The secret about the toxicity of wall paint is out, but select interior coating specialists have risen to the challenge by offering healthier paint for the home. Couple these eco-friendly low VOC interior paint brands with the fall 2015 color trends from Pantone and you’ve got a slew of stylish, bold, and surprisingly livable hues that might even be worthy of a second season.

With acetone, turpentine, ethylene glycol, and heavy doses of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) lurking in your paint, it’s no wonder why the indoor air quality of our homes is compromised. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, volatile organic compounds, commonly found in paint, “irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, and can cause headaches, nausea, and damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.” The majority of these chemicals are released when the paint is wet and drying, but can continue to off-gas long after the pigments are dry.

On the bright side, it is possible to have the best of both worlds – kick ass colors and a medium that won’t leave you gasping for air.

Now that autumn is upon us, let’s check out Pantone’s latest color palette for fall 2015 and how they translate into hues for the home from a few of the best eco-friendly paint brands on the market. Marsala, the familiar Italian red wine sauce, is Pantone’s color of the year. In addition to this burgundy shade, are several other warm and playful colors such as Dried Herb, Biscay Bay, and Cashmere Rose. With a nod to the hippie days of yore, these colors are right in line with this year’s bohemian-chic trend.

Check out the suggestions below and see if this year’s eco-friendly paint and color trends are enough to bring out the weekend-warrior in you!

Quiet Home Paints

According to the manufacturer’s website, Quiet Home Paints are completely solvent and toxin free, as this line of paint was originally designed with children in mind. The only ingredients found in the paints are water, natural and non-toxic manufactured binders, non-toxic pigments, natural mineral fillers such as limestone and clays, non-toxic thickeners such as wood cellulose, food grade non-toxic white pigment, levelers, and waxes.

Quiet Home Paints are offered by the sample, quart, or gallon and come in a shell, satin, velvet, or chalkboard finish. One gallon will run you anywhere from $72 up to $103 and will cover approximately 560 sq. ft. per coat.

Although Quiet Home Paints are natural and non-toxic, they still come in all of the latest colors. Use these muted primary tones in all the grown-up areas of your home. Accent walls with a mostly neutral backdrop is a safe bet, but even if you opt for something bolder by appointing a different room with one of each color, their shared intensity and tone almost guarantees that they will look great together from any vantage.

These would work especially well in the kitchen, living room, and foyer of an open floor plan with high ceilings. A contemporary loft or rustic setting should serve as an excellent backdrop.

Natura by Benjamin Moore

This interior paint doesn’t promise to eliminate all chemicals, but it does offer customers the opportunity, convenience, and health benefits of purchasing zero VOC and zero emissions paint with more colors than you will ever know what to do with. According to the Benjamin Moore website, Natura is water-based for easy cleanup, virtually odorless, quick drying, certified allergy and asthma friendly, self-priming on most surfaces, and carries Benjamin Moore’s Green Promise designation.

Natura is offered by the sample, quart, or gallon and comes in a flat, eggshell, or semi-gloss finish. One gallon will cost about $50 and will cover approximately 375-425 sq. ft. per coat.

As if it isn’t hard enough to choose a wall color, Benjamin Moore swoops in to offer customers thousands of different options. The advantage is that this overabundance of swatches makes it super easy to find a comparable match for each of the colors from Pantone’s palette.

From nursery to college dorm, these versatile colors have the ability to grow with your child through the years, but are sophisticated enough for adults, too. Gray is thought to promote creativity, so get those juices flowing by using this palette in your home office – add a pop of pink with a painted desk and a a splash of navy with a couple of painted cane back barrel chairs for an ultra-chic look.

YOLO Colorhouse Paint

Founded by artists in 2005, this paint brand was designed to be safer for its users and the environment. By offering low odor paints with superior coverage, zero volatile organic compounds, no reproductive toxins, no chemical solvents, and no toxic fumes, they are, like the website suggests, committed to creating healthier paint and better color with artist-crafted palettes.

Colorhouse is offered by the sample, quart, or gallon and comes in a flat, eggshell, or semi-gloss finish. Primer and chalkboard paint is available, too. One gallon will cost about $40 from Amazon.com and will cover approximately 350-400 sq. ft. per coat.

If you’re looking for a thoughtful, hand-picked color selection with a healthy twist, then you’ll definitely want to check out YOLO Colorhouse’s website. Staying in line with the sophisticated palette are the three selections below. At first glance they may seem bold, but used strategically, this earthy group is sure to bring warmth to any space.

