Painting

Covering a whole room—walls, ceiling and trim—in one paint color may sound startling at first, but this trend, known as “color drenching,” has gained popularity recently. According to Houzz Inc., searches for the term “color drenching” on Houzz were up 325% in the first quarter of 2025.  Paint & Decorating Retailer recommends these five paint …

Water-Based Wood Finishes Apex® High Performance Polymer (HPP) Interior Clear Finish replaces solvent-based varnishes and lacquers and leads in the advancement of water-based spray technologies. Apex Clear is a single-component finish that delivers excellent clarity and chemical resistance, is easy to apply and delivers minimal grain raise with fast stacking times. This finish The post …

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Center for Microeconomic Data recently released the September 2025 Survey of Consumer Expectations, detailing inflation expectations among U.S. households, showing an increase in inflation expectations in short- and long-term outlooks. Median inflation expectations in September increased at the one-year-ahead horizon to 3.4% from 3.2% and at the five-year-ahead …

Total U.S. retail sales were up in 25 states and the District of Columbia from June 2024 to June 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Monthly State Retail Sales report.  Hawaii saw the most year-over-year growth (18.1%), followed by Nevada (8.9%), North Dakota (5.1%), Arkansas (4.9%) and Wisconsin (4.9%). Oregon saw the least amount …

Retail sales slowed in September but increased on a year-over-year basis as retailers prepare for the holiday season, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor. “Retail sales dipped in September as consumers hit the pause button after two solid months of back-to-school spending,” says NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay. “Amid continued economic uncertainty, consumers opted …

Dunn-Edwards has announced Midnight Garden as its 2026 Color of the Year. The deep, muted green is reminiscent of moss, lichen and natural elements. With more customers gravitating towards modern tones, Midnight Garden represents a movement towards bringing nature indoors. Warm terracottas, balanced purples and neutral tones complement the shade. “Midnight Garden is the green …

Packing 150-mile-per-hour winds and storm surges as high as 15 feet, the Category 4 Hurricane Ian ravaged southwest Florida in September 2022. Directly in the path of the storm was The Goodz, Inc., an independent hardware store in Fort Myers Beach, Florida.  Billed as “Your Island Everything Store,” The Goodz sold everything from hardware to …

The sweeping effects of tariffs in 2025 have impacted almost every industry, including the home improvement and construction industries. The Home Improvement Research Institute and Datavations’ Tariffs and Toolbench webinar unpacked the costly effects these tariffs are having on particular categories in the home improvement industry, and what retailers can do to offset the impacts. …

Serving as a combat engineer in the U.S. Marines from 2002 to 2007, Heath Warren loved being able to fix things and solve problems, skills he transferred to the independent home improvement channel. Currently, Warren is the maintenance technician for Carthage Hardware in Carthage, Missouri, where he uses his love for repair to serve the …

The U.S. government implemented a shutdown at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2025, after failed attempts to reach an agreement to extend government funding. Here’s how the shutdown will affect housing and homebuilders. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), delays should be expected for any housing-related federal government programs that are still …

PPG announced Secret Safari as its 2026 Color of the Year.  A versatile yellow-green, Secret Safari is part of PPG’s 2026 global color theme, Parallels, which includes three color palettes: Authentic, Visionary and Expressive. “Secret Safari is a versatile shade that adapts to its surroundings,” says Irina Hanhisalo, PPG color category lead, architectural coatings. “It evokes …

Consumer confidence fell to the lowest level in five months as consumers remained concerned about increasing inflation and a weak labor market.  The Consumer Confidence Index, reported by the Conference Board, measures how optimistic or pessimistic consumers feel about their financial situation. The index fell from 97.8 to 94.2 in September, the lowest level since …

Sight. Smell. Taste. Touch. Hearing. Every day, we rely on our five senses to navigate and experience life. Forward-thinking retailers are also turning to the five senses to engage with customers in their stores and keep them coming back, moving from offering just customer service to providing a positive customer experience.  A longtime tenant that …

Staining a building’s exterior or interior wood surfaces is a popular way to upgrade a space or add a new feel to a home. Keeping up with stain trends is crucial in guiding customers on what to purchase and preparing paint and stain professionals for future requests from homeowners. Finishers Depot, an industrial coatings distributor …

When it comes to knowing where to start with B2B in your business, retailers who have found success in this area suggest starting small to attract these pro customers.  Jay Donnelly, owner of Flanagan Paint & Supply with five locations in the St. Louis Metro area, says posting regularly on LinkedIn has helped bring in …

One of the best ways to diversify your audience and differentiate your business is through business-to-business (B2B) sales. When you think of B2B, you probably picture outside sales teams making cold calls, and while that method is successful for many, retailers are finding success beyond traditional outside sales teams. Whether you’re looking to build B2B …

The Home Improvement Research Institute and The Farnsworth Group released the Analysis of the American Housing Survey 2025, providing a detailed look at evolving home improvement trends across the U.S. housing market. Based on a nationally represented survey conducted by the U.S.Census Bureau and sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the report …

Sherwin-Williams and HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams have joined together to name Universal Khaki as its 2026 Color of the Year. The shade is an earthy mid-toned tan, ideal for common spaces. Universal Khaki pairs with bright whites for a classic look, or more saturated tones for a stand-out design. “Khaki is more than just a …

Dunn-Edwards Corporation announced a partnership with Roomvo to create an advanced color visualizer tool, which will enable both professionals and homeowners to preview colors in their own spaces. Designed for ease of use with quick share and save options, the Dunn-Edwards Paint Color Visualizer delivers realistic renderings in seconds and eliminates the need to manually outline …

Ace Hardware announced the launch of Hazelnut Crunch, Clark+Kensington’s 2026 Color of the Year, only available at Ace Hardware. “In an increasingly fast-paced world, homeowners desire spaces that offer restoration, comfort, and calm,” says Kim Lefko, chief marketing officer at Ace Hardware. “Hazelnut Crunch delivers all of that and more. It’s a beautiful, deep shade …

Adding color and patterns to flooring is an easy way to spice up a bathroom and give it depth. Paint & Decorating Retailer recommends stocking these tiles to give your customers ideas for bathroom renovations. The Blend Honed Louna Marble Mosaic features a mix of honed marble pieces in various soft tones, including beige, cream, gray …

As various companies reveal their choice picks for 2026 Color of the Year, stocking alternatives to these colors can bring in additional sales and trend-following customers. Dutch Boy Paints’ Color of the Year, Melodious Ivory, is a universal neutral shade ideal for a renovating homeowner. Paint & Decorating Retailer recommends these alternatives to Melodious Ivory. …

Black & Silver Tools (SPONSORED) Hyde Tools has tirelessly worked over the decades to build the best quality tools at a reasonable price. Their Black & Silver tools—multitools, scrapers, joint knives and more—are made in North America, some of them in the factory in Southbridge, Massachusetts. No matter what overseas tariffs may bring, The post …

The number of women working in the construction industry rose to around 1.34 million in 2024, with women representing 11.2% of the construction workforce, according to data released in an Eye on Housing report from the National Association of Home Builders. The rise in women in construction, the highest percentage in the past 20 years, …