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Written by Josh Jablon

Interior Decorating Done Right: Tips to Freshen Up an Old Look

Decorating an older home to give it a more modern appeal doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, there are plenty of ways you can freshen up an old look by using a few simple interior decorating tricks. Here are some tips to help you add a modern and fresh feel to your older home.

Neutral Walls

Paint walls in a neutral tone, such as beige or light gray. Neutral wall colors make a room feel fresh and can create the visual effect of being larger. Besides, if you stick to neutrals you can change your accessories quickly and easily to create the style you want to achieve.

Declutter

If you visit some grandmothers you’ll soon notice their older-style homes are filled with clutter. There are ornaments on shelves, vases on tables and benches, pictures hanging on every available wall space, and various pieces of unnecessary furniture in living rooms. Giving your older home a modern appeal could be as simple as removing any clutter from rooms to help avoid them looking as though your grandmother still lives there. Think about adding one or two poignant ornaments or a bold piece of art on one wall to create a statement instead. Make a focal point rather than filling the space completely.

Natural Light

Lots of older homes are notorious for having heavy, dark-colored drapes over the windows. Aside from being outdated, those drapes can make a room appear smaller and reduce the amount of natural light entering the space. Replace outdated drapes with lighter colored window coverings. If you want to stick with drapes, choose a lighter color that won’t fade quickly, but can still be drawn back to let light in without making the room seem small.

Update Outdated Fixtures

The fixtures and fittings in your home can be a tell-tale sign of age, so it pays to think about updating them. Dated light fittings and discolored light switch plates can drag down your efforts to refresh the home, so replace them with modern alternatives that match your décor whenever possible.

Choose the Right Shelving

Displaying some of your favorite decorations or ornaments on shelves can be a great way to add character to an older home. However, solid shelving units created from dark timber can make everything seem dated. Consider replacing those dark shelves with airy display units instead. Choose shelving with an open back or perhaps even glass shelving to increase the sense of space in the room and add a gallery-style charm that is ideal for older homes.

Fresh is Best

Some older homes can have a musty or stale odor that can make them feel more dated than they really are. For some, a myriad of problems could contribute to the odor. Others may simply be suffering from lack of airflow or ingrained odors in carpets or rugs. Add a few drops of essential oil to some baking soda and sprinkle the mixture lightly onto carpets or rugs to eliminate bad odors. A combination of baking soda, water, and a couple of drops of essential oils or doTERRA products in a spray bottle can also help cleanse bathrooms and leave a fresh aroma behind.

There are plenty of simple ways to update an older home. Be objective about the house and its current condition. Then make your decorating plans accordingly and you’ll find it much easier to achieve your goals.

Home Painter , Painting ,Carpentry,
Written by Josh Jablon

Home Maintenance Tips For Spring!

Home Maintenance Spring Checklist

Your home is one of your greatest investments and it is extremely important to properly maintain it!  Winter weather can be rough on your homes exterior, see below for some helpful home maintenance tips to keep everything in tip top shape!
  • Check the exterior of your homes foundation as well as windows and door frames for cracks that may need to be caulked or weather stripping needs to be replaced. Caulking and sealing these areas will help keep the summer heat outside and keep those air conditioning bills lower!
  • Remove storm window and doors and replace with screen windows and doors. If you did not wash your screens in the fall, wash them with a mild detergent before replacing.
  • Check the exterior of your home for any areas of paint failure including cracking, peeling or bubbling paint. Look closely under eaves and gutter downspouts for any water stains or damage to indicate improper drainage.
  • Perform a ground inspection of your roof and if you feel there are any issues be sure to call a professional for further inspection. Also check for any paint failure on fascia as well as damaged flashing. Lastly be sure to inspect your gutters and downspouts for any damage.
  • Is the interior of your home insulated? This can cut back on heating and air conditioning bills greatly!
  • It’s time to change the direction of your ceiling fans!
  • Change or clean your air conditioner filter and check all hose connections and drain pans. It will definitely be put to work this summer! Any questions or concerns be sure to call a professional.
  • Vacuum out dust from the vents around your house and air returns.
  • Check your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are in proper working order.
  • Check your deck for any warped, loose or splintered boards. Experts say decks should be cleaned at least once a year to help extend their life

