Mountain Colors & kPd Studios |Kristine Pivarnik Design are teaming up to bring you Designer Days on Saturday’s in July 9am-1pm at Mountain Colors. Need advice on staging your home to sell? Do you need to finish that one room but are at a standstill?  Do you want to define your style or create a color scheme for your entire home our office? Need advice on materials, finishes, & the new town exterior lighting ordinance. Bring any of your design concerns to Mountain Colors during Designer Days! Walk-ins worked in but please call 349.2453 to secure your complimentary design time with Kristine Pivarnik from kPd Studios at Mountain Colors on 3rd & Belleview.

This Saturday is our last designer day.  Please call Kristine today to secure your free appointment @ 349.2453

This Saturday July 24th – Learn about new town regulations on exterior lighting and get advice on interior lighting solutions

Town Residents receive 20% Off all exterior lighting to help become compliant with new exterior lighting regulations that become effective the end of July!

Did you know that by the end of July 2010, new exterior lighting regulations will be enforced within the town of Crested Butte?  Everyone in town will have to become compliant with new exterior down lighting regulations.  Check with us to find out what light will work for you.  We have many lights to choose from that satisfy the town ordinance as well as your design sense. No need to feel stressed about this change, we have functional options for everyone’s budget.  We also have affordable ways to retrofit your current fixtures to make them compliant.  Don’t know who to have install these fixtures?  Check with us for some reliable and affordable recommendations.

Mountain Colors has teamed up with the Town of Crested Butte to offer town residents 20% off exterior lighting purchased through July to become compliant with new exterior lighting ordinance

just a few of the available exterior downlights at Mountain Colors

Why are we so strict on exterior lighting in the Gunnison Valley?  It is not just to make money or to inconvenience you.  Check out the article published by Gunnison County that explains why it is so important to keep our night skies dark.

Feel free to check with us as we are always current on all the exterior downlighting regulations regardless of where you live.  If you would like more information, you can check the different areas websites listed below.

Town of Crested Butte (scroll down to view “Ord. 7, 2005 Exterior Lighting”).

Gunnison County (CB South, Riverbend, Gunnison, etc)

Town of Mt Crested Butte (type in “exterior lighting” in search field)

Here are some of our lighting vendors that support the dark sky revolution by providing unique downlighting:

Avalanche Ranch

Hi-Lite Manufacturing

Hubbardton Forge

Kichler Lighting

Minka Lavery – The Great Outdoors

Murray Feiss

Troy Lighting

World Imports

Did you know that for every $100 spent in independently owned stores, $68 of it returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures?  If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays here.  Spend it online, and nothing comes home… Think of 3 stores that you would miss if they were gone and spend $50 at each store.  Stimulate your local economy!

Did you also know that shopping locally doesn’t mean spending more?  Check out your local store before ordering online, you may be pleasantly surprised by how competitive stores are, and they offer more than just a great price.  They provide customer service and expertise so you know you are getting the right product for you specifically.

Why should I purchase from Mountain Colors versus an online dealer?

Mountain Colors is proud to support many superior local businesses in an effort to provide the highest quality customer service throughout the Upper East River Valley.

In a small town, word of mouth is our main form of advertising.  Local companies work well together to point prospective customers in the right direction.  We all live in Crested Butte because of the community, the scenery, and the overall feel of the town.  Whether your stop a local on the street or walk into one of our stores, you will be welcomed with a smile and offered a hand in finding your way.  Please contact us with any questions or contact our friends below directly.

Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce

Visit Crested Butte -  A plethora of information on business’s and information about Crested Butte

Crested Butte Nordic Center – Information on Nordic Skiing in the Crested Butte Area

Colorado Freeskier – Mt Crested Butte’s forward thinking downhill ski shop

Crested Butte Mountain Resort – Information about Downhill Skiing in Mount Crested Butte

Crested Butte News – Crested Butte’s Local newspaper

The Peak – A yearly home magazine for the Upper East River Valley

Office for Resource Efficiency (ORE) – Crested Butte’s local “green” resource group

1% for Open Space -  Mountain Colors is proud to voluntarily collect 1% of our sales to preserve our beautiful surroundings. 1% for Open Space was created to raise funds for organizations dedicated to the preservation of open lands in Gunnison County, Colorado.

