House Painting
After talking about it for a long time, we have gotten the interior of the house painted. I learned a few things during this process:
- We learned (ok, confirmed) that the contractor we hired to patch dry wall and plaster last year was even less competent than we thought when we opted to not have them paint. Our painter was horrified by the work they'd done, so he redid most of it. Fortunately, I didn't pay them that much.
- I learned (or again, confirmed), that the group that painted the exterior of my house was also marginally competent. Our new guy pointed out a lot of problems on the outside, which I'm not really going to think about fixing any time soon.
- It's much easier to get painters out when you say "Sherwin Williams recommended you". I called four painters, three called me back, two actually showed up and gave me estimates, and I hired one, who was actually not the low estimate as I was willing to pay to have it done faster.
- Sherwin Williams will also have someone come to your house to make color recommendations for a nominal fee, which made it a lot easier for M to pick colors. I advocated for bright colors (we're not staging this to sell, we're painting this to live here) and we agreed on quite the palette, which I have noted below for future use when I need to do touch ups or something.
All ceilings were painted the standard Sherwin Williams ceiling color (aka a shade of white called Eminence). The trim was Alabaster (AKA, bright white) anywhere that had already been painted by previous owners. We didn't paint over any natural wood colors, because that would be moronic.
Kitchen (including stairwell down to the landing) - Filmy Green (SW6190)
Dining Room - took down wall paper.
- Below the chair rail: Patience (SW 7555) AKA Beige.
- Above the chair rail: Little Blue Box (SW 9044) AKA, the same blue as boxes from Tiffany's without the licensing needs.
- Accent Wall: Amalfi (SW 6783). AKA dark blue.
- Built-ins: Alabaster.
Sun Room - June Day (SW 6682). AKA yellow.
Living Room
- West wall (including landing) and East Wall over windows - Amalfi (SW 6783)
- Fireplace - Alabaster
- Everything Else - Patience (SW 7555)
Entry Room - Amalfi (SW 6783)
Stairwell & Upstairs Hallway - Patience (SW 7555)
Guest bedroom (formerly pink room) - took down wall paper. Mystical Shade (SW 6276). AKA, purple.
TV bedroom (formerly blue room) - Mystical Shade (SW 6276). AKA, purple.
Upstairs bathroom - took down wall paper - Monorail Silver (SW 7663) AKA, gray.
Master bedroom - Lemon Grass (SW 7732). AKA, a yellow green.
Office off of Master bedroom - Baked Clay (SW 6340). AKA a nice reddish orange.
The price difference between the high end paint and the midgrade paint was minimal, so we went high end (technically Emerald Matte for walls, Emerald Urethane for the Trim. As I write this, everything is done but the Sun Room and some kitchen touch ups, and it looks really good.
Of course, such quality has a price. In addition to the $$ cost (it was about the same price as my old 2000 Accord), when all is said and done. This was worth it because if I'd done it it would have taken far more than the three full weeks (sans weekends) it took the crew we hired. It's like moving in slow motion. First you clear a few rooms, then you move things back in those rooms and clear some more rooms, and on and on. The painters started upstairs and went in four zones:
- Guest bedroom, TV bedroom, Upstairs bathroom
- Stairwell and Upstairs Hallway, Master bedroom, Office
- Dining Room and Living Room, Entry Room
- Sun Room and Kitchen
We didn't paint anything in the basement, and we didn't paint the bathroom off of the kitchen. That bathroom is also the only place that still has wallpaper in it. The rest of the house isn't really fully back to together, but it's heading in that direction. We also hauled another load of stuff to donate away after sorting through it as we moved it.
M informs me we have to get some window treatmetns, and she wants new curtain rods in the bathroom. We'll probably get a few things framed, but other than that we're done for the year, or at least not doing anything else that's very pricey.
- We learned (ok, confirmed) that the contractor we hired to patch dry wall and plaster last year was even less competent than we thought when we opted to not have them paint. Our painter was horrified by the work they'd done, so he redid most of it. Fortunately, I didn't pay them that much.
- I learned (or again, confirmed), that the group that painted the exterior of my house was also marginally competent. Our new guy pointed out a lot of problems on the outside, which I'm not really going to think about fixing any time soon.
- It's much easier to get painters out when you say "Sherwin Williams recommended you". I called four painters, three called me back, two actually showed up and gave me estimates, and I hired one, who was actually not the low estimate as I was willing to pay to have it done faster.
- Sherwin Williams will also have someone come to your house to make color recommendations for a nominal fee, which made it a lot easier for M to pick colors. I advocated for bright colors (we're not staging this to sell, we're painting this to live here) and we agreed on quite the palette, which I have noted below for future use when I need to do touch ups or something.
All ceilings were painted the standard Sherwin Williams ceiling color (aka a shade of white called Eminence). The trim was Alabaster (AKA, bright white) anywhere that had already been painted by previous owners. We didn't paint over any natural wood colors, because that would be moronic.
Kitchen (including stairwell down to the landing) - Filmy Green (SW6190)
Dining Room - took down wall paper.
- Below the chair rail: Patience (SW 7555) AKA Beige.
- Above the chair rail: Little Blue Box (SW 9044) AKA, the same blue as boxes from Tiffany's without the licensing needs.
- Accent Wall: Amalfi (SW 6783). AKA dark blue.
- Built-ins: Alabaster.
Sun Room - June Day (SW 6682). AKA yellow.
Living Room
- West wall (including landing) and East Wall over windows - Amalfi (SW 6783)
- Fireplace - Alabaster
- Everything Else - Patience (SW 7555)
Entry Room - Amalfi (SW 6783)
Stairwell & Upstairs Hallway - Patience (SW 7555)
Guest bedroom (formerly pink room) - took down wall paper. Mystical Shade (SW 6276). AKA, purple.
TV bedroom (formerly blue room) - Mystical Shade (SW 6276). AKA, purple.
Upstairs bathroom - took down wall paper - Monorail Silver (SW 7663) AKA, gray.
Master bedroom - Lemon Grass (SW 7732). AKA, a yellow green.
Office off of Master bedroom - Baked Clay (SW 6340). AKA a nice reddish orange.
The price difference between the high end paint and the midgrade paint was minimal, so we went high end (technically Emerald Matte for walls, Emerald Urethane for the Trim. As I write this, everything is done but the Sun Room and some kitchen touch ups, and it looks really good.
Of course, such quality has a price. In addition to the $$ cost (it was about the same price as my old 2000 Accord), when all is said and done. This was worth it because if I'd done it it would have taken far more than the three full weeks (sans weekends) it took the crew we hired. It's like moving in slow motion. First you clear a few rooms, then you move things back in those rooms and clear some more rooms, and on and on. The painters started upstairs and went in four zones:
- Guest bedroom, TV bedroom, Upstairs bathroom
- Stairwell and Upstairs Hallway, Master bedroom, Office
- Dining Room and Living Room, Entry Room
- Sun Room and Kitchen
We didn't paint anything in the basement, and we didn't paint the bathroom off of the kitchen. That bathroom is also the only place that still has wallpaper in it. The rest of the house isn't really fully back to together, but it's heading in that direction. We also hauled another load of stuff to donate away after sorting through it as we moved it.
M informs me we have to get some window treatmetns, and she wants new curtain rods in the bathroom. We'll probably get a few things framed, but other than that we're done for the year, or at least not doing anything else that's very pricey.