Thanks to Bob Vila at www.bobvilla.com for the inspiration for these great home maintenance tips.
Home Painter ,Interior Painting
Written by Josh Jablon

Color Trends – Sherwin Williams 2017 Color Of The Year

Are you up on the latest color trends? Looking for the new hot paint color for 2017? Look no further. Sherwin Williams 2017 Color of the Year is Poised Taupe – SW 6039.

Touted as the “new” neutral, Poised Taupe brings together a mix of warm and cool tones and is incredibly versatile.

Home Painte,r Interior Painting,Poised Taupe ,Sherwin WilliamsIn Sherwin Williams’ press release, Sue Wadden, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams says, “Poised Taupe celebrates everything people love about cool gray as a neutral, and also brings in the warmth of brown, taking a color to an entirely new level. Not cool or warm, nor gray or brown, Poised Taupe is a weathered, woodsy neutral bringing a sense of coziness and harmony that people are seeking.”

If you are curious how to incorporate this new trend into your home try our Sherwin Williams ColorSnap® Visualizer for the web by clicking here.

 

 

 

Home Painter, Interior, Painting Exterior Painting
Written by Josh Jablon

Important Fall Home Maintenance Tips!

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

Your home is one of your greatest investments and it is extremely important to protect it from the upcoming harsh winter conditions! See below for some helpful tips to keep everything in tip top shape!

  • Check the exterior of your homes foundation as well as windows and door frames for cracks that may need to be caulked. You can also check these windows and doors for drafts on the inside. Caulking these areas will help keep the heat inside where it belongs!

  • Remove window and door screens and replace with storm windows and doors.

  • Check the exterior of your home for any areas of paint failure where there may be cracking, peeling or bubbling paint. If not rectified, this paint can further deteriorate over the winter and become more costly to repair!

  • Perform a ground inspection of your roof and if you feel there are any issues be sure to call a professional for further inspection. Also don’t forget to get those gutters cleaned out! With all the leaves falling this may need to be done more than once this season!

  • Is the interior of your home insulated? This can cut back on heating and air conditioning bills greatly!

  • Do you have a wood burning fireplace? Before using it this winter season make sure to have your chimney and flue cleaned by a professional and ensure everything is in proper working order.

  • It’s time to change the direction of your ceiling fans!

  • Change or clean your furnace filter and clean out your humidifier. It will definitely be put to work over the winter!

  • Vacuum out dust from the vents around your house and cold air returns.

  • Check your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are in proper working order.

  • Drain your garden hoses and turn off exterior water sources to prevent pipes from busting.

  • Make sure you have properly stored and covered any deck furniture and lawn equipment to prevent damage.

Thanks to Bob Vila’s Article “Fall Home Maintenance Checklist” for some of these great tips. For a full printable  checklist, click here.

Home Painter ,Interior Painting, Exterior Painting
Written by Josh Jablon

August's Color Of The Month

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Sail away this summer with August’s Color of the month is Sherwin Williams Regatta SW 6517. Regatta is a strong cool blue hue and can be used for both interior and exterior spaces. We have seen it used for anything from an interior accent wall to a beautiful strong front door option! For some coordinating colors visit Sherwin Williams color info page here.

 

Home Painter ,Interior Painting, Exterior Painting
Written by Josh Jablon

August’s Color Of The Month

Sail away this summer with August’s Color of the month is Sherwin Williams Regatta SW 6517. Regatta is a strong cool blue hue and can be used for both interior and exterior spaces. We have seen it used for anything from an interior accent wall to a beautiful strong front door option! For some coordinating colors visit Sherwin Williams color info page here.

 

Paint,painters, interior painting
Written by Josh Jablon

Try Paint Colors On First

Have you ever gotten stuck thinking about what color to paint your kitchen?

