Tag: painting

What does your front door say about you?

Pastel Green, Blue or Pink– you’re a romantic, who wants a simple life, you’re hopeful and positive and want to share that with the world. You bake bread and weekends and love reading.

Bright Green, Yellow or Orange– you want to make a statement and draw people’s eye. Not flashy but fun and playful. You’ve got energy and you’re not afraid to show it. You wear odd socks.

Deep Red, Forest Green or Navy Blue– you’re not a thrill seeker, you crave comfort and stability. You’re a peacemaker and unwind with a cup of tea and a custard cream.

Black– You’re mysterious, keeping your cards close to your chest. You are a style icon and are unapologetic, your sunglasses and shoes are always matching.

Bright Red – You like the classics, black and white film and vinyl. You own (or want to own) a mini. Your weekends are spent walking your dog and playing chess.

Pink – You love making a statement and daring people to question your taste. As much as you love the colour, you also chose it to wind up your neighbours.

Grey– you are suave and sophisticated and appreciate order and calm environments. Your hobbies including photographing brutalist architecture and tending your indoor plants.

So, are we right?

If you’re looking to change up your front door, perhaps to make your own mark in a new house, it’s a great opportunity to seek out your local Community Repaint scheme to pick a tin (or half a tin) that has been saved from going to waste. Look for exterior gloss or semi-gloss to make sure your new door withstands the elements and is easy to clean.

How to paint your front door.

  1. Clean your door with hot soapy water to remove any greasy residue, fully dry the surface and lightly sand the surface of the door to ensure that your new paint will adhere well. (Make sure you put down a dust sheet first).
  2. Remove the dust from the sanding with a brush, to ensure a good clean finish.
  3. Carefully mask the any hardware you want to keep free of paint such as a knocker, letterbox, or handle
  4. Paint the door with a primer and allow to dry fully. Check you local Community RePaint scheme for a primer too.
  5. You can then add the colour to your masterpiece. The preloved paint will mean you save around 65% on buying brand-new paint and will ensure that no good paint goes to waste.

Voila! Enjoy letting your personality shine 🙂

From Earthquakes to RePaint

Smiling lady next to up-cycled dresser in teal.

Jane with one of her Upcycled dressers, painted with ReColour chalk paint. Photo credit: Jackie Tucker Photography.

How did you get into painting?

I first started painting as a child. I was even invited by my High School to paint a mural on the entrance hall. In my first home, I gave the boring internal doors an Art Nouveau twist. Then, following divorce, ran away to live in Italy and stayed seven years. I loved it there; paintings on the ceilings, the beautiful frescos, the colours. Sadly, my house there (formerly a castle) fell down in an earthquake so I returned to England with nothing but my kids and a few suitcases of clothes. Painting was to take up every spare moment I had, ever since!

Lady cleaning mirror of upcycled dresser.

Jane with one of her Upcycled dressers, painted with ReColour chalk paint. Photo credit: Jackie Tucker Photography.

What does life look like now?

I decided to rent a workshop space where I could go at weekends. It’s on a farm and when the sun shines it’s a tranquil place to sit in the doorway waiting for paint to dry with the birds singing and no internet, I love it.

I set up my business, Jane Wilde Designs with a website and even printed t-shirts!  I upcycle furniture destined for landfill and bring it back to life. Every single piece is unique, and each has its own quirks. I believe this only adds to their character.

a dresser with a painted boat on it.

A bespoke work of art on a upcycled dresser. Photo credit: Jackie Tucker Photography.

We know you’re an avid user of our ReColour Paint, tell us more!

I first saw an article online about ReColour paint when researching sustainable products. I loved Recolour product so much I became a stockist, and then painted my living room with it, upcycled a dining table and chairs I bought from a charity shop…and I’m painting more and more pieces to sell.

bedside tables upcycled. with a book and a lamp on them.

Two upcycled bedside tables, painted with ReColour paint. Photo credit: Jane with one of her Upcycled dressers, painted with ReColour chalk paint. Photo credit: Jackie Tucker Photography.

Jane, thank you for sharing your experience of using our ReColour paint, and please continue to create your amazing bespoke works of art! To see more of Jane’s work visit her website: www.janewildedesigns.co.uk where you can also put in an order for ReColour chalk paint!

Find out more about ReColour

Find your local Community RePaint scheme.

Cheltenham Paint Festival uses recycled paint

Cheltenham Paint Festival Street Art, community mural

The Cheltenham Paint Festival is a free art trail, showcasing a wide range of high-quality artwork in various painting styles from national and international artists. This year, 125 artists attended to paint in 60 different locations around Cheltenham, providing a colourful 5-mile walk for locals and visitors.

The festival has been featured in The Times, The Telegraph and has been part of a 2-hour long feature on Sky Arts.

With the global pandemic ongoing, the festival organisers said it was more important than ever for the paint festival to go ahead, to brighten up the local community and bring some colour into people’s lives.

