Newell Rubbermaid is a leading worldwide marketer of consumer and commercial products, such as food storage, home organization, cookware, and innovative solutions for the do-it-yourself user. With increased competition, Newell Rubbermaid came to Beyond Design to help develop a touch up paint roller with on-board paint storage. This product represents our client’s entry into the home painting category, intended for DIY users that want to keep their painted walls fresh in case touch-ups need to be made.

Developing a Design

Design research was conducted to understand the category and the user’s needs. This included field ethnography, interviews, listening to feedback from DIY users and sales people, while figuring out what other products were on the market. Based on this research, we were able to compare and evaluate key features and usability objectives to develop a design for this project. The ultimate goals were to ensure portability, sustain excess paint and allow for paint to dispense correctly.

The Paint Buddy System

The Paint Buddy is a touch-up paint roller that allows for on-board paint storage. After painting a room, the user can store the excess paint from their project, labeling the cap with room and exact color they used. Later, when a wall needs a minor touch-up, the user can remove the clear cap, opening the valve and apply it to the wall that needs fixing. When finished, the valve is closed to seal the bottle – allowing for the roller to be cleaned or replaced for multiple uses. By combining the paint storage with an applicator in a convenient, re-seal-able package, it represents a shift for this type of paint application.

Focusing on Style and Precision

The Paint Buddy delivers a simple, ergonomic application for touching up paint. The product itself is light in weight than most paint applicators and is extremely mobile. The valve closing the seal on the bottle allows for paint to not dry up, allowing for a smooth roll on a particular area. The entire design process was focused on developing a product that was appropriate for DIY users. A re-sealable package is also incorporated into the design. The final design captures our client’s brand with the use of color, form and overall design.