AL: We love that you are a company that specializes in house painting, not a company that just includes painting among its services. Your experience and expertise would make any homeowner feel, well, at home! Tell us about the trends you're seeing in color and treatments for the summer of 2021.
SK: Color World Housepainting differentiates itself from other painting companies by offering a “one-stop” experience for the homeowner looking to paint their house, either interior or exterior. We offer gutter replacement services, wood repair and drywall repair. Many times the homeowner may not notice issues with water drainage from inadequate gutters which causes wood damage or in very serious causes, basement issues. We will manage the entire job, gutters, wood repair, and finally the painting.
As far as trends... for the exterior, we are seeing homeowners change the look of their 1990s red brick homes by painting or whitewashing the brick. This gives an instant updated and modern look to the home! Also for the exterior, homeowners are beginning to contrast dark gutters against the lighter, brighter grays and whites for the trim and siding.
Light and bright is also the trend for the interiors. As homeowners are selling their homes, new home buyers are looking for neutral tones throughout the house. The days of the dark maroon or navy dining room are long gone! Grays, in cool tones and warmer tones, have become the standard in interior painting. For those that are wanting a little extra updated look, we have painted window trim or an accent wall with darker, warmer colors.
We also will repaint kitchen or master bath cabinets. If the homeowner just can't afford new cabinets (which many of us cannot), a quick and much less expensive option is painting. Homeowners are looking to change to whites and grays for the cabinets, with a darker island for accent. We are seeing blues, cocoa, and even dark green tones for the accent color for islands.
AL; You have such a strong team. Tell us a little about what each brings to the process.
SK: Harvey and Shelley are the owners and operators of the business. Shelley had been in manufacturing, operations and supply chain for large companies for many years. She brings the financial and operational expertise to the business.
Harvey has been in construction for over 30 years and brings the high expectations of quality craftsmanship.
AL: Tell us about your home. How did you choose the colors and what was the process?
SK: When we moved into our home about four years ago, it was a great home, with a great view and a great outdoor space. The only issues was that it was a little outdated and needed some TLC on the exterior. We first tackled the windows by replacing them with vinyl windows. We wanted to change the exterior trim from white to a color that completed the red brick a bit more. So we changed the color of the windows and matched that color for the trim. We use Sherwin Williams paint, who have the color formulation for the Marvin Window color that we chose. It was a very easy process.
Next, we tackled the exterior space, starting with our covered exterior patio. After some repairs on the structure and updating the flooring to a tile, we chose a beautiful blue/gray color (Sherwin Williams Krypton) for the patio ceiling. I have always wanted a blue porch ceiling! We wanted the space to feel like an extension of the interior. We spend most mornings and evenings enjoying the view!
We also carried the same colors into the outdoor kitchen space to tie it all together.
For the interior, the entire interior was a gold color with a flat sheen on the walls. We lightened it all up with a much lighter, warmer tone. We used Sherwin Williams Shitake for the kitchen and family room. We used a cooler tone in the in the living room, going with Sherwin Williams Modern Grey for that room. Again, much lighter and brighter and updated the look of the entire home!
AL: Why is summer a good time to jump into a home project?
SK: Obviously, summer is a great time for exterior projects because of the weather. We have been extremely busy this spring and summer as more and more people are staying at home during the pandemic and are wanting to create a more comfortable living experience. Also, now that we are moving through the pandemic, homeowners and wanting to entertain and enjoy their space!
Also, with the crazy housing market, many homeowners are investing in their homes and doing projects that have been put off for years to get their home ready for sale.
AL: You're the experts. You have our attention. What else would you like to share about Color World HousePainting?
SK: Color World Housepainting is a national franchise that has been in business for over 25 years. We have a great reputation, great support from our corporate offices and a great business model that supports us as franchise owners and our customers.