I really love my job, and I think the best part of it is getting to meet so many incredible locals, whether they've been here all their lives or just moved into town. (We seem to be getting a lot of people moving down here from Chicago lately.) And now that we've set up our separate brand as professional picture hangers near Asheville, we also get to "meet" a lot of wonderful art collections. Last week we worked with a delightful couple who had a large collection including some great pieces from local painters, like this one of guinea hens by the artist known as Cornbread. On the right is another piece made by an autistic child at a special-needs school. He says it's his experience of the sky at night. It's really bold in person! The couple was downsizing to a smaller space, which is why they called us in to hang their collection. (It can feel overwhelming to place and hang a lot of pictures when you're just moving in!) This colorful still life is by a Puerto Rican artist and definitely brings a tropical vibe. It's the first thing you see when you walk into the home, and it really sets the tone. One of the challenges of relocating a collection is finding a home for the larger pieces. The couple was actually planning to sell this large Masai textile, even though they loved it, because they couldn't find a wall for it. Fortunately our in-house Asheville art consultant (my wife Faith, who is a trained artist) spotted the perfect place for this piece. Look how well it coordinates with the chair! And the little red bits were really set off by the red pillow on the bed. We also mounted a Kingfisher sculpture for them, with a little help from their kitty. This is just a small sample of their collection. I really enjoy seeing how other people choose and live with art. This pair of pieces was particularly nice. The one on the right is a set of etchings of the ancient cave paintings at Lascaux. We found the perfect spot for it on this wall in their dining room. I like how they chose to mount it on transparent glass, so the wall color shows through. Hanging big pictures like this can be trickier than it sounds, especially if they're mounted using D-rings as this one was. Fortunately we have a system for putting each picture hanger at just the right height. And after we hung 93 pieces, the house suddenly feels like a home! If you'd like some help hanging your favorite artwork, take a look at our new sister brand, Asheville Art Installers: We offer a white-glove installation service to ensure that each piece is safely and beautifully mounted... so you can relax and let us do the work.
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Well, it's been a year, but I'm back to blogging! What can I say but the old refrain, "I've been busy." And one of the things that's kept me most busy has been interior painting in Asheville. This year we're starting to see a little more color sneaking in. I know Maximalism has been a big trend in Architectural Digest for quite awhile, and it's finally starting to come to our mountain town. I've already blogged about picking paint colors and how to paint with bold colors, but there's one painter's secret I haven't mentioned, which is how to choose the best version of the most dangerous color: Yellow.
The trick with yellow is that it basically comes in two varieties. The "safest" yellow to pick for your walls is a warm version that skews toward orange, like we see in Harewood House. Here's a lovely little villa in a similar color. The trouble seems to come in when people accidentally choose a yellow that skews toward green. Here's an example of what I mean. This will show up differently depending on your computer monitor, but at regular settings you'll see a more acidic color. This "acid yellow" is the one that people generally regret using, even if it's toned down. It can be harder to tell the difference on a color chip, so I recommend getting a small jar of your proposed color and painting it on a piece of poster board so you can test it out on different walls and in different light. If you don't like the "egg yolk" yellow, another possibility would be to choose a grayed-down version. My wife actually chose a pistachio greenish-yellow for our home, and it looks great. However, it's got a lot of gray (and a lot of white) in it, so that in some lights you can't even see the color.
But don't let me scare you away from bright colors! Especially because we're here to help make sure that your interior painting is done right the first time. Over the years we've gotten to know some of the best interior designers near Asheville, and one thing we've learned from them is that it can be tough to find someone to do the little jobs that bring a beautiful room together. That's why I'm thrilled to announce a new service from The Handyman Plan, LLC: we're now available for checklists of small tasks like:
Since we have a half-day minimum, we recommend bundling several small projects together in order to get the best value. This means that our service is best suited for interior designers, and for homeowners who have just moved to Asheville and have lots of little projects to do. It's also a great choice for anyone with a complex art installation project, like this heavy screen which we hung on custom brackets to avoid attaching hangers to the art. We can also assist with special items like musical instruments or large mirrors. And don't forget about our interior painting service - we can repaint one room or an entire home to whatever color you specify... like this downtown office which we brightened up with a fresh coat of Winter White. So if you're looking for a professional art hanging service that will install your cherished paintings or mirrors securely, please get in touch.
Every day we are grateful for our wonderful customers and readers.
We hope you're having a safe and cozy holiday season, and we wish you a happy and wholesome New Year.
As always, the first thing I asked to see was his portfolio of work, and I was truly impressed. Check out this before-and-after of a big farmhouse kitchen renovation he recently did. The before was "okay" but really dated... But the "after" was incredible! There were too many good pictures to choose from, so here are several. We'll start with a wide-angle view: As you can see, lots of things were relocated, including the fridge. Check out the meticulous trim work on the cabinets and range hood. And the dated old wallpaper has disappeared - either removed or well painted over. He also does decks, like this mahogany beauty with all of the fasteners hidden: And dig the trim work on this staircase! Really nice. He has an aesthetic sense for good proportions which makes the difference between "so-so" and "outstanding" trim carpentry. Of course, we did our due diligence as we always do before we add someone to our network. His references from former clients were glowing. In particular, they mentioned his great communication skills, and the way he always left the job site clean after each day of work. (That's really important in a kitchen reno!)
Sam rounds out our amazing team of local Asheville trim carpenters, and I think his kitchen remodel is one of the most meticulous I've seen around here. I'm really proud to be working with such a great network of people. So if you've got a deck or kitchen project that needs a thorough and experienced craftsman, please get in touch with us. We'll put you in touch with the right person for the job. |
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