Anthony Locicero, Associate Editor07.22.19
The Spruce, a Dotdash brand, recently launched a new interior and chalky finish paint line, The Spruce Best Home, which was produced with KILZ.
Coatings World spoke with The Spruce's GM Melanie Berliet about the Amazon-exclusive line the company said was "created for today's generation of painters interested in sprucing up their home, reviving their furniture, and adding personality to their living space with fresh colors, textures, and looks."
Coatings World: How did the partnership with KILZ and Amazon come about?
Melanie Berliet: We heard from our users who wanted a simplified paint experience and KILZ had such a great reputation for quality paint with amazing colors so we knew that they were the perfect partner. The Spruce Best Home paint illustrates how well positioned we are to leverage our 20+ years of consumer insights and curate products that matter to people. We understand what consumers want and can translate that for retailers and manufacturers.
Coatings World spoke with The Spruce's GM Melanie Berliet about the Amazon-exclusive line the company said was "created for today's generation of painters interested in sprucing up their home, reviving their furniture, and adding personality to their living space with fresh colors, textures, and looks."
Coatings World: How did the partnership with KILZ and Amazon come about?
Melanie Berliet: We heard from our users who wanted a simplified paint experience and KILZ had such a great reputation for quality paint with amazing colors so we knew that they were the perfect partner. The Spruce Best Home paint illustrates how well positioned we are to leverage our 20+ years of consumer insights and curate products that matter to people. We understand what consumers want and can translate that for retailers and manufacturers.
CW: In a crowded market, how was The Spruce able to set itself apart?
MB: The Spruce occupies a really interesting space in the lifestyle market. We represent the cross-section between inspiration and practical advice. Our mission is to help you make your best home and we excel at that by delighting readers with amazing home decor ideas and then explaining how to tackle the projects we inspire them to pursue, step-by-step.
CW: If this is a success, would The Spruce look to create more paint lines?
MB: We’ve been invigorated by the process of launching the paint line and are exploring potential licensing deals in other areas.
CW: What is the best application for this paint line?
MB: We believe that paint is the quickest, easiest way to freshen up your home, and we created our paint line to help consumers do just that. Whether you’re painting an accent wall in one of our curated colors like matcha or cold brew, or using our chalky finish paint to upcycle an end table, there are so many ways our paint can help you make your home more enjoyable.
CW: Who was this paint designed for?
MB: We understand that people’s time is precious. We designed The Spruce Best Home with convenience in mind – that’s why it’s available to purchase online exclusively at Amazon, and why the collection of 32 colors is curated so you don’t have to waste hours pouring over hundreds of shades of blue. For years, massive color wheels have overwhelmed consumers, so we thought we could help empower people by refining the selection around what colors we saw resonating with our users.
CW: What are some of the trends The Spruce observed when creating this line?
MB: We know that painting is the most cost effective way to transform and refresh your space, whether you’re painting a wall or a piece of furniture. We also know how important it is to people that a paint is low VOC (volatile organic compounds) and low odor. In terms of color trends, we know how important certain colors are. For instance, greys have been an important color story and whites are forever popular. More and more, users are also looking for strong blues, greens, and blacks.
Photos courtesy The Spruce
Photos courtesy The Spruce
