Colour trends for 2016

Dulux Colour Futures™ from AkzoNobel have once again come up with what they think the upcoming trends for colour for 2016 will be, through their international research they have selected a range of colours they think will be in trend throughout 2016, this year it consists of a muted and sophisticated palette .

Colour palettes and colour trends for 2016

Quote from ColourFutures™

For 2016 we see a muted and sophisticated palette which centres on soft mid tone shades. The overall feeling continues to be warm, but with even greater subtlety. Bright colours have moved away from primary to something more interesting. Think coral, not orange; ochre not yellow and midnight, not blue. This is a friendly palette but with a dark, mysterious side.

The theme consists of the following four colour palettes and colour moods:

• Heritage & Future
• Words & Pictures
• Dark & Light
• The Grid & Letting go

What is to colour for 2016

The colour of the year 2016 is…… 20YY 36/370 (also known as Cherished Gold).

“We have selected a gold influenced ochre which is both bright enough to attract attention and combines well with other tones. Gold and gold tones are being used everywhere in the design world. It is a recurring colour and material at design fairs and in graphic design as well as in architecture, fashion, beauty and interior decorating.”

Quote from ColourFutures™

You can see more of this years colour schemes here:
Dulux Trade website or here:
http://www.colourfutures.com and download the Colour Futures book(PDF).

Paint Calculator

If you would like to use the colour of the year (20YY 36/370) or any other colour you need to buy and need to work out how much you need to buy, use our FREE Paint Calculator.

Review of Dunlop Pro Decor Interior Filler

Following on from my last review for Dunlop Pro Decor on their Flexible Acrylic Filler caulk, I have been asked to review another product, this time it is their Interior Filler.

The interior filler comes in two pack sizes, 2KG or 5KG (in multiples 1KG bags). It is a Gypsum based product and is brilliant white in colour. It has a working time of around 30 minutes and surface dry within 5 hours but this will really depend on thickness and temperature. Once dried it is easy to sand. This filler can be used up to 30mm deep without any slumping.

I was keen to try this product after the great results I had had after trying Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Caulk with great results.

I tried the Pro Decor Interior Filler on my latest interior job, and here is my review.

My review of Dunlop Pro Decor Interior Filler

On the Dunlop Decorators website it says this about the product:

A brilliant white, fast drying, gypsum based interior filler for smoothing, plastering and filling large surface damage, holes or cracks.

• Easy to apply
• Build up to 30mm thick
• Creates a smooth finish
• Will not crack
• Easy to sand
• Can be sponge finished
• Interior wall filler

Available in: 2kg or 5kg cartons
(each unit contains multiples of 1kg bags)

I used this filler on my latest job, a bedroom. The walls were wallpapered but the client wanted the walls to be emulsioned. I stripped the paper and used the Interior Filler to fill cracks and holes including larger holes where a curtain pole had been removed.

The filler was easy to mix and was workable for around 30 minutes. It dried quickly and I was able to rub down the filler I had applied in the morning later the same day. I didn’t notice any shrinkage even in the larger holes I had filled.

Once I had rubbed the filler down and removed any loose dust I applied two coats of emulsion, it didn’t flash or show once painted and the client was happy with the finished result of the newly decorated bedroom.

Buy Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler caulk

You can buy Dunlop Pro Decor Interior filler in 5kg boxes or in 2kg boxes from My Paintbrush.

In conclusion

The Dunlop Interior filler was easy to mix, work with and sand. It didn’t slump or shrink when used in larger holes. It dried well and I was able to sand it down later the same day. Obviously drying conditions and thickness of filler will play a part in drying times.

I wasn’t disappointed in the results I got from this product and will use it again in the future.

Review of Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler caulk

I recently received a tube of Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler to try and review, there has been a bit of a buzz over this product from professional decorators like myself, why, you ask, well because of its claims not to crack and its anti crazing properties. Now unless you use caulk daily like us decorators you may not know the ongoing problem we have when we use caulk and paint over it.

I have written about this problem before on this blog, Tips on using decorator’s caulk, also on Rayfields Interiors, How to use decorators caulk and also Fillers – knowing which one to use and on the Improving Your Property blog, What is decorators caulk / filler.

So when I got this opportunity to try this product and give a review I was very keen to do so, could this really be the end to cracking and crazing filer?

The tubes are filled with a white acrylic filler and come in a 310ml tube, allowing easy application by using a caulking gun.

I have tried the product and here is my review.

My review of Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler

On the Dunlop Decorators website it says this about the product:

FLEXIBLE ACRYLIC FILLER™

A high performance gunnable filler which can be used internally and externally for filling skirting boards, window and door frames as well as repairing cracks and damage to walls and ceilings.

• Paintable in 60 minutes
• No Crazing
• Ultra smooth
• Anti-Crack

I was very keen to test the no crazing and anti-cracking claims.

I tried the acrylic filler on my last two jobs, I have used it around skirting boards and ceilings, and painted over it with different types of paint, including water based primer /undercoat, gloss, satinwood and emulsion. I also noted the drying time and smoothness once dried.

The result

I was pleased to be able to try this acrylic filler and see if it met all of it’s claims, which for me it did. It seemed to dry fast allowing me to paint over it quickly. For the normal troublesome emulsion crazing / cracking issue I can say I didn’t come across any of this issue so was really impressed. Once dry the filler left a smooth surface that didn’t show once pained. I also didn’t see any cracking once it dried, I tried this product in both small and large gaps and had the same results.

In conclusion

I was very please with this acrylic filler, and from a professional decorators point of view the fact it stand up to it’s claims and doesn’t crack or craze like many other brands of decorator caulk, this is something we have been waiting for for years.
Now that I have used this product I will certainly be changing over to use this acrylic filler all the time and will certainly be wanting to try Dunlop Pro Decor’s other fillers such as deep hole filler and fine and lightweight fillers in the future.

Buy Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler caulk

You can buy Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler caulk from My Paintbrush.