Natural Paints Put to the Test

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If you need something widely available, consider Sherwin Williams' Harmony line. It's an interior latex, zero-VOC and low-odor alternative, which like its higher-VOC conventional latex counterpart comes in a huge variety of colors and can be matched to any sample. For the trim work in my office (see photo, above) I used the primer and paint, both handling much like traditional latex, minus the lower odor (interior latex, $39.99/gal; find local retailers at www.sherman-williams.com).

Next on my brush was AFM Safecoat's new Ayurveda Essence, VOC-free paints that use pigments based on the ancient East Indian Ayurveda healing system. For my dining room, I chose the Surya Namaska from the Vata range, which like most of the colors is saturated and mood lifting (see photo). While the paint did have a slight odor, it handled well and was a breeze to clean up. Offering least-toxic ingredients (without formaldehyde, solvents, heavy metals or other hazardous ingredients ) and an extremely wide color lineup (108 tints), AFM provided the flexibility I was looking for. It was also easier to find in local specialty stores than milk and clay paints (zero-VOC semi gloss interior latex $37.90/gal; transitional primer, $42.90/gal; www.greenbuildingsupply.com).

Milk paint boasts a long history of use (over 6,000 years!) and lacks chemical solvents, made instead from a base of milk protein and lime mixed with earth pigments. However, I couldn't help but wonder if it would make my walls smell like the dairy aisle of a supermarket. The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co.'s mix arrives in packets of powder, which saves on costs as well as fuel, but it also meant I had to combine it with water myself and use it immediately (though it can be refrigerated for a few days in an airtight container).