Ideas

Victorian House Paint Colors

May 3, 2012 | by handy | in Colors, Exterior Painting, Ideas

With roots tracing back to 17th century England, Victorian-era houses are an enduring legacy of European stateliness and majesty. Often referred to incorrectly as Victorian-style houses, Victorian-era houses, built during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837—1901), in fact come in many styles such as Second Empire, Queen Anne, and Italianate, to name only a few. These styles are vital to keep in mind when pondering a new coat of paint, as the features of each style often went hand in hand with certain colors. With some mindful planning and careful knowledge of the particular style of the house you’ll be able to draw out the beauty of the Victorian-era house that has kept it popular to this day.

It’s important to be attuned with the personal feel of your Victorian, but there are a few general directions for most houses to go in. Victorian houses often have some of the most flamboyant rainbows of color in the entire world, being the style of the famous “painted ladies”, which are painted in at least 3 contrasting colors mixed harmoniously to bring out the architectural embellishments of the house. A Victorian house just begs to be flaunted, and should you choose this route there are several ways to accomplish this. The most obvious, and possibly the boldest, way is the paint the house in contrasting colors (namely, red and green, blue and orange, purple and yellow). Another option is to use white as a canvas for contrast, and then to liven things up by strategically placing bold trims for highlight. If, however, you want to be true to the history of your Victorian, you can hire a professional to revitalize the historic colors of the house and all the stateliness and splendor that comes with it. Suggested color schemes are dark green and olive walls, trim and accents in blue, yellow, and sand brown and light green walls, trim in cream, dark green and terracotta for detailing around windows.

Exterior House Colors

April 22, 2012 | by handy | in Colors, Exterior Painting, Ideas

Painting the exterior of your home is an opportunity to recreate that all-important first impression of how your house looks and feels. Since the exterior of your house is going to be seen by other people much more than the interior, the outside reflects the spirit of your house and should be a statement about what you want them to see. A house can have the greatest interior in the world but be passed up without a second thought if the outside is an nauseous blend of bright pink and bright green. It is therefore important that the main showcasing element of your house be clean, presentable, and above all else, what you want it to be.

Because white is a very clean color that reflects all light and can work with any other color, it’s the most popular exterior color for a house. It works well on its own but can also be spiced up with personalized paint trims.

Neutral colors such as tan, gray, beige, cream, and light shades of brown are very popular in new houses and housing developments. If you want to make your house look more modern try using one of these colors with an option white trim. Remember that the sun will wash subtle colors that are too light, making it look white, so pick a shade that is just a little bit darker than what you want on your house.

Dark colors, though not as common as white and neutral colors, can be an exciting, unique way to go if you’re looking for something new. Dark colors will hide any surface imperfections in your house, as well as make your house stand out. If you want to create a bold first impression go with a dark color. Keep in mind that standing out, when taken to extremes, can destroy neighborhood color schemes. This decreases the value of the houses in the neighborhood and is a lose-lose situation.

Selecting a Painting Contractor

March 31, 2012 | by handy | in Ideas

There is a very famous story about Tom Sawyer when he was asked to paint a fence one day. Instead of acting like he hated the job (which he did) he acted like painting the fence was something he’d rather do than anything else. And sure enough when his friends came by, Tom was making it look so fun that they grabbed the brush and painted the fence for him. In this analogy, Tom Sawyer would be the paint contractor, someone who lays the plans and hires out all the necessary labor to complete the job. Even though it may not seem difficult to dip a brush in paint and smear it on the walls, painting is a time-consuming, mistake-prone process that requires a lot of meticulous planning and tedious cleanup. Unless you have a band of naive young children ready to do your dirty work for you, you’re probably better off looking for a knowledgeable professional who will deliver quality results.

Do Research

Unfortunately there is very little in the way of any standards, regulation, or governing

wendys review 300x216 Selecting a Painting Contractor

Yelp! reviewers aren't always people you would want to put your trust in

boards for paint contractors, to the point where basically anybody who wants to can declare themselves a painting contractor. Luckily, word of mouth is the lifeblood of any service-based company, and is often the most reliable standard by which to judge a paint contractor. Start with recommendations from friends and family, as this will often give you the best quality results. Online review sites such as Yelp can be potentially good sources, but it is easy for anybody to write unfair reviews so keep bias in mind. Set a budget and get quotes from multiple contractors so you have a wealth of options. Look at photos of their previous work.