Benson Sotheby’s Real Estate – Crested Butte’s premier real estate firm

Elk Mountain Lodge - a great bed and breakfast located downtown Crested Butte

Building +Design Council - a local council in the making that promotes local use and hire of contractors, architects, designers, painters, and suppliers in the Upper East River and Gunnison Valley (Crested Butte, MT Crested Butte, CB South, Gunnison, and everywhere in between)

Think Local First – a committee formed by the Chamber of Commerce to strengthen economic prosperity in the Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte communities by encouraging residents and visitors to spend their money in the local economy, and to educate consumers about the benefits of doing so.

Become a fan on Facebook of Think Local First, a forum that supports Crested Butte’s local businesses and provides insight about the best ways to do so!

Another great movement happening on Facebook is the 3/50 project.  Think of three businesses you’d hate to see disappear, then pop in and spend $50. Save your local economy.

There are so many great shops in Crested Butte, I know I missed many.  Please think local first and ask us for any suggestions on your needs.  We are happy to point you in the right direction, even if you don’t need any paint!

We are locally owned and love living here.  You will notice a different vibe when walking in here for the first time.  The second time you come visit, expect to be remembered and welcomed by name!  We keep all paint colors on file so plan on getting the correct color when re-ordering whether it is in one day, or 4 years.  We have a small staff which allows us to remember every person that comes in here.  Even though we may not always be able to spend as much time as we want to with each customer because of the small staff, our goal is to never leave you feeling ignored.

Follow us on Facebook and stay up-to-date on everything Mountain Colors.

Come by and see us!  We are here to help with any size of project.

Bryan, Hugh, and Kim

Kim Raines, Owner since 2006

I moved to Crested Butte literally one day after graduating from Colorado State University in 2002.  My family vacationed here since I was born and I wanted to spend a year after college in Crested Butte to decide how I planned to use my psychology degree and what my expectations were for my future.  However, as many before me, I found it impossible to leave.  I fell in love with the lifestyle and the community of this town, met my husband and started a family. As luck would have it, I came upon Mountain Colors in May 2004 in the employment column in the Crested Butte News.  The job was meant to be a fun summer job while I searched for a “real job”, yet it became my new passion – color and design. I had always felt lost in the professional side of life until I let my creativity take over. Finding a way to keep that creativity alive became a priority. That was the main reason I purchased the business from the previous owners in October 2006. The design aspect of this business challenges me daily as I try to stay on top of new and upcoming products and design trends.  And the small business aspect of this business challenges me in a whole different way as I try to stay competitive, reliable, and profitable in the building industry.

When not at Mountain Colors, you can find me hanging with my 1 1/2 year old Hugh while I farkle with Bryan to see who gets to go skiing or mountain biking until a wonderful family member or friend offers to watch Hugh while we actually get to ride singletrack or sit on a chairlift together.

Rose Reyes, my right hand lady!

Rose, Channing, and Roger

Rose always dreamed of living in a ski town and found Crested Butte in 1997.  However the struggle of living in a small town sent her searching for more opportunity in New York to work in the music industry.  After 6 years in the big city, Rose  came straight to the Butte to ski and relax while she figured out her next adventure.   But by the time another amazing epic Crested Butte summer rolled around, she decided that she could never leave, as many of us have experienced.  She met Channing  her husband, they got married, and 2 children joined her life, Ian and Anna.

What a pleasure to have Rose working here at the store.  Rose has been working here for almost 2 years and she has been a great addition to our family.  She brings to the table a plethora of customer service experience.  Her dog Roger, the 11 lb chiwienie, (dachshund/chihuahua mix) is quite the local celebrity since he chased a 500 lb bear out of their home last summer!

When Rose is not at Mountain Colors, she loves cooking and enjoying our unique town.  She downhill and cross country skis in the winter, and bikes in the summer.  Sometimes, she just sits outside and soaks up the sun in our amazing summers, as we all love to do!

And the new employee is…Parker Jones!

Coffee Barista, Bartender, Best Server in the Butte 2 years running now can add paint barista to his resume.  You definitely have run into Parker as a 8 year resident of Crested Butte.  He moved the Butte for the same reason we all did – and decided to call it his home for the same reason we all did.  When not making paint, you will see Parker managing Lil’s or serving up delicious cocktails at the Dogwood.  He also enjoys biking, hiking, tele-skiing and a good night out dancing. Come see Parker and his new shop dog Lola.

