Spring is in the air!  Okay, not really….wishful thinking. But, you know how sometimes you think if you believe long enough and hard enough about something it will become a reality?  Yeah, that doesn’t usually work for me either.

Enough of wishing and hoping…..Jeanne and I decided it was time to get something productive done in preparation for Spring.  And what better way to do that then to head over to our “go to” paint experts, David Tibbets and Herbie Pickel, of Mauldin Paint, in Mauldin, SC, authorized Benjamin Moore retailers, and find out what the latest trends and paint colors are for 2014.

I first met David Tibbetts over 10 years ago, when Dill Pickle, one of the greatest colors BM paints ever made, was all I could think about.  I wanted to paint my kitchen island, my guest bath, my bonus room, almost anything I could think of, Dill Pickle.  Fortunately, I settled on one thing, the guest bath.  It probably would have been over-kill if I had gone further.  In addition, The Engineer(aka hubby) would have probably blown a gasket.

When I entered the store, swatch in hand, David immediately turned to me  and said,  “great color.”  Kindred spirits, a friendship was formed.  Even to this day, we still agree:  awesome color.

Through the years, David and Herbie have helped me through the confusing, sometimes mind boggling process of picking out paint colors.  And if you’ve ever had that sick feeling of “uh-oh, I picked the wrong color” immediately after painting a room, you will appreciate the knowledge and expertise these two provide their customers on a daily basis.

And we can’t forget about Choco.  He does a wonderful job keeping the little tykes busy while parents sift through paint colors.

So, after talking extensively with them, here’s the lowdown on a few paint trends for 2014:

1.  Gray, gray……. and did I mention gray?

Gray continues to dominate and grace interior walls in 2014.  Lest you think gray is cold, wintry and drab, you need to check out a warm gray such as, Revere Pewter.  This color makes furniture “pop”, yet provides a soothing, relaxing interior environment.

Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter

2.  Bold, intense colors

With the continued popularity of painted furniture gracing most DIY-er’s homes, vibrant colors such and Benjamin Moore’s Southern Belle, Peacock Blue and Bird of Paradise are all making their way onto accent pieces, such and night stands, tables and chairs.  David offers that one piece of painted furniture in a room can complete a look.  Here’s a peak at a one of his recent projects, painting an old cherry end table, instantly giving it new life: