The Best Paints

Choosing Interior Colors? Read This Advice from Designer Ellen Maranca

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Are you choosing new interior colors? Read our Q&A for some pro tips from interior designer Ellen Maranca of EZM Interiors, Lambertville, NJ! Ms. Maranca’s designs are showcased in the accompanying photos, which includes painting by our team at Greenleaf Painters!

Home office painted in a light blue by Greenleaf Painters

What do you like most about your design work?
What I like best about being an interior designer is working with different people. Each person comes to the table with interesting ideas, lifestyles, needs and desires. My job is to mesh all the family members’ wants in a cohesive and interesting way. It’s a puzzle that needs to fit together.

Choosing wall colors is a big decision. Any tips for choosing wall color to go with existing furniture and flooring?
Wall colors change dramatically in a space from day to night and with different colors that surround them. It’s one of the most challenging pieces in my business to get it right. It takes time and energy to “see” each color in the environment. Looking at painting samples is a must.

Greenleaf painted this bedroom in a soothing brown.

Accent walls are becoming popular. What are your thoughts on these?
Accent walls should be the focal point of the room.

What interior wall colors do you find popular right now in our area for living rooms, dining rooms and kitchens?
Popular wall colors change depending on the location. Clients in Florida want “cool” colors, Northeast clients want “warmer” colors, but in general most clients want light muted colors.

White cabinets paired with soothing earth colors make this kitchen inviting.

Do you have any favorite uses of color to share?
Paint is a game changer in so many ways. Example: my client purchased a home with a huge chandelier that they really disliked, wanted to replace BUT didn’t have the budget.

I convinced them to paint it a vibrant color. They LOVE this piece. We saved thousands of dollars; it’s a showstopper now.

Any other favorite design tips?
Advice: hire an interior designer; they save you money, explain where to spend, and where to cut back to get the home that reflects your unique personality and needs.

What got you into the interior design business?
Friends, wanting interior design advice after seeing my home. In the early part of my work career I was a display director for large department stores. Great training ground for spatial relationships.

To read more about Ellen Maranca’s work, please visit: www.EZM-Interiors.com.

Dining room painted by Greenleaf

Uplift your kitchen with timeless white

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So, you’re ready for a kitchen upgrade starting with fresh new paint. Great!

Whatever mood you desire to create — crisp, comfy, sleek, or retro — neutrals are “in,” and white is a versatile and popular choice. (Please enjoy our pics from recent Greenleaf projects!)

Shades of white provide a perfect setting for a kitchen space, accommodating all other colors and the full gamut of materials and textures.

Here are five style choices for integrating a white kitchen with accents and furnishing to create the just-right ambience you desire.

Clean and crisp: Make use of contrast with stainless steel or black appliances and accessories or glass surfaces. Add finishing touches with a  few brightly colored accents like chair covers, vases, sculpture, and vibrantly colored flowers.

Warm and comfy: Wood is your friend. Consider using dark or light wood flooring and furnishings (as above) plus wall accents like decorative wood utensils. White-on-white paper on one wall can add softness and interest, and a vase of pastel or warmly colored flowers can add a welcoming touch.

Modern and sleek: Integrate contemporary furnishings with architectural lighting (beautiful pendant lighting below!) Add finishing touches with abstract sculpture, art and photography.

Retro and relaxed: Past and present can be happy together with appliances and flooring patterns designed with an old-school look. White walls are the perfect canvas for black and white photos and old movie posters. Finishing touches can be discovered at antique shops and yard sales.

Eclectic: You might prefer a blend of styles … We paint a lot of historic homes (these cabinets, below, used to be cherry!) We often see wonderful blends of the old and new. Be creative — it’s your kitchen!

Whatever style you choose, add freshness and seasonal color with plants, flowers, and fruit bowls. Create interest with recessed lighting and unique or classic pendant lighting. Add pops of color with artwork, and decor. 

White walls blend well with a variety of back splashes and kitchen islands. Backsplashes popular with many designers include marble, hexagon patterns, nickel or mosaic tile, and brightly colored block patterns. Prep and serving kitchen islands come in several woods and colors with countertops that include granite, marble, quartz, wood or hybrids.

Some popular whites are Decorators White (above) and White Dove (top of page) from Benjamin Moore or Snowbound and Alabaster (below) from Sherwin-Williams.

White has been a go-to kitchen color throughout modern history and has become especially popular this season. It’s often the choice of both designers and homeowners who want a color that looks and feels fresh and blends well with countless elements.

Call us soon — Greenleaf is now scheduling for the outdoor season (continuing indoor work as usual, too!). And thank you for sharing our name with your friends and family. Your word of mouth and online reviews make a huge difference to a small company like ours!

Our latest news update: You can now watch our educational videos on YouTube. The latest is “Why We Go Green.” Get videos, more updates & pics on Facebook& Instagram! These include our crew and leadership highlights, fairs we attend & other news. “Stop over” on one of these platforms and say hi!

Manager Ryan Munn featured in inPAINT Magazine

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Greenleaf Painters’ Operations Manager, Ryan Munn, was featured in InPAINT magazine’s May issue alongside four other paint experts.  See what he has to say about the highest quality exterior paints from Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore.

The full magazine issue is available here.  Munn is featured on pages 29 and 30.

 

Add Sparkle to Your Home with Winter Holiday Painting!

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Many people think painting companies are busy during the holiday season. Isn’t  everybody busy during the holiday season!?

But in December, outdoor painting projects have come to a close, and because it IS the holidays, people are shy to call. You don’t need to be.

If you have a project–especially needing a fast turn-around time–the holiday season, including weeks into the New Year can be the ideal time to schedule your project. You may find that you can get on the schedule faster and that the project is completed more quickly.

And low-odor paints make winter painting a no-brainer

It used to be that you had to paint in seasons when you could keep the windows open because the paint smelled so bad. But low-VOC paints have changed all that. These are different than your typical Non-Toxic Latex paint. Even the popularized so called “non-toxic” paints have VOC’s –Volatile Organic Compounds–that off-gas things like  formaldehyde when you put it on the wall.

Yes, formaldehyde, a carcinogen, is an ingredient in “non-toxic” paint. This is why we like to use the Low- to No-VOC paints. You can paint your bedroom during the day and sleep in it that night. No worries. No smell.

Low-chemical, low-odor paints have been around long enough, and the competition is fierce enough, that these paints cost about the same as traditional latex paint. They also perform just as well, holding up in color and finish over time. Our favorite high-performance brands are Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams, although other brands offer Low-VOC paints as well.