Peter Cagner, the General Manager at CertaPro of Riverside, believes all styles and trends go in cycles. Years ago, he says, it was common for people to make bold statements with their home colors. “Now it’s the opposite. People have been toning down the bold colors and going towards earth tones, with an accent color that might be a little bold, but just enough to show the homeowner’s personality.”

One with Nature

According to Peter, bringing a sense of nature into a paint scheme makes the home look warm and inviting. He believes today’s color choices reflect a heightened sense of environmental awareness.

“Earth tones make the neighborhood feel one with nature and, in a sense, blend in to the surroundings. The continuity between the earth tones and the surroundings actually makes the overall area feel more suburban, and that is the whole point – to get away from the urban areas.”

Color Recommendations

If you are interested in finding a color palette of your own, Peter says today’s top choices are subtle browns, tans, grey, green, yellow, and auburn. Keep in mind that earth tones are going indoors as well.

“The earth tones tend to make a room look a little smaller than white, or other colors, and at the same time make the home feel warm, inviting, and lived in,” Peter says. “This is big departure from years ago, when the trend was white or light colors that made the home feel sterile.”

Highlighting Personality

To give today’s rooms purpose as well as personality, Peter recommends using one wall as an accent wall.

“Accent colors are there to give the house just enough character, to show the personality of the person selecting the colors, and that’s perfect.”

It’s interesting to discover what a seasoned painting contractor like Peter has learned through years of painting. Evidently, a lot of personal style goes into color selection. Peter believes a home is what you make it.

“If you are cold and uninviting the house will follow. If you are a warm and inviting person, it will show through the color choices and make the house warm and inviting.”

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Aluminum siding is quite common on trailers, sheds, barns, and even some houses. Although wood, vinyl, and concrete are all more popular, aluminum is still preferred for specific purposes. It is available in vertical or horizontal panels; you can even find aluminum siding resembling shakes or shingles. Aluminum siding comes in many different colors, but is it possible to repaint it after the initial installation?

Fortunately, you are not restricted to the color that was popular at the time of installation. Aluminum siding is quite conducive to paint; it simply requires that you follow a specific process. Over time, the elements break down the finish of the paint, causing it to bubble and eventually peel. In actuality, aluminum really isn’t any more troublesome than other materials, though it has its disadvantages. Most structures require repainting at some point. (more…)

Putting paint on has always been more fun than taking paint off. But some problems in the land of homeownership just can’t be avoided. The odds are pretty good that “someday” will eventually come and you’ll be grabbing that putty knife and throwing your denim overalls on. However, all too often, after just one good scrape you realize that there’s almost as much paint as wood under that top coat. You further realize, that there’s naught to do now but remove all that old paint. But how?

There are three conventional ways to remove paint: sanding, heat, or chemicals. I’ll describe them for you and then tell you which one I find to be the best. (more…)