Stonington Gray on Trim

 Gray is often heralded for a classy, neutral interior statement, and what better place to come home to an elegant lifestyle than Park Avenue. Named for its lush park-like greenery, the center of the wide boulevard initially held a railway track for the New York & Harlem Railroad. Once that was gone, different sections were planted, and eventually the entire length of Fourth Avenue was renamed Park Avenue.

In the early 1980s, a group of concerned residents banded together to preserve iron fences and garden areas which had deteriorated. Dubbed Patrons of Park Avenue (POPA -  http://www.patronsofparkavenue.org ), the new organization worked alongside the city parks department (which owns the mall land strips) and a landscape architect to restore the trees and plantings. POPA is still very active supporting the maintenance and plants in these lush outdoor malls which enhance life on Park Avenue.

Meanwhile, this luxury home needed a new interior vision to do away with some very weird designs and mottled paint. In keeping with the calm intent for the room, the client selected Benjamin Moore’s Calm paint for the walls. This soothing shade of white sports a soft hint of lavender-gray. The trim color of Stonington Gray added just a little punch to frame the space at the top and bottom where generous molding meets the ceiling and the floor. This is now a gracious place for sweet dreams.

Classy comfy contrast with black walls and white walls in the same space.

Blue adds harmony with its pop of color.

NYC Flaking Paint Repair

There’s a certain measure of comfort living in the same space for a long time. It provides continuity through the years with sentimental surroundings. Then along comes a time when a few changes are needed to preserve the overall interior feel. Peeling paint flaking on the walls gets one’s attention, and this long-term resident was ready for repairs, updates and modifications.

We scraped, sanded and added new plaster plus replaced a baseboard. Once everything on the walls was smooth and dry, we expertly painted one combo bedroom and work space a neutral sand shade with an earthy flair. Another room now sports a comfortable contrast with black walls providing a splash of sophistication and mystery, and white walls offering a sense of reverence. One bright blue accent wall delivers a pop of color with a slice of harmony. This home nest in the Big Apple now boasts smooth walls with fresh paint in comfortable contrasts for an emotional lift, like a new start.  

Smooth walls in a soft sandy color.

Flaking paint, an eyesore and harmful to wall stability.

Beautiful newly plasterer and polished walls to showcase professional photos.

Close up view of beautiful walls.

NYC Apartment Skim Coating 

There are lots of ways to incorporate a homey atmosphere into your residence. Rugs, window treatments and furniture come to mind. But the personalization of space, that unique décor element that speaks volumes about the homeowner, might just be how one treats the walls. The options are nearly limitless for paintings, prints, fabric, mirrors, metal art, maps, shelves, plates, sconces, whiteboard, the television and – drum roll – photos. One of our recent clients is a professional photographer, and she wanted to showcase some of her work at home, but not on crummy, rough, uneven, peeling walls with ceilings to match!

We scraped off lots of loose, old paint and plaster before smoothing the surfaces with multiple skim coats of plaster, sanding between each one. After applying an excellent bonding primer, our team painted a polish plaster coat. This final layer provides a smooth, uniform texture which is durable and naturally waterproof. While it can be tinted, this lady opted for the cleanliness of white so her photos capture full attention. We took a few photos of our own so you can see the difference, though not close to professional standards of photography, we know.

The hallway walls when we arrived on the scene.

Ceilings needed serious attention, too.

Brooklyn Heights freshly painted living room with a view

Brooklyn Apartment Painting Contractor 

Brooklyn Heights exudes an energetic vibe among historic homes on tree-lined streets, brownstones and prewar buildings, as well as lofts in former industrial digs and new high-rise condos. It’s an amalgamation of all things Big Apple folks crave – shops, eateries, parks, entertainment and commuter convenience. Life has a lot of moving parts, and one family needed to sell their apartment. It’s a unique space which required brighter paint and fresh wall coats to impress prospective buyers.

Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace paint was selected for its universal appeal and being “as delicate and refined as the lace it was named after. This crisp, clean white evokes images of pure silk, soft linen and simpler times.” [credit: Benjamin Moore] It’s the perfect complement to the classy golden oak parquet flooring and natural daylight. With a view of Manhattan, this newly and expertly painted residence just may attract a writer like ones who have claimed this neighborhood to be their home: Walt Whitman, Truman Capote, Norman Mailer.  

NYC apartment LR and DR just painted to sell residence

Brooklyn Heights BR painted for new owners and sweeter dreams

Cut, installed, primed, painted low box molding, chair rail, high picture molding for sensational, classy living room.

Beautiful box molding adds dimension and style.

Custom Manhattan Decorative Moldings  

Central Park West borders the entire, 2 ½-mile western edge of Central Park, and people live here in large part because of this 843-acre park. From streams and woods to open green spaces and myriad paths, the park beckons urban dwellers who crave a major slice of nature in the neighborhood. The architecture is stunning as well, and this client wanted some 1920-30’s flair in the apartment.

Adding box molding, a chair rail and picture molding on an otherwise blank, boring vertical wall transforms it into an exceptionally attractive visual component to the overall decor. All the molding came from Dyke’s Lumber Company, founded in 1909 and continuing its tradition of quality and integrity to this day. We measure twice and cut once to get each piece accurate for installation. There is not only a retro feel, but also an elegant charm with texture and final coats of Linen White, a creamy off-white star of Benjamin Moore’s neutral shades. The project successfully radiates the grace and grandeur found in glorious rooms a century ago.  

In process. Unfinished molding cut, leveled and installed.

In the beginning. One of the dull, flat, boring, non-sensational walls.