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Tint co-founders DJ Dikic and Alex Roberts are on a mission to simplify the process of shopping for paint.
It started when DJ’s first tech business, Palette, developed a clever ‘tiny colour measurement device’ that designers can hold against any surface to instantly match its colour with a paint shade.
They rolled out the technology with some of the world’s largest paint brands. But in doing so, they saw all the challenges consumers faced when trying to find the right paint for their project.
‘With over 100 whites from just one big brand, most people get paralysed with choice,’ DJ says.
‘Even after you’ve picked a colour, you then have to pick from dozens of products with confusing names and features, and calculate how much paint you need, and pick finishes. It makes creating a beautiful space feel like a chore.’
After failing to convince the big paint brands to create a simpler online shopping experience, they decided to fill the gap in the market themselves. The high-school sweethearts combined DJ’s engineering know-how with Alex’s background in retail and design brands to launch Tint in 2019.
Their approach is to reduce the noise. Tint offers a curated collection of just 75 core colours, no-mess sample pouches, and ranges tailored to different surfaces with clear names like Wall, Trim, or Ceiling.
Plus, going online meant they could create a more modern and personalised shopping experience.
Instead of taking endless trips to the hardware store, customers can explore the options through categories that guide their colour-selection journey, chat with experts who can answer any questions, and get the order delivered directly to their door.
And if you already have something specific in mind, you can effortlessly create a custom colour using the handy Tint Match search bar.
‘It’s like Google for colours and makes it easy to pick from the 40,000+ colours we have in our formula database. Because we mix every order on demand, custom colours don’t take any longer or cost any more than ordering one of our standard colours, and they are available in all our usual finishes,’ Alex says.
The couple has also ensured all their paints are certified very-low or low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds). This means they have less of the typical toxins that create that overpowering ‘paint smell’ and degrade the air quality of your home, so they’re better for your health too.
Based out of their Fitzroy warehouse that doubles as a showroom, DJ and Alex personally dream up all of the colours, their playful names like So Fresh and So Clean, and have plans for some new additions later this year.
While the co-founders never expected to be working in the paint industry, or even to be running a family business, there’s an overarching clarity and intention behind every choice they make at Tint: it’s all about the customer.
‘It’s a small thing, but we really enjoy helping people create a home to be proud of and giving them confidence to make their space reflect who they are,’ Alex adds.
Find samples and shop Tint’s paints online here.
Disclosure: The Design Files’ publisher Lucy Feagins was so inspired by Tint’s journey and product, that she invested in the company, and is now a proud shareholder in Tint.