Keep in mind that you’re never restricted to just paint – use Glass .04 on the walls of your living room and then incorporate Dream .06 and Clay .07 through reupholstered vintage treasures, rugs, and other accessories. If bold styling is more your thing, then Dream .06 would be a great master bedroom wall color with Glass .04 in the master bathroom. Be sure to incorporate orange, herb, and teal accents throughout both spaces for a balanced look and feel.

Interior decorating doesn’t have to be hazardous to your health. After reviewing the low VOC interior paint brands and color trends from Pantone for fall 2015, it’s safe to say that these non-toxic gems shouldn’t be restricted to just one season. But if you’re the type that prefers to change your wall color as often as you change your clothes, then these should keep you busy for at least the next few months. Happy painting!

Related on EcoSalon

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Paint Swatch Image via Shutterstock

The post Try These 3 Low VOC Interior Paint Brands for Your Next Fall Project appeared first on EcoSalon.

Check out this selection of cool gadgets meant to make our homes more safe and comfortable.

Cool gadgets are everywhere. If you followed the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, you know that everyone from startups to global brands are falling all over themselves to create the next revolutionary device. Some of these things, like curved OLED televisions or an app to organize all your other apps (really?!) are either pointless or super expensive or both.

However, some cool gadgets are less conceptual and more practical, and better yet, already headed to open market. At EcoSalon, we have our ear to the ground, watching the internet for news of cool gadgets (and some bigger devices too) that really could lead to more efficient, healthier homes. Here are some of our favorites.

7 Cool Gadgets For A Smarter, Healthier Home

1. x12 Smart Bed from Sleep Number

Sleep Number recently unveiled the x12 smart bed, which contains sensors that monitor your sleeping habits, movement, heart rate and breathing rate. Thanks to a smartphone app that collects all the data (pictured, top) the bed actually learns your sleeping habits and suggests adjustments that could deliver higher quality sleep. And–best of all– it includes a Partner Snore feature that allows you to gently raise your partner’s headrest to help ease snoring.

2. Power Flower from Parrot

Love the green, air-cleaning quality of indoor house plants, but find yourself doomed to kill them? The Power Flower from Parrot is a Bluetooth-enabled device that’s designed to monitor your potted plants, then communicate what you’re doing wrong via a smartphone app. It also works on lawns!

 3. Softbrew by Sowden

If, like me, the first task of your day is brewing a pot of coffee, than this will likely be your favorite from this list of cool gadgets. The Softbrew by Snowden is a simple and eco-friendly brewing system that will make you wonder why you ever bothered with electric pots and paper filters. It’s all thanks to the Softbrew’s stainless steel filter which is etched with thousands of holes, small enough to keep the coffee grounds out of your cup. The porcelain pot also stays hot longer than glass or steel, and the filter and packaging is all recyclable.

4. The Power Pillow

On the weekends, I love to snuggle up on the couch with my laptop for some non-work surfing. The only problem is my laptop’s battery often runs out, forcing me to plug in the power cord, creating a dangerous trip wire across the living room. The Power Pillow, one of the many cool gadgets now gathering funding on Kickstarter, is an innovative answer to this problem. The company claims the pillow will be available in a range of different designs. Inside each will be two two–12000mAh slim form batteries capable of charging just about any USB-powered device. Juice the batteries using a solar charger like the WakaWaka and it’s a stylish and sustainable solution.

5. WeMo Insight Switch by Belkin

Take your home energy conservation efforts a step further with the WeMo Insight Switch. This innovative device allows users “to control and manage the energy usage and costs of home electronics from anywhere through their iOS or Android device.” It’s also possible to put appliances plugged into this switch on a schedule and receive notifications when the appliance is turned on or off.

6. Breath Humidifier by Roolen

Do sinus issues or super dry air require you to sleep with a humidifier? Most are fairly clunky, and feature scant ability to customize for individual needs. Not so with the Breath Humidifier by Roolen. Breath features sensors and settings that automatically adjusts the device to a humidity level best fit your surroundings, ensuring that you don’t waste water or energy.

7. Mr. Postman by Simple Elements

Tired of checking the mail when there’s nothing there? Or worse, worrying about someone stealing your mail when you can’t get to the box right away? Mr. Postman is a solar-powered smart mailbox that brings snail mail and package delivery up to the 21st century. Along with additional security such as a keyless locking system and tampering alert, Mr. Postman makes your life smarter by letting you know what packages have arrived.

Related on Ecosalon

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Images via Sleep Number, Parrot, Sowden, Power Pillow, Belkin, Roolen, Simple Elements

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