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Tips for Using White Paint Effectively in Your Bay Area Home

Tips for Using White Paint Effectively in Your Bay Area Home

It used to be that white interior paint was considered just the starting point. It was the neutral that paved the way for deeper and bolder colors. White rarely ever stood alone, and if it did it carried the stigma of being a sort of antiseptic, clinical option that left you wanting more.

Well, not any longer.

White is finding a celebrated place in homes today, and for good reason. Rather than seeing it as an absence of color, it actually celebrates color by allowing for a nearly unlimited combination of furniture, decor, artwork, and accent pieces that can be easily interchanged according to your taste.

Paint manufacturers are also stepping up to the plate (and the demand) by developing stunning variations of white, populating a huge extended family of warmer and cooler options that you can pick from. To get a little sense of what’s available, click over to Houzz.com and take a look at these white interiors.

This all begs the question: with so many options to choose from, how do you successfully incorporate white into your home’s palette?

Choosing and Using the Perfect White Interior Paint

  • Consider Sunlight - Should you use a warmer or cooler white? Well, this can be largely determined by the amount of direct sunlight your room receives. For spaces that feel our intense California sun, try a cooler white with grey undertones. For darker rooms, an off-white that will warm the space is a good choice.
  • Can’t Tell the Difference Between the Swatches? - Sometime swatches are just too small… Try painting a few samples on larger squares of poster board and taping them to your wall. That way you can get a better sense of how the different whites interact with your lighting throughout the day.
  • Layer Your Whites - If you have white furniture or curtains as well, you can avoid an overly stark look by mixing whites that are warmer and cooler, creamier and crisper.
  • Add Contrast - White and black may be opposites, but they work together beautifully to offer a timeless style.
  • Modern or Classic? - For a more modern look, pick colder, crisp, and glossier whites. For a more aged and lived-in feel, try a softer vanilla.

To see what a room really looks like in a color that interests you, try searching for the specific color on Houzz.com. You often will find examples of rooms painted in that exact color. Major manufacturers like Sherwin-Williams also often provide photos online of the color you’ve selected being used within an actual living space.

Talk to a Local, Professional Painting Company

If you live in the Bay Area, we hope you’ll contact us at MB Jessee Painting. It would be our pleasure to help you navigate your options and make the best decision possible for your specific goals and home.


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Customer Reviews

“I cannot imagine finer painters--and I have worked with many. They work exceptionally hard. It is a joy to see their workmanship!”

— Alicia R.
Oakland

“The finish on my kitchen cabinets had failed, becoming tacky and grimy around the handles. M B Jessee gave me a reasonable quote, far below some others, and did an outstanding job, striping the original varnish and refinishing with a new lacquer finish. The cabinets look like new. Work was done 1 day faster than estimated. The crew was extremely hard-working, considerate, and neat. Highly recommend M B Jessee.”

— Thama B.
San Francisco, CA

“I love the article in the paper on your company. Thank you for supporting our community by painting at the Claremont Middle School. Thanks!”

— Carla Banks

“Dear Matt,You must be so proud of your men! They were fantastic to have around. Polite, courteous and hardworking. I am so pleased with the outcome of our home--in fact, I couldn't be any more pleased than I am!”

— Mrs. S
San Leandro

“I want to express my thanks for a job well done. The rooms look great and there is no problem with any marks on the all the trim, floor, carpet, etc. The paint job is lovely. I also want to express my thanks for the level of professionalism the foreman showed in running the job. He was very attentive to any changes I needed to make, was extremely careful in getting the faux paint color and effect correct. Thanks so much for a job well done.”

— Suzan D’Arcy

“Very easy to work with, they did an outstanding job with our project of re-painting our painting our kitchen cabinets. Given the scope of the job and that our kitchen is roughly half of our upstairs living area they did a fantastic job of minimizing the mess. Workmanship was top notch, would definitely recommend.”

— Vince Scola

“Our paint crew did a great job and the foreman, Gersson was exceptionally great to work with. He was always available to answer questions, good at problem-solving, very patient, kind, and highly professional with great customer service. We definitely recommend this company, and Gersson and his crew.”

— Andrea Y.
Berkeley, CA

“We just wanted to let you know how pleased we are with the work of MB Jessee Painting and your employees. Everything turned out beautiful. Our foreman was great! He was punctual, professional, neat and very accommodating ... and went the extra mile. We will definitely recommend you to our friends and family.”

— Michelle & Rivers Gee

“High quality work from a pleasant and qualified staff. Thank you!”

— Paul Markovich

“It was a great experience working with MB Jessee. The crew was careful and thorough as they painted the house, sealed stucco cracks, repaired dry-rotted wood, stained the deck, etc. Robert, Gersson, Jose, and all of the people involved in the process from the estimate to the job completion were friendly and professional.”

— Mike C.
Livermore, CA

“Hello Matt,Just another notice of thanks to your wonderful crew, Rigoberto, Javier and John. They did fantastic work, with Rigo providing meticulous and conscientious attention to the details and excellent woodwork finishing, as evidenced by the beautiful fireplace. Javier did a fantastic job in the bathroom especially, it looks "brand new," and John always does quality work, both with the interior and exterior. I can tell they care about what they do. Rigo's "punch out" was very thorough, too. I will call again when I need some more work and will definitely recommend your company and fine crew. I also felt as a homeowner, I could leave my house in their good hands during the day and that took a lot of worry from me, they were honest, prompt and reliable. They were also very kind, respectful and clean in their work, very professional. Thank you.”

— Beth Marx & Melissa Kirsch
Oakland

“I loved working with M.B. Jessee from start to finish on a relatively small paint job that grew a bit. I felt in very good hands from the moment Matt Jessee came out to give me the estimate and talk about my job. He was very easy to talk to and he handled my changes very well. Then the actual work done by Rigoberto and Mario was impeccable. They were neat and meticulous and the paint job looks beautiful. I could not have asked for more and when I did, they accommodated me 100%. I will not hesitate to call M.B. Jessee again and to refer them to friends.”

— Nancy Kurkjian