First Impressions with Exterior House Painting

January 29, 2014 By

Exterior Painting for First ImpressionsHave you ever heard the expression, “What looks in, looks out”?

When it comes to a home’s exterior, perhaps truer words were never spoken. In addition to the usual question of general curb appeal, when a home’s outside presents a freshly painted and well-kept appearance, chances are the inside is also well maintained.

For homeowners, a clean, crisp exterior paint job can impart feelings of order and aesthetic balance, along with a little pride. This works wonders and can even boost one’s sense of well being! On the other hand, a place with peeling, faded siding and dingy trim, can make a heart sink. Furthermore, anyone considering a home’s appreciation potential or contemplating a future sale, will want to keep the exterior of their residence looking its very best. After all, a home is typically the largest single investment most individuals will ever make and maintaining, updating, and upgrading the property is an ongoing and rewarding process!

How do you feel when you arrive at your “Home Sweet Home”?

At Colour Solutions we can help you discover a variety of ways to put your home’s best foot forward. Sometimes all that’s needed is a quick pressure wash or touch-up paint job on the exterior trim, entryways or steps. Our staff of designers has years of experience in guiding our customers to paint and stain choices that will best suit their needs.

The weather in southeastern North Carolina can be tough on exterior finishes. The heat of summer, heavy rains and wind, salt air, plus the frequent humidity, may generate issues such as mold, mildew, and even accelerate the aging of some paints and stains. If it has been a while since you reviewed what’s available in the way of exterior paint and stain products, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. The team at Colour Solutions is equipped to offer suggestions including which products will perform their best to keep your home’s exterior looking fresh and new for years to come.

To arrange for a free estimate or consultation, just give us a call at 910-686-3067.

Spring is truly just around the corner, which is why now is the perfect opportunity to get your home looking its very best! We look forward to working with you in the future and encourage you to read what our many satisfied customers are saying about our services.

Filed Under: Blog, Exterior Painting, House Painting Tagged With: ,

Selling Your Home? It May be Time to Paint

January 9, 2014 By

Painting Before Selling Your HomeAnyone considering putting a home on the market may scoff at the idea of investing in a new paint job. After all, won’t the new owners choose their own colors and shouldn’t they be able to see beyond those dingy walls and chipped trim? While these points may be valid, investing in fresh paint, both inside and out, can be much more beneficial than you may think. Designers and home improvement professionals have agreed for some time, that dollar for dollar, painting nets the most bang for the buck! Furthermore, putting your home’s best foot forward by making needed repairs, updates, and applying new paint, will very likely increase its value and allow for a higher asking price.

Improving your home with paint can be as involved as completely painting your home’s exterior, redoing every room with the latest trendy colors or just touching up the trim. If it has been a while since you chose new paint, the experts at Colour Solutions will be happy show you the latest products and colors and steer you in the right direction. They have experience with creating neutral palettes that will compliment the setting and appeal to a broad base of potential homebuyers.

In addition to painting, the Colour Solutions team can also help you get your home “move-in” ready. Here are just a few examples of some of the other home improvement services we offer:

  • Concrete Cleaning – Makes driveways, walkways and patios look new.
  • Drywall repair – Fix those problems before painting!
  • Wallpaper removal – This can be tricky and leave an uneven surface, which is why we’ll be glad to tackle this type of job.
  • Gutter cleaning – Unclogged gutters show that a house has been well maintained.
  • Pressure Washing – Nothing beats it for prepping a home’s exterior prior to painting.
  • Stripping and refinishing doors, floors & other surfaces – The Colour Solutions crew can freshen up tired woodwork.
  • Light Carpentry – We also do small jobs and minor repairs.

Before calling your real estate agent, please call Colour Solutions. We’ll help you spruce up your property so it will list for the maximum asking price! Please give us a call at 910-686-3067.

Filed Under: Blog, House Painting Tagged With: , ,

Beach House Paint Colors

October 14, 2013 By

Beach House Paint ColorsThe fall season is often a time of reflection for homeowners along the southeastern coast of N.C. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day the weeks are typically filled with trips to the beach, time on the boat, barbeques and numerous house guests.

When autumn finally rolls around, many who own coastal properties notice some serious sprucing up is in order. The summer heat and humidity can wreak havoc on your home’s painted surfaces, inside and out. At Colour Solutions, we agree with the old adage, that dollar for dollar, painting your home is one of the most cost-effective improvements you can make. With fall’s cooler temps and dryer air, perfect painting conditions are here, so why not freshen up your beach house with some favorite coastal color combinations?

