Refreshing Walls, Trim and Brazilian Cherry Floors 

When you connect the dots between a small grocery store in Sweden founded in 1919, coffee and floor polish, what do you get? Well, in a stunning turn of events, the floor product takes center stage. Wilhelm Edner founded the food shop and loved more than anything selling coffee to his customers. He made a protective polishing agent named “bonvax” for wood floors. In 1953, the floor sealer now known as Bona was introduced in the European floor market. Six years later, Bona had its own building in Sweden, and 19 years later, a plant opened in Germany, expanding the product line along the way.

In 1987, Bona entered the U.S. market, first available to professionals, and in 2002, for sale to consumers. Fast forward to 2023 when a Brooklyn Heights family was craving some interior updates after years in this residence. We moved all the furniture to refinish these exotic Brazilian cherry hardwood floors with Bona’s superior products. Sanding floors is intensive work. Getting all those minute particles removed before applying sealer and clear finish coats is equally demanding. Our teams are experienced in all facets of floor refinishing, and they glow almost as much as the beautifully-revived wood grain when the job is done.

But this project was not yet done. We went on to paint the walls, trim and living room built-ins before placing the furniture back where we first found it. We were especially cautious to protect the kids’ height markers on their door frame, so they can marvel that they were once so short. And their parents marvel at the sensational transformation in their home with newly rejuvenated hardwood floors and freshly painted walls and trim. We marvel that more than 100 years ago a man in Sweden who loved coffee ended up launching a global floor product business.

The_Ap_art_ment™

 One of the four islands comprising the French West Indies, St Barth (aka St. Barts) was settled by the French in 1648. It was traded to Sweden for four short years and today, the rich and famous from around the world seek out the spectacular natural beauty, European and Caribbean ambience and luxury accommodations. From this sensationally exotic, volcanic island, three women passionate about art formed Space Gallery St Barth in 2011. Seven years later, they launched a permanent gallery in New York City.

The style of this inclusive art space, designed by Susann Eva Goerg of happyhomes.co, includes fully furnished rooms where visitors linger. Art is displayed in home-like settings for envisioning art on the wall next to the bed or across living room. There’s a report afoot which relates that people look at art for only 29 seconds before walking away. Here, in this more cozy interior, recently painted and wallpapered by our experienced crew, shoppers are inclined to linger. And they do. Far more than 29 seconds.

It’s a little haven, much like St Barth, where the people are warm, you are welcome, and the city hustle is on pause. We used high quality paint products from Farrow & Ball, along with unique wallpaper, to jazz up the space. From the clever trademarked The_Ap_art_ment™ title and exquisite furnishings to the strategically-positioned lighting and colors, the carefully curated art seeks out a new home, a new client, a repeat appreciator - much like a kitten or puppy chooses its owner, despite many pet owners still crediting themselves. Art can speak, and it definitely has a voice at Space Gallery St Barth.

Patching and Plastering Electrical Work

 There are a lot of electrician jokes circulating and a couple of them involve a carpenter, like what do you call an electrician who tries to work as a carpenter? A bad electrician. In reverse, what do you call a carpenter who tries to work as an electrician? A shocked carpenter. We at Paintworks are fond of the one that goes: Why did the electrician wear two jackets when painting a room in his house? Because the instructions said “for best results, put on two coats.”

Mind you, we maintain a very healthy respect for electricians. We don’t want to mess around with wiring and electrical currents. Our carpenters and painters love building, renovating and painting, restoring walls and ceilings and, yes, tidying up after electricians have neatly rewired something. In this home, we were charged (ha!) with patching and repairing holes after electrical outlets were moved.

The end game in a small project like this one is to make the wall look like it had never been disturbed. With little pieces of drywall, some tape, plaster and paint, plus expert workmanship and experience, the task was accomplished. Not only does the wall look great, but also we mounted the TV set, so these folks don’t need an extra piece of furniture to hold it.   

Ceiling Complete

NYC Ceiling Water Damage Restoration

Imagine you are moving. Soon. You are excited. You have chosen your new Big Apple abode with care to meet your location preferences, lifestyle and budget. Your other lease is over, your stuff is packed in boxes, furniture and electronics are ready to relocate. Then you receive a phone call, not from Chicken Little telling you the sky is falling, but from another source telling you the ceiling has fallen. There was a flood in the residence above which ruined the entire ceiling in one large room, leaving ceiling pieces, insulation and all manner of debris on the floor of your new place. And no real ceiling above.

The best plan is to call us at Paintworks and go find an extra large latte, or a big martini, and give us the weekend to fix it all. We did it - for an early-next-week move-in! Our skilled tradesmen removed all the ceiling pieces which had not fallen on their own, then determined what was needed for new framing, insulation and drywall. Ceiling work is quite challenging and requires the same attention to measurements and installation procedures as walls and floors, but it will test one’s biceps strength and blood pressure to the max, working upside down much of the time. Then there’s cutting out precise spaces for recessed lights and ceiling speakers.

For a smooth finish [pun intended], we taped, plastered and primed the new drywall, covering the new insulation, connected to the new framework. Then, we painted it bright white for maximum natural daylight reflection and packed up our floor coverings, brushes, rollers, tools and equipment. We like to think the next call to the new tenant was the happy news that the ceiling was repaired over the weekend. It was again stable and secure, and the time to move in is now.

Starting the work

Installing the Mold Tough Fire Code Drywall

Priming after taping and plastering

Manhattan Custom Wallpaper Hanging

Instant coffee has a storied history that stretches around the globe, and instant coffee today has a prominent place in the New York City headquarters of Ground Up Coffee & Tea. The company, which ships around the world, was founded by a 3rd generation instant coffee drinker and is dedicated to developing and delivering differentiated coffee and tea. Consumers have always appreciated the convenience afforded by instant coffee. The recent shift toward high grade coffees made with cutting edge processing technology adds premium flavor to the simplicity and portability of instant coffee.  The result is an unmatched experience at the cup and corresponding surge in demand. http://www.gucoffeetea.net.

And while they innovate in the instant coffee and tea arena, they engage a creative approach to making their work space an instant hit with employees and visitors. When Ground Up moved to a new office, they had a custom-styled wallpaper mural designed.  We were the lucky ones who got to install it and keep from getting mixed up on whether we were indoors or outside. The green fields of coffee-growing shrubs, hills beyond and backdrop of mountains are complemented with a captivating motley sky.  

We delicately carved out duct work and air vents while taping and plastering the doorway for a seamless look, except for the hinges and handle. It’s intricate work that our team of craftsmen finds challenging and rewarding. Once we picked up our drop cloths, tables, scaffolding and supplies, we really did not want to depart this glorious mountain scene for the urban concrete and skyscraper scene – like from one jungle to another.

Before. Pointing to the future