Cheltenham Paint Festival community mural

However, this year, like many festivals around the country, it was scaled back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With a reduced festival budget, the organisers required low-cost paint.

Artist and Founder of the festival, Andy Davies, contacted Community RePaint to purchase 100 litres of affordable white paint to use at the festival. The central team passed the festival’s request onto Community RePaint Wirral, who was able to provide the festival with the paint at just £1 per litre, meaning it could still go ahead on a reduced budget.

Cheltenham Paint Festival Street Art, Earth, community mural

Community RePaint Wirral is one of the biggest schemes on the Community RePaint Network. In 2019, the scheme redistributed over 104,000-litres of leftover paint to individuals and groups in the community. They were very proud to be supporting the 2020 edition of the Cheltenham Paint Festival.

Andy, the festival founder, told us “The delivery was great, the driver went out of the way to get them across the garden and put them on the drive which was much appreciated. The paint itself was excellent and so useful.”

The local community appreciate the art around the town, providing some light in such dark times. You can view a full gallery of the 2020 artwork on the Official Cheltenham Paint Festival website.

Cheltenham Paint Festival, People Painting  Cheltenham Paint Festival, People Painting

Do you need affordable paint for an upcoming project? Find your nearest scheme here.

Brilliant White paint freshens up exercise venue

Art of Movement is dedicated to martial arts and fitness, hosting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Capoeira and dance classes for the local community. The venue has been redecorated using 70 litres of ReColour Brilliant White emulsion paint, which gives it a fresh, crisp new look.

The images below show the before painting (top) and after painting (bottom) photos. 
Before and after redecoration of the exercise venue, Art of Movement in Bristol, using our cheap and environmentally friendly ReColour emulsion paint. You can watch a video of the venue transformation below by clicking on the play button.

Art of Movement is thrilled with the results and thankful to the Community RePaint Network and our remanufacturing centre on the Wirral for the efficient service.

The images below show the before painting (top) and after painting (bottom) photos.
Before and after redecoration of the exercise venue, Art of Movement in Bristol, using our cheap and environmentally friendly ReColour emulsion paint.

“Thank you!! Our room looks so much nicer now thanks to you!! 😍”

ReColour is available in a range of 20+ colours, in both neutral and statement shades of Matt or Silk emulsion. Our paint is both affordable and eco-friendly, removing perfectly good paint from the waste stream💚🌍
View our colour range and order ReColour here!

 

ReColour paint now sold in Wisbech

After the incredible success of Community RePaint Cambridgeshire located in March, the team expanded to sell ReColour paint in Wisbech. Community RePaint Cambridgeshire which has been operating since 2011, is now one of the largest schemes in the Network. Run by Cambridgeshire Community Reuse and Recycling Network (CCORRN), they collect around 30,000 litres of paint each year.

The new Wisbech store will sell “rescued resources creatively repurposed”, including DIY supplies, workwear, arts and crafts, furniture and remanufactured ReColour paint. In 2019, Community RePaint Cambridgeshire redistributed 47,735 litres of paint and happy to expand to Wisbech.

A selection of our low cost and environmentally friendly ReColour paint. In a range of colours in Matt and Silk Emulsion.

ReColour was started when we identified a need to reuse larger quantities of leftover paint,  increasing the amount of paint we can divert from the waste stream and meet the demand from the community for good quality affordable paint. The paint is available in over 18 colours and comes in 5 litres containers.

The Wisbech store is located at the Remo – Eco Superstore, 55 The Horsefair Shopping Centre, Wisbech, PE13 1AR. They are open from 10am to 4pm (closed Wednesdays & Sundays).

A photo of a staff member at Community RePaint Cambridgeshire holding a flyer that reads "do you need paint?". Behind are two long shelves full of low cost and eco friendly ReColour in silk emulsion, soft sheen emulsion and matt emulsion in off white, white and cream.A selection of our low cost and environmentally friendly ReColour paint. In a range of colours in Matt and Silk Emulsion.

Community RePaint Cornwall opens a new branch in St Austell

Community RePaint Cornwall, who have been a part of the Community RePaint network since 2018 is now expanding to distributes even more reusable paint in Cornwall. It has recently opened a new branch in St Austell due to popular demand. The shop repurposes unused paint, preventing it from going to waste. It is also home to the Remake Community Fridge and the Prosperity Online Centre.

Carolyn Boyce, who is the manager of Community RePaint Cornwall, had been contacted by numerous members of the St Austell community to bring a RePaint shop to the local area. This comes after the great success of the Truro Community RePaint branch.

The St Austell branch is based at 86 Stennack Road, Holmbush, St Austell, Cornwall, PL25 3JQ. The shop is open every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 9:30am – 5:30pm. The Truro shop is open 10am – 4pm on Saturdays for customers to pop in and buy affordable, reusable paint.

Find Community RePaint Cornwall – St Austell here:

Community RePaint East London Help Brighten Leyton High Road

Leyton High Road, home to the vibrant community in Leytonstone, East London, has been transformed with a colourful and innovative design, with the efforts of local residents, residents and renowned artist Camille Walala.

