Your walls need variety (or a neon zebra)

I have decided that you need a bit of variety in your environment.  I can just feel it.  I am convinced that you could use a green stripey wall like this one:

Isn't is playful??  I love the contrast of color and width, it's so unexpected and unusual.  I think everyone needs a green stripey wall.  And do you know how to get one?  You call Pearl Painting, baby.  

Want to amp up the wow factor? Then how do you feel about gradient color in a bedroom?  Now it may be a bit on the "youthful side" but you can't deny the impact.

Not striking enough for you?  Then I present the wall to jazz up any room:

Now not sure if it would be my choice in a bedroom, I picture this in a laundry room, or a mud room.  But if you have a kid that won't get out of bed in time for school, I would imagine this harlequin wall would remedy that universal annoyance, and spare you any inconvenient DSS visits.  Pearl Painting can help you!

"Q"

   

California Street

We recently completed a VERY dramatic interior paint job on California Street.

Our client was going for a jaw dropping kind of reaction and Pearl Painting delivered.  So we had a large room to paint, with lots of built ins, lots of intricate wood detail to prep and paint - and it's quite a statement.

So here are a few "before & afters" for your viewing pleasure.

You can see the beautiful crown molding we were updating, (above pic) and the condition of the "raw" wood.  Not fabulous, but not so bad really, either.

The door trim is very sleek, but has some grooves along the wood that require some attention.  Got to saturate all those little grooves so multiple coats are required.  

And below, you can see the joint compound / patching that we do on each and every project, in order to give our customers the very best result possible.
We're good like that.

  
You can see from above the very detailed woodwork we were dealing with.  The wood is truly gorgeous, very ornate and decadent, but once we got the Benjamin Moore navy on it, well trust me when I tell you it was positively glorious when finished.  

I love this picture above, it shows the progress we were making, and the contrast of the bare wood with the first coat really inspires us.  When a project entails such a drastic change, it just get's the juices flowing in us.  I think it must be a "painter thing".

Above is my colleague John.  He is our resident "nook & cranny master".
Take that any way you like.

Voila!

This beautiful bookcase became the showstopper of the room.  Benjamin Moore paint is just so ideal for interior projects, I am very much a fan of the product.  The results last.  Although, to be fair, it's the actual application as well, and if you want these kinds of results, then you need to call Pearl Painting.  I personally promise we will have our resident "nook & cranny master" give you the same detailed tender lovin' treatment.

"Q"

 

Noe Valley Deck Stain Project

NOE VALLEY DECK PROJECT

Don't you love Noe Valley?  I think it is such a neighborhood of contradictions.  It's wedged with upscale restaurants, bijou home-decor boutiques, and chic clothing shops.  (Try to use “bijou” in a sentence, go ahead I dare you.)  It's also home to some beautiful "very San Francisco" properties. Painted ladies and gingerbread housed that belong on postcards, a lovely little piece of our fair city.

One home we recently had the pleasure of updating is a beautiful 3 story place in the valley that needed some TLC on its back decks.

Typical San Francisco weather makes this a "usual and customary" request for us at Pearl Painting.   So allow me to sing the praises of Cabots Clear Deck Solution.  This stuff rocks hard.  With a little proper preparation to the area to be treated, this product is worth its weight in gold.  It provides SUPERB wood penetrating protection against weather and the elements.  It's water repellent and mildew resistant.   One coat is all it takes too.  Seriously, how convenient is that?

Surface preparation is the key to maximum durability of this wood stain.

It’s very important that the surface be dry and clean of all dirt, mildew, loose wood fibers twigs, leaves – any other foreign matter. In order to be effective, a stain must be able to penetrate, so clean the area thoroughly. 

The application then is a cakewalk.  For your best results, use a high-quality, natural bristle brush.  The texture of natural bristles actually "push" the product into the wood enhancing the absorption of the stain.

    

 On decks, and other horizontal surfaces, the application method must be by natural bristle brush. It is very important to apply only one coat. We anticipate that you would only need to re-stain (depending on sun / weather exposure and wear) every 1-2 years.  It will be the best $40 (per gallon) you spend this year.

