Designer-founded · Made in Seattle

Paint developed around color, finish, and space

The Paint Laboratory produces architectural paint, specialty finishes, custom colors, and hand-painted samples for residential and commercial projects. We combine practical coating performance with the attention to color and material relationships expected by designers, architects, applicators, and discerning homeowners.

The Paint Laboratory storefront and hand-painted color display in Seattle
Founded in 2011 Established in Seattle by interior designer Rocky Rochon with artists and paint-industry professionals.
Seattle made Products, custom colors, and physical samples are produced through our Seattle operation.
512 colors A complete palette organized for architectural paint and specialty finish selection.
Painted samples Chips, Brushouts, Test Pots, and Fandecks made with the actual paint or finish.
Nationwide support Products, samples, and project guidance for clients throughout the United States.
Our beginning

from a designer’s perspetive

We believe paint should be treated as an architectural material, not just a color selected from a printed card

Founded in 2011 by interior designer Rocky Rochon alongside artists and paint-industry professionals, the company was developed around the realities of design work. Matching materials, evaluating color in changing light, choosing the correct sheen and product, creating specialty surfaces, and reproducing an approved result when the project needs more paint later.

That combination of design judgment and coating knowledge continues to shape the company. We develop and sell durable architectural paints, produce distinctive specialty finishes, create custom colors from real materials, and make physical samples that allow decisions to be made before project quantities are ordered.

Our Seattle store remains a place to compare colors, finishes, and materials in person. At the same time, the business is structured to support projects around the country through shipped samples, remote assistance, custom development, and consistent future production.

The goal is not complexity for its own sake. It is to give the project the right coating, the intended visual result, and a dependable path from first sample through future reorder.
What we make and provide

our products

Different surfaces and visual goals require different coatings. Our products and services are organized around project usage.

Architectural Paint

Interior, Exterior, Trim & Casework as well as Primers. Developed for residential and commercial applications where coverage, durability, sheen, and future maintenance matter.

Entry hall finished with coordinated architectural paint

Specialty Finishes

Metallic, Lime, Suede, Patina, and related finishes that are designed to crate stunning visual effects

ZUM entry using dark architectural and specialty finishes

Custom Color & Finish Development

Custom colors developed from paint, fabric, wallcovering, stone, tile, wood, and other physical references. Qualified trade projects can also involve more extensive finish development.

Teal fabric compared with a custom-matched painted sample

Samples & Color Services

Hand-painted Chips, Brushouts, Test Pots, and complete Fandecks, supported by digital and in-person color consultation when the project requires more involved guidance.

Hand-painted Suede Brushout held against a finished wall
Custom paint color matched to architectural paneling
How we work

A physical standard remains part of the process

Formulas matter, but the approved painted result is the more useful standard. Our sampling and custom color process keeps that physical reference connected to the project.

01
Choose the correct product

Surface, exposure, sheen, durability, and intended appearance determine the coating system.

02
Review the real color and finish

Painted samples allow color, sheen, texture, and light response to be evaluated before project quantities are made.

03
Adjust or customize when needed

The standard palette can be refined through another value, another finish, or custom development from a project material.

04
Approve and produce

Paint is produced in the selected product, sheen, color, and quantity for the project.

05
Reproduce later

Approved custom colors are retained with a physical painted master to support later phases, maintenance, and reorders.

Residential and commercial work

Finishes intended for completed spaces

ZUM commercial entrance with coordinated dark finishes
Commercial interiors Products and finish systems for branded environments, hospitality, retail, offices, and public-facing spaces.
Residential shelving painted in a custom architectural color
Custom casework color Color developed for built-in residential shelving.
Bathroom interior with coordinated paint colors and materials
Material coordination Paint selected in relation to stone, metal, wood, fixtures, and changing light.
What guides the work

Practical standards for better finish decisions

Our approach is grounded in physical materials, appropriate coating systems, clear technical guidance, and products intended to remain useful after the initial sale.

01 Physical accuracy

Painted samples and retained standards provide information that a screen, printed card, or formula alone cannot.

02 Appropriate performance

The surface and use determine whether the project needs interior, exterior, casework, direct-to-metal, primer, or another system.

03 Useful guidance

We help clients understand coverage, preparation, application, color, sheen, specialty finishes, and the correct sample process.

04 Long-term continuity

Durable products and retained custom standards reduce the need to recreate project decisions from the beginning.

Seattle base · National projects

Local access with support beyond the store

Samples and paint can be shipped to projects throughout the country. Designers, architects, builders, and professional applicators can also apply for preferred pricing, project support, and access to custom color and finish services through our Trade Program.

Working on a project?

Contact us with the surface, finish, approximate quantity, project location, and timing. We can help identify the correct product, sample format, and next step.

Visit the Seattle store

Compare colors and finishes in person

Visit our Seattle location to review the color palette, specialty finishes, samples, and project materials with our team.

The Paint Laboratory
2405 10th Ave. East
Seattle, WA 98102
Monday–Friday · 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Pacific
The Paint Laboratory retail store in Seattle