Tips, Thoughts & Ideas.
Color Trends 2012, by Debbie Zimmer. Taken from American Painting Contractor, October 2011.
The 2012 paint trend will draw heavily upon the natural colors in the American landscape. Native plants and flowers, oceans and lakes, and rocks and minerals are the sources of inspiration for the paint colors that will be “in” next year. For those consumers thinking about a fresh paint update, tell them to look to the great American outdoors. It just might inspire your next customer to try something fresh or to reinvent their living space. If that means more painting opportunities for you, then that’s a win-win outcome for all.
Blue, the Jewel of the Sea
Blues gained popularity in 2011 and will continue to be red-hot in 2012. From sparkling sea-glass blue to colonial blue-gray, blues are suitable for all living spaces, being naturally soothing colors that are loved – in one iteration or another – by almost everyone.
Green, from Farm to Forest
Greens, ranging from celery and asparagus to fir and fern, allow homeowners to bring the comforting feelings of the world outside into the world within. Dining rooms and kitchens are the “natural” spots for in vogue greens, but the hue is also at home in family rooms and bedrooms.
Violet, Majestic Purple Mountains
A harmonious combination of patriotic blue and red hues, violet can add “punch” to any room when used as an accent color to serve as the dominant color in a bedroom. But natural hues aren’t the only news for 2012. In addition to color, three paint and decorating trends will gain prominence next year.
Patterns
In 2012, patterned paint will take center stage, with increased interest in houndstooth finishes, lacy designs and bold color blocking techniques. In some cases, pattern will be the main decorating feature in a room; in others, it will provide a subtle, textured backdrop for fine furnishings and artwork.
Black and White
The classic combination of black and white isn’t just for Cape Cods any more. You’ll see much more of it all sorts of settings, from contemporary apartments to historic homes. The pairing is a great way to freshen an interior with something smart and stylish.
Exterior Paint Combinations
On the home exterior, shutter colors will begin to shift away from the traditional look of high-contrast green, red or black to a more monochromatic palette. You’ll see more shutters that are painted just a shade darker than the siding. Suggest to owners of homes with stone exteriors that they can get in on things by matching the shutter color to the dominant color of the stone.
We hope that you and your family have a happy and safe Halloween this weekend! There are plenty of activities going on around Dallas / Fort Worth that might be fun to check out. Here is a link to the Dallas Observer and a list of Halloween activities. Have a Spook-tacular weekend!
From October 26-31, we are offering 40% off our Garage Floor Coating Service! This service is a great way to give your garage a fresh feel, just in time for winter! To learn more about this service simply view our pricing page to receive a ballpark estimate. Please fill out our free estimate form so a representative can come out to discuss your project with you and confirm pricing!
When it comes to do-it-yourself painting, some people don’t have a clue on how to get started. While there are many websites out there providing helpful information, it is important to get quality painting answers. We work closely with the Glidden Professional stores here in Dallas / Fort Worth and have found a great page on their website that provides all the answers you’ve been searching for when starting a painting project. We have listed some of our favorites below, but please visit Glidden’s website and their How to master your next Glidden paint project page.
Interior Painting Tips:
1.) Paint top to bottom. Start with the ceiling, then the walls and woodwork.
2.) Paint the ceiling edges with a brush, creating a border about 2″ to 3″ wide.
3.) The easiest way to paint a ceiling is with a roller and extension handle. This allows you to stand on the floor while you paint.
4.) Dip your roller in the paint tray and roll it back and forth on the ridged part of the tray.
5.) Use diagonal or zigzag strokes to get the paint on the surface. Go back over the area with longer, up and down strokes to even out the surface.
6.) When the ceiling is dry, start painting the walls. Use a brush to paint corners, ceiling edges and areas adjacent to woodwork.
7.) Use roller to paint in blocks of roughly 4 x 4 feet. Paint adjacent blocks before each previous block dries to help blend the edges.
8.) Work from the ceiling down to the baseboards. Do one entire wall or area at a time.
9.) Paint molding and woodwork with a brush. Use wide masking tape to mask off adjacent areas (e.g., window panes).
10.) Paint with the grain of the wood. Use short strokes to coat the surface with paint, then use longer, smoother strokes for an even, finished surface.
What is Sheen?
When beginning your paint project, you’ll want to consider the sheen of the paint — or the gloss level. The higher the gloss level, the shinier the appearance and the more scrubbable the finish.
There are different types of sheens for different areas of your home.
- Flat sheens are ideal for low-traffic areas such as formal dining rooms and master bedrooms. They provide a beautiful matte coating that hides minor surface imperfections. Ideal for living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms.
- Eggshell paints provide excellent coverage that is washable and scrubbable. They have a slightly lower sheen than satin but offer the same type of durability. Eggshell paints are ideal for living rooms, bedrooms and family rooms.
- Satin paints go a step above flats in scrubbability, providing a nice balance between washability and subtle gloss. They perform and look great in just about any room.
Semi-gloss paints ensure maximum durability. They are commonly used in children’s rooms and high-moisture areas, such as bathrooms, as well as for trim.
- High-gloss paints are highly reflective and work well for highlighting details, such as trim and decorative molding. They are also the best choice for doors and cabinets — or any area that sees a high volume of abuse.
- Ceiling flats are designed specifically for ceilings. These are usually extra spatter-resistant.
We have now created a new program at DFW Painting called, Painter for a Day. This program allows our customers to hire one of our professional painters for the day to complete a list of projects during an 8 hour timeframe for a daily flat rate of $450. This is a great way to get a lot of small painting projects done around the house all in one day. For more information please visit our Painter for a Day page by clicking on the picture below.
Company was very responsive and professional throughout the entire process. The estimator who came out was not a high pressure sales type, which was very nice not to have to deal with that. Most importantly, the workers did a GREAT job. They were very mindful of our personal belongings and making sure everything that needed to be covered was done so. We had a good number of rooms done, including some walls with very high ceilings, and their guys did great work all around. I would highly recommend the company to any friends, family and co-workers.
Chad
Richardson, TX
One of the best ways to update the exterior of your home is not only painting it, but also to refinish your front door. Our doors really take a beating, especially in this Texas heat! Refinishing your front door is a fairly inexpensive and great way to update the look of your home! To learn more about our refinishing process, visit our door refinishing page. Below are pictures of a door before and after being refinished.
To receive a free price quote for refinishing your front door, please visit our door pricing page.
Over the years, like you I’ve dealt with many companies to fix my home repairs and make home improvements. In a majority of cases, I was over promised and under delivered to and some people just didn’t even show up.
When I called DFW Painting and set up my appointment, I received an email confirmation and short bio on the person who would provide my estimate. Then, he showed up on time, was professional, knowledgable and honest setting expectations with me about the next steps of the process. And he never tried to pressure me or oversell me anything. I decided to give them my business and was not disappointed. The painters arrived and knocked out my whole project in the balance of the day. They were very careful with my furniture and respectful of my belongings taking great care to ensure no paint came into contact with anything but the walls. I’ve never been so impressed from beginning to end with DFW Painting and will use them again, and again and again.
Michael
Dallas, TX
As a full service painting company, we do offer a variety of services including; cabinet refinishing. If you’re looking for a fresh, updated look to your kitchen, bathroom or cabinet built-ins, refinishing is the way to go! The photo on the left shows a customers’ kitchen cabinets before and then the photo on the right shows the cabinets after being refinished by DFW Painting.
To view more of our painting photos, please visit our gallery page.
