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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

“In September, MBJessee finished painting two sides of our 3-story condominium building (six owners). We were impressed by the professionalism of the company and every one of its workers, Matt Jessee couldn't have been more helpful in planning the project. His painters were well-trained, easy to communicate with and eager to please. In addition to painting the stucco, they made extensive repairs on windows and frames, which will save us considerable money in the future. They finished earlier than anticipated, with as many as five men working on the job, and the scaffolding came down the next day. All of us were delighted with the results. Now my husband and I are looking forward to having MB Jessee paint our own apartment later this month. Matt and Gustavo (who will be our crew leader again) have explained how they will work to make the painting proceed smoothly while we're living here, and they have been endlessly patient with our protracted decision-making process. If you look at their website, you'll learn that MB Jessee is an exemplary company that takes good care of its workers as well as its customers, and contributes public service projects to the community. All in all, we can't recommend MB Jessee highly enough.”

— Jayne W.
San Francisco, CA

“Charles finished yesterday and did a fantastic job. We really enjoyed meeting Charles and having him in our home. He is a great guy in addition to his attention to detail in his work, the protection of our floors, walls and furnishings, and his overall interaction with us both. I would be pleased to recommend him to any of my clients.”

— Ken Morrison
Oakland

“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

“MB Jessee just finished our exterior and we couldn't be happier with our experience. The foreman (Pedro) and lead painter (Ricardo) were incredible to work with: they communicated scheduling clearly, Ricardo was a joy to be around every day, the showed up early every day, were incredibly tidy and did great paint work. The final walkthrough experience was incredible. Pedro pointed out items I missed demonstrating a clear desire to complete another quality project. I highly recommend them. As others have noted they definitely aren't the cheapest but you quickly realize that you're getting what you pay for. The 3-year guarantee is also a nice touch since there are likely touch-up items that will show up after the job is done.”

— Joshua J.
Oakland, CA

“The kitchen looks NEW! You guys are amazing.”

“Just wanted to let you know that the crew was great to have around the house for the past two weeks. All three of them were professional, courteous, and attentive to my thoughts/concerns and were extremely knowledgeable. They paid great attention to the detail and it shows.”

— Mark & Roberta Gross

“MB Jessee painters are stellar! As a designer I've worked with numerous companies over the years, and MB Jessee is a top-notch firm. From the first phone call to the final clean up, every person is courteous, professional, and hard working. The owner, Matt, is a charitable leader who has instilled his team with integrity and honesty providing the customer with a first class experience at a fair price with a paint job that is guaranteed to last. I highly recommend MB Jessee. Thank you Matt and your STAR crew-Daniel, Rigoberto, Vicente, Edy, Pedro, and Mario, for a job well executed! Cynthia Brian, ASID, Starstyle® Productions, llc”

— Cynthia Brian
Morgan, CA

“Matt, We are very happy with how all of the painting worked out. We were extremely impressed with the quality of the work in the bathroom. I liked working with Victor, he and Marvin were extremely conscientious about doing a great job, not just the minimum. I know the front door took a lot longer than you'd expected. But they did it PERFECTLY. We never thought it could turn out like that! Thanks again for the great work. We'll be calling you again in the future!”

— Craig
Alameda, CA

“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

“MB Jessee just finished our exterior and we couldn't be happier with our experience. The foreman (Pedro) and lead painter (Ricardo) were incredible to work with: they communicated scheduling clearly, Ricardo was a joy to be around every day, the showed up early every day, were incredibly tidy and did great paint work. The final walk through experience was incredible. Pedro pointed out items I missed demonstrating a clear desire to complete another quality project. I highly recommend them. As others have noted they definitely aren't the cheapest but you quickly realize that you're getting what you pay for. The 3 year guarantee is also a nice touch since there are likely touch up items that will show up after the job is done.”

— Joshua Jansen

“Julie,Just to let you know I am very appreciative of your crew catching the plumbing/mold problem. It was very astute of them. I wanted to let you know that again your crew has done excellent work here, please pass this along to Mr. Jessee. There are some bumps in the road here, but the painting and your crew has not been one of them. Their work is the only thing going right currently, and this crew is very nice and respectful. It is much appreciated. Thank you again.”

— Beth
Oakland

“My entire experience with MB Jesse was very professional. The crew were very friendly and super accommodating of my ridiculous schedule and geriatric pets in the house. The finished product, which was pretty much my entire house, far exceeds my expectations. Would definitely work with them again!”

— Heather Jordan