Kitchen Cabinet Refinishing – The Latest Home Decorating Trend

Kitchen cabinet refinishing is a great way to spruce up your kitchen and is another high-quality service offered by John Neill Painting & Decorating to home owners and businesses throughout Philadelphia and The Main Line.
If you’ve been contemplating remodeling your kitchen, but don’t want to undergo a six to eight week renovation, refinishing your kitchen cabinets may be just the solution you’ve been looking for. Here are our top five facts about kitchen cabinet refinishing, and if you have additional questions, we’re always a phone call or email away.
1. Refinishing your cabinets is much cheaper than replacing them (counter tops and appliances stay in place), and can usually be completed in 1-2 weeks.
2. You can choose any color you like, and a high quality oil-based paint will ensure a beautiful and durable finish.
3. Cabinet drawers and doors are removed and painted off site, minimizing the odor as well as the disruption of having craftsmen in your home for an extended period of time.
4. You’re kitchen will still be functional while the bulk of the work is being completed.
5. All doors and drawers will be realigned when reinstalled and the hardware can be replaced as well to truly change the look and feel of your kitchen.

 
To see more samples of our work, please visit the Painting & Decorating page and scroll down for Kitchen Cabinet Refinishing.

The Fine Paints of Europe

Have you ever walked through Society Hill or Old City Philadelphia or among the high-end homes on The Main Line and seen one home that seemed to stand out from the rest? It’s most likely a result of using The Fine Paints of Europe on their front door and often shutters as well. It’s high gloss mirror-like finish not only leaves a beautiful and reflective surface, but also provides a level of protection and depth of color that cannot be achieved with a standard exterior paint.

 

Visit our Painting & Decorating page to see the full gallery of interior and exterior paint and stain applications.

Interior Painting at the Jersey Shore

Before Jonas hit last weekend, one of our crews was in Longport finishing up the interior of a new residential home on the beach. While we can’t share photos of the project, here is a photo of the view from the back deck. And as we’re all still recovering from digging ourselves out of up to 2 feet of snow, I’m sure you’re dreaming of the beach as well.
Do you have a house at the Jersey shore that could use some freshening up? In addition to serving the Main Line and surrounding Philadelphia area, we are fully licensed and insured in New Jersey as well. Winter is the perfect time for interior painting, so when the warm weather does return, your house will be all ready for you to relax and enjoy the spring and summer seasons. Here’s to Punxsutawney Phil not seeing his shadow next week and an early start to spring.
 

2017 Color Trends – A Sneak Peek at 2017

As we gear up for the final quarter of 2016, Pantone has already begun to gather information for their 2017 Color Trends. Here are a few predictions on what they expect to see in the coming year.
With consumers looking to spend their money on “experiences” and not just “stuff”, the design world now finds itself at a crossroads. Homeowners are still looking to add fresh new colors and furnishings to their homes, but they are seeking a comfortable and “known” look and feel in the process. So how will this translate into the home design trends for 2017?
You can expect to see lots of black and white in home decor, as well as bold colors in interesting patterns. Mother nature is also a driving force in home color trends, with green still at the forefront, and a resurgence of floral as well as jungle prints will make their way into the marketplace.
With the current focus on sleep, thanks to Arianna Huffington’s latest book, The Sleep Revolution, many homeowners are turning their bedrooms back into true sanctuaries for rest, complete with calming color palettes. Deep colors are becoming a more popular choice, with Navy as the standout color so far.

We can also expect to see the incorporation of more mixed metallics in the coming year thanks to the growing popularity of rose gold, although pastels will carry through into 2017 as well with the current prediction of pink as the front runner.
Be sure to check back in the fall for the official Pantone 2017 Color of the Year announcement.

Another Award-Winning Project for 2015

Once again, our career craftsmen completed a project that not only exceeded everyone’s expectations (the builder, the interior designer, and the homeowners), but earned us a national award for interior residential painting as well. Given the size of the house,  this was no small feat. This award-winning project included painting both the interior and exterior of one of the largest private residences constructed in Lower Merion Township in the past few years. Visit our Awards Page to read the full story, and to see the full gallery of images of this magnificent home.

The Best Paint For Your Bathroom

Whether you plan to do it yourself or hire a professional painter, here’s our tip on choosing the best paint for your bathroom. Go with a top of the line product designed specifically for bathrooms. While it may be a bit more expensive than the average gallon of paint, keep in mind that you’ll most likely only need one gallon, and choosing a paint that is designed to withstand moisture and humidity will actually save you money in the long run.
We recommend Benjamin Moore Aura Bath & Spa. Available in all of their colors, this water-based, mildew resistant paint can be wiped down and will still look fresh over time. If you’re looking to create a calming effect in your bathroom, you may like Glacier Blue, or if you like to change out your accessories frequently, a neutral shade like Wickham Gray may be a better choice. Whatever color you choose, just remember that the right product and the right application will make all the difference.





 
 
 

One of our Favorite “Whites”

If you walk into your local paint store and tell them you want to paint your trim white, they’ll ask you what shade of white. And when they direct you to the wall with all of the color samples, you’ll be amazed to discover how many variations of white there are. Suddenly, what seemed like a simple task just turned into a major decision.
Our goal at John Neill Painting is to make your entire project as smooth and seamless as possible, which includes help from our color experts in choosing the right colors for your space. Over the years, we have developed our own color palette full of classic colors, and one of our favorite whites for trim is Benjamin Moore White Dove. On the more creamy side, White Dove adds the perfect finishing touch to both warm and cool wall colors and is also a great choice when refinishing kitchen cabinets. Want to know what other colors are popular at the moment? Visit our Color Trends page to learn more.


 
 

How to Choose a Professional Painting Contractor

Do you know how to choose a professional painting contractor? When choosing your contractor, it is important to keep in mind that choosing the painting company with the lowest bid is not always in your best interest. Quality matters. So, you’ll want to note how much attention your potential paint contractor pays to the details of the job. Here are some great tips to help you know how to choose a professional painting contractor.

Determine the areas of your home that need to be painted, paying particular attention to details such as trim, doors, etc.
Choose your colors; this may determine the number of coats of paint needed, which can then affect the overall cost.
Ask family, friends, etc. who they recommend and/or research local painting contractors.
Schedule an appointment for an estimate (ask if it will be free or if there is a charge).
Note the Estimator’s arrival time and overall cleanliness of his vehicle. This is a crucial indicator in what can be expected from the company you choose.
Go over the specifics of all areas and details of your home that you want included in the estimate. On all estimates you schedule, be sure to include the same specifications, i.e. – number of coats of paint, prep work, etc. to ensure a clear comparison.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions of the Estimator.
Ask for references.
Visit their website to see samples of their work.

Once you have received your estimate

Make sure the final estimate is clear and includes all the work you requested.
Ask how long the project will take.
Ask what you have to do to prepare beforehand.
Ask about the payment schedule.
Ask about when the project can be scheduled.
Ask about warranties.
Ask about particular products they might recommend for your project.
Ask about the prep work that is performed before the actual painting is done. The key to a long-lasting and beautiful paint job is in the preparation.
Determine your comfort level with each company you met with; keep in mind that they will be in or around your house for at least one week.

Remember, if your goal is to receive a top quality paint job that will endure, choose the company that meets all your criteria, and not necessarily the one with the lowest bid.
At John Neill Painting and Decorating, we serve the greater Philadelphia area and The Main Line. If you are in need of quality painting, look no further and give John Neill Painting a call at (610) 664-5555.

New House, New Paint Colors?

Choosing paint colors for your new house can be a daunting task. We often hear stories like this:
I recently purchased a new home, and now I have the fun task of picking out paint colors for the entire house (it’s all white, and I can’t stand white walls). While this is not a job that I normally struggle with, I’m torn between choosing all new colors or reusing some colors that I love from my current house. What’s a girl to do??
After much debate, I have decided to go with a combination of new and old. My current dining room is a red that I absolutely love, and I will be reusing this color in my new kitchen. My current living room is a warm yellow, and I will be choosing a similar, but more neutral and deeper shade for my new living room and dining room area. And for a change of pace, I’ve selected a bold and vibrant blue for one accent wall in the refinished basement.
While it’s not always easy to step out of our comfort zones, if you have a space that could use a new look and feel, why not try something a little different this time? And be sure to check back in a few weeks for the before and after pictures of the transformations of several spaces.

 
Kitchen Color Palette:
Walls – Benjamin Moore Crimson 1299
Cabinetry – Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17
New Backsplash – Subway Tile
Existing Counter Tops – Granite
New Flooring – Cork in an Espresso Finish
Basement Colors:
Meridian Blue 761
Palace White 956
 
 
 
 

The Importance of Color in the Workplace

What is the importance of color in the workplace? We focus a good deal on color (we are a painting company after all), but it really is one of the most crucial decisions you’ll make when setting the backdrop for your home or office space. We recently purchased an office (which happens to be a converted three-story brick home), and took great care when choosing colors for each individual office.
Today we will take a closer look at one office transformation. The initial space was a two-tone purple with a glossy finish that was overly stimulating on the senses. After careful consideration of the natural light as well as the newly installed LED lighting, we selected a light and airy gray that sets a very calm tone in the space. Now, upon entry, the subconscious reaction is to exhale and relax (as opposed to holding your breath in shock when entering the purple space).
Do you have a space in your home or office that doesn’t truly reflect the tone you were hoping to set? A change of color may be all it takes to go from drab to fabulous.