Paint like poo
AMSTERDAM - The earth’s natural resources are running out but more and more people are cutting the crap and changing their lifestyles to do their bit for the planet. In order to ‘walk the talk’ I’m trying to do my part, one step at a time. This week: paint like poo!
In an effort to green up my life I decided to paint one of the walls in my new house green (literally and figuratively). First things first, what does the market have to offer to conscious but lazy wall-painters among us. First contender: chalk paint. Nice idea but… it came in powder form, which means adding water. Needless to say I used way too much water, so the paint looked more like green lemonade than good thick, fat paint. Too much hassle, so I went to option two: a nice bucket full of über natural clay paint from Tierrafino. This stuff is can’t be called paint; it’s an eco-miracle! I bet if you’d eat it, it’d be even healthy for you. Instead of the regular old school chemical paint, where even smelling it would be enough to make you woozy, this stuff smells glorious.
Actually, the clay paint doesn’t look like traditional paint either. When you open the bucket it looks like poo to be honest. But a little bit of stirring makes it look a lot better, although it still keeps a suspicious brown-like colour.
Nevertheless I plunged in. A sigh, a last goodbye to the immaculate white wall, and there we go: attack! In fact, halfway through I started feeling a bit uncomfortable, since the wet clay transformed the wall into a camouflaged room an army would be jealous of. Very nerve wracking indeed. But… when the clay dries up, the results are simply amazing! The colour changes into a light, warm and relaxing kind of green. And what’s even better, simply using a bit of water on any paint splashed on your hands or pants makes every stain disappear. Perfect for the clumsy among us.
The verdict? It will cost you a bit more money than traditional paint but it’s worth every euro. In combination with a wooden dining table it almost feels like you’re having dinner in the jungle. Plus, the clay paint is supposed to have a healthy impact on your home’s climate. All things considered, it’s not that bad living in the city if you can bring nature in your house.
Check out more about the use of clay paint at: http://www.tierrafino.com/paint_clay_paint.html
Main photo by: Cross Stitch Ninja
