STATE COLLEGE — Color can affect people in many ways.
Sunny yellow. Cherry red. Burnt orange.
More than likely, just reading these words evokes specific images. Certain colors — or groups of colors — tend to spark similar thoughts for most people. However, the variations in those colors come from the shades or tones used. Simply adding a pop of color here or there can vastly change the look of something, whether it’s a picture, an outfit or a house.
In fact, some experts say that the colors of rooms in a home are a direct reflection of a person’s personality. Room color can influence moods and thoughts. This is why it’s so important to choose colors wisely when it comes to decorating.
Painting a house has many benefits. House painting is a fast and inexpensive way to update a home and to keep it looking clean and fresh. And the great thing is painting is a relatively easy home improvement project that produces immediate results.
Helping customers choose color is a big part of the job for Steve Ellenberger, owner of Porter Paint and Wallcovering of State College. Ellenberger knows how important it is for his customers to find the right colors. He makes it his mission to help them figure out the best way to use color to transform their homes.
Ellenberger has a lot of years of experience in the color business. He has owned Porter for 12 years and been working in the painting business for more than four decades. He has seen trends come and go, but knows that the trick of the trade in making a home beautiful is to choose colors that reflect the preferences and personalities of those who live there.
“Painting is the least expensive way to make the biggest change,” Ellenberger said.
His business has been helping people transform their homes for more than a century, as Porter was established in 1913, and is currently the oldest independent paint retailer in the region. Porter offers every paint and wall covering product imaginable, in addition to specializing in three major types of paint, plus lacquers.
In addition to the wide array of products, one of the most popular and most-requested services includes matching, Ellenberger said.
“The biggest thing is custom matching. People bring in fabrics, pictures from magazines, material from a chair, and we create a color scheme around it,” he said.
For those looking to transform a room by changing a color scheme, he said that homeowners can easily match a room’s colors to their personal tastes and to the room’s purpose. Light colors are expansive and airy, making rooms seem larger and brighter. Dark colors are sophisticated and warm; they give large rooms a more intimate appearance.
He said that choosing color combinations is one of the most intimidating steps for beginners. Color has the power to change the shape and size of furnishings, as well as the shape and size of the room itself. It’s also important to think about the feelings associated with certain colors — obviously warm and tranquil colors elicit different emotions than bright and vibrant colors, so keep in mind what the purpose of the room is when picking a color scheme.
There are plenty of benefits to painting a home. Painting can increase the value of a home, as a fresh coat of paint will offer an instant improvement and update, making it more attractive to potential buyers. Even for people who are not looking to sell their home, keeping the inside up-to-date with house painting every few years will maintain the real estate value for when it does come time to sell. It can be a great investment that will result in higher returns when it comes time to sell.
Another benefit of painting is that is gives a home an inexpensive makeover. House painting is a great way to give a home a new look at a fraction of the cost of a renovation. With the right colors, homeowners can create a completely new feel in a home they have lived in for years. Money can be saved by revamping with painting as opposed to a major renovation project.
Painting also promotes cleanliness. A new paint job instantly makes an entire house look cleaner. House painting covers permanent marks, wear and tear and problem stains on the home’s interior, which makes it look brand new inside. A new coat of paint will also reduce old cooking, pet and other odors, improving air quality inside of a home.
Additionally, painting can protect the walls of a home from wear and tear. It helps to keep dust from the walls to a minimum, prevent surface cracks and protect walls from moisture caused by cooking, laundry and showers.
And, it’s just not the inside of a home that can be transformed. A good exterior paint job can also give a home a much-needed facelift — whether it’s something drastic like painting the entire exterior of the home or something more minor like adding a pop of color to window shutters. Whatever the case may be, painting can improve the curb appeal of a home. A good paint job beautifies and adds character and personality to a home, so like painting the interior, it’s just as important to take sufficient time planning which colors, shades, and paint styles to decorate the outside of a home. Exterior paint also serves as one of your home’s primary lines of defense against weather, insects and other damage, so it’s an important aspect of home maintenance to keep up on as well.
In addition to painting, Ellenberger said that his business also does a lot of work in the cabinet and furniture business, in terms of lacquers and custom stains. As with painting, matching is an important part of that aspect of the business as well. He said that people might bring in a wood sample and request a stain to match. He mentioned that custom glazing is also big — for example, wood graining or creating a grain overlay on a cabinet.
Another method of sprucing up a home is through wallpapering.
“Wallpaper is booming right now. We have a huge selection. There are always new and different ones coming out,” he said.
Whether it’s by paint, wallpaper or custom stain, redecorating a home in this day and age is constantly changing and evolving. People see so much online in terms of interior decorating, Ellenberger said. He said they see something that catches their eye on a website or in a magazine and decide that’s what they want. They bring the picture in to him to help them get started on a project.
“We guide customers the whole way through jobs from start to finish. A lot of people don’t know where to start. They see something, they have an idea in mind, but they’re not sure where to begin. They want a change, but might be a little nervous about changing the whole scheme of things. We do a lot of explaining and teaching. We guide them and help them find the right products for whatever project they’re doing,” he said.
He said although he has many, many years in the business, he is constantly training and learning in order to keep up to date on the newest trends and developments. It’s important to stay current, because in addition to homeowners, he also does a lot of industrial and commercial work.
“It’s been a long process, being in this business and understanding colors and figuring out what each customer has in mind. There’s always a lot to learn and a lot to keep up on, because every single customer is unique.”