       

Above is the "raw" deck, cleaned and prepped for the stain application.  You can see from above how weathered the deck is.  Now check out the kick-ass after photo below:

  

Don't you love the gloss look of the finish?  It looks wet, even though it is just the ultra shiny finish.  And even though it is the finish on flooring materials, it is not slippery or dangerous in any way.  Just let it dry completely and you get this beautiful look for years!  Think about it, a day of labor and your deck can look just as polished this beautiful Noe Valley home.  Who can help you bring this sharp look to your home?  Your trusty paint crew at Pearl Painting baby!  Give us a ring, we'll sort you out, I promise.

"Q"

Happy 4th of July

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Independence Day Holiday!  Remember, if you need a firework scene across your ceiling, call Pearl Painting and we'll be sure to bring some sparkle to your room!!

"Q"

Temporary Wallpaper

Got a budding 3ft Picasso in your house?  Has your little artist decided to ever "enhance" your walls with markers, crayons or paint?  Well I have a product that may spare you the pain of "repairing" the artwork.  

This past week, we've discovered the joys of Tempaper.

All you do is paint / decorate the paper to your taste, and when you get tired of it - all you do is peel it off the wall!  The wall under the paper is undamaged.  This is perfect for renters, this is a dream for a child's bedroom, because the "princess stage" does not last as long as you think.  As soon as you paint a mural of a zoo scene, you know your kid is going to want a rocket ship or something wildly different.  Tempaper is a lifesaver for these very reasons.  

Not 100% convinced your bedroom should have neon green lightening bolts along the wall?  Then allow your friendly Pearl Painting contractor to suggest using this paper before you make that bold decision, because once your meds wear off, you are going to want to rip that bad decision down.  And for $56 a roll, we assure you it's worth it.

"Q"

Portola / Miraloma - Peel Stop

Have you ever heard of this product?  Peel stop is a clear, binding primer, interior & exterior sealer. And as its title suggests, it helps paint adhere to various surfaces and NOT peel.  How cool is that?  If I could figure out how to apply this technology to lipstick, I think I could be very rich.  Or at least popular.

Per the website, Peel Stop: "extends the life of problem surfaces. It binds cracking, chalking and peeling paint and glues down cracks and gaps under the edges of old paint. It forms a tough acrylic film that stays flexible and helps prevent peeling by letting moisture escape. Peel Stop can be applied by brush or roller, onto wood siding and trim, yellow pine, rough sawn cedar, textured plywood, concrete and concrete block, stucco and galvanized gutters. " 
Want proof?  Please have a gander at the recently painted exterior of a home on Portola, which came out pretty impressively, if I do say so myself.

We happily avoided the worry, and put our client at ease by using the "Peel Stop".  We applied Peel Stop to every surface that we painted and it gave our client the peace of mind they needed.  Check out the close up photos below:  

Pearl Painting did the entire exterior of this lovely home, including the trim.  We had some serious discussion with the owner, who had reservations about just priming the home before painting.  Their concern was that due to the foggy weather San Francisco endures, due to just general weather conditions, the owner was hesitant because the exterior of the house was not in the best of shape.  

While it's a sweet house, it is a little weathered, a little older, and the concern was that once you start to correct something (in this case, the curb appeal) there would be a host of other issues which would add up.   We happily didn't face any surprise issues and the paint job was straight forward and - what I consider - a total success.  Our client is thrilled, and we are happy to be the painting company that revived a lovely little house in Portola.

"Q"  

                             

Painting your floors

Since I did a posting recently on painting your ceiling, I thought I'd feng shui this blog and show you a few image examples of painted floors. 

As we all know, paint can transform a space, but when you paint a floor, well your are literally transforming from the ground up.  Almost any flooring surface can be painted, including wood, tile, vinyl, linoleum and concrete.

To make any project successful, especially a floor project you need to prepare well.  So like good boy scouts, and good girl scouts, prep is your friend.  To paint your floors,  clean them, repair any damage and then let your creative juices flow.

Floor painting lends itself to a range of decorative finishes.  I trolled the 'net and found some amazing examples for your viewing pleasure.  Like pinstripes?  Go crazy.  You're a herringbone patterned kind of guy?  Get silly....literally paint what you want - zebra patterns, your sports teams logo, anything your Pearl heart desires.

