The job ahead of us.

The job in process.

The project nearing completion.

The very cool end result!

Uptown Co-op Wall Repair

A professionally textured wall can lend a gentle kind of rustic style, even in a stairwell or common hallway. In some cases, it camouflages imperfections that a smooth wall cannot, but overall it looks very cool except when the current coat of paint is flaking and falling off, revealing compromised plaster underneath and creating an eyesore for anyone walking the stairs or in the hallway. When a New York City co-op building determines that a stairwell needs some serious attention, many of them call us to evaluate the damage and prescribe the remedy.

 Here we had to scrape away old paint and plaster, vacuuming the debris with HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaners for the health and safety of residents and visitors. We applied a sophisticated plaster weld to ensure bonding before adding the decorative plaster in a way to match existing textures. Then our experienced painters fully primed the wall and added two coats of finish paint in Benjamin Moore’s Baby’s Breath white. Creating and painting textured walls is a skill and an art, and we like to think anyone traveling in this stairwell appreciates its fresh, new, polished look.

Accent Wall and Bookcase Painting

The Upper West Side is known for its energy, cultural attractions and wonderful outdoor spaces. It was the backdrop for the movie “You’ve Got Mail” and the television series “Seinfeld.” People of all ages from all over the world call it home. We went to one of the homes recently to paint an accent wall, then carry the theme to the back wall of the corner bookcases. When the floors and adjacent spaces were safety protected, our team cleaned, sanded, primed and painted everything.

 The Benjamin Moore paint color is named Bonne Nuit, which is French for “good night.” We think it could be dubbed Bonne à Tout Moment meaning “good anytime.” The accent wall is spacious and framed with gorgeous trim. You do not need experience painting back walls between bookcase shelves to figure out that it’s a tricky project. For us, it’s just all in a day’s work, and the contrast between the walls, trim and shelving is striking and chic with a generous infusion of glamour and mystique.

Installing Wallpaper in Long Island City 

This couple called us after moving into a new home in Long Island City. As professional wallpaper hangers in Long Island City we were happy to help. The client chose a beautiful elaborate wallpaper for an accent wall in their bedroom. We began the process by cleaning and patching the surface to ensure the wallpaper would adhere properly and look smooth throughout. After that we primed the wall. We carefully applied the wallpaper paste and smoothed the paper onto the wall. We love the pattern they chose and shows how powerful wallpaper can be as an accent wall in a home. Whether installing or removing wallpaper in Queens, the results can be drastic and amazing. 

Painting Exterior Cornices

The New York Times have called roof cornices 'The Crowning Glory’ of NYC architecture in the Early 20th century. Yet these historic pieces of architectural ingenuity have largely disappeared from modern building practices. Built of galvanized iron, copper and terra cotta, the cornice was the cherry on top of NYC beautiful historic buildings. The Brooks Brothers building, at Madison and 44th Street is a superb example of a refined cornice. Sadly, the anti-cornice movement goes hand in hand with the “who-cares” tide of NYC architecture. Buildings after building were made in “modern” designs, seeking to become taller and sleeker. This makes cornice placement difficult.

In today’s world the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development has adopted a cornice restoration plan as part of its overall housing strategy in the Harlem and Hamilton Heights area. Cassandra A. Vernon, an agency spokeswoman urges developers to include cornices in their designs. She seeks to encourage people to repair and replace cornices on rehabilitated buildings.

Paintworks and Decorating is proud to be one of the few companies experienced to handle this delicate restoration. We see cornices as a major piece of NYC architectural history and wish to keep the artistic tradition alive. The very soul of New York has slowly been deteriorated by the destruction of some of our most historic constructions. With our 25 years of experience we seek to maintain NYC’s rich art and history.

With the easy renting of one scissor lift the our team can restore your historic building's details to their former glory. With a few precise coats of Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior premium paint your cornice will last for future generations to appreciate and admire. 

Manhattan Wall Stripe Painter

New York City is a mecca for style and fashion. The unique style of the city is not limited to just garments and art but also goes for home decorating. There are endless options when painting the interior of a home. With an NYC apartment don't let the size of the space limit the possibilities of the look and feel you can achieve through painting. One way to add a unique touch to a wall is to add decorative stripes. We're not talking about cheesy looking candy cane stripes but professional beautiful stripes that give a feel of elegance. When looking for a spark for their entryway, this homeowner chose beautiful metallic pearl vertical stripes. Unless you're an abstract artist, even spacing and even stripe width have the most importance when painting vertical lines on a wall. The striped walls now make anyone walking through the front door feel like they're walking into a high end 5th avenue store!