Posts with tag HomeDepot

There is something about painting a room that brings out the inner artistic genius in all of us. Suddenly it is of vital importance that we find just the right shade of velvety chocolate, and that it be paired only with the perfect teal.

Sure, you can bring swatches to Home Depot, but we like to do some prep before we make the apron'ed folk run in circles for us. That's why the new Sherwin Wililams Color of Inspiration site is the perfect way for us to spend a few blissful hours trying out color combinations and trying to remember what we learned in color theory class all those years ago.

There are a couple of ways to use the SW Inspiration tool. You can upload a photo and the site automatically generates a palette inspired by your picture of the best green motorcycle ever, or the amazing yellow and red tulips from your garden.

Just as satisfying for us, you can also check out other people's photos and palettes. It's like spying! Plus, why go to all the trouble of finding a perfect picture, or you know, taking one, if the work is already done for us?

Warning: this site will eat your day, and it's twice as dangerous if you're a bride, or involved in any kind planning for a large event. Block out your calendar before you click thru!

When you think "green", you usually don't think "big box store." But maybe you should.

As Thomas Friedman's article in the New York Times Magazine pointed out, a number of major companies, Wal-Mart in particular, have started to recognize the economic as well as the environmental benefits of reducing their ecological footprints.

And as they say, once Wal-Mart goes so too does everyone else...

Today Home Depot introduced a new line of products called Eco Option, which offer customers an environmentally-friendly alternative when they are shopping for home supplies. The Eco Option line contains 3,000 products from energy-efficient light bulbs to natural insect repellent. By 2009, Home Depot hopes to increase the number of green products to 9,000, which would represent 12% of total sales.

Home Depot happens to be the largest supplier of construction materials, and the company hopes that the new Eco Option line will encourage builders and home-owners alike to make the switch to green products. Many of the Eco Options cost slightly more at the cash register. But green products tend to be cheaper in the long run since you save on electricity.

Hopefully with stores like Wal-Mart and Home Depot proving that green is good for business, more companies will choose to follow suit. But for now, the ball's in our court.

[via NYTimes]