Making the Decision

So you’ve done your research and narrowed down the field to a select few. It’s time to arrange to meet these painting contractors. The best painting contractors will quickly distinguish themselves by virtue of their communication skills, openness, knowledge, and flexibility. Keep your standards high and you will be rewarded with high quality results. Even if you end up not painting your house at all, it’s a lot better than sentencing yourself to years of heartache by going through with a job despite not liking a color.

Executing a Contract

Once you’ve finally found a good contractor, the next step is the contract. The contract should always specify the follow items:

-The work to be done, total cost, payment schedule, start date and estimated completion date.

-The paint brands and colors to be used in each location, as well as the number of coats.

-That the painter is responsible for cleanup and the removal of paint from all surfaces.

Rayco Painting is a Daly City house painting contractor

Rayco painting is a Daly City Ca painting contractor

Rayco Painting is a licensed Daly City CA Painting contractor

Colors for Interior Office Walls

March 25, 2012 | by handy | in Colors, Ideas, Interior Painting

When choosing a color for your office, remember that color can have subliminal effects on the mood of the room and by extension the direction of your business. Important factors to consider are the functionality of the room, the impression you want the room to have, and the people who are going to be inside. Choose vibrant colors that will keep your mind awake while you work while avoiding irritating colors such as yellow, purple, and bright red or green. Here’s a quick breakdown of commonly used colors and the environments they’re used in.

Blue: The color of the endless oceans and skies, blue has an expansive quality that makes it good for making small spaces appear larger. Blue is the favorite color of 42% of all people, and has been proven to have a calm, relaxing effect that can make people more focused and productive, making it a good choice for just about any environment. Its complement is orange.

Red: Potentially a very good or very bad choice in an office. Its a passionate color associated with love and romance, which creates a warm, inviting space, but it’s also associated with anger, causing distress in to some people. Good for spaces that require conversation and communication. It is often used as a trim or with its complement green.

Green: The color of life, green indicates growth, hope, and wealth if the shade is similar to that of a dollar bill. Good for corporate offices to suggest wealth and security. Generally used in dark hues as bright green is irritating. Its complement is red.

White: Sometimes no decoration can be the best decoration. White gives the impression of purity and cleanliness, which is why it’s used in hospitals. Be sure to keep your walls clean, since white does nothing to hide stains or marks. White can also be used as a trim or to create a canvas effect that allows you to weave in other colors.

Brown: A comfortable color that evokes feelings of security, credibility, and reassurance. Good for creating a grounded but welcoming environment. Tan, beige, and cream are among the most popular office colors for the warm effect they create and their resemblance to chocolate.

Rayco Painting is a Pleasanton house painting contractor

Rayco painting is a Pleasanton Ca painting contractor

Rayco Painting is a licensed Pleasanton City CA Painting contractor

How to Choose a Paint Color

March 13, 2012 | by handy | in Colors, Do It Yourself, Ideas, Interior Painting

Staring at a blank wall and trying to choose a new color can be overwhelming, especially when faced with the infinite array of choices available, but don’t worry! Choosing a new design for your walls is an experience brimming with opportunities and can even be fun if you follow a few professional guidelines.

Be Patient

Painting is a boring job and many people try to rush the job and get it done as soon as possible, only to paint themselves in to a corner (pun intended) when they make a mistake. Remember that a minute of preparation is worth an hour of cleanup.

Choosing a Color

Every room has its own “style” and “personality” depending on its functionality and a good choice of colors can form a wonderful complement with furniture and lighting. Color psychology is one approach to this. Different colors create different moods, for example cool colors such as blue produce calming chemicals in the brain and produce a relaxing effect, while warm colors such as red energize a room. Neutral colors are a good middle ground, with the middle two colors of a paint strip (a strip with different shades of the same color) being the “safest” choices.

Here are some examples of the different moods and personalities reflected in the color of a room.

Blue is the most popular color for all people, including kids. The color of the ocean and the sky, it is a familiar color that produces a calm, relaxing effect which has been proven to make people more productive when used in rooms. Its complement is orange.

The opposite of blue, red is an intense, passionate color associated with things such as love and blushing.When used well it can be a very warm and exciting color perfect for an energetic kid, but it is also somewhat risky as it is associated with negative emotions such as anger. It is often used as a trim, such as in the above picture. Its complement is green.

-Muted earth tones, such as brown, light gray and beige, have a grounding effect and are a good choice for hyperactive children.

-Since white reflects 80 percent of light, it makes rooms appear larger and brighter. White can serve as the base color, leaving you a lot of room to pull in other fun, colorful elements.

-Blue has been said to help prevent nightmares.

-Bright yellow can produce anxiety in babies and children.

-Green is believed to strengthen self esteem and makes dim rooms appear more vibrant.

For access to the full spectrum of color, open Microsoft Paint, go to Colors>Edit Colors>
Define Custom Colors. Drag the mouse around and play with the sliders until you find a color you like.

Rayco Painting is a Pleasanton house painting contractor

Rayco painting is a Pleasanton Ca painting contractor

Rayco Painting is a licensed Pleasanton CA Painting contractor

Popular Kid Room Colors

March 1, 2012 | by handy | in Colors, Designer's Corner, Ideas, Interior Painting

The key to choosing the right colors to paint your child’s bedroom with is to find the colors that most reflect your child’s personality. Let their personalities come through as they choose the paint colors for their bedrooms. However, if you need inspiration, below are some of the most popular colors that kids tend to favor.

Pink is of course the first color that comes to mind when imagining a girl’s room. Don’t immediately discount pink because of cliche though; pink is probably one of the best choices for a young girl, and can give her room a wonderful, unique aura. Purple is like a less extreme pink, being a color favored by females but not quite as cliche. Both these colors tend to work better in lighter shades.

Preparing a Room for Interior Painting

February 12, 2012 | by handy | in Ideas, Interior Painting

Proper planning and preparation is vital to a successful painting project.

Let’s face it—painting is a boring job. While many people love a fresh new layer of color in their houses, not everybody is willing to spend hours going through all the steps of preparation—and just when you think that’s time consuming, you’re faced with the job of actually painting the room. Many people blindly rush through the interior painting process, and end up having to spend more time undoing the horrible mess they’ve created than if they had simply taken the time to carefully assess the room and make plans accordingly (a stitch in time saves nine indeed). If you’re going to go solo, (and even if you hire a professional painter equipped with all the proper knowledge and equipment) you should at least make sure to account for the following things:

Tool Checklist

To avoid unnecessary trips to the store, buy all of the following materials in one trip.

Roller. Best for large areas of interior painting.
Brushes. Angled trim brush (2″) for baseboards, a smaller brush (1″) for window and door trim, and a trim edger come in handy.
Bucket
Screen
Roller tray
Stirrer
Old clothes to wear
Roller cover
Blue painter’s tape
Hole filler
Respirator or mask
Spackling
Sandpaper
Screwdriver (for removing hardware)
Sponges
Primers
Putty knife
Razor blades
Rags
Paint. One gallon covers about 400 square feet, and you’ll want to apply two coats so plan ahead. Always purchase top-quality products.
Paint pan
Plastic drop cloth
Canvas drop cloth

Preparing your Room

Move out furniture (or cover it). If there is enough room to keep furniture inside a room while you are painting it can be less time consuming to simply cover it.
Wear a mask or respirator. Paint odors are often very strong, and can often cause dizzyness and respiratory damage over an extended period of time. Respirators can be purchased at your local Home Depot. If wearing one is not an option, at least cover your mouth and nose and open a window.
Remove curtains and drapes (and blinds, if necessary).
Cover light fixtures or remove them.
Cover floors with tarps. Make sure to tape them down.
Keep your supplies and tools ready and within easy reach.
Remove nails
Caulk and patch any holes
Wash the walls

Tile and Stone Design for Baths

October 6, 2011 | by Jana | in Designer's Corner, Ideas

Fusion Slab Tile and Stone Design for Baths Comprehending the use of tile and stone in design is one of the great challenges in formulating the style and look of a home. One of the key elements in determining the direction of design is how strict you want to follow the architectural style of your home.

In today’s design world transitional design is the most popular and it allows the homeowner to create something unique within the context of the architecture. Transitional design blends the contemporary with the classics creating a design that places the style of the home harmoniously in the present reflecting the likes and dislikes of the owner.

The bath and kitchen have become the stars in the design world. Today, let’s look at the use of tile and stone in the designing of a bath and in the next discussion we can look at some ideas for kitchens. I looked through my portfolio to show some of the ideas one can do in developing the baths in your home. In making decisions for clients, listening to their needs, wants and appreciations directs me to the right products for their ideal bath.

Here are some ideas from past projects.

The owners of this bath had different thoughts about design. One loves traditional and the other loves contemporary. In this case transitional design is perfect for blending the classics of carrara marble and the beauty of contemporary glass.

The contemporary curved glass wall with the carrara is unique.

Carrara Shower2 Tile and Stone Design for Baths

The use of carrara mosaics soften the lines of the carrara slab and clean lines of the curved glass.

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Handmade ceramics mixed with glass and a beautiful granite slab that looks like marble.

In the shower the granite was used on the bench and on the shower curb to bring it into the shower room.

The use of the frameless glass doors helps to show off the lovely handmade tiles and glass liner.

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This bath reflects a contemporary Tuscan style with the use of granite on the counter (Persa Blue) and travertine and black marble on the floor and backsplash and shower design.

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The use of a wainscoting in this bath in gray and warm toned limestone creates a classic room.

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In the same Tuscan home the master bath follows the look with travertine and granite marble inserts.

Tuscan Master 2 Tile and Stone Design for Baths

The tumbled travertine 4-piece pattern softens the look of this master bath.

Tuscan Steam Shr Tile and Stone Design for Baths

Here is the steam shower in this Tuscan bath.

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Mosaic Shower Tile and Stone Design for Baths

Mosaics play a strong role in the design of this shower. The stone is Jerusalem gold and beige limestone.

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Travertine Counter Tile and Stone Design for Baths

This counter is honed antique gold.

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Jer. Gold shower Tile and Stone Design for Baths

Blending Jerusalem gold moldings and mosaics with rojo alicante marble inserts creates a warm spa shower.

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Contemporary Powder Tile and Stone Design for Baths

This powder room makes use of a hand carved Italian sandstone for a strong statement on the wall and black slate on the floor.

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A Tuscan jewel box powder room with golden travertine and mosaics of travertine and limestone with a hand-blown vessel sink.

Details of the wainscotting showing the details of the mosaics in contrast to the large golden travertine tiles. ___________________________________X___________________________________

Powder rooms are the jewel box of the home. It is the one place to really go dramatic and have fun like this contemporary powder room with porcelain and glass and a granite floor!

Details of the porcelain next to the glass vessel sink and the floating clear glass counter.

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Art Deco shower Tile and Stone Design for Baths

This contemporary bath is a bow to art deco. The tile is ceramic with ceramic penny tiles and a black granite counter and white porcelain floor.

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Here is an example of ceramic and the mix of glass mosaics and hexagon tiles. The mosaic glass is a green product, made of re-cycled glass.

The detail of the Greek marble and glass inserts with the hexagon mosaic shower floor show the use of white on white.

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This master shower was designed for a couple that loves the islands and nature. Opal honed marble and green river rock mixed with glass mosaics

The tower of river rock and glass give a feeling of a waterfall.

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This has been a short view of the possibilities of tile and stone in the bath. Next time: kitchen design and the use of tile and stone to create art in your home!

Imagine!

Calla Convergence @2010 Jana Geller

Jana Geller

Jana Geller has designed hundreds of projects from small and large residential to commercial projects, specializing in interior design, tile and stone consultation, and color consultation; project management, coordination of installation, product research, and vendor management. Her design and product knowledge and artistry offer a viewpoint unique to the industry. She has a BFA in painting and ceramics.

Contact: 650 279-2103 

jana@janagellerdesign.com

http://www.janagellerdesign.com/

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Favorite links:

http://www.dunisstudios.com/tileCollections/about.htm

http://www.michellegriffoul.com/

http://www.motawi.com/?module=Home

http://www.tilevera.com/TILEVERA.html

http://www.tilevera.com/tile_envy/

http://www.calpot.com/

http://www.antiquitytile.com/

http://www.allnaturalstone.com/

The Beauty of Tile as a Design Element…..

August 24, 2011 | by Jana | in Colors, Designer's Corner, Ideas

One of the most inspiring elements of a home is the choice of tile for flooring, backsplashes or wall surfaces. Tile can add strength to architectural features throughout a home. Tile can add an artistic focal point in a room. For instance, in the foyer of a home it can define the entrance with a tile rug or tile mosaic. In a kitchen, it can give focus to the wall behind the range. In the living room, the fireplace hearth becomes the center of attention. Baths can become far away places with the beauty of stone or porcelain and ceramic tiles. Although it is an ancient artistic surface, in the past 10 years the art of tile is coming back into the light of creativity and appreciation.

Whether you are talking about stone or ceramics there are two ways of thinking about tile. Field tiles are the dominant plane and decorative tiles are the reason for the design! From ceramics and porcelains to beautiful stones, glass and mosaics; tile has risen to the top of design as one of the most creative statements in a home.

Today I would like to take a look at decorative tiles that inspire a room. One of my all time favorite local stars of tile is the Tilevera company in Sausalito. The beauty of their hand-painted stone tiles makes an amazing statement for any home. Their collections are exquisite. Tilevera’s latest is the stunning Hearst Castle Collection. http://www.tilevera.com/TILEVERA.html

The Tilevera Castlewood line is coming soon an exciting new line!

Individual decorative tiles are offered by Tilevera.

The variety in this company is outstanding for many uses through any style home.

Including Morrocan!

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The bay area is fortunate to have so many great tile companies and tile stores. One of my favorite tile stores is All Natural Stone in San Jose and Burlingame. They display a multitude of tile creators and stone distributors from all over California and the country. Here is a taste of some of the manufacturers available at their store.

Motawi Tileworks is a boutique tilemaker creating beautiful hand made ceramic tiles. http://www.motawi.com/?module=Home

The sculptural delicacy of their deco tiles are beautiful.

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All Natural Stone also has on display the California Pottery and Tileworks http://www.calpot.com/ a classic California tile company.

California Pottery fountain.

Detail of peacocks in fountain.

California Pottery has a glaze surface that reminds me of fine enamel work.

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Another classic company is Antiquity Tile at All Natural Stone. http://www.antiquitytile.com/

Beautiful handmade tile in a unique and classic fireplace.

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All Natural Stone displays the boutique tile company of California artist Michelle Griffoul. Her tile work is incredibly unique and full of whimsy.

www.michellegriffoul.com/

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More whimsy from Dunis Studios. beautiful dichroic glass and All Natural has it on display.http://www.dunisstudios.com/tileCollections/about.htm

Dunis Studios Ceramics Classical Field

Dunis Studios Topography Series

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Angela Sanders is a tremendously talented mosaic artist located in Los Altos here are a few of her installations. I love the freshness of her design and the relationship to the garden in this pool installation.

This is a glass table made by Angela. Having walked through her studio, I have to

say her glass tables are translucent and ethereal.

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Tile is an inspiring and wonderful addition to any home. Next time: The use of tile and the wonderful options for flooring and wall surfaces!

Imagine the possibilities with tile!

Jana Geller

Contact: 650 279-2103
jana@janagellerdesign.com

http://www.janagellerdesign.com/

What is a 203K loan?

August 21, 2011 | by saul | in Do It Yourself, Ideas

Fixer-Uppers can turn into great investments

“Fixer-uppers” are often times overlooked by potential homeowners due to the inability to borrow money from their banks. Banks would rather you make the repairs first, while homeowners actually need the loan to make the repairs in the first place. Although these “fixer-uppers” can be great investments, this perceived inability to get a loan to start such a project causes potential homeowners to look elsewhere. However there are loan programs that can be taken advantage of that will help someone purchase that house that may need a little love.

The HUD(Department of Housing and Urban Development) has a program that will help you get that “fixer-upper”. HUD’s 203k program allows you to purchase a property and will allow you to include in the loan the cost of making repairs on the home. This FHA insured program is provided nationwide through approved mortgage lenders, and available to those wanting to occupy the home. The down payment required is about 3 percent of the total acquisition and repair costs of the home.

There are some steps that need to be taken for the 203k program:

The potential homeowner finds the “fixer-upper” and executes a sales contract after doing proper research on the property. This contract will state that the buyer requests a 203k loan and that the contract is contingent on any additional required repairs being approved by the FHA/lender and included in the loan.
The buyer needs to select an FHA-approved 203k lender, and develops a proposal outlining the scope of work that needs to be done, which should include a cost estimate on each repair of the project.
When the buyer passes the lender’s credit-worthiness test, the loan will close for an amount that will cover the purchase cost of the property, the repair costs and the allowable closing costs. The amount of the loan will also include a contingency reserve of 10% -20% of the total repair costs and is used to cover any extra work not included in the original proposal.
At closing, the seller of the property is paid and the remaining funds are put in an escrow account to pay for the repairs during the rehabilitation period.
The mortgage payments and repairs begin after the loan closes. The borrower can decide to have more than one mortgage payment put into the cost of rehabilitation if the property is not going to be occupied during the repair process, but it has to stay within the length of time it is estimated to complete the rehab.
Escrowed funds are released to the contractor during construction through a series of draw requests for completed work.

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Referred by

Victorian House Paint Colors

Exterior House Colors

Selecting a Painting Contractor

Colors for Interior Office Walls

How to Choose a Paint Color

Popular Kid Room Colors

Preparing a Room for Interior Painting

Tile and Stone Design for Baths

The Beauty of Tile as a Design Element…..

What is a 203K loan?

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