Taylor hosting chamber mixer

Shirley V. Taylor is hosting a Grants Chamber of Commerce Business "After Hours" event at Shirley's Paint and Decorating Center on First and Washington from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday. [Photo by John A. Bowersmith/Independent]

By Jim Maniaci
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Declaring "Colors are an emotional trip," Shirley V. Taylor has embarked on a journey to update her paint and decorating store in Grants.

And in honor of finishing the remodeling with the support of her principal paint supplier, Benjamin Moore the former Grants-Cibola County Chamber of Commerce president is hosting a chamber "Business After Hours" mixer from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at her store at First Street and Washington Avenue.

She began her paint and decorating career in 1976, operating from home for two years, then moving into a Roosevelt Plaza store for five years. In 1983 she moved to her present location, which she and her husband Jay own.

"It's always been a good business. But we went through a slow period when I got involved in politics because I wasn't here that much. In the past eight years I've been involved in (city) government and I didn't keep up as much with the changing trends (in business). Now that I'm back in the store full-time, I'm bringing my store up to date," she said.

As part Benjamin Moore's "The Signature Look" she has installed what she calls "The Color Deck." And she brought in a new computer which formulates personally selected colors. The heating and air conditioning also were upgraded to serve the 2,000 sq.-ft. facility.

In addition to a panel showing the company's more than 3,000 shades of pre-formulated colors, she carries wallpaper, featuring the Warner, Brewster and Blonder brands. And there are window treatments of custom drapes, mini-blinds, vertical blinds, pleated shades, wood blinds and more.

Although she leaves carpeting and other flooring to stores which specialize in it, Shirley's Paint and Decorating Center does carry high-quality laminated blocks which almost anyone can install. "It's so user-friendly," she said.

As with all her lines, she said of the laminates, "I carry a very high-quality product so you can't expect to get it at the big box boys' prices." She points out, "You can tell the difference when you walk on it. It doesn't have that hollow sound." To prove her point, she installed it behind her counter.

"The same goes for our paint. Consumers say Benjamin Moore is the best paint on the market," she said.

Giving a tip, she said there is an easy way to tell the quality of paint just look at a wall which has been painted or repainted. "Look to see if you can see where someone stopped painting a wall and then started again. It shows up especially in darker colors if you use cheap paint. You can really tell the difference," she said.

Taylor made up her own custom color a dark rust, mixing blue, white, yellow oxide and red. She calls it "Store Copper." And a person can't tell where she stopped one day and started the next.

She indicated the remodeling has been invigorating, bringing her back into her first love of helping people solve their design problems.

Elaborating on "Colors are an emotional trip," she said, "The colors you use to surround yourself define your personality."

"Even though most people choose to stay in neutral tones, whites, off whites, once I get somebody using color, it changes their whole personality. They feel freer and happier and can relate to their surroundings. Color can change our minds more than any other single thing in our lives."

As a living example she points to the ceiling of her store. "I painted it yellow because it wanted it to be sunny in here."

To contact reporter Jim Maniaci in Grants, telephone 285-6184 or (505) 870-7775 (cellular).