When founded in 1987, most of the company's products were destined for application in the restoration of historic properties, primarily on the East Coast of the United States.

Architectural Digest and Traditional Home magazines frequently feature Fine Paints of Europe products and colors.

Founder John Lahey's inspiration for starting Fine Paints of Europe can be traced back his travels to Europe (and the Netherlands in particular) in the mid 1980's where he found paint coatings of a standard and quality unavailable in North America.

In recent years the company has developed and retailed premium paint palettes by the American designers Susan Sargent and Martha Stewart, and by Pantone.

Since 2008 Fine Paints of Europe has conducted an Annual Painters Certification held near their Corporates offices in Woodstock, Vermont.