Camille Walala is a London designer known for graphics, interiors and fabrics that feature bright colours and bold patterns. She is also renowned for her amazing power to spread positivity across the streets of London, having also created murals, building facades and other installations across the world. The addition to Leyton High Road has re-energised the urban landscape with an explosion of creativeness, colour and joy above the shops and cafes.

 

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The local community was at the heart of this project, with the artist inviting Londoners to help shape the final design by voting for their favourite colour scheme. The project, run by City Hall and Spacehive, was kickstarted with Crowdfunding, which began earlier in the year and the ambitious project was approved after it raised a total of £40,000 – including a £25,000 backing from Mayor of London Sadik Khan!

The artists involved in the project purchased paint from Community RePaint East London, who have been part of the Community RePaint Network since 1998 and collect over 40,000 litres of paint annually. The scheme is run by the Forest Recycling Project work to promote a greener, more inclusive Leyton and Waltham Forest.

 

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Community RePaint East London partner with recycling centres across London to collect reusable leftover paint from residents that would’ve otherwise gone to waste. They check the quality and quantity of the paint before taking it back to their premises, where they sell it to the local community at an affordable price. The scheme also collects reusuable paint locally from traders, retailers and manufacturers.

Reclaimed paint of all types – emulsions, paint for interior and exterior wood and metal, masonry paint and varnishes – are available in a variety of colours and container sizes from two locations, ‘The Paint Place Reuse Project’ in Leyton and their shop ‘The Paint Place’ in Walthamstow. Both locations have paint available for sale to individuals and groups. If you’re in need of affordable paint in East London, have a look at their opening times on their website.

 

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Together, we can divert more paint from waste and brighten up spaces across the whole of the UK. We have over 65 schemes where you can purchase affordable paint, starting from £1, for projects just like this one! Find your nearest scheme here.

Photographs by Tim Crocker and Walala Parade Leyton

Colourful “Bradford in Spires” Mural Brightens Up City

“Bradford in Spires” is the title of the new community mural featured at the Bradford Interchange. The mural features towers and spires from some of the city’s iconic landmarks, accompanied with bright colours to bring new life onto the former tired-looking walls.

The project was commissioned by “Bradford BID“, who work on projects to benefit the entire range of business sectors within central Bradford. The completed work has been marked with a plaque, which thanks Sven for his hard work, as well as thanking Community RePaint for their donation of leftover paint to the project.

Sven collaborated with Community RePaint Bradford, who supplied the local artist with leftover paint. The paint had been collected from manufacturers, retailers, traders in the area, as well as from the district’s recycling centres where residents can drop off leftover paint.  The paint was checked to ensure it was suitable for reuse rather than disposed of. Since signing up to the Community RePaint Network in 2001, Community RePaint Bradford has collected over 45,000 litres of paint each year!

Due to the large amount of paint the scheme collects, they always have a large variety of paint types and colours. If you want paint for your home or for a community project, you can make an appointment to go along during their opening hours to choose some paint. They sell the paint for £1.50 per litre. Find all of the details of the scheme here.

Before:

After:

Can you recognise any of the iconic Bradford landmarks?

The mural includes Penny Bank, City Hall, the Wool Exchange, the Bradford College Old Building, Lister’s Mill, the Alhambra, Bradford Live, Eastbrook Hall, the Bradford Gurdwara, Bradford Cathedral and Bradford Central Mosque.

Sven Shaw is a freelance illustrator who specialises in cityscapes, maps and local interest illustrations. You can check out his other amazing and colourful work on his website here!

Are you planning a project to brighten up your local city?

You can find paint at one of our 65+ schemes across the UK. Find your nearest scheme here!

Social hall gets chic update with silver and grey emulsion

Englefield Green Social Hall use our environmentally-friendly ReColour emulsion in Silver Sonnet and Gorgeous Grey to update their outdated hall to a chic and welcoming space.

The Social Hall, Surrey offers a variety of facilities, from a large function hall with a stage to a small committee room. The hall is renowned in the area for being a welcoming and vibrant place for the community to come together.

Volunteer painters, redecorating community hall with cheap and environmentally friendly ReColour emulsion paint.

Testimonial from Englefield Green Social Hall:

“RePaint have been amazing throughout the whole process, from helping us decide what paint we need, arranging the delivery, and checking to make sure all went well. We’ve needed to have a refurb for a few years now and RePaint have helped in that refurb!”

BEFORE

Before redecoration photos of community hall.Before redecoration photos of community hall.

AFTER

After redecoration photos of community hall, using cheap and eco friendly ReColour emulsion paint. After redecoration photos of community hall, using cheap and eco friendly ReColour emulsion paint. After redecoration photos of community hall, using cheap and eco friendly ReColour emulsion paint.
After redecoration photos of community hall, using cheap and eco friendly ReColour emulsion paint.

If you have a community space, school, sports centre or religious building you’d like to decorate, read more about our ReColour paint and place an order today, starting at just £1 a litre!