Ability Building Colours blended an ochre red toned paint for the exterior of the renovated gastronomic food and wine Enoteca Sileno building in North Carlton.

Enoteca Red, a warm earthy red toned duro paint was specially blended by Ability Building Colours for owners John and Rosemary Portelli. Originally the Sunrise Hotel, Circa 1861, the building nestles quietly in a neighbourhood consisting of red brick houses.

Michael Petrucelli of L & A Petrucelli Pty Ltd was engaged by the Portellis to execute the repair, repainting and complete restoration of the Enoteca Sileno. The accredited duro paint painting contractor has recently advised that this restoration has been selected as a finalist in the Master Painters Awards 2015.

The restoration work began with the crumbling original rendering mortar scraped off and the 150-year-old Victorian window ledges and architectural mouldings carefully cleaned and restored. The external lights were replaced with modern LED versions.

The Portellis chose duro paint STIPPLE as their preferred paint from the three texture types available in the duro paint range by Ability. All these paints are supplied as powders to be mixed and activated in the recommended quantity of clean water before being applied to the walls.

The Portellis chose the duro paint range since it could be mixed and used without the use of any smelly toxic chemicals and was readily available from Ability Building Colours, a division of Australian Oxides Pty Ltd in Melbourne in the suburb of Heidelberg West.

Three coats of duro paint STIPPLE were applied, each application lightly sprayed with water to cure and harden the paint. Though normal painting work using duro paints requires only two coats and the paint is guaranteed for 25 years, John and Rosemary sought to ensure absolute posterity for the building and insisted on three coats, which will probably last for a century.