Example of Copper Metallic Paint finish

After debating the merits of wallpaper or rich accent colors, we decided to GLAZE the walls with a metallic paint.  What does this mean? Instead of painting the wall with a solid metallic finish, this is a sheer treatment that lets the base paint color show through the metallic glaze/paint.  With the primary wall color acting as our base, adding some sheer metallic paint is just the ticket to bump up the visual interest while keeping it elegant. 

Here’s What You Need to Do:  

C2 LoVo Paint in Eggshell Finish

Step One:  Paint the wall in the primary wall color in an EGGSHELL finish.  You need the eggshell finish to allow the glaze to be manipulated.  If you painted it in FLAT, the glaze would soak into the wall rather than stay on top of the paint. Let dry well.  

Modern Maters 'Nickel' Metallic Paint

Step Two:  Create a glaze with Modern Masters Metallic Paint, on my recent consultation, we were looking at the colors Nickel or Warm Silver (you could even use both colors in your look for a little extra interest!!).  We have them in stock at the store, so you can see the real colors, not just the representation of the color on a computer screen.  Combine the metallic paint with Modern Masters Extender for Rolling (even though you will use the product for GLAZING). This will take a little experimentation to get the right level of sheerness, I suggest you start with 2/3 metallic paint and 1/3 extender to start…  

Modern Masters Metallic Paint Extender

NOTE: Please test your technique on a C2 Ultimate Paint Chip in your wall color (an 18” x 24” sample of the paint color or you can use a painted piece of poster board from the craft store) BEFORE you glaze your walls!!! This allows you to find the right ratio of glaze to extender and lets you try out your glazing technique before touching your actual walls. This is important. 

HINT: Leave the a ‘wet edge’ to your width of metallic paint, so when you roll on your next 3’ section, you are able to blend the glaze and not leave behind distinct stripes.  Then repeat daubing the glaze, blending any edges and softening the effect.  If you are incorporating two different metallic colors into your finish.  Apply one color, then add the second color in random areas on the wall.  Daubing them to blend the edges.  

Optional Step Four:  If you would like, you may choose to add a top coat for protection– if you aren’t in a high traffic situation, I think this can be done at your discretion.  

And there you have it! Voila.

It’s perfect timing for the new year – who doesn’t make a resolution to clean out the clutter from last year and make start anew for the upcoming one? Oh, you don’t? Well, here are eight easy tips to help you declutter painlessly and effectively!

If you think cleaning the closet or garage is painful or ineffective, check out our How-To tips and see if they don’t help break the process down into very manageable steps:

Out with the Old and In with the New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR and Welcome to 2011!

Here a toast to you and your new, decluttered space. See, now you have made room to do the fun stuff…. DECORATE!!

Stop by to see the latest treasures from Hunter Douglas window fashions, Robert Allen fabrics and…. We are thrilled to introduce Brink & Chapman area rugs!!!

We’ve invited the representatives from these companies to come and share their beautiful new products, and we’d love to have you drop by for nibbles and wine.

Whew!

And while we like to say you get the biggest bang from the cost of a gallon of paint – you want to do it thoughtfully and with awareness of the consequences. Our advice? Do it, but do it with the big picture in mind.

Some Helpful Hints:

1) Take a ‘walk-thru’ of your space. Imagine it’s the first time you are visiting, and see your home with a stangers’ eyes. What do you notice? Oftentimes, we no longer ‘see’ what others do because we aren’t usually paying attention in our everyday hustle-and-bustle. So step back, walk through and observe.

2) Wow! I bet you saw a few things in the house differently! Maybe it inspires you to move a table to a better location or devise a new solution for all those kid shoes… Taking the time to observe is the first step towards insight.

3) Make a list of projects. Prioritize.

4) Start with one project. Don’t feel overwhelmed by the number of projects on your list, just focus on one thing.

5) Enjoy the fruits of your labors!

Blue Tape Contest Door - created by a PNB counselor

One of Daly’s Paint & Decorating’s notorious former employees, we’ll simply call him Salesperson #49, works with the Pacific Northwest Ballet school every summer. As part of that, Daly’s donates a case of blue masking tape (the good stuff) for the students to use in their dorms when mounting posters.

This year they are having a Most Creative use of Blue Tape Contest, along with their typical Door Decorating Contest.

Even the trophy is made from Blue Tape!!

Look out, Blue Tape just might be gaining on duct tape…

Sue Ellen, our talented display designer, has really pulled out the stops and has constructed these fanciful summer frocks out of Thibaut wallpapers. We just love the subtle metallic gleam these papers have, and how they look beguilingly real!

Imagine how these designs would look on a wall… The metallic inks keep the color and design from becoming boring and blah, but because the designs are so sophisticated, it avoids the ‘trendy’ pitfall altogether.

Nice!

Take the time to find the right painter - it's worth the effort!

When you are in the market to hire a painter, where do you start? Finding the right painter should involve a bid process with at least three different companies. Not every painter is appropriate for every job, and you want to make sure you find the right one for the project at hand.

1. An up-to-date contractor’s license
2. Proof of insurance
3. References

You’ll also want to learn:

1. How long have they been in business?
2. How do they price their work? Some bid by the project, others charge time and materials.
3. What is the payment schedule?
4. Who is going to be working on your project?
5. How long will it take?
6. What quality of paint do they plan to use? Labor costs stay the same regardless, but the quality of the paint can make a big difference in the lifespan of the job.

10.  Does the painter focus more on residential or commercial work? You do not want to hire a ‘blow-and-go’ painter or someone who does not understand the requirements of residential painting.

When you receive you bid:

11.  It should include all the steps they are planning for prepping, priming, painting and clean-up. Everything should be clearly defined in the bid.

12.  Compare apples to apples. When reviewing a number of bids make sure you understand the scope of work defined in each bid – don’t hesitate to ask questions!

Execute a contract:

13.  You contract should include the scope of work, total anticipated cost, payment schedule, start date and estimated end date. It should also call out each paint color, sheen and brand – specifying location of each color and sheen, plus the number of coats. Don’t forget to specify clean-up responsibilities and guarantees on work. Finally, your contract should define what the steps are if there are any changes to the bid.

Most paint stores can match paint (… and Paule does an awesome job of that!), but very few specialize in custom stain matches. Because Daly’s manufactures a full line of wood finishing products, we have the tool on hand to make stain magic. Some might say we even have a ‘stained reputation!’

Right now, a hot trend in the design field is to re-purpose old, outdated pieces by decking them out with a whole new painted look – Many designers are looking at the lines and quality of the construction of these vintage gems and realizing that simply approaching the old from a new point-of-view might be all it takes to transform ‘Aunt Betty’s’ old dining room set into a completly new look.

It takes some effort and time, but considering how well constructed some of these more vintage pieces are, it just may be worth the time. Plus you’ll end up with a unique itemunlike anyone else’s. What a great way to express your personality, repurpose an existing item and save some money at the same time!

Here is a quick check-list of what you’d need to do if you want to transform a tired old piece into something with a chic new attitude with paint and glaze. The following is a multi-step process to paint and glaze your furniture, like you would see from high-end cabinetry designers - perfect if you have lots of carving details that you want to feature:

• Scuff sand the finish to create ‘tooth’ on the surface
• Prime the piece to ensure adhesion
• Paint your entire piece in a creamy white
• Glaze over the painted surface with a tinted glaze. Many people like using an umber-tinted glaze color, but you could choose any color you’d like. Glaze adds a transparent ‘flavor’ on top of the paint. Depending on how you apply the glaze (brush or cheesecloth, for instance), more or less glaze will collect in the crevasses and corners of the furniture, adding depth and dimension.
• You can then top-coat it with a clear finish to add further durability, ranging from low to high sheen effects.
• Whew!

Another designer trick is to to paint the furniture in a high-gloss color to add instant impact to a room. Imagine painting a side-board mandarin orange or lipstick red. Drama!!! Glamour!!! Style!!! Cheap!!!

Daly's specializes in creating custom stain colors for furniture, floors and your home!

Did you know that Daly’s manufactures a full line of stains and finishes called Daly’s Wood Finishes? Not only that, but we specialized in creating custom stain colors, too. We can teach you how to strip off that old, tired finish and re-stain and refinish for a fresh new look - in a huge variety of cool stain colors! Stain has the added benefit of highlighting the natural beauty of the wood, so if you have something that doesn’t want to hide under a coat of paint, this may be the perfect option.

As a finishing touch, invest in new decorative hardware. Drawer pulls can range from modern cylindrical pulls to elaborate designs meant to bling out your furniture. It’s an important detail that allows you to really add flavor and attention to design to your furniture – and its a great way to update the old!