Sinclair Paint was one of Los Angeles’ finest paint manufacturers during the later half of the 20th century. They produced innovative colors that have stood the test of time. Sinclair Paint color charts still have the official colors used at Disney theme parks.
Stain Colors
Thoughtfully selected to enhance wood’s natural beauty, this late 80’s to early 90’s interior wood stain color chart let consumers choose tones that reflected their unique personality. Sinclair’s interior wood stains were oil based and needed a varnish or lacquer top coat.
Sinclair 1984 Interior Color Charts
These vintage Sinclair Paint Color Charts are from 1984. They displayed the stock colors of the era in an easy to view, bi-fold brochure. Typically, color charts like these were given by the painter, to the homeowner, during the estimate. The consumer would peruse this and then let the painter know which color they wanted. In the early 1980’s most consumers color decorated from these simple color charts.
In the 1980’s, the majority of paint sold was stock colors; pre-made and on the shelf. Most colors weren’t mixed, like paint colors are today. The painter would approach the counter, order the color from the clerk, and he would return with the pre-made paint in 30 seconds. Today, the consumer has up to 2,000 choices, but each shade has to be custom made.
1984 Sinclair Contemporary Designer Color Chart
This color chart displayed the same colors as the one above, but with the addition of accent colors. The Contemporary Designer Color chart was marketed to designers and consumers who wanted more elaborate color schemes. It had color suggestions that included a primary color (the larger swatches) and a matching accent color (the smaller swatch) paired with it. These were the trending colors in the era where most people did their own decorating.
