PPG : White, grey and beige walls still No. 1 in Canada, CIL paint survey shows

TORONTO, July 27, 2016 - From coast to coast, Canadians prefer neutral colours for home decor, but residents of some provinces are more daring with colour than those of other provinces. That's the finding of a country-wide survey of Canadian painting habits conducted by leading brand CIL® paint.

According to the survey, which polled more than 1,500 consumers across the country, 51 per cent of Canadians equate white, grey and beige with a beautiful and livable colour palette for the home, while 36 per cent think pastel colours such as yellow, blue or green are the better choice. Only 13 per cent of respondents put rich colours such as red, black or purple in this category.

'Interestingly, more residents of the Atlantic provinces chose pastels over neutrals (47 per cent compared to 43 per cent) as the most beautiful and livable choice, while Ontarians had a closer split than the rest of the country, with 47 per cent in favour of neutrals and 40 per cent preferring pastels,' said Alison Goldman, brand manager for CIL paint, a brand of PPG.

Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta had the highest number of respondents nationally (14 to 15 per cent) citing rich colours such as red, black or purple as most beautiful and livable. At the same time, Manitobans overall appear to be the most cautious when it comes to painting with bold colours, with 75 per cent of the province's respondents equating neutrals with an attractive, easy-to-live-with decor, Goldman said.

'It's no secret that in spite of more saturated colours trending in home decor, people still prefer to play it safe with neutrals,' she explained. 'What was most eye-opening about this study, however, is the growth in acceptance of pastel tones as a beautiful choice for home decor.'

Goldman said that CIL paint is seeing the same pattern in consumers' buying habits in store. She cited the brand's top-selling paints over the last six months as neutrals Marshmallow White (30YY 83/012 | WN22), Scroll Beige (20YY 43/083 | WN37) and Pebble Grey (00NN 53/000 | CN62) and pastels Candlelight Yellow (67YY 87/169 | Y30) and Clear Blue Sky (70BG 70/131 | B44).

What's more, the CIL paint Ask An Expert service, accessible free-of-charge at www.cil.ca/ask-an-expert, reported that the top colour-related questions asked by consumers this year involve neutral or pastel colours, Goldman added.

While neutrals and pastels are less dramatic than their more colourful counterparts, they need not be perceived as boring, Goldman emphasized. To spruce up light-coloured walls, she suggested painting darker or lighter versions of the main wall colour on baseboards, trim, windowsills, ceilings and doors. As well, using two or three different neutral or soft pastel colours in a room can give it a warm, refreshing lift, she said.

For more painting tips and colour advice, visit www.cil.ca or access the free-of-charge CIL paint Ask An Expert service at www.cil.ca/ask-an-expert.

Available in Canada at THE HOME DEPOT®, WALMART®, RÉNO-DÉPÔT® and RONA® stores and at independent paint dealer locations, CIL® paint has been a trusted brand in businesses, communities, schools and homes across the country for 85 years. With 1,165 colours in its palette, CIL paint has developed a colour mood system that guarantees a perfect match across a wide spectrum of colours.

PPG's architectural coatings business in the U.S. and Canada is an industry leader in residential and commercial coatings, delivering the latest technologies and operational advancements through its strong portfolio of brands. It manufactures and sells interior and exterior paints, stains, caulks, repair products, adhesives and sealants for homeowners and professionals. Its distribution network includes more than 15,000 touchpoints through company-owned stores, independent dealer locations and all major home improvement centers across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit PPGAC.com.

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD™
At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 130 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers' biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $15.3 billion in 2015. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.
We protect and beautify the world is a trademark and the PPG Logo is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
CIL is a registered trademark of the PPG Group of Companies.
The Home Depot is a registered trademark of Homer TLC, Inc.
Walmart is a registered trademark of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Canadian Tire is a registered trademark of Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited.
Rona is a registered trademark of Rona Inc.
Réno-Dépôt is a registered trademark of Reno-Depot Inc.
PPG Media Contacts:
Jamie Altman
Architectural Coatings
724-742-5599
jamie.altman@ppg.com
www.ppgac.com

Gail Bergman or Marie Bastard
905-886-1340 or 905-886-3345
info@gailbergmanpr.com