You like that soft grey in the magazine, but how will look with your couch?

Now you don’t have to worry. With Sherwin Williams Color Visualizer, you can see how the exterior and interior of your home will look with any paint color. You can try on colors before you paint!

One of our favorite features is the ability to feel like a part of the great Fixer Upper show. In an instant either your great room or an inspirational room can be transformed with color in an instant!

In addition to Sherwin Williams Color Visualizer there are other useful apps that we highly suggest too! Check out, Sherwin-Williams Color Snap – This app for the iPhone, Blackberry and Android allows you to take an image of a color and match it to one of the company’s more than thousands paint colors. You can then browse Sherwin-Williams’ entire inventory to create a custom palette that complements your captured color. Detailed information about the palette you create can be saved to a library or shared via Facebook and email.

Benjamin Moore Color Capture – The app from this company favors iPhone and iPad users, but it also makes a version for those with an Android. The iPhone version allows photo matching, sharing and creating of a custom palette using Benjamin Moore paint colors, while the Android app allows only for photo matching and searching of the company’s inventory.

Behr ColorSmart – If you have an iPhone, iPad or Android, you can download this app to find, coordinate, and preview a Behr paint color. It also offers photo matching and the ability to preview colors in different rooms and styles using touch-and-tap technology. You can save colors, room images, and calculations to your account and share via Facebook and twitter.

All three of these apps, naturally, allow you to find a store near you at which you can pick up your new paint colors or seek further help with choosing the right colors for your rooms. All are free and work on both Mac and PC.

In terms of online paint color visualizers for your desktop or laptop, each of these companies offers one. Sherwin-Williams Color Visualizer, Behr Paint Your Place and Benjamin Moore Personal Color Viewer all allow you to upload a photo of the room you plan to paint, then apply different paint colors to the walls with a simple drag and drop action. The Sherwin-Williams and Behr tools require you to download the program, plus install other programs such as Flash and Java, while the Benjamin Moore features can be used both online and through the downloaded program.

If you use any of these apps to dream up your new colors, we would love to see your ideas! Post them on our Facebook Page!

Exterior Painting, Carpentry, Deck Staining
Written by Josh Jablon

Trying To Sell Your Home?

Are you in the market to sell your home? A new paint job can go along way! Here are some tips and tricks to maximize your potential.

  1. Neutral colors – Remember, your style is not the same as your potential buyers style. By using a neutral color scheme throughout the interior of your home you will avoid turning buyers off due to style differences. You want to make it easy for buyers to imagine this space as their space. Don’t distract from this opportunity with a projection of your style and non neutral color palette.
  2. Up to date – A new paint job is a quick and easy way to update and refresh your space. A new white in that  closet of yours can brighten up a dingy space and make it appear much larger. Same thing goes with the other rooms in your home. Paint can also be used to highlight charming details in your home such as crown molding and bay windows.
  3. Curb Appeal – An easy way to increase your curb appeal is to be sure all exterior facets of your home are looking fresh and new. This goes from fences to decks to your front door. A new coat of paint can go a long way towards a fresh look and what will contribute greatly to a buyers first impression.

Happy selling!

Home Painter, Interior Painting, Exterior Painting
Written by Josh Jablon

June’s Color Of The Month!

June’s color of the month comes to us from Sherwin Williams! Amazing Gray is a fantastic neutral base selection for both interior and exterior use. The neutral color palettes are very popular these days! Curious where this would work on your house? Shoji White, Alabaster and Carley’s Rose are three of Sherwin Williams’ recommendations to coordinate with it! Give us a call and let us help you with a new look!

Home Painter, Interior Painting, Exterior Painting
Written by Josh Jablon

June's Color Of The Month!

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June’s color of the month comes to us from Sherwin Williams! Amazing Gray is a fantastic neutral base selection for both interior and exterior use. The neutral color palettes are very popular these days! Curious where this would work on your house? Shoji White, Alabaster and Carley’s Rose are three of Sherwin Williams’ recommendations to coordinate with it! Give us a call and let us help you with a new look!

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