Installed vs Evolved Design

An Installed Landscape

When I first started using these terms, I was thinking of our imperfect, evolving garden vs. one that's professionally designed and installed. Most of the time you can tell the difference at a glance, like this formal garden that was professionally designed, installed (and maintained). Our evolving garden reflects our amateur mistakes, changing enthusiasms and the limitations of time and budget. It's far from the perfection of an installed garden, but it's a reflection of us, and we enjoy the process (most of the time), and the result. 

Installed Design - Benefits and Limitations

In the best installed designs, things are done correctly from the beginning. There's a well conceived plan tailored to the house that accomplishes all that a good plan requires. On the downside, installed designs are only as good as the designer. If they're filled with predictable ideas, they look like they were taken from a manual. If the owner has little or no involvement, it's likely the result won't feel personal.


The concept of the installed vs. evolved approach also applies to interior design.

Installed Design - Interior

Basic Installed Design

At its most basic, installed design is what you see in a motel or in a vignette in a furniture store, with a set of matching pieces, few, if any, accessories and no personality. The artificial look of an installed design can also result from relying too heavily on suites of furniture, or on the use of the companion fabrics manufacturers have created to reduce the angst many people feel trying to create pleasing combinations. 


The highest form of installed design is a turnkey landscape or interior project with a medium to large budget. There will be considerable attention to detail, but elements are chosen, at least initially, by the design professional, and may or may not be approved by the owner. The design has personality, but the result may not be truly personal to the owner. 

Luxury Installed Design

Evolved Design - Interior

Evolved design is what most of us have. Our furniture and accessories reflect our lives. In our house, the china cabinet was inherited from my grandmother Mills, the copper tea kettle from Uncle Bob and Aunt Joanne, a bookcase came from my mother. Along with the pieces we bought over the years, some things were acquired on our travels, while others were found at an antique shop or salvage yard, and refurbished.  We even made a few things ourselves. As we lived in different places, things moved around. A bookcase went from the home office to the sewing room, a lamp that was in the living room in our last house went to live in the guest room when we moved here. Sometimes the treasure that worked beautifully in one house would find itself homeless in the next, and we had to store it or rethink how to make it work. Some things that didn't have a proper home before, came out of storage to be enjoyed again. Nothing stays the same around here. 

While I appreciate the beautiful installed designs I see in magazines or on-line, and find lots of inspiration, I prefer that our home incorporate both formal and informal bits and always evolve. Not only is it one of a kind, it's more fun, personal, comfortable and relaxed. 

Playing the Color Percentages

I don't know who it was or when it happened, but years ago somebody came up with formulas for working successfully with interior colors.  Now widely used, the formulas vary according to the number of colors in the room. 

A 90/10% Blue and Yellow Plan

Percentages for Two Color Plans  

Major Color                    Minor Color
    90%                                      10%
    80%                                      20%
    70%                                      30%
    60%                                      40%

How To Make a Two Color Plan Work

If your plan is based on close percentages like 60/40%, there should be relatively little contrast in the minor color to avoid conflict or a jarring impression. With high percentages such as the 90/10% example in this picture, you can use stronger contrast in the minor color to add a spark.

Percentages for Three Color Plans

 Major Color                     Minor Color                    Accent Color
        80%                                    15%                                       5%
        70%                                    25%                                       5%
        70%                                    20%                                    10%
        60%                                    30%                                    10%   

How to Make a Three Color Plan Work

With a three color plan, two of the colors must work together to create harmony in one of the following ways:

• same coolness or warmth
• same intensity (brightness or dullness)
• same value (lightness or darkness)
• by strongly sharing a common ingredient (neighbors on the color wheel, such as red and orange)

The Only Percentage to Avoid

Avoid a 50/50 color plan which creates tension because there's no winner. For any color plan to work, one color must dominate.

The Rule of (at least) Three

When you pick a color, try to use it at least three times in the room. For example, if you have a sofa fabric with multiple colors, pick one to use in a cushion fabric, in a ceramic piece, and in another item, such as art or in the drapery fabric. It is this repetition of color that creates rhythm and harmony in your color plan.

The Rule of Three in a Olive, Brown and Beige Plan

Color Percentages - The Bottom Line

While the concept of color percentages is helpful, it can be difficult to calculate them in the real world, especially since many of us use prints with multiple colors. I say, don't bother! I consider some so-called "design rules" a starting point only. Instead of worrying too much about achieving perfect color percentages in your designs, choose a color to be dominant, one to be secondary and, if you have a three+ color plan, a couple (or more) to play supporting roles. 

Should You Paint It Yourself?

The advertising by major paint companies encourages homeowners to consider painting a do-it yourself project, and when the work is straightforward, such as painting walls, it can be. However, there are many circumstances when the best approach is to call a professional.






Here are some things to consider when you're deciding if you want to do it yourself:

• Purpose of the work and the size of the budget.  Budget can trump every other consideration...

• Size and scope of the project. Is it manageable? How long can you take to complete the work without causing problems or serious inconvenience?

• Time frame. Are you certain that you have enough time to do it yourself? If you don't paint for a living, you won't have a realistic idea of how long things take, and 99% of the time, you'll underestimate. Allow extra time.

• Interior work. It takes far more skill to paint inside a furnished home than is required for most exterior projects. Do you know how to work cleanly and protect the adjacent areas? Do you know the best way to handle details such as hardware and light fixtures? 

• Access difficulties. Are there tall ceilings or a stairwell that would be difficult to access? Do you have the right equipment and are you comfortable working high? 

• Complex trim. Is there detailed crown molding, cabinetry or a fireplace that requires skilled brushwork?

• Type of Material(s) to Use. Do you know the right type of materials to use for each surface, including how compatible each would be with the existing finish? Do you know when you need to prime? 

• Ease of Application. What material does the project call for? Some materials, such as oil base enamel and clear finishes, can be challenging to use.

• Cosmetic repairs. Preparation determines the quality of the result, especially when there are holes in the walls, cracks, stains, or other problems. Bad repairs make problems look worse. 

• Equipment, tools and supplies. Do you have ladders, drops, buckets, rollers, screens, poles, a variety of small tools, sandpaper, plastic, various types of masking tape, masking paper, materials for patching and caulking, a masking machine, caulking gun, etc? This is just the beginning of a long list of things that professional painters have on hand.

•  Your skill level. If you've never painted and don't know where to begin, this may not be the project for you.

• Quality of the result you want. Is just OK good enough? 

• Other issues.Do you hate to paint? Are you klutzy? Do you and your spouse work well together? 

Your answers to these questions should point you in the right direction. If you decide that you want professional help, call me at 828-692-4355 to discuss your project and schedule an estimate with Roger. When you hire us to do your painting, a color consultation with me is a free part of our service.

Why You Need A Paint Color Plan

Whether I was there as a color consultant, painting contractor or professional stager, over the years I've been in thousands of homes of every size, style and price range. 
One of the most common mistakes I encounter in homes of all types, is a piecemeal approach to choosing interior colors. Although I'm a big fan of evolving design that showcases your personal style vs. the installed by a decorator look, color is a design element that needs to be coordinated throughout the house for the best result. 


Why You Need a Color Plan
Without an overall color plan, a house lacks harmony and unity. Conflicting or unrelated colors are not only unattractive, they can be uncomfortable to live with because they're disconcerting. Consider this example I saw recently: the daughter's room had bright pink walls, the son's room was black, the kitchen was a sunny yellow and the rest of the house was beige. The result was color chaos! When you're selling, badly chosen (or badly coordinated) colors can decrease its value and marketability. 


Even if you paint your house a little at a time, it's wise to develop an overall plan. If you've already done a lot of painting, analyze what's working and what isn't, create a plan, then make adjustments as your time and budget allow. 


Here are some simple "do's" and "don't's" for creating your color plan: 


DON'T cop out completely by painting everything white. That's an opportunity lost and a poor choice for many homes.


DO start with the colors in the permanent elements (floors, carpets, counter tops, stonework, tile, etc.).


DO use several colors for variety and interest.


DO consider using lighter and darker versions of the same colors.


DON'T use both tint colors and shade colors on the walls. They're different concepts, so pick a team and play on it.   Tints and Shades


DO learn about light reflectance values (LRV) so you can compare colors accurately. Here's a short explanation from our web site:  Light Reflectance Values (LRV)


DO repeat colors to create unity and harmony. For instance, the living room color might also work well in a powder room. 


DO use a single color on the trim to tie the plan together.


DON'T accent baseboards or crown molding smaller than four inches wide, especially in homes with eight foot ceilings. Instead, paint them in the wall color so that instead of drawing attention, they become texture and improve the proportions of the room.


DO consider painting bathroom vanities in accent colors. This is a very cost-effective way to add personality. 


DO consider a special color for some ceilings, such as the dining room.


DON'T automatically paint ceilings white, especially when you've chosen earth tones for the walls. They'll look out of place with the wall color, or as if you forgot to paint them.


DO consider painting the back walls of shelves in accent colors.


DO use color to tweak the architecture. Use an accent color on the end wall of a long hallway to minimize the "bowling alley" impression. 


DO consider using darker, richer colors in some areas, such as a media room.


DO use blocks of color to help define areas in large, open spaces.


DO consider the room's sun exposure when you're choosing colors. If the room faces north, warm colors are a good idea to counteract a cold, gray feeling.


DON'T make color decisions from a tiny paint chip or color strip. They don't tell you what a color really is like. Instead, create 2x3 foot sample boards using inexpensive foam core, and look at the samples under different light conditions.


DO view the samples in the orientation the color will be applied. If you're choosing a ceiling color, tape the sample to the ceiling.


DO create your own design book with samples of paint, fabric, tile, etc. Carry it in the car so you never have to guess if something will work with what you have. Our ability to remember color accurately is faulty.


Have fun with color when you're creating your space, but take the time to do a little planning before you paint. If you need help, call me at (828) 692-4355 to schedule a color consultation. 

Smarter Painting Estimates

As professional painting contractors who know what it takes to do our work properly, Roger and I often find it frustrating that many people think all painters are created equal, and can't see beyond finding the lowest bid. We understand that getting good value for your investment is important, and it is to us too, but we want you to know that a low bid may wind up being a bad bargain.

Many states, including North and South Carolina, have no licensing requirements, or proficiency standards. As a result, there will be significant differences in knowledge, skills and professional work practices among those who bid your project. Today people seeking work as painters often include students who need a summer job, and others who are painting because they can't find employment in their regular occupation. Most have no training and don't particularly like to paint, so what kind of work can you expect from them, especially when they've given you a low bid? Not only that, it's highly likely that each person who gives you an estimate will see the work differently, or not understand it, and you'll wind up trying to compare proposals, not knowing which approach makes the most sense.

We'd like you to consider a new way to get painting estimates. It involves more work, but it will help ensure that the job that gets done is the right one, and it will give you an objective way to compare estimates.

• Take pictures of what you want to have painted and print them with your color printer (plain paper is fine).
• Bring the pictures to the expert at your local paint store and discuss your project, including details about the condition of your house, and any plans you have for color changes.
• Ask for guidance on:
• preparation needed
• number of coats to be applied
• best method of application
• recommended materials for the job.
• If feasible, plan to buy your own materials and major supplies and get an estimate of quantity and cost. 
• Get contractor recommendations from people you trust, and schedule appointments to do an estimate. Keep in mind that painting the interior of an occupied home requires much greater skill and care than exterior painting.
• At the time of the estimate, pay attention to how the contractor presents himself, and look at his vehicle. You'll learn a great deal about his work habits...
• Pay attention to how carefully the contractor inspects the job. Is he thorough? Does he take notes, measure, examine the condition of the surfaces, take pictures or sketch, ask questions?
• Give your scope of work to each bidder, along with a form on which to submit their bid. 
• The form should include a payment schedule, plus insurance, clean-up and any other requirements you have.  It also should include the stipulation that by submitting a bid they agree to complete the scope of work to your satisfaction, and comply with the other requirements.
• If the contractor will have employees on the job, require evidence that he carries workers' compensation insurance, and that coverage is in effect.
• Tell each bidder to bid the basic job per the scope of work, and to price any options or recommendations separately.
• Instruct them to include only equipment charges (such as for pressure-washing), incidental supplies and labor in their basic estimate.

Now you have a sensible way to compare the estimates, and you have control over payment.

Even if it's not feasible for you to follow all the steps that I've outlined, particularly for smaller jobs, at least take the time to develop a better idea of what you want to accomplish. If you can discuss the work knowledgeably and in detail, bidders can prepare estimates on the same basis. This step alone can help you avoid some of the common pitfalls when comparing painting estimates, so that you're likely to have fewer problems and results that meet your expectations.

Beware of an unusually low bid because it normally means the bidder:

• didn't understand the scope of work
• intended to take shortcuts, usually in the preparation phase
• uses unskilled or temporary labor and pays them cash
• plans to use lower grade materials

Painting done well can have a significant, positive effect on the value and enjoyment of your house, far beyond what the work costs, so it's worth hiring the right people and doing things the way they should be done.

If you would like to have your painting done by a professional you can rely on, call me to schedule an estimate at 828-692-4355.  

Choosing A Front Door Color - A Baker's Dozen Mistakes to Avoid

If you're one of the many people who think of your front door as just another piece of trim, instead of a design element that deserves special consideration, think again. If you don't make a wise choice about what color to paint it, you'll not only waste a crucial opportunity to add style and impact, and you might even detract from the potential curb appeal of your house. There's a lot at stake.




Here are some common mistakes to avoid when choosing a color for your front door:

#1-This Garage Door Has Won

1. Letting the garage door "win".  In many houses, the garage door(s) and front door can be seen at the same time. If you call attention to the much larger garage door(s) by using the trim color, you've made it/them dominant and exaggerated your design and curb appeal problems. Think of it this way: Which is more important - the front door, which is the natural focal point and where you welcome people, or the garage door(s) where the cars live? The way to give your front door prominence and de-emphasize the garage is to paint the garage doors(s) in the wall color (assuming it can be done without voiding the warranty), causing them to recede into the background. Make your front door stand out by painting it a special color that appears nowhere else.
2. Painting the front door in your favorite color, whether or not that's a good idea. I've seen a few bright pink front doors, and none did the house any favors.
3. Using a color just because you liked it on someone else's house. What may be right for their house isn't necessarily right for yours. 
4. Failing to consider your location. Colors that are attractive at the beach, probably won't work as well in the city or in the mountains. 
5. Ignoring the architecture of your house. Many colors that suit the front door of a cabin aren't the best choices for a modern house or a Colonial. 
6. Failing to coordinate all the paint colors with the colors in the permanent elements, such as the roof, stonework or vinyl windows. The permanent elements should be the starting point for creating your color plan. One of the most common problems I see is vinyl windows, especially pure white ones, that weren't considered when the wall and trim colors were chosen, and are so out of place and high contrast that they ruin the look of the house.  
7. Ignoring the colors in your landscaping, especially the evergreens and flowering plants. Don't choose a bright red front door if your landscaping features pink and purple rhododendrons.
8. Choosing a front door color that doesn't coordinate well with the wall and trim colors. Your color plan must be unified to be attractive, and if one of the elements doesn't work, the plan fails. See #9 for one example of this problem.
9. Combining tint colors with shade colors (see my earlier post on  Mixing Tint Colors with Shade Colors). There are tint and shade versions of most hues, so, yes, you can still have a yellow front door. Just be sure you use the right yellow.
10. Not considering the overall impression you want to create. Do you want elegance, drama, warmth, historic accuracy? The front door color is the one that sends the key message.
11. Failing to paint the screen door or storm door in the same color as the front door (and choosing a design that conflicts with the front door, or hides its features). You haven't accomplished much if you buy a beautiful front door, paint it an attractive color and then undermine the look with the screen or storm door design and color.
12. Outlining or accenting parts of the door. Use a single color to avoid a busy, chaotic look. 
13. Making color decisions from a paint strip or small chip instead of a large sample. You won't know what a color really looks like if you work from a chip or a strip.

# 11  - Over-accenting

#2-Someone's favorite color.

#7 - Tint and shade combination

Paint Sheen
The sheen of the paint you use is also important. The higher the sheen, the more intense the color becomes and the more every little flaw will show. High gloss paints are best reserved for new doors, or ones that are in perfect condition. If your front door is less than perfect, choose a low sheen enamel. Sheen names vary by manufacturer and product line, so talk with the experts at the paint store about the best choice for your door.

Paint Quality
Quality matters. The front door is the most important design element in the front of your house, so don't skimp. If you use cheap paint and don't take the time to prepare the door correctly by cleaning, patching, caulking, sanding and priming as needed, then applying at least two finish coats, the door won't look its best and it won't enhance the value of your house. Given the cost of many front doors, having it professionally painted it is a wise investment. 

Want a Beautiful Front Door? Call Us!

We're known for very high quality finish work. If you have a front door to paint or stain, including cosmetic repairs, or an entire house to paint for that matter, call me to schedule an estimate. If you choose us to do the work, a color consultation with me is a free part of our service.

You can reach me at 828-692-4355.

Embrace Contrast and Make It Work For You

When I was in decorative painting school learning how to create an authentic-looking faux marble with veining, my instructor often said that contrast was "the enemy". It was a pretty dramatic statement, but in context it made sense. As students, one of our goals was to learn how to make veins and drifts look natural, which meant as if they'd been buried over eons in deep layers, instead of just sitting on top of our sample boards looking like phony bits added with a feather or sea sponge. To help achieve the natural look, the final step in the faux marble process was to add translucent coat(s) of glaze, reducing the contrast between the veins and the drifts, hiding any suggestions of the tool we used to create them, and burying them enough to look real. 


Creating faux marble is an example of when contrast can work against you, but more often contrast is a key way to add the drama and interest that can lift a design of any type out of the realm of ordinary and make it memorable. What do I mean by contrast? There are many types, and if you can understand them and train your eye to identify them at work, including when there's too much or too little contrast in a particular situation, you'll develop the skill to use them successfully in your own projects, whether it's in your home, your garden, or even in your wardrobe.


There's a lot more to the principle of contrast and ways to create it, than you might think. As a starting point, look at this list from Wikipedia's essay on design elements and principles. Note that it relates to many types of design, and that the list is  far from complete! 

Ways to Create Contrast

• Space:  Filled vs empty, near vs far, 2-D vs 3-D
• Position:  Top vs bottom, isolated vs grouped, centered vs off center
• Form: Simple vs complex, beautiful vs ugly, whole vs broken 
• Direction: Vertical vs horizontal, stability vs movement, convex vs concave 
• Structure: Organized vs chaotic, serif vs sans serif, mechanical vs hand drawn 
• Size: Big vs little, long vs short, deep vs shallow 
• Color: Grayscale vs color, light vs dark, warm vs cool 
• Texture: Fine vs coarse, smooth vs rough, sharp vs dull 
• Density: Transparent vs opaque, thick vs thin, liquid vs solid 
• Gravity: Light vs heavy, stable vs unstable

Did you think of some types of contrast that didn't make the list? What about a patterned fabric vs a solid, a high gloss paint vs matte?  Can you think of other types? 

High Contrast Creates Dramatic Impact

Contrast with Paint
When you're doing a painting project, make conscious choices about how much contrast (drama) you want, and factor in the condition of the surfaces you're painting. Choose low contrast colors and low sheen paint if they're not in good condition, or you'll call attention to their shortcomings. 


Here are some contrast issues to consider:

• Color Palette - opposites on the color wheel, as shown in this turquoise and orange room, are high contrast and dramatic, neighboring colors are lower contrast and more subtle. Using a single color or color family throughout is a lower contrast, less dramatic choice than multiple colors.

• LRV Values - There is an accurate way to measure the contrast between two colors. (See my article on Light Reflectance Values and learn about this valuable tool.) This information is essential when you want to control the amount of contrast between colors.

• Color Temperature and Saturation - warm vs cool colors, bright vs dull colors, tint colors vs shade colors (See my previous post on Tints vs Shades.) 

• Paint Sheen - the higher the gloss, the more every imperfection will show. 

• Treatment of Architectural Details - If the proportions of architectural details such as baseboards and crown molding are skimpy or the quality isn't good, paint them in the wall color instead of an accent color so that they become texture instead of a contrasting element that has an unintended negative effect on the appearance and proportions of the room.

Subtle Contrasting Elements 

Monochromatic and neutral color schemes continue to be very popular, and rely heavily on the use of contrasting elements to be warm and inviting. Notice the neutral color palette in this bedroom, and how several types of subtle contrast in the paint, fabrics and accessories create warmth and interest. There's a mix of organic and inorganic elements, sheer fabrics and heavy ones, large scale objects and smaller ones, contrasting colors on the walls, ceiling and trim, etc. The lesson in this room is that contrast doesn't have to be bold to be effective. 

Unless you're creating a faux marble, contrast isn't the enemy, it's your friend. Learn to embrace it and make contrast work for you.

Don't Forget to Floss - Your Deck, That Is...

There's no getting around the fact that decks require a lot of maintenance if you want them to last and look their best. The good news is that if you're diligent, you can extend the life of your deck by years.

In addition to keeping the deck clean and refinishing it when needed for protection from the elements and cosmetic enhancement, plan to regularly floss between the boards so that debris doesn't accumulate. This step is important because the debris will trap moisture,which leads to rot.

If you don't want to get down on your hands and knees to do the work, the Fiskars Deck Flossing Tool is a great solution, but it's pricey.

5 in 1 Tool

As an alternative to the Fiskars or similar long handled flossers, you can use one of my all time favorite tools, the Painter's 5 in 1, but you're going to have to bend over or kneel to get between the boards, and on a large deck this would be no fun. The 5 in 1 costs about $8 and does so many things that if you don't have one, do yourself a favor and get one. I do everything with my 5 in 1, except spread mustard on Roger's sandwiches.

No matter which tool works better for you, it's important to get your deck clean and looking its best, then keep an eye on it to be sure it stays that way.

If you need help, call me to make an appointment with Roger to do an estimate. He's been restoring decks of all types for many years, and has brought quite a few back from the brink of death!     
828-692-4355

Choosing A REALTOR? Look at Their Report Card.

At last week's class on "How to be a Smart Home Seller", one of the topics was how to choose a REALTOR**. I don't remember exactly where the thought came from, but off the top of my head I blurted that I would look on line at the listings of the people I was considering to see how well they were presented. The thought of using pictures of a REALTOR's listings as a kind of report card hadn't occurred to me before, but the more I consider it, the more it makes sense.

In fairness to REALTORs, there are always sellers who won't listen to reason when given sound advice. However, if every single one of a REALTOR's  listings has been photographed "as is" and looks dreadful, the unfortunate clients are living in the house instead of selling it. The likely reason is that this REALTOR isn't willing or able to give proper guidance, nor are they recommending a consultation with a professional stager. As a prospective client, I would be concerned about working with this REALTOR because no matter how much I liked them, I couldn't be confident that my listing would look any better. Since compelling on-line photographs are my most important marketing tool, I would be putting the sale of my house in questionable hands, particularly in this highly competitive environment.

For my own information, I looked on line at the listings of several local REALTORs, and sad to say, the results were pretty dismal. Their report cards put every single one of them in the "D" or "F" category in terms of how well prepared their listings looked, and whether or not they would be appealing to the average buyer. I wish I could show you those dramatically bad pictures because you'd see exactly what I mean, but I want to protect the identity of everyone involved.

This failure to emphasize the importance of creating cosmetic appeal isn't a new story. Far too many REALTORs still don't realize that it's all about the pictures, and unfortunately the results are all over the internet. With over 95% of today's buyers shopping on line at home before contacting a REALTOR to see the house in person, this is a significant problem.

When you're choosing a REALTOR, be sure to look at their on line "report card" and ask questions about their approach to marketing your house. To sell on the best terms, you need to work with someone who gets it.

**The answer is on the basis of merit and compatibility. 

Carpenter Bees Will Be Active Soon

 I'd never heard of carpenter bees until we moved here, and even then it took a while to find out what was drilling symmetrical holes in our front porch ceiling, and on the back deck, and leaving piles of sawdust. I soon came to learn how pervasive and destructive they are.

When Roger does exterior estimates he often finds significant damage from carpenter bees, and repairing the holes is an important part of his work prior to painting or staining. Unfinished wood, or wood with a deteriorated finish, are the most susceptible to carpenter bee damage, and at our house we were happy to find that the bees were less inclined to nest in wood that Roger had recently stained or painted.

carpenter bee

There are hundreds of species of carpenter bees around the world, with the most common in our area being the Xylocopa virginica. Carpenter bees aren't all bad. They're important pollinators, particularly now with colony collapse disorder killing millions of the bumble bees we count on for our food supply. Although they look similar at a glance, the carpenter bee is the larger of the two and has a shiny, black metallic abdomen, while the bumblee bee has yellow and black hair on all body parts.

A carpenter bee hole is easy to identify, but then what? The important thing to know is that a female bee is inside building nests, and you need to do something before her family gets larger.

Carpenter Bee Hole

The Bee's Nest Inside the Wood

It's not enough to fill the hole and hope for the best. Carpenter bees come back year after year, and if an old nest is occupied, females will drill new ones and things can quickly get out of hand. 

I don't like to indiscriminately spray poisons all around our home, so I consulted the North Carolina State University web site for the Department of Entomology to see what they suggested.

Carpenter Bee Information from NCSU

Unfortunately, these experts aren't encouraging about our ability to prevent carpet bee damage, but they do have some ideas about how to control it.

If carpenter bees have struck at your house, Roger can work wonders to repair the damage to stained or painted wood. Call me for an estimate at 828-692-4355.

Cosmetic Solutions for Low Ceilings

If you want to make a low ceiling look and feel taller, which in turn can make a small room look larger, there are several simple cosmetic measures you can take, and they cost little or nothing.

In this room you see decisions that lowered the ceiling. Read about the solutions, then see how many issues you can identify. The answers are at the bottom.**

Solutions with Paint

Improper Accenting Lowers the Ceiling

• Don't accent the crown molding or the baseboards. Paint them in the wall color, using a satin enamel for durability, or to add a subtle difference in texture.
• Use the wall color on the ceiling; or
• Use a much lighter version of the wall color on the ceiling.  Many designers will spec a quarter or half formula of the color; however, I often prefer to look at a paint strip to get an idea of what several lighter versions will look like, before making a choice. Always make a large sample on foam core and tape it to the ceiling to see how it works. Color will change, depending on the orientation in which it's viewed. Never choose a ceiling color holding the sample board vertically!
• Use a light color on the ceiling that's in low contrast with the wall color. Avoid stark white which will  make the room feel cold.
• If the room has a chair rail, paint it the wall color to avoid cutting the wall in half.

Window Treatments

• Hang window treatments at the top of the wall, whenever possible, never at the top of the window. 

As you see in this sketch, the difference is dramatic. Notice how much larger the right window looks, and how much more light can enter the room.

** ANSWERS

Decisions that Lowered the Ceiling:

• The ceiling is darker than the upper section of the wall. 
• Skimpy crown molding and baseboards have been painted in a high contrast accent color.
• Chair rail in a high contrast accent color is cutting the room in half.

If  Roger had been asked to paint this room, I would have done a (free) color consultation and suggested:

Option #1 - A Single Wall Color

• Use a single, warmer wall color to complement the wood floor, and 
• Paint the skimpy crown, chair rail and baseboard in the wall color. 
• Choose a lower contrast trim color that complements the new wall color.

OR

Option #2 - Two Wall Colors

• Use different colors on the upper and lower walls, but choose ones with a similar Light Reflectance Value (LRV) for low contrast.
• Paint the chair rail (and possibly the ceiling, depending on how light the colors) in the upper wall color.
• Paint the wall register and baseboards in the lower wall color.
• Use a lighter color on the ceiling.
• Choose a lower contrast trim color that complemented the new wall color(s).

If your house has low ceilings and you'd like some expert help, call me at 828-692-4355 to schedule a paint color consultation. If we do the painting, my guidance is a free part of our services. 

The Right Color in the Right Place - Interior Strategies

The Accent Color Problem

Many people use an accent color on everything that's not a wall, whether or not it deserves the attention. The result is that the eye goes to the wrong places, often focusing on unattractive details instead of seeing the room as a harmonious whole. Improper accenting also can be detrimental to the architecture when it detracts from the intended focal point in a room, makes the room look smaller or makes the sceiling look lower.

Poor Paint Color Accenting

In this picture you see what usually happens. It's the "before" picture in a house where I was asked to do a staging consultation to advise how to get it ready to go on the market.

The ceilings are eight feet high and they'd originally been painted stark white in an attempt to make them seem taller so that the rooms would look more spacious. Unfortunately, that particular white didn't work well with the taupe walls because of both the color and the high contrast. It also made the rooms look cold and uninviting.

In addition to the color issues, improper accenting put the emphasis on the wrong things, like the skimpy stair railing and baseboards, the vents and switch plates, as well as several doors. Note, too, how the white baseboards cut off part of the wall, making it seem shorter and lowering the ceiling.

There were other color placement problems in this house that this picture doesn't show:

• When I opened the front door, I faced the white door to a badly placed coat closet directly opposite in the very small foyer. That glaring white door was a shock and an unintentional barrier, not a welcome, so I suggested it be painted in the wall color so that a visitor's eye would travel to the living room on the right, instead of stopping abruptly at the closet.
• The long wall to the right of the stairs in the picture has three doors that also were painted white, turning them into still more undesirable attention-grabbers. I recommended that two of the doors (one to a storage closet and one to the utility room) be painted in the wall color to make them look like part of the wall, so the room would look less "chopped up". The door to the powder room was left white.

To create a warmer, more elegant (and photogenic) interior, I also suggested that

• the ceiling be painted a near white version of the wall color, instead of stark white, to add warmth and coordinate better with the walls.
• the baseboards, vent, railing cap, door bell chime and switches be repainted with the wall color. Painting the baseboards in the taupe instantly raised the ceiling.
• the narrow white stair railing and faux gold brackets be painted black to look like wrought iron, and make them appear more substantial.
• a small wrought iron chandelier be moved to replace the flush mounted, builder grade light you see, and two small, inexpensive coordinating lights be used in the stairwell.

When I discussed these ideas with the owners, it was as if a light bulb went on and they could see the room for the first time. They agreed with the recommendations, gave us an enthusiastic go-ahead and Roger got to work. The house was to be listed the minute he was finished, but it looked so good in progress, a buyer snapped it up and immediately started moving in. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to use your imagination about the finished product, because the house quickly filled with their belongings and I wasn't able to take "after" pictures.

This small project illustrates the power of color selection and placement to solve design problems and change an ordinary result into one that transforms (and sells).

Have A Plan for Accenting
When you're planning a painting project, analyze the good and bad features of every room, and develop a plan. Make certain that everything you choose to accent truly deserves the spotlight, and use this list to help identify things you might want to camouflage.

• Vents
• Switch plates, unless you have special ones

  

  Vent and Hallway Door Painted in the Wall Color

• Plug plates
• Crown molding three inches wide, or less
• Crown molding in rooms with low ceilings
• Baseboards three inches wide, or less
• Baseboards made of a plain board
• Baseboards made of quarter round trim
• Baseboards in rooms with low ceilings
• Closet doors in small hallways.

Our Free Color and Detailing Consultation
When you hire us to do your painting, we include a color and detailing consultation at no charge. This unique service, along with Roger's exceptional workmanship and the use of premium quality materials, transformed the house in this story. We can do the same for your house.

If you have an interior or exterior painting project in mind, call me to talk about it and schedule an estimate.  828-692-4355

The Right Color in the Right Place - Exterior

My approach to working with paint colors is simple:

Where you put color is just as important as finding colors that work.

An Easy Fix With Color

Far too many exterior painting projects turn out to be unattractive and disappointing, sometimes because the colors are unsuitable or lack harmony, and sometimes because the wrong things were accented.

Misguided accenting

• Creates undesirable focal points.
• Distorts proportion and scale
• Results in an overall impression of bits and pieces, instead of a unified whole.

The house in this picture illustrates what I mean. If we'd done the painting, the owners would have received a free color and design consultation. I would have recommended several color and cosmetic fixes, including the following:

• Paint the large garage door in the wall color instead of white so that it doesn't detract from the entryway and make the house look lopsided.
• Paint the Palladian window above the front door in the wall color. The window may be an attractive detail when viewed from the inside, but from the exterior its shape and multiple panes conflict with the front door below it, which also has multiple panes. Painting the window in the wall color would reduce the busy look and negative impact. 
• Paint the downspouts and banding boards in the wall color to simplify the look of the facade and eliminate the "bits and pieces" problem, which is more noticeable in person than in the picture. 
• Paint the front door, including the grid, in a single accent color to create a strong focal point that adds pizzazz and provides a warm welcome to visitors.

Once the painting was done, I would have suggested other cosmetic fixes, like adding a trellis to fill the large, awkward space above the garage, using one style of light instead of four and replacing the three lights over the garage with two slightly larger lights. The landscaping also needs a little help, including new foundation plants of varying heights, shapes and textures, and a vine, perhaps a clematis, to grow across the new trellis. Don't forget to factor in the color(s) of flowering plants when choosing exterior paint colors!

Better color placement alone would have made a significant difference in the curb appeal of this house and wouldn't have cost one cent more than the misguided color decisions you see. The other fixes could be done as time and the budget permitted.

What You Should Accent
I believe that you should accent only those things that truly deserve the attention, and that you should consider scale and proportion when you decide what to do. Don't automatically accent something because it's there. Garage doors like the ones in this picture are a prime example of a detail that's usually accented, when they should be painted with the wall color instead. Think about it. Why would you want to draw the eye to where your cars live, instead of making your front door the focal point?

Deciding what to hide is simple. Camouflage everything that's strictly utilitarian or that doesn't contribute to a simple, harmonious impression. Paint it the color of the surface on which it sits, or that it adjoins. Here are some examples:

Exterior Details to Hide, When Possible

• Construction banding boards (They are there as joinery, not as decoration!)
• Garage doors, if they can be painted. Read your door warranty.
• Utility boxes, wires and pipes
• Downspouts
• Gutters, if they can be painted, and the colors don't work with the roof or the paint colors
• Deck undercarriages and support posts, in some situations
• Roof jacks and vents
• Foundations
• Small vents in gables
• Small scale trim pieces used to create outlines

I can't help it! I have to get up on my soapbox now to rail against the unfortunate common practice of accenting banding boards. Seldom, if ever, is it desirable to create the impression that a building is an assemblage of segments, rather than a unified whole. Accenting banding boards creates visual confusion and detracts from the architecture. Drive around and look at examples in your neighborhood, then picture how much better those houses would look if those boards blended with the wall.

How in the world do these mistakes keep happening? I'll tell you. Unfortunately, most painting contractors, builders and homeowners aren't trained in color and design, so they go on automatic pilot and accent everything that's not a wall, or don't even think to hide those distracting pre-finished items, when it's possible.

I'm very proud to say that Roger and I are different. We combine knowledge and skill based on formal training and over twenty-five years experience as professional painting contractors, with color expertise and a concern for aesthetics.

If you're planning an exterior painting project, remember the house in this example and the power of color placement to change an ordinary outcome into one that adds beauty and value. 


Call me at 828-692-4355 to talk about what you'd like to accomplish, and to schedule an estimate. If we do the work for you, a color and design consultation is a free part of our service, a value-added approach you'll really appreciate when you see the results.

This Apple Isn't Red

Many people think of  color as the property of an object, but color really is a characteristic of visible light, part of the electromagnetic spectrum, as perceived by the eye and brain.

We all, meaning man and beast, see color differently, and some of us don't see color at all, or we see only certain colors. Perception is the heart of the matter. I see a red apple, and perhaps you do too, but we should keep in mind that this apple isn't really red. It just as easily could be seen as blue, or another color. The personal nature of color perception might explain some of those color decisions that otherwise are difficult to appreciate!

The Two One-Eyed Cats - A Christmas Story

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON 12/21/2011

Four years ago Roger and I decided that our Christmas present to each other would be to adopt a kitten from All Creatures Great and Small, a controversial local shelter that was in the process of closing. When we went there we found Baci, a very tiny feral ginger kitten, who came home and joined the family, to our continuing delight.

I also met Milky and Caramel, two one-eyed brothers who, as I was told, had injured each other during a fight. They both were so charming and affectionate that I didn’t see how the story could possibly be true, but there they were with their rakish pirate charm, and little chance of being adopted together, which was required because of their strong bond of devotion.

With so many healthy single animals there urgently needing homes, the chance of someone taking on two special needs cats was very small. Something had to be done to help them, so I told the staff that I would give a $100 adoption bonus to the person who would take them both. Someone on the staff of All Creatures told the Times-News about the bonus, and I was asked to come back to the shelter for an interview and picture with the boys. About a week after the story ran, no one had claimed the reward so I called All Creatures and was told that the kittens had been adopted, but they couldn’t be located for the routine follow-up the Humane Society was conducting. Fearing Milky and Caramel were dead, or worse, I blamed myself for calling attention to them, and for the next few months, whenever I thought about them I was deeply sad.

One day I went to the Post Office and found a letter with a return address that said only, “Milky and Caramel”. They were alive! I was so stunned and relieved I burst into tears in the middle of the parking lot. When I pulled myself together and opened the envelope, I found a note from the boys saying how happy they were, and several pictures to prove it. A few more times since then I’ve had cards and pictures of “Kumal and Sangha”, as they now are called, but the kind and still anonymous person who took them in has never asked for the bonus money.

Today I received a Christmas card that said, “My how we’ve grown! Four years old, still together and enjoying life. Haven’t forgotten your kindness…” Inside the card was a fuzzy picture of them looking very well-fed and content, the latest chapter in their remarkable story which I’m happy to share with you. 

POSTSCRIPT

March 16, 2023

Sangha died in the Fall of 2020 and Kumal died this morning. They had long and happy lives together, thanks to the loving kindness of the person who adopted them. Over the years we corresponded, and I saw many pictures of them playing, enjoying the sunshine, and watching the birds from the safety of their screened porch. Their benefactor and I have still never met, but we have built a connection that will endure. The story of the two one-eyed cats has had the happy ending that’s everything I hoped for. 

Take A Picture

One of my tried and true design tools is a photograph of the project I've just completed, whether it's a room, a Christmas tree or a flower arrangement. Try as I do to achieve balance, when I've worked to create something I don't see it objectively right away because I'm too close to it. Taking a picture gives me a chance to see my work with a fresh viewpoint and recognize what works, and what doesn't.

Take this Christmas tree, for example. I thought I'd done a reasonably good job of spacing the ornaments, but when I saw the picture I noticed there were clusters and gaps, and the tree needed a little tweaking.

Now I grant you that I may be a bit fussier about these things than most, but I always want to improve and I appreciate tools, like a picture, that help me make my work better. Try it for yourself and see what I mean.


By Sandy LeRoy