Colorhouse Creates Environmentally-Safe Paints for an Online Market

Founded in 2005, Colorhouse is the brainchild of two artists who decided to create “healthier paint and better color.” Virginia Young and Janie Lowe started a painting business in Portland, Oregon called YOLO Paint, and quickly realized that the paints they were working with left something to be desired.

“Because we were breathing, touching, and working with paint everyday, we became concerned (and a bit obsessed) about what was in the water-based paints we were using,” they said. “As time went on, we began feeling grumpy at the end of our workdays with headaches and sore throats. This motivated us to research paint in more detail.

“As we looked into what was in paint, we learned that there were a lot of toxic chemicals, even in the water-based paints we were using. Our search for healthier paint options pointed us to the vibrant green building community – a grassroots community that is about sharing knowledge and pushing the envelope on building materials that are better for us and the planet.”

The two artists learned how to make their own paints