White doesn't have to be boring! On the contrary, many decorators, artists and homeowners use white as their primary palette to create a blank canvas so their own style and colors can take center stage. The challenge for most people is how to choose the perfect one. All paint colors (including white) have a primary undertone-yellow, red, green or blue. These 2 photos are the whites available from Sherwin Williams. Looking at them on this card you may think they look like pastels as opposed to white. But when they go up on the wall they WILL look white- only the subtlety of the undertone will be apparent in relation to your fixed elements such as flooring and furniture. Which is why it's crucial to choose the right white based on your lighting and fixed elements as it can make or break your entire look. Here are a sampling of some of the whites we've worked with. Alabaster White Snowbound White Duck with Snowbound Trim and Doors Natural Choice Moderate White with Snowbound Doors and Trim Alabaster White
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Nothing can make or break your kitchen quite like the cabinets. Many people don't realize that it doesn't have to cost a fortune. By using paint you can update and refresh your cabinets for a fraction of what replacing them would cost. Below are a variety of some of the cabinet work we have done. Classic white cabinets in this 1960's home for sale gave a crisp and clean look. This was part of a complete repaint that led to a fast sell for this homeowner who got their asking price. Originally all of these cabinets were painted a terracotta color. This homeowner wanted a change so the main cabinets were painted a brown color, antiqued with a glaze and finished with a clear coat. The island was painted a southwestern red, glazed and finished with a clear coat. Two toned cabinets are an exciting way to update your kitchen. These cabinets were painted white and an espresso brown.
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It's the busy season for buying and selling real estate which also means it's a busy season for color consultants and painters preparing houses. Homeowners and realtors alike recognize the value of investing in a professional paint job.
Kim Travascio, Qualifying Broker with Heart Homes, LLC explains, "When clients narrow their home search down, they are going to choose the home that they feel most comfortable in and can visualize living in. A fresh paint job can be the deciding factor for that."
Here is what we think you should know from the professionals about painting before you sell.
The top 3 reasons you should paint:
Top 3 paint tips to getting a return on your investment:
Tanya Otero-Villalobos, Associate Broker, Buyer's Agent for Keller Williams says, "I often see home buyers struggle with the aesthetics of what could be a great home. Specifically paint...they see dingy worn walls or colors that are not pleasing to them and sometimes cannot get past it. I counsel them on what a fresh coat of paint can do to change the overall feeling and make a house, their home. We let sellers know the importance of painting prior to putting their house on the market. Which quite simply, with a nice neutral coat of paint on the walls, can lend to the overall appeal and to a much quicker sale of the house." Whether you are a buyer, a seller, or a realtor, we are happy to talk to you about your painting and color needs to make that house a dream home!
Because we are fully repainting the kitchen (inside and outside of cabinets, walls, ceilings, doors, trim and baseboard) I had to go through Every. Single. Thing. in my kitchen. This sounds like a chore but after all these years with a red kitchen I was up for the challenge and for purging, quickly and decisively! I made 4 categories- selling, keeping, donating and trashing. Here are some of my highlights in these categories:
I'm not exaggerating when I tell you how energized I have been the past couple of days as I watch the progress take place in my kitchen. All the hard, but satisfying decluttering work is done, my color palette is coming to life and all that is left for me to do when the crew finishes the painting is to put minimal stuff away, decorate and redesign my "new" kitchen. You too can experience this fresh start! Just don't wait 11 years like I did. Not only because you definitely need to declutter before then, but painting is best done every 5 years to keep the walls looking fresh and updated. If you are ready we are here to help with painting, color consulting and redesign services. I promise the calm, clear motivation that you'll find is worth your investment. Besides choosing your painter and choosing your colors there is one other consideration that plays an important role in how happy you will be with your paint job. That one thing is sheen.
