• Hirshfield's said it is sponsoring a contest to name 15 new paint colors in its Minnesota Spring 2010 color collection. Contestants are asked to create a name "that references the beautiful, Midwestern quality of life" for each. Here's the catch: You also need to be able to briefly explain why your prose applies. The winners -- who will get a $100 gift card in addition to bragging rights -- will be announced by the end of the month. See additional details and enter at www.hirshfields.com/namethatcolor.
• Paint manufacturer Benjamin Moore has teamed with Eden Prairie-based CambriaUSA to introduce an online design tool to help choose paint and countertop combinations. The tool is being launched with the 16 new quartz colors Cambria added in September, but will eventually be expanded to include its full palette of 64 quartz choices; nine paint color options are suggested for each countertop. Access the free planner at www.cambriausa.com/benjamin-moore.
• Consumer Reports magazine tested more than 50 interior paints for its March issue, and found nearly all of the top scorers had low amounts of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. The magazine said Behr brand performed the best in all three categories of paint: flat, semigloss and low-luster; it chose Behr Premium Plus Ultra as its top paint overall. Others that performed well in CR's tests: Kilz Casual Colors (low-luster, semigloss) for its hiding ability, and Bejamin Moore Regal for its resistance to fading. Complete results are in the magazine, which costs $5.99 on newsstands.
Notes GunkelmanFlesher said Jodi Mellin, owner of Jodi Mellin Interior Design, has joined its firm as a designer. Minneapolis-based GF also has a New York office.
