Homeowners looking for impact will be delighted with the high-gloss finishes offered by Fine Paints of Europe, which are used exclusively by H.J. Holtz & Son for gloss jobs.

“There’s nothing better,” says company president Rick Holtz. “People just can’t believe what these paints can do.”

Fine Paints of Europe (FPE), headquartered in Vermont, is the sole U.S. importer of paints and finishes made in the Netherlands by Wijzonol Bouwverven B.V. In Europe, the parent company’s focus is on pigments, which are sold worldwide.

Why We Use Fine Paints of Europe

What sets the company’s paints apart is their base paste, says FPE’s Emmett Fiore, color strategist and paint consultant. Every FPE paint has a foundation that is 100% titanium dioxide. Other manufacturers use chalk and fillers to build content in their paints, which destabilizes the mixture, leading to poor outcomes. By contrast, FPE paints have intense, luminous color, and the high-gloss finishes last for years.

“You can pay three times in 15 years, or once in 15 years,” Fiore says. “You pay in the beginning, or you pay down the road.”

Where to Use Gloss Paint

Many homeowners seek out high-gloss paints for their front doors – looking to create a great first impression – but gloss paint can be used anywhere in the house. Fiore says handrails, kitchen countertops and cabinets, walls and even ceilings all good locations for high-gloss paint.

“High-gloss rooms are the new stained glass,” Fiore says. “The ‘accent ceiling’ has replaced the ‘accent wall’ in popularity. All phenoms like this are an actualization of our inner selves and aesthetic sensibilities. When it’s done correctly, it looks awesome.”

Preparation Pays Off

“I know a lot of homeowners who do their own painting,” he says. “Nothing looks worse than a high-gloss job done poorly. You have to deal with dust, divots in the surface…every imperfection will show.”

While Fiore consults with DIY homeowners, the company also trains contractors and maintains a list of those qualified on the FPE website. Fiore notes that H.J. Holtz & Son holds a Master Certified Painting Contractor designation, a mark of how much experience the company has with FPE products.

“Rick [Holtz] was ahead of the curve on discovering us,” Fiore says, adding that Holtz & Son began ordering paint directly from FPE more than a decade ago and now purchases through Palette Paint & Home in Richmond. “Holtz folks care, and they know their stuff. Plus, they are really nice people. That’s the bonus.”

In the end, Fiore says, the average person needs to rely on the contractor they’ve hired. Even if the job is as simple as a piece of furniture or a front door, that job is important.

“It’s the little things that make you happy in your house,” he says. “It’s leaving part of yourself in that project.”