For exteriors, classic choices are a solid winner. Along the beaches of N.C., lots of homeowners choose shades that blend and compliment their surroundings. Timeless matches are rich grays, sandy beiges, butter cream yellows, pale shades of sage and light blue, all paired with crisp, white trim.

Recently, there’s a trend to opt for the bold and cheerful Caribbean color schemes. Vibrant hues of pink, orange, aqua, blue, and yellow can totally transform an older beach cottage. Whimsical contrasting pops of color for the trim, doors, windows, and shutters, are also very popular.

To maintain an airy feel inside the home, light colors are always a good choice. Whitewashed walls with accents of bottle blue, sea glass green, beach sand, or pelican gray are effective for achieving cottage chic. Painted ceilings and floors are another easy way to make rooms bright and breezy.

The idea of painting old knotty pine paneling that is in some older beach houses, would make some cringe, however, there’s no better way to lighten up. The same goes for brick fireplaces and mantels. Changing the finish from tired red clay to serene oyster white works wonders and is an easy way to update.

For more ideas, we encourage you to schedule an appointment to discuss paint and stain options. Please call us today at 910-686-3067 or contact us online.

Filed Under: Blog, Exterior Painting, House Painting Tagged With: , , , , ,

Transform Your Front Porch to a Cozy Living Space

September 30, 2013 By

Transform Your Front PorchHave you heard? The front porch is the new family room! With southeastern N.C.’s mild climate, it’s possible to enjoy “porch time” virtually year round. A well-appointed front porch can easily serve as the ideal place for relaxing or entertaining. A few pieces of comfy furniture, a fresh coat of paint, and cheery pots of annuals are a great place to start. Here are several more easy suggestions:

  • Perhaps a new paint color for the steps and trim? Painted floors and ceilings on porches can also add a lot of pizzazz.
  • Accessorize your space with items that compliment the paint choices. For example, new cushions for the rockers, decorative ceramic pots for plants, and a colorful welcome mat. See more: Add to or Improve Your Outdoor Living Space This Summer
  • Just as you would with a room, it’s possible to designate seating or dining areas with a cleverly placed rug, painted floor cloth, or small dining table. Old dressers, benches or dry sinks can set a whimsical, homey tone. Using the new colored chalkboard paint is a great way to rejuvenate a neglected piece of furniture and make it a focal point.
  • Skillfully placed mirrors or art on canvas are yet more ways to transform your porch into something special.
  • Seasoned southerners may want to give their porch ceiling a coat of blue paint. Several theories about this practice contend that it fools spiders and wasps because they think it’s the sky, plus, blue is good luck and wards off evil spirits!
  • The front porch is the perfect setting to show off collections of things like seashells, watering cans, polished stones, jars of buttons or marbles, glass bottles and old tools.
  • Adding a bamboo shade to one end of a front porch provides privacy. This can also be achieved naturally with a stand of Confederate Jasmine. It’s a lush evergreen vine and smells divine when it blooms in early summer.
  • Other touches that add extra charm are wind chimes, hurricane lamps, and birdhouses.

If you’d like to begin your front porch transformation with new paint, please give the designers at Colour Solutions a call at 910-686-3067 or contact us online.

Filed Under: Blog, House Painting Tagged With: , , , , ,

5 Ways to Add Curb Appeal to Your Home in Summer

June 20, 2013 By

Add Curb Appeal to Your HomeAre you trying to get your home looking its absolute best before putting it up for sale? Or perhaps you’re trying to market it as a rental property and you want it looking great so you’ll attract more visitors? Or, maybe you just want to improve your home’s curb appeal even though you aren’t planning on moving out any time soon! Whatever your motivations may be, summertime can be a great season for adding some oomph to your home’s exterior.

Here’s a look at 5 easy ways to boost curb appeal without having to spend a lot of time and energy.

1. Neat and Clean Windows (Keep them clean and free of cracks!)

Sadly, many homeowners forget to tend to their windows during their regular home maintenance. This is a shame because nice, clean windows can do wonders for both your home’s interior and exterior. It will make your home look brighter, more inviting, and it will help fill your rooms with natural daylight.

