fbpx
Regular Post
Written by Andy Benson

Five Instagram Hashtags for Design Inspiration.


Get design ideas from people all over the world.

Since you’re probably spending a lot of time at home these days, it’s only natural to begin longing for a different view. That faded and chipped paint in your den that was a mere annoyance a month ago is now a daily source of angst and disgust.

Clearly, you need to do something about this but the creative juices just don’t flow that freely these days. You need some design and renovation inspiration! Fear not! Instagram is here to save you. You can find incredible posts from designers, architects, bloggers and homeowners from all over the world in just a few clicks.

The secret to finding the best pics is knowing exactly which hashtags to search for. We’ve rounded up our top-five favorites for you to explore.

#HOUSETOUR

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_X1F9HJthL/

This is great one for every day inspiration and casual browsing. It’s like being a nosy neighbor but still respecting boundaries. (You know the neighbor I’m talking about!)

#HOMERENOVATION

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_UWURlJf84/

If you’re a fan of the process of home improvement and the finer details of a project, this is a good one for you. You can pick up a lot of good tips in the comments as well.

#INTERIORDESIGN

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_X1w1DqOmP/

This is kind of a general catchall hashtag, but it’s great for sourcing some unique ideas when you’re not really sure what you want to do with a space.

#MODERNHOME

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_UGmu1pN0Y/

There are some incredible over-the-top designs on this hashtag. While some might fall into the “dream” category, there are certainly some elements you could incorporate into your own home.

#OLDHOUSELOVE

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_S7d5JBoXn/

If you have a soft spot for older homes or maybe you’ve been thinking about how to update your older home but maintain it’s original aesthetics, this hashtag will provide you with oodles of ideas.

Creative, Design
,
0
interior painting, home painters,paints
Regular Post
Written by Colleen Kalil

When to Repaint Your Home’s Interior

For many people, painting is a thankless chore. It is a lot of work and all too often the amateur painter does not realize the magnitude of the undertaking. People tend to think repainting your home’s exterior is a do-it-yourselfer weekend job. Unfortunately, that is how it usually looks in the end – just a bit unprofessional. Now this is not to take away from the intent of the painter and their earnest desire to be involved in their home’s upkeep. Most times however, it’s best to put your trust in the hands of professionals!

Having said all that, the interior of your home is subject to the wear and tear of daily life just as your home’s exterior is to the elements. Everything from sprays, smoke, kitchen odors and pet odors can cling to your walls and cause them to look faded and worn. If you live there everyday, you may even have a tendency not to notice the way a room begins to look faded and worn.

One hint would be to schedule a time each year (perhaps even every six months), when you walk the interior and exterior of your home looking for necessary repairs and upgrades. This should be a habit whether you intend to put your home on the market or continue to live there for years to come.

As you do your room by room inspection, look at the interior as if you are seeing it for the first time – like through the eyes of a stranger. Do the colors seem faded? Are there areas within rooms that appear to have a fresher presentation than others? For example, in the bathroom the paint may appear faded or peeling nearer the steamy shower or tub than in other areas.

Also, consider how often the room is used. Do you entertain frequently in the kitchen or family room but hardly use the guest bathroom? Prioritize areas that get the most traffic, but remember, your bedrooms are sanctuaries and a fresh coat of paint can make them more warm and welcoming as well.

Finally, get an estimate for the cost of painting your home’s interior room by room and in its entirety. Sometimes, it’s best to redo the interior all at once, giving your entire house an updated feel to be enjoyed by the whole family.
Whatever your painting needs, contact the professionals at University Painters. We treat your home like it’s our own.

Blog, Creative, Design, Maintenance, News, Paint Colors
, , , , , , , , ,
0
Regular Post
Written by Colleen Kalil

Making wall life easier with pets and kids

As pet owners and parents of small children we know the struggle of keeping the walls clean. Do you remember the last time you applied fresh paint to the walls and your dog came flying around the corner and scuffed up the whole wall with his collar? Or your kids decided to put dirty hand prints all over the wall you had just finished painting? It makes you ask whether there’s a paint that will stand up to the daily wear. Here are some suggestions to make that happen.

The first task is determining the paint color that you want. Using a painting professional will help with picking the right paint as well as the colors that are appropriate in your current market. Also, you may want to use an eco-safe paint for your home. Now that the dirt marks have gotten out of hand and the dog has severely scuffed up the paint on the walls, let’s look at some options that will help prevent this from happening in the future.

  1. Go with high quality paint!

If you’ve picked your favorite color but prefer it in a flat finish, then you’ll have to make sure you get a very high-quality paint. The higher the quality of paint the more washable the paint will be. Flat paints are commonly not washable but have recently improved. Most professionals will still not recommend a flat paint in high traffic areas. There are some paints though such as Flat/Matte, ceramic sheens, and eggshells that may give you the look you desire as well as still being washable. Ask your professional.

  • The use of a gloss paint or semi-gloss paint, which are better engineered for areas needing more cleaning, is a better option. There are many choices that will add charm and beauty to your home.
  • A recent trend with painting manufacturers is to add Teflon into the paint, making the finished surface easier to clean and less likely for foreign objects to stick to the paint.  It is more expensive but another option you can discuss with your professional when choosing the best recommendations for your home.

Painting with the correct kind of paint for your home and family and using the right painting company to do the job assures you a quick and efficient painting experience.  University Painters understands the dynamics behind getting the right color and textures for what you need. We are here to help you with all your interior and exterior painting needs. We give free home estimates and warranty all our work. Call us today for a free estimate!

Creative, Design, Maintenance, Paint Colors
, , , , , , , , ,
0
Regular Post
Written by Colleen Kalil

Hiring a Professional Painter vs. DYI

As a consummate DYI individual I always try to do everything myself. As with all things in life experience quickly taught me that hiring a professional painter not only saved me time and money but the headaches of frequent trips to the store for things I didn’t know I needed or had forgotten. Whether your home is one that you have lived in for a long time or one you just purchased, you need a knowledgeable professional to guide you through the journey. Don’t get me wrong, I still do small projects but never a whole house.

To decide if it is cost effective to do the project yourself, sit down and determine the supplies you will need. Do a walk through and ask yourself these questions – will you need extra tall ladders, how many drop cloths will you need, how many gallons of paint, how many rolls of tape are required, will you be cleaning the walls first and will you need a primer. If you are painting over a dark paint with a lighter color, will you have bleed through? Once you have the answers, start mapping out the time you will need to move furniture, tape off everything and prepare and patch any walls that need work. As you do this, remember a professional company will come in with a team and have a room done in a few hours as well as cleaning up the area. Plus, they will guarantee their work.

Let’s face it, professional painters have done this before and know the tricks of the trade and the correct techniques to get quality results. It is how they make their living. They will help you choose the right type of paint for the surface area. Always ask for verifiable references and verify that the company is licensed, bonded and insured. Determine if they have performed background checks on their workers. In the long run, hiring professionals will save you time and money.

Please feel free to contact us at University Painters for a free estimate.

Creative, Design, Paint Colors, Uncategorized
, , , , , , , , ,
0
House Painters Commercial Painters
Regular Post
Written by Colleen Kalil

Residential Vs Commercial Painting

House Painters Commercial PaintersResidential painting’ is the professional term for ‘house painting’. The professional term is used by professional painters and you should never underestimate the expertise of painters and companies that claim they are qualified for this occupation. While ‘house painting’ may seem like a ‘no-brainer’, there is a lot involved in ensuring that a homeowner receives a quality outcome.

Residential painters usually provide a variety of services. When you contact a company, they will arrange to visit the home and create a detailed quote for the expected job. Many paint companies will do this without requiring a deposit or some form of fee for their time. However, even if the company does require payment for the quote, you must remember that ‘time is money’ and the paint company understands that you will likely be shopping around for the most cost-effective residential painter to fill your needs.

Keep in mind that residential painting does not simply imply home exteriors. There is a whole list of painting services they can provide. These include interior painting of walls, ceilings and trim. Caulking and sealing and drywall repair are also options. Additionally decks and fences, staining and stucco fall under the category of residential painting.

On the other hand, commercial painting addresses much larger jobs. Everything from restaurants to offices and schools to hospitals fall under this category. Think of any business you drive by, from retail establishments to churches then realize that most of these buildings have been painted at some point! Commercial painters have a broader range of expertise. That is because they work with commercial building contractors, or in the case of apartment buildings or condos, they will interact with HOAs. It may surprise you to learn that commercial painters are able to take blueprints of buildings not yet constructed and provide a quote for the potential structure!

If you are in the market for a commercial painter, please note they provide the following services including interior and exterior painting of hotels, restaurants, apartment complexes, and other buildings. You can also rely on them to provide power washing and decorative or logo painting. Many do repairs such as window replacement and masonry refurbishing.

If you need residential or commercial painting services, please contact the professionals at University Painters, Inc. Your home and business…are our business!

Design, Maintenance, Paint Colors
, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0
House Painter Exterior Painting
Regular Post
Written by Colleen Kalil

Seasonal Painting

House Painter Exterior PaintingIt may seem that exterior and interior painting is an all-year-round event. But the truth of the matter is that no matter where you live, summer seems to be the best season for painting. What is the allure of this time of year? To start with, paint loves the heat. Often there is less rain in the summer months than other times of the year, which gives you longer windows of time to apply the paint without fear of it being washed away.

Despite the fact that spring and fall seem to offer better climate conditions – breezy, cool days and cool nights – these times of the year are also the most unpredictable. In other words, you may start a project and get hit with an unexpected storm or a light rain shower. The summer offers more sustainable weather conducive to all your outdoor projects.

Continued warm weather ensures the surface is dry which is the only type of surface that will accept paint. If an area has experienced a recent hard rain, the surface of the home’s exterior may feel dry but be saturated underneath. Experienced painters know how to determine if a surface is optimally ready to receive paint.

If paint is applied to a surface that is moist underneath, it will adversely affect the drying paint. However, summer is also a time that dew tends to collect on things in the early morning hours. So you will need to rely on the expertise of the painting company you hire to ensure they are knowledgeable in prime paint application times.

For the inexperienced home exterior painter, the worst time to paint the outside of a home is when it is cool outside – forty degrees or below.

To recap:

  • Outdoor projects of all types are best conducted during the summer months. This includes painting the exterior of the home including trim. The reasoning is the heat ensures the surface is dry, which allows the paint to ‘cure’.
  • Allow the home’s surface to dry in the sunshine prior to painting in the morning.
  • Finally, painting during the earlier summer months will allow you to find and seal rot that may have occurred during the winter.

For more information on painting seasons and related information, contact the experts at University Painters, Inc. Your home is our business!

Design, Maintenance, Paint Colors
, , , , , , , , , , , ,
0
Interior Painting Home Painters
Regular Post
Written by Colleen Kalil

It’s the Little Things!

Interior Painting Home PaintersWhile we focus mainly on exterior painting, we are experienced in all aspects of the painting process, inside and out! For instance, we have some great advice for the weekend handyman or handywoman who is going to tackle an indoor painting project. You’ve decided to paint the wall (or walls). People tend to think that it’s an elementary task. However, there are little things you should think of and attend to before actually popping open the paint can. In other words, a few moments of pre-preparation will make the job go much faster and more smoothly. Then you really will be able to pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

Clear the walls. Take down any hangings or fixtures even if they don’t appear to be near the area to be painted. Accidents happen all too often and are more likely to when you are not prepared!

Inspect the wall for nicks and imperfections. Now is the time to make repairs prior to beginning the painting process. If there are cracks in the paint or you have mold and mildew, attending to these issues before dipping the brush in paint will make the job go more quickly and result in a nicer presentation.

Now wash the walls. That’s right, walls get dirty just like floors and windows. Think about the variety of cooking smells that waft through the house, or odors that are not that enticing. Some of them leave a residue that dulls the color of the walls and makes them look and feel dirty. If you are not one to wash the walls, there are service companies available to do it for you.

Tape, tape, tape. One thing is true about paint – it drips. When you dip the brush in the paint, there’s always a chance that paint splatter can happen. If you want to avoid leaving a paint job on your woodwork, window panes, cupboards or other trim, take the time to buy and use tape that will not allow paint to seep.

The experts at University Painters, Inc. take pride in offering superior exterior painting services to homes and businesses. But that’s not all we know! If you have any paint questions, we will be happy to speak with you.

Creative, Maintenance, Paint Colors
, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0
Home Painters Exterior Painting
Regular Post
Written by Colleen Kalil

Homeowner Associations Oversight of Exterior (and Interior) Painting

Home Painters Exterior PaintingSo you’ve bought your first home or condo. It is likely going to be the most expensive investment you will make in your lifetime with mortgage payments being made for a good part of your adult life. The joy one experiences as a homeowner is incomparable. However, if you have bought a home that is part of a homeowners association (HOA), it is best to read the fine print prior to signing your name on the dotted line. All too often you may find that there are unexpected restrictions that will prevent you from making changes to the home’s exterior and sometimes even the interior.

The purpose of an HOA is to help protect the community’s property value as a whole. They intend to maintain a certain presentation that is shared across homes. For example, you may be prevented from painting the exterior of the home at all. Some people may wish to change the color after a time but the contract does not grant permission. Even more importantly, painting services may be limited to a pre-approved list of companies. You may not be allowed to go out and find a contractor on your own.

That is not to say that HOAs are always draconian. In some instances, there may be a palette of colors from which to choose if you want to make your home look a little more individualized. This can apply to everything from the house front to the trim Or, perhaps you have a color you would like to use that is not one of the choices – it is possible to present a convincing argument to the HOA board.

