We’re no weekend warrior when it comes to painting, having spent the better part of ten professional years applying latex and oil wall coverings to the walls, ceilings and furniture of swanky-panky buildings on the Upper East Side, Soho, Tribeca and elsewhere.
Benjamin Moore was the application of our day, though, with Pratt and Lambert coming in a close second and everything else swamp water as far as we were concerned.
There was one paint, however, which a client in Park Slope insisted we use on the blue double doors leading to his brownstone; Fine Paints Of Europe.
Game to please, we acquired the goods, applied them in proper fashion to the high-traffic doors and were so impressed with the results that we inquired as to their welfare some 20 years later and received the following via electronic mail:
“Our front door is still blue and though it has chipped a little, it is more from wear and tear than the paint quality. We still hear people walking by comment on its unique color, so we are still very happy to have it.”
A photo was sent, too.
Thus does Fine Paints Of Europe’s claim that their more expensive paint, made with the finest of ingredients, pays for itself over time as one does not need to repaint as often as one might using a lesser paint – even old reliable Ben Moore.
But a testimonial wasn’t enough – we had a bookshelf to paint and thus arranged a quart of FPOE to do the job. To say we were pleased with the results is putting it mildly.
We did not spend as extensive time and care on prep as we might have as the furniture in question is probably worth less than the quart we applied in two careful, even coats, sanding in between with the #220 sandpaper provided for us for the test.
The result was a vivid, fun, compelling and high-gloss bookshelf instead of a drab, dull, boring one.
And – because we hadn’t used up all the paint – we decided to prime and paint our Yamaha keyboard. Woah.
Fine Paints of Europe today, Fine Paints of Europe tomorrow, Fine Paints of Europe forever, we say.
Da luxe 