In addition to having your windows thoroughly cleaned (inside and outside panes), you should check around the window panes for cracks or other minor damages, either to the surrounding wood shutters or to the window glass itself. If you notice anything, go ahead and fix these issues now. If you see some cracks in the wood, make a quick run to the local hardware or home improvement store to get some wood putty filler and paint. Simply follow the directions on the putty for filling in wood cracks and then paint over the treated area once it has set. If you notice a crack in the window glass, you can pick up some waterproof silicone sealer. You’ll use it much like the wood putty – simply fill the crack or small hole with the sealer and smooth it out so that the sealer is flush with the surrounding glass. A putty knife or popsicle stick does the trick. Remember, this is a temporary fix and you’ll probably want to replace the window glass at some point.

If you’d rather not do these projects yourself, you can always contact us! Colour Solutions is pleased to offer comprehensive painting services to residential properties throughout the Wilmington, NC area. Additionally, Colour Solutions can handle a variety of other small home improvement jobs. Call us today for a free estimate. (910) 686-3067.

2. A Welcoming Front Entrance (Add some fresh paint to the front door, keep walkways and front porches swept and free of clutter, add some attractive house numbers)

When visitors come to your home for the first time, their first look at your home will include the entrance. A first impression is important, so spiffing up your home’s entrance should be a priority, especially if you’re planning on putting your home on the market.

To do this, make sure you keep your front entrance free of leaves, grass, dirt and other debris by sweeping regularly. You could also spend a few dollars on some nice, new house numbers to add to your home’s entraceway. You can find these at any home improvement store and they’re usually about $4 each.

Finally, adding a coat of fresh paint to your front door can be a powerful way to boost your home’s curb appeal. Just make sure you choose a color that complements your home’s exterior color. If you’re not sure about what color to select, you can always call us at Colour Solutions for paint samples. Remember, the way the colors will look on the swatches will be different than they way the color looks in natural sunlight. When comparing swatches, be sure to do it outside, standing near your front door to get the best idea of how the color will look.

While you’re at it, why not go ahead and paint your window shutters and some other small features? You mailbox could probably use some fresh paint and your window shutters would look great in a color that matches the new front door shade!

If you’d like to leave the painting projects to the professionals, feel free to contact Colour Solutions – Wilmington, NC’s home painting experts! Don’t think you can afford to hire painting pros? You might be surprised how affordable it is! And, if you’re only painting a front door, shutters, and other small areas, your bill will be much more manageable than if you were painting an entire house.

3. Neat Landscaping (Don’t overdo it, just maintain what you have)

People rarely enjoy doing yardwork in the hot, humid summer months. Here in the Southeast, most homeowners put off even the simplest tasks like mowing their lawn because the heat can be unbearable. Even though it’s tough, try not to fall behind on your lawn maintenance. Don’t worry too much about adding anything into the mix like extra flowers, shrubs or trees – the less you have to take care of the easier and cheaper this will be! Simply focus on maintaining what you already have in the ground and, if you begin to feel ambitious, maybe add a few small touches like solar powered landscaping lights or fresh mulch.

4. Mildew-Free Exterior (Power wash your home’s exterior to keep mildew at bay)

Pressure washing your home’s exterior is a quick, fairly simple process that will keep your home looking great for several months. A lot of homeowners choose the “do it yourself” method when it comes to pressure washing. While this can often save you a few bucks, keep in mind that pressure washing involves the use of chemicals to remove mildew and other bacteria that can accumulate on your home. If you plan to pressure wash your home on your own, be extra careful when handling the cleaning substances and when operating the device.

For those who might not have the time or ability to pressure wash their own homes, Colour Solutions offers professional pressure washing services at affordable rates.

5. Painted Porch & Porch Ceiling

Got a fabulous front porch? Show it off with a fresh coat of paint! And, while you’re at it, don’t forget the porch’s ceiling! It might sound strange, but having a nice, clean and neatly painted ceiling can add a whole other level of appeal to your porch. While some visitors might not take much notice of the nice, beautifully painted ceiling – potential home buyers will. When buyers view a home they’re considering, they look in all the spaces, nooks and crannies that your typical house guest wouldn’t dream of peering into. So, if you want to really make a good impression…don’t forget the ceilings!

Colour Solutions can provide clients in the Wilmington area with a variety of outdoor paint styles and colors that are perfect for porches. Speak with one of our representatives today to set up a consultation!  910-686-3067

Filed Under: Blog, House Painting Tagged With: , ,
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