your house!

I have Gustavian Gray on the ceiling in my dressing room, and Sand on the walls.

*

My husband retouched EK Edgewood Green on some areas three years after they were painted--the touchups were darker.
However, the painters had stored the paint in the attic and I think this was the problem--heat affected the paint.

I do believe that the qualities of the EK paint are only noticeable by some people. I have had complete strangers in my home ask me what type of paint I had--that the walls just glowed, or were particularly rich. I have also had guests who knew about the paint and had no idea why I bothered with it.

I think it's a visual perception that not everyone has.

Hmmm, I'm confused. Now I not only have to figure out the colors, but I also have to figure out the brand, the finish and the formula I want to use. No wonder people choose white walls! LOL

Ellen K did call me back and was lovely. She sentlittle samples of all of her beautiful colors. Our ceilings have been painted already with a 50% version of a warm (older) color from Dunn Edwards called "Next to Nothing". The crown moulding,trim and doors are Swiss Coffee from Pratt & Lambert. It's their satin and left everything rough feeling. The painter is opting for a color match from BM to do a finish coat on the doors, windows and trim. The crown mouldings look fine from a distance, I just hope the color match works. Nothing's easy, is it?

Yes, I've used Gustavian Grey and JV Cloud White, eggshell finish for both, and absolutely LOVE them. Here is a photo that shows some of the Gustavian Grey. (Sorry it doesn't show more of the walls.)