“I like seeing the big transformations and how you can update someone’s home without making big renovations.”—Painterati Sales Supervisor Katy Slater
It’s time for a fresh start. The dawning of a new season often signals change, home renovation included. A fresh coat of paint, whether a calm neutral or a bold hue, livens up any space. We polled experts at Painterati, Sherwin-Williams and Hirshfield’s. All agree: paint offers a significant change for the least amount of money.
On the Job
Maple Grove based Painterati first joined the painting business 28 years ago. They have been updating homes through painting treatments since. Last fall, homeowner Janet Shaffer called on the company to transform her home from a traditional to a contemporary style. Sales supervisor Katy Slater and sales representative Jenn Johnson took on the project and transformed Shaffer’s kitchen, dining room and powder room.
Slater, Johnson and Shaffer chose white enameled kitchen cabinets and walls in an everlasting neutral gray. To accompany the cabinets, the team also painted the room’s mantel and mirror in a darker tone. They added enameled crown molding in the powder room to “make it a more current trend,” Slater says.
Slater also suggests finding one decorative or furniture piece and determining how to tie it into a space, a tactic she and Johnson used in Shaffer’s home. “This is a great project because I like seeing the big transformations, and how you can update someone’s home without making big renovations,” says Slater.
A Word from the Wise: Local Paint Experts Offer Advice
Stop into a paint store and a vast array of paint colors, shades and tones will present themselves. No matter the current color of your walls, they are a canvas waiting for a change. Thankfully, local shops have the resources and professionals ready to assist.
After graduating from college with a marketing degree, paint expert Lisa Moyer began working with Sherwin-Williams and found herself drawn to creative projects. She notes that paint is an easy way to change a space without busting the budget. Hirshfield’s paint expert Rodger Dahlager agrees. A veteran of the paint world, he first began as a painter and delved into sales 23 years ago. Dahlager agrees that paint is “the least expensive way to make a significant change to a space.”
While Janet Shaffer followed 2013’s color trend and used gray as a neutral in her kitchen re-do, Dahlager notes “there is no true gray”. Shades of gray vary from light to dark and can carry hints of other colors, making it an easy fit in any room. From shades named Silvermist to Pediment, Moyer recommends gray as a trendy yet sophisticated option.
For those who generally shy away from color, Dahlager suggests painting a single wall to pack a punch, rather than tackling four. Moyer advises clients to look at the clothing in their closets to determine which colors they like, and proceed from there.
Although gray and beige remain constant as neutrals for spring, Kathy Basil, a member of Hirshfield’s Design Studio, saw another trendy color at market last fall. Shades of hazy lilac, with a hint of brown, are front-runners this season.
Sherwin-Williams recently partnered with Pottery Barn to provide shoppers with more complete home décor choices. Pottery Barn lists the paint colors used in magazine shoots and room examples and Sherwin-Williams also offers tools such as Color Visualizer and ColorSnap for shoppers to test colors before purchasing.
Pantone, the industry authority on color standards, spotlights the latest color trends each season; they recently named Radiant Orchid as “the color of the year” for 2014. Visit pantone.com for ideas and inspiration about how to make a refreshing change, either mild or wild, in color for your home.
