Transform your Laundry Room

masterworkspainters — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:18:10 +0000

Unfortunately in most homes one of the more frequently used rooms, is also the most neglected. We are talking about your family’s laundry room. Laundry rooms are often located in the basement, and many times in a part of the basement that is not finished. They can be dusty, cluttery, spidery spaces. Making an effort to transform this area into a clean, efficient space will make the time you do spend there, which is on average of six hours per week, a lot more pleasant!

Laundry Room Transformation Steps:

Cleaning. You should start out by emptying your laundry room of its contents, except the washer and dryer. Even though you do not remove the washer and dryer do not forget to clean in between and behind them. Gather your vacuum and duster and get to work. Not only should you wash and vacuum the floor, walls and cabinets, you should also clean the machines themselves. Do not forget to empty the lint traps.
Painting. Since the room is now empty and dusted this would be the best time to paint it. Using bright colors like yellow will brighten this often dim room right up. Bright colors also give the feel of a more open space which is nice if your laundry room is small and congested. If you are planning a basement finishing project this is the perfect time to improve your laundry room as well. Talk to your home improvement contractor for more ideas on your laundry room’s painting options, as well as flooring.
Organize. Now it’s time to consider how you will organize and lay out your space. After the painting and flooring is finished consider your storage options. Ask your home improvement contractor whether shelves, wall cabinets or a small closet will function best for your home. They can assist you in installing and hanging these. Also decide where you would like to keep your iron and ironing board. If you have the space, it ‘s helpful to have a hanging rack for clothes you hang up directly out of the dryer and a drying rack for any “lay flat to dry” items.

If you have any questions regarding painting, home improvement or remodeling contact MasterWorks Painting and Remodeling, located in Fairfax, Ashburn, Vienna, Oakton and surrounding Virginia areas. Our highly-trained painting contractors can help you decide on a color that is best for any room. Call us at (703) 263-3302 to receive an estimate on your next home improvement project.

2012 Luxury Bathroom Trends

masterworkspainters — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:36:22 +0000

Home bathrooms are beginning to rival those that were once found only in luxury hotels. More and more people are viewing the bathroom as a haven in their home and have started 2012 out with bathroom remodeling in order to add the amenities to soothe and pamper themselves after a hard day at work. Let’s look at a few of the luxury items—some commonly found in other rooms of the home—that are making their way into bathrooms. Here are the trends that we saw in 2011 that are carrying over to 2012.

2012 Luxury Bathroom Trends:

Whirlpool tubs and steam showers: People have found that one of the best ways to unwind is extending your daily bath or shower time. We saw a boost in the number of bathtub and shower fixtures purchased in 2011.
Artistic glass vessel sinks: Choosing a bowl or rectangular shape and adding a luxury waterfall faucet turns your bathroom sink into a elegant spa retreat. Available in a wide palette of colors, the sink can either match what is already in your bathroom, or you can choose your interior painting color scheme around the new beautiful sink.
Wood Cabinets: Medicine cabinets and traditional vanities are being edged out by solid wood cabinets and pendant lighting. These fixtures have normally been found in kitchens or living rooms, but are just as much at home in the bath. And, believe it or not, it’s not unusual to find mini-refrigerators and cappuccino makers installed directly into the cabinetry for the ultimate pampering experience.
Stone Flooring: Natural stones and unique tiles replace old bland flooring and accent the décor in any bathroom. Natural stones will give you a nature-meets-spa feel and tiles are becoming more and more popular because of the ability to
mix and match colors and patterns to create a one-of-a-kind look.
Audio-visual equipment: Long a staple of the family room, audio-visual equipment is also migrating into bathrooms. Gone are the days of singing in the shower to a little transistor radio. Instead, relax in your tub while you listen to Mozart. You could also watch the latest episode of How I Met Your Mother or catch up on sports highlights with a home theater system, complete with plasma TV. TVs can be ingeniously hidden away in a vanity or installed in a mirror-like enclosure.

Luxury bathrooms are no longer just the realm of 5-star hotels. Making a few changes in your own bathroom can make everyday feel like a day at the spa. Contact MasterWorks Painters in Virginia for all of your painting, bathroom remodeling and home improvement needs. Call us at (703)263-3302 today!

Use Warm Colors to Create Positive Energy

masterworkspainters — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:29:10 +0000

Artists and interior designers have long used colors to manipulate the mood of their viewers. Understanding basic principles of color psychology can help to create interior rooms to suit the mood you want in your home. On the color wheel, warm colors range from fuchsia to bright yellows and include everything in between. These colors stimulate energy, joy, happiness, and enthusiasm. Read on for possible color schemes to consider for your next home improvement project.

Use Warm Colors in Every Room

For the Sun Room: Pair vibrant reds and yellows with neutrals. If you have bright furniture use a neutral wall color. For example, you stumble across a sunshine yellow set of couches and chairs that you love. When grouping such bright colors of furniture together, one way to prevent the room from becoming overwhelming is to paint the walls a darker neutral shade, such as gray. Stick to the neutral color for the base flooring as well, but then you can add a colorful throw rug and accessories to complete the style.

For the Living Room: If you thrive on bold colors, you’ll love a tangerine and fuchsia combination for the living room space. Use a neutral color such as brown for large furniture pieces. This allows you more freedom with color in the accessories. Throw down a pink or orange area rug and add artistic accents of vases and wall art. Bold throw pillows are sure to pop against the quiet furniture. Window dressings are also a subtle way that directly affects the mood of inhabitants. The vibrant accents throughout the room encourage optimistic energy circulation and lively conversation.

For the Kitchen: For the kitchen use a color scheme that portrays a homey and familiar sensation. Paint the walls the butterscotch yellow. Use an orange-red color for window treatments, chair cushions and pillows. Brown table, chairs, and cabinets give this room a country French feel (see the example in Better Home and Gardens).

For the Bedroom: Everyone knows red is the color of romance. Using a red, white, brown combination adds a modern twist to the idea of fairytale lust in your bedroom. Paint the wall the bed will be up against red, use this same color for the sheets and dresser also. Paint the remaining walls, door frames, window panes and bed frame white. Brown can be used for throw pillows and blanket, also as the top color on your dresser.

These warm color combinations can be interchanged in the house to manipulate the mood you wish the room to portray. Experiment with color and painting techniques to find the right combination for you. If you’re afraid to commit, purchase the color you’re considering in a sample size (some manufacturers carry these for just a few dollars) and have your interior design painter test the color out in the room before purchasing a gallon. Let that new warm color trigger positive energy as well as joy happiness and enthusiasm throughout the home. Contact MasterWorks Painter in Virginia for all of your painting, home remodeling and home improvement needs. Call us at (703) 263-3302 today!

Which Is The Right Interior Paint Finish For You?

masterworkspainters — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:15:59 +0000

Even after a homeowner has chosen the perfect color for a room, there’s another very important decision to make. With several paint finishes to choose from, you should learn the benefits of each and determine the right one for your job. Should you use high gloss or satin finish interior paint and why?

Each paint manufacturer has its own guidelines for how much sheen goes into each paint finish. If you buy a satin finish from one manufacturer, it will look different than the satin finish of a competitor’s line of paints. Stick to the same brand to avoid subtle differences. Consult with a local painting contractor for help in picking out and applying the best paint choice for your interior painting project.

High-gloss finish paints are rarely used for interior painting purposes because they leave a very shiny finish. Semi-gloss paints have a mildly glossy appearance and are often the paint of choice for kitchens and bathrooms. Rooms that are prone to moisture and mildew should be painted with a semi-gloss finish. You can even have mildew resistant properties mixed into your paint. You can also use semi-gloss for trims, moldings, and doors.

A satin finish has a sheen which is flatter than semi-gloss. Paint with a satin finish is formulated to hold up to cleaning and light scrubbing. It makes a great paint choice for kids’ rooms, because you can easily wipe off the fingerprints, smudges, and dirt they might get on the wall.

MasterWorks expert painting contractors can help you choose the right finish for you and your lifestyle!

Satin finishes are also used for trim, moldings, and doors because it gives a nice decorative effect to them. Surfaces painted with an eggshell finish can also be wiped off, although not as easily as the higher-gloss and satin finish paints can. An eggshell finish has the smooth look of flat paint, but flat finishes collect dirt. A flat finish is the dullest finish of all the paint choices and does not reflect light. This makes flat paint ideal for ceilings.

It can be a bit mind boggling navigating through all the paint choices that are on the market, but ask an Oakton home improvement expert and they can help. Our interior painting contractors are experienced with many different color and style options. We know how to properly accent your furniture and other accessories with paint colors. Our interior house painting contractors will help you bring the color palette you are envisioning to life. Contact MasterWorks Painter for all of your painting, home remodeling and home improvement needs. Call us at (703) 263-3302 today!

How To Select the Right Paint and Color For Your Home

masterworkspainters — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:58:47 +0000

You know your room needs a fresh coat of paint, but you keep putting it off, because, frankly, you’re just not sure what color to choose. It’s not unusual to agonize over a color scheme for a room. By default, many of us choose white, ivory, or a neutral beige. It’s hard to go wrong with one of the old standbys; they just go with everything. But they can also be a little boring. Don’t let fear of color turn your room white. Colors can add depth and texture to your room. Using the right colors can turn an otherwise dull room into a beautiful, warm space. If you get a color you don’t like, just paint over it! If you’re nervous about choosing the color scheme, ask your painting contractor about your home’s paint colors. Your Oakton painting contractor can easily create any mood for your home’s rooms.

Reston house painters and designers often take their color cues from a favorite accessory or piece of furniture that a homeowner has and build the color scheme for a room around that item. Hey, it works for designers, why not for the rest of us? And, actually, that’s what many people are doing.

It’s very difficult to tell what a color is going to look like on your wall using a small paint swatch. There’s no way to do it without spending a little money — those little color chips you can get at the paint store are entirely too small to be of any help. Many paint manufacturers are now offering small sample cans of their colors. They cost only a few dollars and will prevent you from wasting money on a color that just isn’t right. Paint a swatch on a wall and look at it during different times of day. This way you can see how it looks in different types and degrees of light. You can paint fairly large squares on the wall where they’ll be hidden under a picture.

It's difficult to tell what a color is going to look like on your wall using a small paint swatch.

Another option to get a better “feel” for a paint color is to purchase a small amount of the paint you’re considering and paint a large piece of posterboard or foamcore with that color. Place the painted board in the room you’re thinking of painting and “live” with the color for a few days to decide whether you really like it or not.

Ultimately, it could be that the answer to your painting dilemma is right in your house. When choosing your painting colors, take your cues from a favorite possession. If it happens to be a color that you feel would be overwhelming for all the walls, then try it on just one wall, or use it as an accent color and paint your walls in a complementary color. It’s sure to be a color scheme that you’ll adore. If you’re nervous about choosing the color scheme, ask your Fairfax painting contractor about your home’s paint colors. This will take some pressure off you, while ensuring great results. As a highly trusted and experienced VA paint contractor serving Fairfax, Ashburn, Vienna, Reston, Oakton and surrounding areas, we’ll do the job right the first time. For an estimate, contact us at (703) 263-3302 today!

Choosing The Best Colors For Interior Painting.

masterworkspainters — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 03:22:25 +0000

I have had allot of experience helping my customers choose the colors for they’re homes. I am constantly surprised by the confidence my customers have with my advise in colors. If you take a Benjamin Moore color wheel and look in the back of the wheel you will find “historical colors” these colors have been tried and tested and I have personally seen most of them on the wall. They are great colors to work with. Hold them up to your paintings and next to your carpets and other items in your room. You will see the right color pop out to you. If you need help, call me I will help you as part of my complete painting service.

How much does it cost to finish a basment?

masterworkspainters — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:00:05 +0000

Let’s assume you have two level SFH with 3000 Square feet on the top two levels. Your basement is probably around 1500 square feet. If you were to finish this basement the way a builder would without upgrades this would cost about 25k to 28k. Price will very significantly when upgrading materials and adding features. Such as lighting, carpet, bathroom upgrades, a bar or a media room. You must have permits and the inspector will require licensed electricians and plumbers, also be mindful of fire block requirements before you begin. Hiring the right contractor can save you allot of headaches and time, check references and have a detailed contract. Also do not give to much of deposit, 20% to begin work is reasonable, progress payments are ok as long as they are talked about in advance and it’s a %based on how far the job has progressed. For example if the job is 75% done it would be ok to pay up to 50% of the contract amount.

Interior Painting Discounts

masterworkspainters — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:27:36 +0000

The best time to get a discount on interior painting is January and February. The reason is obvious to most. In the painting industry most painting companies are Interior and Exterior painters. Most of the business for painters is in the Spring and Fall. Obviously less a factor in warmer climates. We offer in the Northern Virginia AKA NOVA. A 10% sometimes a 15% discount on labor. That can add up pretty quick when doing an entire floor.
I think you’ll find most painting companies offer a discount at this time of year. We also like to offer discounts to our existing clients and to people living in the core areas where we work. For example we work mostly in the following areas, Oakton, Reston, GreatFalls, Mclean, Vianna. We also do allot of work throughout Fairfax like Fairfax Station, Clifton and Centerville. We also serve Loudoun County in places like Ashburn, Brambelton, South Riding, Stone Ridge and we even serve, River Creek and Leesburg.

Here is a link to the center of our serving area: www.restontowncenter.com

Choosing Interior Paint Colors

masterworkspainters — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:17:33 +0000

First get a color wheel from Benjamin Moore, BM seems to have a good selection of the earth tones which are so popular today. You will see in the back of the color wheel the historical colors, these have stood the test time and look good up on the wall. Now you have your color wheel out in the room you want to paint, look around the room and take note of pictures or rug colors that you can draw from. Hold the color wheel next to these items and see what colors your drawn to. Helps to have a second opinion. Now that you have a couple of colors, go to your local Sherwin Williams store and have them match the BM color you choose. The samples are $5 instead of $14 at BM. pick-up a brush while your at it and some poster board. Now paint the poster board with your selection before hand. You can move the poster board around the room to see it different lighting. Call me and I can help you decide and paint too.

How long should a paint job last?

masterworkspainters — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:00:39 +0000

For Exteriors homes this is a very relative question. The largest variables are sun and rain. Other big factors are prep work from the initial job, and was the proper amount of paint applied? Most of the time painters skimp on the application not getting enough product on the surface. I see allot of “painters” stretching and pulling the paint across the surface instead of applying it to the surface and leaving it to dry, instead they over work the paint and thin it out resulting in a thin coat with brush strokes or orange peel depending on what they used to apply brush or roller. You may even see through the paint when it’s really thin, typical for builders grade paints or one coat rush jobs. So all things being equal you should expect 4-6 years on an exterior in the Northern Virginia, NOVA, Washington DC, and similar climates.

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