Here are some guidelines: Flat or Matte: The least durable and scrub-able sheen but If you want a saturated, velvety wall, a flat finish will make your heart sing. A favorite among designers and painters for the depth of color, this is not the best choice if you have a high traffic area with kids and animals. A matte or flat finish will also hide drywall imperfections better than any other sheen. Rich. Velvety. Saturated. Depth. Conceals. Eggshell: One step up from a matte finish, eggshell gives good color saturation and still has a soft look but gives you the ability to wash the wall. If you have kids or animals and will be doing a lot of cleaning this is a good choice. It can be used in the kitchen and the bathroom and withstand moisture and frequent cleaning. Much like the sheen of an eggshell (hence the name), the sheen is so subtle that most times you have to look at the wall from an angle to see it. This is also a favorite among designers and painters. An eggshell finish will show slighty more imperfections than a matte or flat. Subtle Sheen. Soft. Saturated. Washable. Satin: This sheen has a shine to it. It is more durable and can stand up to more traffic and scrubbing. Satin can be used on walls throughout the house, though most frequently in kitchens and baths because of the moisture since satin and higher sheen paints resist moisture far better than paints with less sheen. There was a time that satin was the lowest sheen used when you wanted durability. (However, if you have your heart set on the more velvety, soft finish, there are products out there that will give you the wash-ability option in a matte or eggshell finish.) Due to its durability and scrub-ability and because it will hide more imperfections than semi-gloss, I specify satin for doors, trim and baseboards in homes, especially if we are re-painting trim or doors that have been painted before. Light Reflective. Durable. High-Traffic. Scrub-able. Gloss: This is the most durable and scrub-able paint sheen. It is also the most reflective which means it will highlight and show every little imperfection. This should be used on walls or ceilings only if you have a level 5 drywall finish. (A Level 5 finish is perfectly smooth-the highest degree of quality in drywall finishing). Under the right conditions it can be beautiful. A high-sheen paint reflects light, much like a mirror, making the color seem more vivid and bright. Durable. Scrub-able. Vivid. Bright. Highlights. Reflective.
So what sheen should you use? Here are my preferences: Walls: Flat, matte or eggshell throughout house. Eggshell or satin in bathrooms or kitchens. Ceilings: Always flat or matte. (Unless in the kitchen or bathroom.) Anything higher than matte will show imperfections. A shiny ceiling can be beautiful but only if you have a level 5 finish. Side note: You may sometimes see track homes that definitely do not have a level 5 finish and yet the ceilings have a shine to them. This is not something they have done with design in mind; instead this is done because it is more cost effective for the builder to have the painter do the same sheen on both the walls, the ceiling, the doors and the trim. It takes less prep, less time and therefore keeps the costs down. Trim, baseboard, doors: Satin for residential, semi-gloss for commercial. It is easily cleaned and the light reflectiveness of these sheen's highlight the architectural details. One last thing to note, sheen are not universally exact. Each paint manufacturers differ so be sure to check with your local paint store as you decide what to use. Whether you are choosing colors or choosing sheen, keep in mind the most important rule; you will be the one living with it, so choose what makes you happy! If you would like our professional opinion, give me a call. It happens every time I meet with a client. Invariably during the process of color selection the client wants to know what the name of the color is. I get it. I do the same with nail polish. Who wouldn’t with the great names OPI gives it colors? (I’m currently wearing You Can Count on It.) But when choosing colors for your home or office you could potentially overlook the perfect color just because of the name. ![]() For example, this client wanted to brighten up her dining room from the deep, dramatic olive green she had enjoyed for the last few years. She wanted something lighter, brighter, perhaps blue, but didn't want a pastel or baby color. We wanted to create a sophisticated, inviting look in this dining room while accentuating her accessories. The home is an open floor plan so the dining room can be seen from most of the living areas. That made it even more important for the flow that we choose a color that harmonizes with all the rooms while still accomplishing the look she desires. She also gets great sunlight in the afternoon from the west window in the room so the room does tend to appear much warmer during the most used times. For this room I specified a bluish gray that in most lighting appears to be blue. The name of the color? Aloof Gray from Sherwin Williams. The name gray could have been a turnoff for lighter and brighter and she may not even considered it if we were looking at color names, but it was perfect. It had a sophisticated blue nuance and she loves it!
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Jennifer Smith is a Certified Architectural Color Consultant in Albuquerque, NM. Archives
October 2020
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