Can you believe the above is PAINTED??  You have to admire the pattern and edges in this photo, it just screams "you want me, you want me bad".

And as always, be sure to call Pearl Painting to help make your floor painting
ideas come to life.

"Q"

Lacquered Walls

I want to lick them.  Aren't they GORGEOUS?  I mean it, I see these walls and all I want to do is lick them, they look almost edible.  Check out these smoking hot rooms, courtesy of Apartment Therapy.  And call us when you want to add this uber hot look in your home.  Pearl Painting can assist!

According to AT, modern lacquer is usually a combination of high gloss paint and acrylic water-based varnish, which is safe to use in a well-ventilated area. There is no longer a need to inhale nasty smelling gas in order to obtain this lick-able paint finish.

Good news too - you don't need perfectly smooth walls to apply lacquer.  The gloss can highlight the character of an older home and lend an air of sophistication to your space.   And you know I'm all about sophistication.  Also, lacquer is great for small spaces because of its mirror effect. The light bounces off the various angles of a room and the square footage instantly expands.  Can't beat that.

"Q"

Admit it - you see that (chocolate) wall and your mouth waters.  It's ok to admit it, it's a safe place here in the Pearl Painting realm.

Swoon....

Elegant, elegant, elegant.

Shades...

Recently, I have decided that I really like this color: 

All shades of it - from the lightest pale lilac to deep-almost-black purple

And I'm almost positive that it has nothing to do what I saw at the HP Pavilion in San Jose on Thursday:

Who I normally think of this way:

But have to include this not disturbing at all portrait: 

So if you need a little purple in your life, call Pearl Painting and we will help you incorporate a little bit of Prince purple into your decor.  I cannot promise I won't sing.

"Q"

 

Painted ceilings, part deux

Ok on the same painted ceiling track, what do you think of the two images below, courtesy of Apartment Therapy?  Does gingham put any wind up your skirt?  Thoughts?

So if you get the urge to put gingham on your ceiling, you know who to call!  

Pearl Painting!

2011 San Francisco Decorator Showcase

  

From April 30 – May 30, 2011 - Located at 2950 Vallejo Street (between Lyon and Baker)

The 34th annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase, San Francisco’s spring design event, will be held at 2950 Vallejo Street (between Lyon and Baker Streets) in Pacific Heights. The home is a stunning Italian Villa Estate, featuring incredible panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands, Alcatraz and the City. This year’s Showcase, open from April 30 to May 30, 2011, will offer a look inside one of San Francisco’s architecturally-significant homes.  

Pearl Painting will absolutely there, taking a sneaky peek, checking out design trends and ideas so if you have an itch to update your own personal space, remember, we're here to itch you. :)

All proceeds benefit the financial aid program at  San Francisco University High School.  And every bit of good karma helps us all.

"Q"

Happy Easter!

Did you do your egg hunt yet?

Did you eat find all the chocolate already? 

I'm taking a poll - do you eat the chocolate rabbit's head first or do you eat his legs
and slowly make your way to his head so he "knows" you're doing it?

Yeah, me too.

In the meantime, check out these vibrant egg colors which I think would make any child's room a hit.  Tempted to spruce up a kiddies room?

Call us! We'll make it happen for you!

This is what the eggs look like after hatching:

This is the Easter Bunny on steroids:

This is what happens when he's not fast enough:

  Hope you have a wonderful Easter, and that the Bunny visited your house
before this black lab caught him.

"Q"

Painting your ceiling

I know - radical eh?  Seriously, when you are putting so much effort and attention into your room, your color scheme, why just slap ho-hum white up there?

I am not suggesting the Sistine Chapel  in your dining room, but a contrasting color can create a depth that was missing previously.  Even a scene or a painted effect can change the feel of a room using a "Trompe L'Oeil" technique ("fool the eye").  

Need proof?  check out the photos below and tell me if I'm wrong.  'Cause I'm not.

"Q"

 

 

   

  

 And the BEST one, just because it makes me laugh, I present the ceiling in the smokers lounge: