THE STORY OF FINE PAINTS OF EUROPE®
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Learn more about Fine Paints of Europe from company founder John Lahey.
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FINE PAINTS OF EUROPE® is an American company that evolved out of my search for high quality paint to use on our family’s eighteenth-century home. Like many tourists traveling in Europe, I was struck by the depth of the colors and the beauty of the finishes seen on interior surfaces and painted facades throughout the Continent. When it came time to paint our home, I sought out finishes of “European” quality. My search led me to discover that such paints were not available from American suppliers.While researching the domestic market, I was disappointed to learn that performance standards no longer exist in today’s U.S. paint industry.
As a result, manufacturers have chosen to compete on the basis of price rather than quality. Inexpensive extenders, fillers and water are used to formulate domestic finishes, replacing the pigments and oils that ensure intensity of color and longevity of finish. The traditional emphasis on paint’s beauty and durability was lost, only to be replaced by a short-sighted approach that emphasizes one coat coverage, and minimal preparation.
Unwilling to compromise on the quality of paint to be used on our home, I decided to seek out the rich and lasting colors I had seen in Europe. My search for the perfect paint led to Holland, the birthplace of the paint industry and the world leader in paint technology for over 300 years. I was so impressed with the quality of paints and varnishes produced in the Netherlands that I became convinced that these high performance finishes would be well received by discerning American homeowners.
FINE PAINTS of EUROPE® is a privately owned firm dedicated to providing the finest paints and personalized service to discriminating homeowners, paint professionals and the architectural and design communities. We invite you to discover the difference Dutch quality can make.
As they observe in Holland, “There is nothing more expensive than cheap paint™”.
John Lahey
Founder and CEO