Beach House Paint Colors

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.

Transform Your Front Porch to a Cozy Living Space

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.

Add to or Improve Your Outdoor Living Space This Summer

Outdoor Living SpaceWhether you’re planning a big Fourth of July barbecue, want to enjoy the outdoors in the comfort and privacy of your home, or you need to make your place look great before putting it on the market, giving your home’s outdoor space some TLC can really improve its appearance and value. From refinishing your back deck to adding a cozy outdoor sitting area, Colour Solutions can provide a range of home improvement services to help transform your outdoor area into the perfect summer sanctuary.

Here are a few ideas for adding to or improving your outdoor living space:

1. Deck remodeling/painting/staining

Whether you want to completely remodel the design, or simply add a nice coat of paint or stain, enhancing the look of your deck can add a tremendous amount of personal appeal – not to mention boost its market value. During the summer, people tend to spend more time outdoors, so it makes sense to make these outdoor living spaces as comfortable and attractive as possible. Deck improvement projects can range from large-scale remodeling to simple paint and stain jobs, but whichever you decide to do, you’ll be glad you did it when you’re showing your home to guests or potential buyers. And even if you’re not the type to entertain and you aren’t planning on moving any time soon, you can still benefit from these improvements. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as lounging on your own private, newly improved deck!

Wood deck staining is relatively inexpensive, but can make an enormous difference in appearance. Not only that, but the right stain product can prolong your deck’s life and keep it protected from the harsh heat and UV rays of the summer atmosphere. Painting can have similar benefits, allowing you to further personalize the look of your home’s exterior and protect the material from damage.

Colour Solutions is proud to offer high quality painting, staining and refinishing services for your home’s deck structure. Give us a call today to learn more and to schedule a free consultation: (910) 686-3067

2. Outdoor fireplace or fire pit

Summer nights are perfect for sitting around a cozy fire. Why not create your own private sitting area, complete with a built-in fireplace or fire pit? Whether you want a large, opulent stone fireplace to complement your covered back patio, or you just want a simple fire pit in your backyard that you can surround with comfy outdoor chairs, you can add an element of warmth and hospitality to your outdoor space with one of these fireplace features.

Just remember, if you’re doing the project yourself, you need to keep safety the top priority. Make sure your fire pit is deep enough so that embers and tall flames can’t “jump” or spread to your lawn. And make sure, if you’re making a fireplace, that you allow for proper ventilation of the smoke. If you’ve never constructed an outdoor fireplace before, it may be wise to leave it to professionals and hire a contractor.

3. Sunroom/screened porch

One of the drawbacks to summertime (at least here in the South) is the presence of insects. Mosquitos, bees, junebugs, cicadas, dragonflies, and other small pests are more prevalent in the summer so having an outdoor space you can enjoy without the annoyance of these bugs can be really nice. If you’ve already got an outdoor patio, consider enclosing it to create a sunroom. You can add glass panels, sliding doors, windows, etc. to customize the design. While sunrooms tend to be a bit on the expensive side, they add a great deal of value to your home and can be enjoyed in any weather.

A more budget-friendly option would be to add a ceiling, some support posts and some durable screening material. Screened porches are nice because they allow the fresh air to circulate through the area and are less complicated to construct. You can also customize the design of your screened porch by adding some medium-density fiberboard (MDF) panels to the bottom. This can further aid in keeping bugs, dirt and debris from getting through the screen and it gives the space a nice, finished look.

Be sure to contact the experts at Colour-Solutions in Wilmington for any of your painting, pressure washing, staining, or even carpentry needs this summer: (910) 686-3067

5 Ways to Add Curb Appeal to Your Home in Summer

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

Summer Home Improvement Ideas

With the weather getting warmer and the days getting longer, most homeowners are starting to think about ways they can improve the look and value of their homes. Summer is a great time to tackle some of those big home improvement projects and Colour Solutions is always happy to help homeowners check some of these projects off their to-do lists:

Deck and Patio Maintenance1. Deck and Patio Maintenance
Get ready for those summer cookouts by giving your patio, deck or porch a makeover. Whether your wooden deck needs staining, your cement patio needs pressure washing or your front porch could use a fresh coat of paint, Colour Solutions can provide a wide range of services to make your outdoor living space the envy of the neighborhood. And the floor surfaces aren’t the only places that may need attention – porch ceilings, posts, doors and exterior walls can also be painted, stained or washed to give your space a completely new look.

Interior Painting2. Fresh Paint Indoors
Summer is a great season to paint indoors. Here in the Southeast, high outdoor temperatures can make it challenging to complete exterior paint projects in the summertime, but interior paint jobs can be done quickly and easily without worrying about the heat and humidity complicating the project. If you’ve been thinking about giving your indoor rooms a new look, Colour Solutions can offer homeowners top-quality interior painting services at reasonable prices. From choosing a new color scheme for your bedrooms to painting your kitchen cabinets to adding a faux finish in the dining room, we can provide clients with a full range of options – after all, painting is our specialty! Adding fresh paint indoors can also take care of those pesky scuff marks and scratches that may have occurred throughout the years. Colour Solutions knows how to effectively prep the wall surfaces to ensure your new paint job covers up small imperfections.

Yard with Fence3. Beautify Fences
If your home has wood fencing, you might want to consider having it professionally cleaned or painted. Because fencing is subjected to the elements every day, all day, it can tend to accumulate mildew and lose its original attractiveness. Quick, fairly inexpensive ways to improve the overall look of your home is to thoroughly clean or paint your fences. If you’re thinking of paint, Colour Solutions can even offer professional consultations on choosing a complementary color and offer suggestions on the type of paint to choose. This project is best done in early summer, before the extreme heat of North Carolina sets in; however, if you do decide to hire us to paint outdoors, we at Colour Solutions can strategically perform the task to ensure the paint doesn’t dry too quickly before it has time to set.

No matter what time of year, Colour Solutions is dedicated to offering clients throughout the Wilmington area the best painting and home improvement services at affordable prices. To get started on your next summer home improvement project, feel free to give us a call. In addition to painting, staining and cleaning, we can also do light carpentry, wallpaper removal, yearly maintenance packages and more (see our Services). Call us today to hear more about our services. (910) 686-3067