The Art of Downsizing – Keep the Interest and Elegance

Thanks to an increase in new construction in the residential market, downsizing isn’t what it used to be. Whether you’re looking to stay in a single home within a community, move into a townhouse and maintain multi-level living on a smaller scale, or would love one floor living and amenities in your building, there are more options that ever when looking for the perfect forever home.
And while many of the new construction options have a feeling of “sameness” to them, there are some simple ways to personalize your new space and create that true feeling of home. Here are a few examples of how to make your new space feel just as luxurious as your current home.
Add Architectural Details
From crown moulding, wainscoting, or contrasting finishes to soften the space, there are a wide array of options to add detail to any space in your home.

Add Visual Interest
While gray is still the most common choice for wall color, painted ceilings and wallpaper are becoming more popular as well. From more modernized grasscloths to geometrical patterns and colors, there are endless options to add personality to your home.

3 Important Things to Consider If You’re Planning A Project In The Near Future

If we’ve learned anything over the past 18 months, it’s that what we thought would be a temporary change in the way we work and live has now become a more permanent way of life for many of us. And while it’s easy to focus on the negatives, there are also a few positives that have resulted from the shift to what we all now refer to as “the new normal.”
A recent study found that adults are spending 53% more time at home. This means many of our daily routines and habits have changed. Here are the top 3 trends we’ve seen as a result, and what it means for homeowners looking to make updates to their homes.

Our Allocation of “Space” Has Changed

Many of us are working remotely, trying new hobbies, spending time with loved ones and pursuing interests individually and as families. As a result, we are re-thinking how we use all of the space in our homes and what we’ll need moving forward. Many are
re-allocating space for dedicated home offices, carving out space for a new hobby, and creating places where we can find enjoyment both alone and together.

Our Need For “Color” Has Shifted

We are beginning to remember why we love and need color in our homes. We’re adding it to our walls, through fun accent pieces and even with new furniture purchases. As someone recently said: “I realized on my Zoom calls, everyone’s walls were either gray or white and I became instantly bored with the sameness of it all.”

Our Interior “To Do” List Has Gotten Longer

While working remotely has given us back our most precious resource – time – we have become more observant in noticing all of the things we’ve put off fixing or updating. The added time at home has now motivated many of us to complete these updates and enhance the beauty around us within our own homes.
These realizations have also lead to a substantial increase in the demand for home decorating and remodeling services. Which means there is an increased need to plan ahead.
If you find yourself ready to refresh or update the colors in your home or it’s been a while since you had any exterior maintenance work done, now is the time to start the process. While we may be in the midst of winter, NOW is the best time to start planning for spring and summer projects.

Rethinking Home: The Exhilaration of Completion

Research has shown that one of the things that gives us an enormous boost in mood and energy is the act of completion. From a small simple task to a big to do, nothing feels as good and being able to say “that’s done.”
With the world hitting “pause” and all of us spending so much more time at home over the past year, it’s impossible not to notice everything that needs attention around your house. All of the things we’ve been putting off due to the “busyness of life” pre-pandemic are now front and center as we see them every day.
The quiet Winter months are a great time to tackle all the lingering to do’s that will make your home a place you truly love being. From creating spaces that can transform from an e-learning spot back to a room where everyone gathers, or updating your kitchen and pantry to accommodate preparing more meals and home, small changes can have a big impact.

The easiest update you can make that will have the biggest impact is utilizing color. If you’ve been living with the same colors for years and are ready for a change of scenery, painting a room in a new color or shade will instantly infuse fresh energy into the space. From subtle tones that allow the natural light to take center stage to bold and bright colors that set their own tone, now is the perfect time for a fresh start. And you’ll feel even better when you can check a room or two off of your list as completed.
 

2021 Colors of the Year

Whether you’re in need of a breath of fresh air or some solid ground underneath your feet as we enter into a New Year, the 2021 colors offer something for everyone to set the perfect tone for a fresh start.
Benjamin Moore
Aegean Teal 2136-40
This mid-tone blue-green with cool gray undertones sets the perfect backdrop for a balanced and welcoming feel in any room. Utilizing the theme of “your home is your refuge”, Benjamin Moore created a warm, sun-baked color palette that is both intriguing and comforting and includes some bold colors along with some classic neutrals.

 
Sherwin Williams
Urbane Bronze SW-7048
Pulled straight from mother earth, this grounding neutral creates a sense of peace and tranquility and allows lighter complimentary colors to truly shine through.

 
Pantone
Illuminating & Ultimate Gray
Once again, and at the close of a tough year, Pantone decided one color of the year wasn’t quite enough. Combining a practical gray and optimistic yellow, these two colors blend seamlessly together to create a sense of security with a much needed touch of hopefulness for the future.
 

 
When it comes to color, what we see everyday has a direct impact on how we feel. From calming blues, stimulating reds, cheerful yellows to natural greens that bring the outdoors inside, be sure to choose colors that suit your personality and style. From classic to on trend, bold and bright, or soft and subtle, whatever you seek to create can be accomplished with just the right shade of paint.
 
 
 
 

Interior Updates For A New Way Of Life

While most of us have fully adjusted to spending the majority of our time at home, the start of school may have brought with it new challenges to having everyone inside and in a quiet space for the bulk of the day.
If you find yourself rethinking the way you’re utilizing the spaces in your home, here are some suggestions on how homeowners have been updating their homes to achieve better balance while both working and living under the same roof.
Creating  Home Offices and “School” Spaces  – Working remotely from home and attending school virtually has been a big change for many of us. Having a designated space that is set up for maximum efficiency and comfort is crucial. And don’t forget about your “zoom” backdrop – which should be simple and free of clutter. From changing out an outdated wall color to adding custom desks and shelving to keep everyone organized, proper functionality will lead to increased productivity.

Updating your Kitchen – The kitchen has always been the heart of the home, and with most meals now being eaten at home as well, we’re all spending more time in our kitchens than ever before. If you’re wishing yours was set up differently or is long over do for an update, redesigning the layout in your pantry or simply changing out the color on your cabinets for a fresh new look and feel will help in this space where functionality truly matters.

Enhancing Outdoor Spaces – Fall is officially here, and with it cooler weather. After spending the day indoors and in front of a screen, having an outdoor space to escape to can make all the difference. Simple updates to your outdoor space can provide some much needed time in the sunshine or a quiet evening under the stars at the end of a long week.

Benjamin Moore – 2020 Color Trends

 
It’s the start of a New Year (and decade), and that means time for a fresh color palette. In researching the final selection for 2020, Benjamin Moore took a look back at the color trends over the past 100 years before deciding upon the colors that will carry us into the future.
As the social climate ebbed and flowed over the decades, so did the colors that were used throughout our homes. Remember the bold and saturated colors from the 60’s and 70’s? Or the more muted and conservative tones as we approached the new millennium that hung around for the better part of the decade? As we enter into 2020 and another new decade, many of us are considering “what’s next?” with the fresh new start. The Color of the Year – First Light – infuses an air of optimism and possibility into an untouched future.
Benjamin Moore First Light is a “rosy” hue and modern neutral that will brighten any room in your home.  It also pairs well with the many grays that have been used on the interior of homes for the past few years. And according to Linda Cipriano, Benjamin Moore’s Architectural & Design Expert, “everyone looks good in pink.” With a slow shift from cool to warmer tones, the coordinating palette offers possibilities for all tastes and styles.

 
If you’re ready to move away from the grays and infuse some color back into your home, download our checklist on how to choose colors with confidence. And if you’d like a second opinion before updating a room in your home, our color consultant would be happy to sit down with you and help you create the home of your dreams.
Choosing Colors Checklist

Choose Color – From Fearful to Fantastic

“Color can convey meaning, often more effectively than words.”
– Zena O’Connor
The foundation of all design is color – and yet it’s something that makes many of us extremely nervous. Especially when we start considering what colors to bring into our homes when repainting.
We often fear choosing the “wrong” color and having it turn into a time consuming and costly mistake to fix.
And we opt for the “safe choice” – the neutrals or varying tones of gray, white, and beige as our design backdrop.

We convince ourselves that we might tire of a “real” color too quickly, we can live with the neutrals longer, and we won’t have to worry about money wasted on a poor choice. We then further justify this reasoning by telling ourselves we can use pops of color as accents to liven things up. However, this is not the same as choosing a true color for your walls or even your ceiling.
Not fully convinced?
Think back to the last time you walked into a room painted with color… Whether bold or subtle, color creates an entirely different energy than a neutral backdrop ever can. Extensive research shows that color can make you feel energized or calm, powerful or peaceful, cheerful or cozy, and most importantly – welcome. Color adds dimension and character to a home. It can convey your style to the world and tell your story without you needing to utter a single word.
If you have a space in your home that you think would be enhanced by color, you don’t have to make the decision alone. Our color consultant has an M.A. in Interior Architecture and Design and will collaborate with you to choose colors that will fill your heart and home with joy and confidence.

Color consulting is a complementary service provided with any project you wish to complete with us. We pride ourselves not only on our exceptional craftsmanship and communication throughout each project, but also on the extra care we take with our customers to make sure they’re confident with their final color choices.
 
Photo Credit: Benjamin Moore Paints
 
 
 
 

Garage Floor Coating in Wayne, Pa.

While the garage is often the most overlooked room in most homes, with new top of the line epoxy garage floor coatings now available, it doesn’t have to be. Not only will this garage floor coating enhance the appearance of your garage, but it is also specially formulated for easy cleaning and maximum durability, much more so than a traditional concrete floor.
This process usually takes about a week from start to finish, and as you can see in the before and after photos of a garage floor we recently coated in Wayne, PA, it will be worth parking in the driveway while the coating fully cures. Next time you pull into your garage and step out of your car, take a look down at your floor. Then give us a call for your free estimate and to update your garage floor before the winter weather arrives.
 


 

 
 
 
 

Exterior Carriage House Restoration in Chestnut Hill, Pa.

If time has gotten away from you and you now require a little more than just a standard repaint, you can rest assured that our craftsmen can handle the job. We are currently in the process of completing three such projects in Chestnut Hill, one of which is an exterior Carriage House Restoration project.
The project featured here is the restoration of a carriage house. After a thorough pressure cleaning, our carpenters repaired and replaced rotted fascia board, trim boards, window frames and siding in preparation for the painting. Next, our team of craftsmen tackled the exterior of the carriage house, with extensive prep work being completed before oil priming and applying two finish coats of paint. The front entrance was also given a brand new look with the use of the Fine Paints of Europe in a high gloss finish.





 
 
 
 
 

2016 Color Trends & Finding Your Signature Palette

2016 Color Trends: While we report on the Color Trends every year, they are just that – trends. When it comes to updating the colors in your home, incorporating current colors can be fun, but figuring out your signature style and using your favorite colors throughout your home is often a better way to go.
This year we shared the “2016 Color of the Year” from the top three companies in the painting industry. Pantone (the world leader in all things color) stepped out of the box by selecting not one, but two 2016 Colors of the Year – Rose Quartz and Serenity. If you’re not a fan of pastels, the lesson to be taken from this selection is that traditionally “warm” colors can be paired with “cool” colors and coordinate beautifully.

 
Sherwin Williams also took a different approach to 2016 color trends this year, opting to create “Color Stories” in place of choosing one particular color. Using the terms passionate, fresh, vintage, and indulgent as their starting point, they have created four color palettes that are sure to speak to both the bold and adventurous as well as more traditional homeowners.

 
Benjamin Moore also chose to go in yet a different direction, and while they did select a single 2016 Color of the Year – Simply White – some question whether this was truly a “color” selection at all. Whether or not you believe that white is a color, what they have done is sparked the idea of starting with a blank canvas. Freshening up any space with a base coat of this creamy white is almost like hitting the reset button in your home. With a clean backdrop, it is much easier to re-imagine what other colors you would like to incorporate into your home, and they have provided some beautiful accent colors in their full color report to assist with this as well.

 
Ultimately, the best place to start when considering a new color palette for your home is with an open mind. Look around when you’re out and about and take note of the colors that catch your eye. Or if you’ve been saying “I’ve always wanted to paint the [ fill in the blank]…” maybe now is the time to go for it. Believe it or not, of all the things that you could “change” in your home, the color on your walls is one of the easiest, but also most impactful. And when you’re ready, our color experts are always here to help you make your final choice with complete confidence.