Maya Crowne and Price Latimer know that a healthy lifestyle starts in the home. The bicoastal founders of Alkemis Paint are on a mission to create mood-boosting hues that promote both human wellness and environmental consciousness. “We want to shift people’s perspectives to buy better products and buy less,” Latimer tells Business of Home. “We believe we can raise the vibration of our home planet by starting with our most intimate space, our four walls, because we believe the smallest, intentional gestures percolate out into the world for good.”
The daughter of a decorative painter, Crowne grew up in New York surrounded by art and culture. Latimer, a Texas native and lifelong artist, earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Rhode Island School of Design before studying interior design at Parsons School of Design in New York. The pair met at a wellness retreat in the mountains of New Mexico, immediately bonding over a shared love of art, design and the natural environment. “We were both obsessed with color theory and held a mutual belief that artists, imaginative entrepreneurs and creative problem-solving can truly change the world,” says Crowne.
Crowne began dreaming up the idea of a wellness-minded paint company during the pandemic, when she couldn’t find a color that she felt was healthy enough for the walls of her own home. When it came time to find a creative partner, she immediately reached out to Latimer. “We did three-and-a-half years of research and development before launching Alkemis Paint in May 2023,” says Crowne. “We are here to dispel the myth that all paints are created equal.”
Drawing inspiration from ancient paintmaking methods, the duo developed a core collection of more than 100 water vapor–permeable paints made from a proprietary blend of renewable materials, including earthen minerals, organic pigments and crushed crystals. Naturally mold-resistant and free of toxic VOCs (volatile organic compounds), the paints are Cradle to Cradle certified, making them safe enough to use while pregnant and vetted by the Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons School of Design. The paint’s handcrafted plastic-free composition also prevents hazardous microplastics from ending up in the ocean. “The Alkemis team has meticulously crafted a solution that not only addresses the current paint industry challenges and practices but will revolutionize the way the architectural coatings industry operates,” says Crowne.
The brand’s core collection spans 119 SKUs, plus one primer, across four elemental palettes inspired by the hues of earth, water, fire and air. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, each color is mixed by hand at the company’s manufacturing facility using a clear quartz binder and microcrystallines that create a luxurious matte velvet finish with a light-reflective quality that enhances sunlight in a room. “Our pigments utilize and celebrate colors and materials—including ochres, oxides, ultramarine, cobalt and spinel—that have been used by humans for over 50,000 years,” says Latimer. “We know these pigments stand the test of time.”
Alkemis Paint also collaborates with designers and brands on bespoke hues for projects, and has created custom showroom and exhibition palettes for the likes of Abask, Cisco Home and R & Company. It is the official paint partner of Design Miami, developing custom shades based on the fair’s curatorial themes. “We have so many exciting residential and commercial projects on the horizon, including esteemed galleries, museums, institutions, hotels and restaurants, as well as collaborations with incredible artists, designers, wall-covering creators and sustainability experts,” says Crowne. “We’re also thrilled and honored to continue our partnerships with the Healthy Materials Lab, the Good Future Design Alliance and the Female Design Council—we all have homes with walls!”
