Our Interior Design Process in More Detail

Pre-Production

• Prior to our team’s arrival, the area being painted should be cleared of wall decor, furniture, and any other items that could interfere with the process. Clearing the space ahead of time allows us to begin promptly and stay on schedule. However, if assistance is needed to remove items, we’re happy to help.
• We kindly ask that pets be kept out of the work area while we’re on-site. This helps ensure their safety, maintains a safe work environment for our team, and prevents any interference with the painting process. 
• If there are any special instructions (e.g., parking preferences) or anything else we should be aware of (e.g., alarm systems), please let us know ahead of time.

Cleaning:

• While it’s not necessary to clean most interior walls and ceilings before painting, some areas do require extra attention. 
• High splash areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms often have buildup from soap, detergent, and grease which can prevent the paint from adhering properly to the surface, known as fish-eyeing. The best practice is to clean these areas thoroughly before painting to ensure proper adhesion.  
• Dust that collects on window and door frames, as well as other flat surfaces must also be removed before painting.

Sanding & Deglossing:

• When working with trim, doors, woodwork or any smooth surface, the area is dusted, wiped down and sanded or deglossed to ensure proposer paint adhesion. In some cases a high-adhesion primer is needed. 

Wall & Ceiling Prep:

• Nail holes, anchor holes, and minor imperfections are filled with spackle. To avoid texture issues and ensure a smooth finish, excess spackle is wiped off.
• For holes that are larger than an inch and require patching, a drywall patch is applied, then taped, mudded, and textured to blend with the surrounding wall.

Caulking:

• A flexible caulking is necessary when there’s a gap too large for paint to fill, such as a crack, crevice, or seam in door or window frames.
• Caulking can also be used where two walls meet, or where the wall meets the ceiling. It helps create tight, clean, straight lines in areas that often have rougher textures. 

Masking:

• Our goal is to leave a space better than we found it, so we take the time during the masking process to ensure that paint is applied only where it’s intended. 
• We remove all cover plates, switch plates, and light fixtures as needed and mask anything that can that can’t be removed.
• Masking is one of the biggest sources of waste in what we do, so we are always looking for ways to cut it down without affecting the quality of our work.

Priming:

• In some cases, a paint and primer in one can do the job, but sometimes there’s no substitute for the right primer. 
• Water-based finishes are often used for interiors. However, even with thorough cleaning, you may still experience fisheyeing caused by contaminants embedded in previous coats. The only reliable solution is to apply an oil-based primer first. Priming with oil and then applying the topcoat seals out the contaminants that cause fisheyeing. 
• For smoke damage, stains, or crayon and marker marks, some may come off with cleaning, but others require the right primer. While some water-based primers can block these stains, it’s generally recommended to use an oil-based primer. 
• High-adhesion primers are necessary for glossy or slick surfaces. These primers are also effective on materials like plastic. 

Application:

• When changing colors, we apply two coats to the surfaces being painted. This helps with both color depth and maintain consistent sheen. 
• When painting the same color over itself, typically one coat is needed to refresh the surface. 
• Spray VS. Brush & Roll-While the application process varies depending on the home, the products used, and customer preferences, we offer both spraying and brush and roll techniques. Spraying is ideal for flat, smooth surfaces as it delivers a consistent, even coat. Rough or porous surfaces require back-rolling or brush and roll application to effectively work the paint into the surface to achieve full coverage. 

Products:

• Doors – Doors have two painted surfaces that sometimes come into contact, which can cause blocking, when the paint sticks to the door frame. To prevent this, we use a hard enamel finish, such as a water-based product called acrylic alkyd high enamel. It provides a smooth and durable finish. 
• Walls – For most living spaces, a mid-grade paint is recommended, but it’s not ideal for high-splash areas. Rooms like bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms require a more durable, washable wall paint due to higher humidity, soap buildup, and water exposure. Using a product that contains mildewcide or antimicrobial components can also help prevent mold and mildew growth. 
• Ceilings – Ceilings are large, wide surfaces, and a dead-flat paint is typically recommended except in high-splash areas like bathrooms. A dead-flat paint helps minimize the appearance of imperfections and is one of the most cost effective options. 
• To bring more light into a space, flat gloss is recommended over semi-gloss because it reflects light more evenly. The amount and quality of reflected light depends on the color being used, not the sheen. Flat finishes soften light, reducing glare and providing better overall light distribution throughout the room. Ideally, you want a color with a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 99-100%. 

Clean up:

• One of the most important steps is a thorough clean up at the end of each day. We consolidate our tools into a single area, keeping them out of the way.
• At the completion of the job, we remove all equipment, sweep away dust and debris, clean any drips or overspray, and dispose of all masking materials.
• We’re also happy to help put decor back in place if needed. 

Lead Paint:

• Lead paint may be present in homes built before 1978. These older layers are usually sealed beneath several layers of new paint until removal becomes necessary. If sanding is required, this can disturb these layers and must be performed following strict safety and legal procedures. 
• In some cases, if there is lead paint and there’s a need to de-gloss it, a high adhesion primer can be used as opposed to sanding and disturbing the lead based paint.