We are the first to admit that living in Crested Butte is not the easiest place to live, but we happily make sacrifices for the sense of community and the millions of acres of National Forest out our back door.  Local blogger Brittany says it best:

“The November issue of Ski Magazine features Crested Butte, asking readers if it’s America’s last great ski town. After living here for a year and a half now, I have come to the conclusion that it is one of the last great ski towns of the world. This town is driven by skiing… But, this town has something different than many other places whose economy is focused around skiing- it’s a real community. Sure, Crested Butte has the seasonal transients. But, at the core of this town is a group of people who came here to ski and then stayed. People have built their houses and their lives here, been married, have had 2 kids, and take those kids soccer practice ever Saturday morning. It’s not just America’s last great ski town, but it’s one of the last great examples of a community in a fragmented nation where people feel so detached from their neighbors. I wouldn’t trade living here for anything.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Light bulbs are a great first step in saving energy and making your home more efficient.  You get a quick return on your investment and see a real savings in energy just by changing 1 light bulb in your home or business.  Mountain Colors is proud to carry LED and compact florescent (CFL) light bulbs.  We have the knowledge, resources, and expertise to help you select the right bulb for each fixture.  New technology can be daunting and overwhelming but we are here to help make the transition easy, and to save you money.   We are just starting to stock LED’s and can order any bulb imaginable.  Stop by or drop us an e-mail to see what energy efficient light bulbs will work in your existing fixtures.

We are also happy to let you borrow samples to see how new technology can work in your space.  Just another benefit of shopping locally!

Our Local Business Light Bulb Promotion

We also have a great promotion for local businesses.  A design professional will stop by your business and determine the wattage and each type of light bulb needed in every fixture for FREE.  This will be kept on file at Mountain Colors and a site map will be drawn up so re-ordering light bulbs as they burn out will be a snap. Case orders receive 30% off and individual bulbs are always 20% off.  Shop locally and keep your money reinvested into our economy while staying within your budget.

During this visit, we can also talk about what types of energy efficient light bulbs are right for your store or office.  We will help you select the right bulb based on your budget and your fixture.  These efficient bulbs will last 10 times longer or more than normal incandescent and halogen bulbs.  That means less time on a ladder changing light bulbs and you can save a ton of money over the life of the bulbs.

Shoot Kim an e-mail at mountaincolors@gmail.com for more information or to sign up!

What are LED’s and why spend the extra money on them?

Light Emmitting Diodes, or LED’s are tiny solid-state light sources that create light without using a filament.  They are more efficient than any other lighting technology available today, including halogen, CFL, and incandescent.  LED’s also outlast each of these technologies.  They maintain brightness for up to 30,000 hours or more.

Advantages of LED Technology:

We order LED light bulbs from Feit Electric, Earth LED and Bulbrite, the most innovative light bulbs companies in the world!

We order compact florescents (CFL’s) from Satco, Bulbrite, and Feit Electric.

Check out the savings from switching only 1 bulb in your track lights from a halogen to an LED.

Check out Bulbrite’s energy savings calculator to enter in your own info to see how much you can save by changing out your light bulbs!

Protecting our unique and beautiful environment here in Crested Butte and the surrounding Valley is our priority at Mountain Colors.  We stock many different eco-friendly products ranging from paint and stain to cleaners and light bulbs.  We call it painting the town green! We also offer the following :

and much, much more!

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Mountain Colors is a proud supplier of Benjamin Moore paint, stain & painting supplies.  Why do we love Benjamin Moore?  Benjamin Moore didn’t just start making paint yesterday.  They have been producing quality paint since 1883.  Together, more than 100 chemists, chemical engineers, technicians and support staff work along with manufacturing plants and marketing professionals work for you, the consumer.  They put your paint through the harshest of elements so that the paint you choose will easily protect against the natural forces of nature, children, and whatever your throw at it.  We have also been testing paint in Crested Butte’s harsh environment for over 15 years.  So what does that means to you? Benjamin Moore and Mountain Colors stand behind each product we sell.  We know the products will work and if they don’t, you know where to go!

Check out Benjamin Moore’s website for inspiration, information, and learn more about our proud supplier of paint.

See what Benjamin Moore is doing to stay current with the trends in the Building & Design industry:

Pottery Barn showcases Benjamin Moore colors to help visualize a room furnished from floor to ceiling.

West Elm is a big believer in the power of paint.  Check out how they use Benjamin Moore colors in their magazines to coordinate with their products.

The Benjamin Moore Point and Paint App for the iPhone

Endorsed by interior designers all over the US

House Beautiful chooses its favorite 500 favorite paint colors, including many Benjamin Moore colors

See how Benjamin Moore is being used in communities all over the US:

President Obama helped paint the Sasha Bruce House, a shelter for teenagers in Washington, D.C. He rolled up his sleeves, picked up a paint roller, and helped other volunteers dress the shelter in Benjamin Moore Aura shades of Laguna Blue 2059-30 and Yosemite Blue 2059-40.

After making about a gazillion gallons of paint and stain… give or take a few… we’ve managed to learn a few things. Well, actually a lot of things. And none more important than this: We know what we sell can and has been potentially harmful to our environment.  So, what we are choosing to sell is changing before local and national governments require us to make those changes.  We are finding more sustainable ways of doing business and more sustainable products to sell so we can continue to make a gazillion more gallons of paint.

Sometimes our progress is notable while at other times the improvements are harder to come by. We find products that work great and products that don’t work so great.  The important thing is we’re committed to selling products that are sustainable, low in VOC’s (volatile organic compounds – what makes a product toxic and smelly), and that work! Finding materials and processes that make our products sustainable is a process. It isn’t magic. It is a compass that, we hope, points to a bright green future.  Which pretty much is where we are today… at the crossroads of here and now, aware of our responsibility to the planet while trying to pay the bills.

We feel pretty lucky that we get to influence one of the major roles in our local economy, home building.  The building industry as a whole is slowly changing the way people build and remodel homes by offering greener and more sustainable products.  Along with our vendors like Benjamin Moore we are able to make the right decisions to carry products that will help protect our unique environment.   We are the local supplier of environmentally friendly building and home improvement supplies for the Gunnison Valley.   We may not have it all in stock but we have the ability to get anything you need to keep your home green, clean, and sustainable from paints, adhesives, and cleaners to flooring and tiles.

We are constantly testing and adding new products to our existing lines as they become available.  We also just invested in a new colorant machine which allows our colorants that we put into our Low VOC product such as Aura, Eco Spec, and Bioshield to stay low in VOC no matter what color.  This is just another way we our investing in our sustainability as a paint store.

Keep on the look out for more sustainable products as companies make the switch over. Soon you won’t be able to make the choice between low VOC and normal products – it will be the standard, it is our goal!

Eco Friendly Products we carry:

• Bona Floor Products – not only do these products actually work better than any floor cleaning product I have ever used, they are non-toxic so they are great for pets and children.  Bona comes highly recommended by the local flooring installation companies.
• Benjamin Moore Eco Spec – a premium low VOC paint that is super affordable so everyone can have eco friendly paint in all of Benjamin Moore’s thousands of colors!
• Benjamin Moore Aura - a superior paint with primer built into it that covers better than any paint we’ve seen and is low in VOC’s – what a concept, works well and environmentally friendly.
• Benjamin Moore Arborcoat – a superior low VOC exterior water based stain in a wide variety of colors and opacity.
• Bioshield Paints & Sealers –we love their stains and sealers.  Zero VOC and super durable – now you can avoid the stink when staining without compromising the durability.
• Recycled and biodegradable brushes, roller covers, drop clothes, buckets, and paint trays.
• Energy efficient light bulbs including LED light bulbs and compact fluorescent light bulbs
• Low VOC caulking for sealing around windows – a great way to help save on your energy bill in all seasons without stinking up your home with VOC’s from traditional caulking and sealants.

Mountain Colors is certified by Crested Butte’s local Office for Resource Efficiency (ORE) to be a part of the Energy Wise Business Program.  This certification declares that we have taken action to conserve our local resources and reduce our carbon emissions.  Check out ORE’s facebook page for pictures and to see how Mountain Colors is working hard to reduce our carbon footprint.

The Benjamin Moore’s Green Promise® designation is their assurance that its environmentally friendly coatings meet and exceed the strictest industry standards, while also delivering the premium levels of performance you expect from Benjamin Moore.

Mountain Colors is proud to be a member of 1% for Open Space.  1% of all our sales are collected to support of preservation of Open Space in Gunnison County.

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