However, if you are new to the mortgage scene, here are some facts you should know. The special restrictions of an HOA will be spelled out in the Master Deed that is signed by the homeowner which state that you agree to stay within the stated guidelines. If you decide to do otherwise – say paint your house an outrageous color outside, the HOA can impose fines and secure liens against the property until you are in compliance.

If you are in the market for an outstanding painting service, contact the professionals at University Painters, Inc. We know the ins and outs of exterior home and commercial painting.

Maintenance, Paint Colors
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0
interior painting,painters,home,commercial
Regular Post
Written by Colleen Kalil

Preparing to Paint

interior painting,painters,home,commercialFall is a great time to refresh your home’s interior. The weather is cooler and it’s an opportunity to get ready for the upcoming holiday season. The time it takes to prepare properly is well worth it when you see the results.

Furniture

If at all possible, remove the furniture from the room and cover the floor with a drop cloth. If you can’t take all the furniture out, push everything into the middle of the room and cover with plastic or another drop cloth.

Cleaning

Before you paint, clean your windows inside and out. It isn’t necessary for painting, but it will add to the freshness of the room. You can also check the frames and glass for any signs of wear or damage. When the windows are done, cover the glass with plastic using painter’s tape to protect them from drips and splatters.

Repair any cracks, chips, or other damage to your walls. If you have to use putty to fill holes, make sure you sand it smooth. If you don’t, you’ll see the outline under the paint. Dust the walls and ceiling if you plan to paint it. Wash the walls with warm water and a little mild cleaner. By removing the dust first, you avoid creating dirty streaks when you wash the walls. Vacuum any vents in the ceiling or in the floor.

Taping

The best order for painting is trim, ceiling, and walls. Tape around the trim and around the ceiling, then paint. Let the ceiling paint dry completely before taping the top of the walls. Some people hate taking the time to tape, but it saves time and creates a finished look.

Painting

If the current wall color is very dark and you’re applying a lighter color, prime the walls first. However, some brands of paint include primer or the texture makes primer unnecessary. Using a small brush, cut into the corners of the room, where the ceiling and wall meet, and around the trim. Do this for any place your roller won’t be able to reach. Paint the walls using a “W” pattern starting in one corner and covering a 3′ x 3′ area. This reduces visible seams where the paint overlaps.

Drying

Most latex paint dries to the touch in a few hours, but you shouldn’t let anything rest against the wall or wash it for at least 48 hours.

The professionals at University Painters take the time to prepare every surface in your home to achieve the best results. Call us today and schedule your fall refresh today.

Design, Maintenance, Paint Colors
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0
interior painting, home painters
Regular Post
Written by Colleen Kalil

Create a Kid-friendly Bedroom

interior painting, home paintersYour child’s bedroom is a great place for them to express their personality and create a space that’s all their own. Whether your child wants an unusual color combination or wants to design a whole new world, this is the place where the usual decorating rules don’t apply. However, to keep creativity from getting totally out of control, here are a few things you should consider.

A Child’s Point of View

Talk to your child about what they want and make them part of the decision-making process. You may have to reel in their imaginations from time-to-time, but take advantage of their creativity. Try to hone in on the aspects of the design which are the most important to your child. You can help them simplify an overly ambitious vision and still create the room of their dreams.

Today and Tomorrow

Design now with the future in mind. Your children will grow up faster than you think and their tastes will change frequently. Before you create a ceiling to floor jungle or fairyland, think about ways to decorate that will make it easy to transform the room as your child grows up. Pick a base color and layer on elements to create the theme your child wants. For example, if you’re trying to create an island theme, paint the walls a shade of blue or green which will transition well when your child decides to leave their  island home.

Keep It Simple

Keep structural changes and architectural features to a minimum. If you want to add a treehouse to the island theme, think about a raised bed draped with fabric, instead of drilling into studs and building a real one. Make it easy to change the room’s style and minimize expensive repairs or redesigns. Curtains, rugs, lighting, and other accessories are inexpensive ways to change a room’s décor.

Plan and Budget

Have a plan that includes a budget. Make rough drawings of the room, list the materials you need, and estimate the cost. The time you spend planning will be worth it and will keep your project on track.

The experts at University Painters can help you achieve just the right look to make the little people in your home happy. Call us or go online to schedule a free consultation today.

Design, Maintenance, Paint Colors
, , , , , , , , ,
0
1 2 3 4
© Copyright 2024 University Painters | 1-800-390-4848 | All Rights Reserved | Messaging Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy