Interior Painting Trends for 2016

This Year’s Interior Design And House Painting Trends

Each year, interior designers discuss trends for home décor, which include colours for house painting. If you are planning to spruce up your home, here are some of the latest décor trends for interior painting:

Blues

Blues make rooms feel calm and relaxing. Whether you want the feel of a beach house or a garden home, blues will give you that serene atmosphere. Blue Heron calls to mind beaches and oceans, so it is perfect for that beach house feel. It complements orange and canary yellow accents by cooling down their brightness. You can include those warm summer colours without being overwhelmed by their intensity. Parma Gray is a lighter shade of blue with lavender, which has a very calming effect. It is versatile, and works well with black or white accents in the room. If you’re going for that garden home look, consider white furniture and bouquets. If you want a more sophisticated look, go for black accents.

Greens

Intense green walls with neutral-coloured furnishings (like wood) are in style. This décor is reminiscent of nature and relaxation. Deep Green freshens up a room and works well with many accents. Relentless Olive truly complements wood furnishings for that relaxing cottage feel.

Pinks

Pinks can liven up a room, or calm down more intense accents, depending on the shade. Salmon Peach is like a pink sunset. When accented with black furniture, it’s reminiscent of the Art Deco period, which provides a cosmopolitan décor. Cameo Pink is light, with coral and beige. It works well with vibrant patterns by calming them down.

Purples

Purples are also calming colours, and are very versatile. Spring Lilac is soothing, and works well with espresso, brown patterns, and animal prints. Brinjal is a deep eggplant purple, recommended for an office, library, or entryway. This rich, luxurious colour pairs well with yellow accents.

Teals

Teals are versatile paint colours. Pacific Ocean Blue goes well with white accents and wood furniture. Rainstorm is a deep blue that complements brass, gold, and animal prints—if you’re going for that luxurious and glamourous look. It is recommended for an entryway, office, library, or powder room.

Whites

Whites might sound boring, but they are the most versatile, room-brightening paint colours. If you’re ever unsure of a colour, any interior painting expert will advise you to go with white. Both 2016 Colors of the Year for Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams paints are whites—Simply White and Alabaster White, respectively.

Yellows

Yellows are warm and work well with many accents. Corn Silk is a soft, pale yellow, and is perfect for bedrooms because it’s reminiscent of waking up to the warm sun. Funky Yellow is bright, warm, and very versatile. It is recommended for garden rooms and breakfast nooks, and works well with grey, taupe, plum, mauve, and burgundy accents.

To find these interior painting trends and more, check out this website.

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Josh Abramson: Key Takeaways Learned Over 29 Years

Most people don’t know that Josh Abramson was a high school dropout, or that he grew up in a single parent home with a mother who struggled to provide basic necessities. The family relied on government assistance to put food on the table and frequently moved, forcing Josh and his younger sister to attend multiple schools.

Despite these challenges, Josh used his family’s struggles as motivation to build a better life for himself and future family. When he was 21 years old, he started A.Allbright Wallpaper Hanging & Painting in 1987 while living in a small apartment with his mother and sister in Granada Hills, California.

Over the past 29 years, Josh has grown to become an industry leader through his nationwide speaking engagements, humanitarian efforts, and the innovative products he has developed for the painting industry as a whole.

In this interview, Josh talks about the importance of company culture, failures, where he’d like to see his company in 10 years, and a few other pieces of advice he feels other business owners could find beneficial.

The Importance of Company Culture

Josh, let’s start with your team – the people that work with you on a daily basis and help transform your vision for the company into a reality. Any tips you’d be willing to share on how to create an environment that keeps employees happy and motivated?

I guess if I had to point to one thing, I’d say it’s the “Painting Happiness” culture we’ve created at ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING. It’s something I’ve been working on since starting the company (without knowing it), and, especially over the past 5 years, have realized how important it is for us.

A big part of our culture is investing in employees which is something I’ve always been interested in. I put together a business plan that summarized what I wanted ALLBRiGHT to be known for. The first is that the company would be nationally known for its professionalism, our contributions to the trade, and our local community efforts. The second was to treat our employees like we would treat our best customers.

We invest in our employees through leadership and trade training, employee events, contests, and retreats. We’re always excited to recognize the personal and company achievements of our team.

I’d also think it’s worth mentioning our internal communication tool, Yammer, which has become so much more than just a communication platform for us. It’s now an area to encourage other team members about the projects they’re working on, including sales, safety practices, and also personally through sharing pictures of dogs, kids, etc. I encourage our employees to post on Yammer to build relationships with other employees.

Attracting the Right People

It sounds like you’ve really put a lot of time and planning into creating an awesome environment for your team. How do you find and hire people that are a good fit culturally?

We have been using our core values and culture to attract some of the very best employees. Our goal is to make ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING the “best” place anyone has ever worked. We strive for this every day and we work hard at making that happen.

Just yesterday when my Office Manager and Sr. Admin Assistant were asked what they like about working here by a person they were interviewing, they both had the same answer. They said they love working here because they get to be themselves, everyone is happy to be here, and there isn’t any added stress from co-worker conflicts because we all work toward the same goals.

[The below video was created by ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING and discusses the company’s “Painting Happiness” culture]

It Needs to Be a Good Fit Both Ways

One part of our hiring process is a group interview. It’s a time for us to share our culture and our values and what we’re doing for our trade. It’s also a time for the applicants to get to know the company to see if it’s a good fit for them.

We also offer our Paint-It-Smart internship program as a way to bring on new team members who may not be experts in the trade, but are a great fit culturally.

Hindsight Is Always 20/20

Josh, what would you say is one of your biggest failures as a business owner – what happened and what did you learn?

One of my biggest failures was not identifying our core company values and culture sooner, and allowing others within the team (especially out in the field painting) to develop their own values that were in direct conflict with ours. Once I identified these top core values and became passionate about them, it was a game changer. As an example, we no longer held on to a fast, money-making, productive painter/employee who didn’t share in our vision. We invited them to go be successful somewhere else, and we developed our “culture” that encouraged our employees to be happier, faster, smarter, more trustworthy team players.

Improving Upon Systems That Aren’t Working

Talk to us about areas where you’ve innovated in the industry – what was your inspiration?

My goal is to always make life better and improve on a system that isn’t working. Many years ago, I saw that our current estimating process wasn’t something we could grow our company with. Our trade association was coming out with one that was very complicated and I wanted something that was very simple and faster than what was currently available. I came up with a way to integrate a system with Word and Excel to develop a scope of work on the spot. If a customer was interested in moving forward they could sign before we ever left the driveway.

The One Step Estimating App was also based on allowing us to help someone who didn’t have years of estimating experience to come up with a consistent, fair price that was repeatable. I set out to fix a problem in my company and, after I showed it to a couple of people, they said, “When can I write a check?” Back then, before a lot of contractors had fax machines or even emails, it was way ahead of its time.

Giving Back

What are the company or personal awards you’ve received that you’re most proud of?

I’d have to say the PDCA’s Humanitarian of the Year Award that we won twice for giving back to the trade and our local community. It’s an award they only give out when someone has done something exemplary. We received the awards for helping our painting trade by developing the One Step Estimating App and for teaching other painting contractors how to start and grown their own Paint-It-Forward programs. It was a shock both times; I didn’t even know I was in the running! I was also honored to win the Leadership Award from Summit Services at their Grand Summit. It was a surprise, as I felt there were much better leaders out there.

Moving Forward

Where would you like to see ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING in 10 years?

We are growing in size and in a lot of different ways that others want to be a part of. I’m constantly being asked by other very smart individuals if they can be a part of this “Painting Happiness’ culture in other areas that we don’t service.

I see ALLBRiGHT growing in different areas of California and perhaps around the country soon. In fact, I’m currently developing some new technology that I’m hoping will help with this vision and our industry. I’m excited to share this soon.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to leave us with?

It’s okay to strive for building a business that develops leaders that are better than you are. Oftentimes we have a lot of pride and don’t want to inspire people to be better than we are. I like to look for ways to bring people to my level and above. If I can make someone wildly more successfully than I am, then I’ve succeeded. There’s enough business out there for all of us.

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Brian Jensen

Brian Jensen is the CEO of Congruent Digital, a full-service online marketing agency that provides clients with a data-driven approach to search engine optimization, social media, content marketing and pay-per-click advertising. Contact Brian for a free consultation on how to improve your company's online presence.

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Stanley Smart Measure – Pro or Not So?

“When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it.”
— Lord Kelvin

Even though that quote wasn’t made about painting, I assume (considering he developed the Kelvin scale that’s not a huge leap on my part), it still speaks volumes about how important numbers actually are- And the only way you can get real numbers for a paint job is to take measurements (of any sort).

I am a big proponent of measuring the scope of a project for a 3 main reasons:

1. Guessing is never consistent.

2. It is easily teachable if you are in a position to scale.

3. It helps you stay firm on pricing when someone asks for a discount because the measurements confirm, to you, that your price lines up with their specific needs- Even when they think their needs should cost less.

There are other reasons to measure a project, but that’s a topic for another day….

Because of my personal feelings on the importance of it, I’m always excited when I see a new tool or method to measure something. After doing some research, if the theory behind it seems promising I’m typically willing to invest in the product or software if I think it will allow me to do what I’m currently doing in a way that is either:

More efficient or more impressive to a potential client.

Finding a tool that does both is like hitting the jackpot on penny slots- It’s not really worth that much but it sure feels good.

It’s usually pretty easy to tell if something is more impressive than the current options. But, even if it is more impressive it still needs to do what it’s supposed to do.

And do it in a way that makes life easier, or has in impact in Awesome that makes up for making life just a little bit harder.

The Product

Let me introduce you to the Stanley Smart Measure Pro. It attaches to the back of your phone with padded arms and connects over Bluetooth.  After you calibrate the eye of the laser, which takes about ten minutes, you have access to 2 primary measuring options.

1. A laser that measures a straight line… like any other digital tape measure.

2. A software that uses a picture to measure the total square feet of the surface area in the picture.

The Process Part 1 – Laser Measurements

The process of using a digital tape measure is pretty straight forward- you put the butt of the tool up against the wall, you push the button, and the screen displays the distance.

Stanley’s digital tape option works similarly, but with a few differences. The main difference is the laser is always measuring. Because of that, as you move your phone around, the distance changes. For all intents and purposes, it doesn’t affect much.

The other differences vs a standard digital measuring tape are:

1. You can’t freeze the measurement on the screen.

2. Since you have to look at the screen to read the measurement you have to lean against the wall, hold the phone in front of your face, and then add about a foot to get the correct distance.

Thankfully, for most interior painting, being within a few inches is more than adequate so I don’t consider either of those challenges a deal breaker.

Chatting with a client while taking measurements makes it a little easier to forget the number you just looked at (because it’s not frozen on the screen), but I do that occasionally anyways with my go-to digital measuring tool.

The Process Part 2 – Picture Based Measurements

The laser measuring part of the tool was adequate, but didn’t really add any Awesome beyond a normal digital tape measure so the second feature was the one I was really looking forward to. I was dreaming of being able to get home from a consultation and email the measurement photos to potential clients as my first follow-up.

So I set about trying to see if my dreams would become reality.

Step 2

As mentioned earlier, you have to calibrate the camera before you can take accurate measurements. Once that’s done you have to complete a few steps before you get your measurement.

1. Take a picture of the first wall you want to measure.

2. Drag an outline around the largest rectangle on the wall as a guide.

Step 3

3. Drag an outline around the perimeter of the wall to measure the distance.

4. Repeat the process for every other wall you need to measure.

Now that may not sound too difficult, and it’s not necessarily a hard task, but trying to line up precise points while using only your finger on a (smaller than) 5 inch screen isn’t a quick process.

The Results

Interior

It takes roughly two minutes to measure one wall after you snap the picture. So measuring a single room takes around 10 minutes- without writing the numbers down anywhere.

I’m sure the process would take even longer if there was a tablet in my hands and I was trying to carry on a conversation with one or more homeowners.

The major problem with using this to measure interiors is that in an averaged size room you can’t get far enough away from the wall to measure the entire wall.

Exterior

I was a little discouraged after measuring out an interior and learning of the space limitation of the Smart Measure Pro; but exterior measuring is where I was really hoping to increase the Awesome anyways.

Measuring exteriors is more or less the same process as outlined above and it’s subject to the same shortcomings as outlined above. There’s not much I can add here, but I do like the fact that you can measure gable ends.

Like the inside measurements you have to get pretty far away to measure the whole surface. You can tell from these 2 pictures that your distance from the wall needs to be almost twice the width of the wall you want to measure. For some homes that won’t be a problem, but I think you could forget about using it in a tightly packed subdivision.

 

So, what is it good for then?

After testing out the Stanley Smart Measure Pro I see 2 main roles it can fill in my measuring arsenal.

1. A backup digital tape for interior measurements. The process of standing up against the wall to take the measurement makes me feel a little goofy. Because of that I wouldn’t want to use it as my main measuring tool. However, the rechargeable battery means I never have to worry about my main digital tape leaving me stranded mid-estimate just because I don’t keep spare AA batteries in my truck. I keep a normal tape measure as a backup now, but it can be clunky working around furniture with it.

2. A go to for measuring gable ends or the square footage of surfaces that are on the second story and need to be measured for repair or replacement. The exterior measurement I took of the front of that garage was within a foot of the actual width of the building. Considering I was over 80 feet away I think that’s pretty accurate. Gable ends that are on the second story or higher are typically difficult to measure from the ground and I would love to start putting a square footage price to them. Right now if a homeowner want’s them accented I just add an amount of money that seems good to me. Since I haven’t had a way to measure them, I haven’t bothered to track production rates when we paint them.

What could be improved?

Most of the shortcomings seem like they could have been discovered, and remedied, by more field testing. However I’m not an engineer, so I don’t  know if either of these changes were doable in the space they were working with and I’m not an accountant so I don’t know if the changes would have stretched their target price point just a little too far.

It would have been nice if they added a secondary laser to the top of the unit or made the laser head swivel somehow. Either of those options would have made the process less goofy feeling and it definitely would have been an increase in sizzle over a regular digital tape.

A way to freeze that measurement on screen would have been great as well, but that is a limitation that would have been easier to overlook.

An “Awesome” option would have been a button that captured a low quality screenshot with the measurement and saved it to a folder so you could easily consult the pictures later.
On the picture measuring side of things- the app doesn’t use the whole field of view from the phones camera.  This could have been a problem with the camera in my specific phone, but it still seems like an oversight. It could have been compensated for by including a wide angle adapter that would attach to the phones camera or giving the tool its own wide angle lens. The second option would have even eliminated the need to calibrate the device also, which would be a benefit for tech-challenged people (probably not their target market, but I’m just thinking in text right now).

So, is it more efficient or more impressive to a potential client?

I really wanted to like this tool, and while writing out this review I have been trying to convince myself that I must have missed something. Unfortunately this is just a situation where the usefulness of the tool fell short of my dreams.

Looking at the criteria I laid out earlier in this review, besides measuring gable ends, this tool didn’t do anything that can’t be done quicker with other products.

I’m not sure if it would be more impressive to a client since I didn’t test it out in a “pressure” situation.

Maybe I’m old-school, but backing really far away from someone’s house, snapping a picture, fumbling around on my phone for a few minutes and then repeating the process at least 3 more times didn’t seem like the best way to win over a potential client.

Have you tried the Stanley Smart Measure Pro or did I miss an awesome feature? Let me know your thoughts on it in the comments below. And don’t worry, I’m going to keep dreaming

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Michael Hines

I started my company with a belief that I could represent a shift in how people perceive a paint job and a painting company. See, painting is not just a service that you buy from the lowest bidder. A painting company is an asset to be trusted with your largest investment.

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Sell Your Home For More With Fresh Paint

Colourful Ways To Add Value To Your Home When It’s Time To Sell

No matter how beautifully a home is staged, it’s always going to look just a little bit dull if all the walls are shades of beige and off-white. According to a number of house painters, what you need to do to garner that extra interest from potential buyers is make your home pop with some fresh colors. Not only that, but studies have shown that you can actually ask and get more for your home when you’ve done something a little different with the paint. Here are some tips from Ottawa painting companies.

The Exterior

So you’re not going to paint the outside of your house bright purple – there is such a thing as the wrong kind of attention. However, house painters know that buyers are attracted to subtle flair, which is why a bright white exterior with colored trim is an excellent way to make the right first impression. Try olive green, maroon, or baby blue trim to really stand out.

The Interior – Bigger Spaces

Rooms like the kitchen and living room are going to be some of the biggest deciding factors when it comes to a buyer’s interest, and using the right colors can make them feel comfortable and “at home” which, according to painting companies in Ottawa, increases the likelihood of them paying a higher price. Lately, bright colors like yellow, orange, and red have proven to be the best colors for kitchens, while more muted but still colorful pastels are best for the living room.

The Interior – Smaller Spaces

Bedrooms, offices, and other small rooms gain more interest when they feel cozy, house painters say. You can achieve this feeling with deep colors like navy blue, espresso, and pine green. These colors might seem heavy for a small space, but when paired with cream or white accents (curtains, pillows, comforters, etc.) they make for a potent combination.

Colors To Avoid

Gray has been trendy this year, but don’t go overboard or too dark with it. Gray has actually been shown to drive off potential buyers, but if you’re set on using it, it works best as an accent color – such as a couch. Also, too much white, off-white, or tan can make the house feel bland, incentivizing a buyer to pay a lower price.

If you’re getting ready to sell your house, arm yourself with these tips and sell for more. And don’t worry about your realtor’s advice to stay neutral – house painters see how many neutral houses get painted over quickly.

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Sherwin Williams Snap Dry

SnapDry™ Semi-Gloss Door and Trim Paint dries in as little as one hour of application and a door can be closed without sticking. SnapDry™ is resistant to dirt and fingerprints, UV and weathering. SnapDry™ can be used in both interior and exterior application.

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Bold Colour Choices to Make People Notice

Express Yourself with Exterior House Painting

Want your house to stand out on the block? Here are some bold house colour choices for homeowners who want to make a statement with their house painting.

Painting Brick Exterior

Homeowners usually choose brick because of its durability and built-in color, never intending to make any changes. However, painting the brick on the exterior of your home can be a terrific way to make your house pop.  If you decide to go this route, consider the following:

• Chipped or damaged brick should not be painted.
• It should be repainted every three to five years, according to the Brick Industry Association.
• If you change your mind, it can be difficult to remove paint from brick.

Adding Bright Roof Colours

Adding exterior colour to the roof is usually a safe choice. Why not ramp it up by painting the roof a bright colour? It can change the entire look of your home. Some things to keep in mind before you buy a few gallons of fuchsia or neon yellow paint:

• Painting the roof is more permanent than changing the colour of your walls.
• An expert can help you choose the right colour scheme.
• The roof should be clean before you get started.

Colourful Trim And Doors

Say goodbye to boring black and brown doors and hello to green, orange, or blue.  House painting can boost your curb appeal and make your front entry more inviting. Fortunately, it is easier to experiment with door colours if you change your mind. If you’re making your door a focal point:

• Pick a colour that complements the feel of your home.
• Mute a too-bright door with glaze.
• Add a strip of crown molding for extra flair.

Exterior House Painting Do’s and Don’ts

• Do examine colour samples outside to get the best idea of how they will look on the exterior of your home.
• Do paint a small area of the body, trim, and accent colours first so you can see how they appear together.
• Do consider the amount of sun your home gets on a daily basis. If the sun is too intense it can wash out the colours you paint.
• Don’t accent elements that shouldn’t stand out, such as uneven windows and gutters.
• Don’t pick a colour that clashes with neighbouring houses.
• Don’t ignore landscaping. Will trees and flowers change colours? Is the area heavily wooded?

 

You can use colour to create all types of moods with house painting. Experimenting with exterior paint colours is a great way to give your home personality.

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New Build Homes

New Build Homes – Why Choosing a Quality Contractor Counts   On completion of a new build project it is vital to finish the job properly by employing a quality contractor to undertake the painting and decorating. Having put lots of hard work into the design and build of a home, it’s simply not worth …

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