Psychologists say that our reaction to an object and a place tends to be dictated by color. Love it or hate it, color in a room has a subtle effect on our moods. Moreover, a fresh coat of paint can change the ambience of a room from dreary to cheery.

Asia’s first paint brand, Nippon Paint, recently presented its new line of decorative paints for residences, targeting the female market.

“Painting is like skincare. A woman goes through many steps, from cleansing to toning and moisturizing, to maintain good skin. With paint, we promote the right coating system,” said Gladys Goh, group general manager for Nippon Paint Malaysia Group.

The principals from the Southeast Asian regional office came to Manila recently to make their pitch on their new product range.

Goh explained that the Nippon Paint Philippines factory in Laguna has been producing automotive coating and high-performance paint for

commercial establishments, industrial facilities, car parks and sports complexes.  On the consumer level, the most popular product, Pylox, is a user-friendly spray paint for touch-ups and repairs of woods and metals.

This year, the company is bullish about expansion. “Nearly 70 percent of the paint industry services architectural projects. With the construction boom here, we’ve launched a new company, Nippon Paint Coating, to build the decorative paint segment in the Philippines. This is under the investment of Nippon Paint Malaysia Group,” said Goh.

She described Nippon Paint Coating as a “total coating solutions provider for walls, floors, woods, metals and roofs in a wide range of colors.”

Nippon Paint Coating’s partner hardware and home depot chains and paint centers are equipped with a Nippon Color Creation Machine that produces shades specifically for the client.

“The computerized tinting process not only enables us to dispense thousands of colors but also provides accuracy in tone. If you had the color customized in Metro Manila, you can replicate the exact shade in Davao. Most important, our paint shops and hardware stores are like mini-factories. They make that paint color when the customer wants to buy. They make it by demand in five minutes,” said Goh.

Harsh climates

She pointed out that the paints for exterior walls can withstand harsh climates for several years. “We guarantee homeowners they won’t need to repaint the outside walls for five years because our paint won’t peel or chalk.”

If you find drywall paint too flat or boring, Momento Special Effect Paints lend texture and artistry to walls. Momento produces hand-painted effects such as shimmers, impastos (thick applications of paint made to look smooth) and paint finishes on a rough canvas. Goh added that this premium paint line is more affordable than wallpaper.

“Colors are two-dimensional so we added a third dimension with sensorial touch, the Momento Special Effects. We realized that color is not always sufficient in completing a design so people opt for wallpaper or wood paneling.

“In the long term, it can be scary.  One, wallpaper peels off easily because of high humidity. Two, some developers build houses where the walls are not totally smooth. If the owner puts up the wallpaper, then there will be air pockets.

“Third, the application must be done professionally if the patterns have joint lines. And if you don’t like the wallpaper, removing it is such a hassle,” said Goh.

“We developed Momento so that you can achieve the same design factor without the pains of wallpaper. The best thing about paint is that if you don’t like the color, you can paint it over.”

Goh said that with Momento Special Effects, the walls exude more visual depth depending on the lighting and shadows. These special-effects paints can also be used for bathroom and kitchen tiles. “You don’t need to remove the existing tiles and buy new ones. You can also jazz up your old furniture and cupboards with a new coat of paint,” she said.

Other water-based variants for interior walls cater to different needs. The stain-resistant paint just lets spills roll down the wall and keep the color intact. The EasyWash is good for homes with little children. If they draw on the walls, the marks can be washed off.

Designed to be eco-friendly, these  paints are odorless, antibacterial, free from toxic substances, heavy metals and formaldehydes. They are scrub resistant, antifungal and antibacterial and won’t flake. A variant can cover hairline cracks to give the wall a seamless finish. For people with allergies, the Odourless Aircare can absorb formaldehyde.

The paints come in various price points, from P500 to P2,000 a liter for the high-end paints, which are ideal for ceilings. Goh suggested, “Since labor is expensive, we recommend that you invest in good-quality paint. You save money because you don’t need to rehire someone to repaint.”