What's nice about Ellen Kennon Full Spectrum Paints is that you can get them through your local ICI/Dulux store.

The whole transaction - ordering samples, gallons, making payment, etc. all goes thru Ellen's 800# or her website.
1-877-877-7628 or http://www.ellenkennon.com

EK faxes the order to your nearest ICI store and you just go pick it up when it's ready. The ICI Store finder is linked below, but I always recommend looking in your Yellow Pages for an ICI Store as that seems to be a more accurate reference.

You need lead time to order paint from EK. I don't order on Fridays because it's always crazy at the paint store and I have a lead time of at least three days.

I've had plenty of occasions where I needed gallons fast and they've come thru, but I always try to give it at least three days if possible.

Full spectrum color is worth tracking down, hope something works out for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: ICI Store Finder

Aside from ICI/ Ellen Kennon paints the two other "big" full spectrum brands are Citron and Donald Kaufman (you can Google for them). Both have websites and sell sample cards of their colors and of course small sample pots once you're ready to try small amounts in your rooms.

Yes, there is additional shipping expense for paint you obtain by mail order. OTOH, the cost of paint in a paint job is usually much smaller than the labor cost. Of course, I only do my own painting so aside from paint, I have no other expenses. That's what I tell myself to justify paying more for the full spectrum brands.

Other fine quality, though limited availbality paints are C2, Farrow and Ball and Fine Paints of Europe. In each case they offer special types of paint and very attractive paint colors.

However, don't be a paint snob, as long as you use good quality paint, if you find the color you love, then don't hestitate to use it. The full spectrum brands don't come in every color, just an unusual selection.

HTH,

Molly~

That's the problem I've looked and looked and I'm not finding any color I love. I have True Value hardware Lowes and Menards to chose from. Home Depot is over an hours drive.

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Apparently there are no ICI stores either. Even though it says there is "right in my neighborhood", it also says found 0 stores. (100 mile radius) No ICI in the phone book either.

We don't hire anything but plumbing out at our house, and usually not that either. So, me paying double for a gallon of paint will not exactly make DH jump for joy. I can't justify paying double for it for that matter in my own mind.

I've heard so many positive things about FS paint that I do really want to give it a try but this is frustrating. I know BM is coming out with an Aura paint, not FS but close apparently which is also not available in Iowa. The BM store is also over an hour from me.

I suggest you get some books on full spectrum paint from your library on interlibrary loan. There are two by Donald Kaufman and one by Suzanne Butterfield about Donald Kaufman paints. I think the one by Butterfield has some basic FS paint formulas in it which may help you decide if you'd like to try something a bit more exotic, or want to try your hand at making your own. I have made my own FS mixes when the exact color I'm seeking in my mind's eye is not available. It is time consuming, and considering how much paint I have to buy to make the mixes, not really cheaper than going ahead and paying for FS pre-mixed, but it can be done.

Try going to the websites of the FS brands and reading about it there. Understand that what you see in the range of colors is utterly dependant on your monitor and is almost certainly not what the paint looks like in RL. That's why you need to get the sample sets of colors, and then try the little pots on your own walls first.

You should also know that FS paint is often a bit more expensive all by itself, not including the shipping. Perhaps if you started with a small room where you only needed a few gallons, even with the shipping and extra cost of the paint, the total additional outlay wouldn't be too big. I use FS for many rooms, but when faced with painting the whole exterior of my house I made up my own formula since I needed such a large amount. For the front door though, I bought the paint from FPE, since I only needed a couple of quarts.

I live in a very rural area, too (though perhaps not so far out as you) and I find it challenging to lay in the supplies I need for my projects.

Have you tried Googling for the C2 paint brand? I thought I would be far away from the nearest one, but was surprised to find it no more distant than where I'd have to go fo BM or California paint. C2 is not FS, but they have particularly nice colors with very carefully chosen pigments. It's a bit more expensive than BM, but very nice paint.

But you know, well chosen paint colors from any brand can look very fine. The worst paint mistakes are not made by not failing to use FS paint. The worst comes from not taking the time to choose very carefully and make swatches and getting rushed and frustrated and just taking the first thing that comes to hand just to get the job done. Taking your time doesn't cost anything.

HTH

Molly

Hi Elvis & Molly,
Yeah, the closest C2 dealers' are in Illinois and MI (then there's our place up in Fargo!). C2 does use Black colorants in some formulas...actually a High-strength black and a 'regular'-strength black are part of the 16-colorant system. Some C2 colors use 6 colorants, which is unique. The most an ACE or Ralph-Lauren color will use is 4...the 4th usually being White.

I'm curious...Is NOT using black colorant one of the factors in the FS 'theory'?? Do the ICI dealers just use their own 'regular' colorants in higher amounts?? Are regular ICI bases used??

FWIW, most C2 dealers (about 50+ locations) average about $38-$48/gal. Check out www.c2color.com for locations, etc.

Merry Christmas all!!!
Faron

Here is a link that might be useful: C2 paint Information

Faron,

Some FS paints supposedly use a 10 or more colorants in the mix. The formulas are proprietary, though, so there's no way to tell for sure.

I did order a concentrate of a Donald Kaufman color once in a med. blue green. When I peeped in the container before mixing it with the main carrier paint, I could see not only the expected colorants to make blue green, but also distinct swirls of orange, deep russet red, deep umbery-black, and a brilliant thread of purple. Certainly not what I expected to see.

The three brands of full spectrum paint that I know of are Ellen Kennon, Citron and Donald Kaufman. I don't much like Ellen Kennon's colors which don't appeal to me. I have tried a few, but always repainted the rooms immediately. My eye seems to favor Citron colors and my prinicipal fave, which is DK. I get giddy over some of his. I also like F&B, FPE and C2, and find that often the colors I'm hoping for don't come in Citron or DK, so I use the other three. But I have also been happy with California Paint and BM colors. I am more interested in the color of the paint than the brand; I find most top-end paints are quite satisfactory quality-wise.

My understanding is that EK colorants are the same as ICI colorants, just in her special mixes.

I'm not sure about the black issue, but I believe that FS paints have more colorants, enough to provide a "full-spectrum" of visible wave lengths, in addition to whatever color the paint is intended to be. Though the added colors are often just tiny quantities. At least that's what I do when I'm cooking up a FS spectrum color on my own.

Molly~

I do think that they don't use black. And they do use the ICI bases for EK paints. Donald Kaufman paints are the absolute finest. But they are horrendously expensive.
I agree, housekeeping, they do make on giddy. I wish I could afford them. I am a DK palette type person.

They have two copies of the book in the library in the city, so I'm going to check one out today. :~)