http://www.mbjessee.com/news/ en info@mbjessee.com Copyright 2010 2010-09-01T15:47:27+00:00 http://www.mbjessee.com/news/using-venetian-plaster-in-bay-area-with-guest-blogger-laura-martin-bovard/ http://www.mbjessee.com/news/using-venetian-plaster-in-bay-area-with-guest-blogger-laura-martin-bovard/#When:15:47:27Z Beyond Paint Color-Accenting with Venetian Plaster You knew your painter could paint the walls with low voc paint and strip wall paper to add fresh new color but did you know he can also enhance the beauty of your interior by creating special finishes or applying paint to unexpected surfaces? One aspect of our full service interior design firm is color consultations. Many clients call us in to select a color palette for painting the walls colors that flow well together and will go with their furnishings but there are so many other possibilities.  Imagine if you looked beyond painting the walls and went for some of the ideas listed below that we have used successfully.  Most people aren’t aware of how using creative applications and artful finishes can create dramatic impacts that result in elegant and beautiful finishes that have shine, movement, texture and rhythm that come from properly using Venetian Plaster.  When applied expertly it can transform a room, when attempted by a novice it can go awry quickly.  Accent a fireplace with Venetian Plaster This room is successful because we layered it with a variety of finishes and textures that flow well together to create an elegant, warm and cohesive look for this master bedroom. The young family appreciates having a space where they can connect in comfort and enjoy the beauty of their well composed room. The main focus of the room is the fireplace which is beautifully framed by a Venetian Plaster wall.  The Venetian plaster has a subtle metallic imbedded into the bronze pigment which reflects light beautifully and creates a grounded foundation for the 18th Century French limestone fireplace.  This technique requires skill and experience and can be achieved by hiring an experienced painter who specializes in custom finishes like Venetian Plaster. Whether our clients seek an aesthetic uplift or a complete redesign, for a stately Spanish Mediterranean in Piedmont, or a modern high rise condominium in San Francisco, Laura Martin Bovard Interiors provides innovative design solutions in harmony with the architecture of each residence and reflective of the personality of each individual client. As part of our service we work in tandem with MB Jessee Painting to select harmonious color palettes that enhance the beauty and architecture for your home and create uplifting and comforting environments. Give us a call if you are considering making any changes to your home interior, we'd love to share more ideas with you! Laura Martin Bovard Interiors 510.531.8438 Painting Tips 2010-09-01T15:47:27+00:00 http://www.mbjessee.com/news/crocker-highlands-home-garden-tour/ http://www.mbjessee.com/news/crocker-highlands-home-garden-tour/#When:19:41:54Z The Crocker Highlands Home & Garden Tour is taking place on Sunday October 3rd from 10-4. Tickets are available on the website www.Crockerschool.org/hometour The Tour is show casing 7 lovely Crocker Highlands Homes and Phase1 of Crocker Elementary's Edible Garden/Outdoor Classroom. All Proceeds from the tour go to support the Arts, Computer and Physical Education Programs at Crocker Highlands. To learn more, contact Carla Higgins. They need volunteers too. Community 2010-08-30T19:41:54+00:00 http://www.mbjessee.com/news/emeryville-farmers-market-field-trip/ http://www.mbjessee.com/news/emeryville-farmers-market-field-trip/#When:22:32:03Z Field Trip! MB Jessee Painting goes to the Emeryville Farmers Market Mid-afternoon on a lovely day. The tummies are rumbling amongst the MB Jessee Painting office staff. We want to eat something healthy—and yummy. What to do, what to do? If it’s Thursday, then it’s time for a quick walk to the Emeryville Farmers Market! Open every Thursday from noon til seven, the Emeryville Farmers Market is a favorite lunchtime stop not just for the folks at MB Jessee but also nearby Pixar, Chiron and Peet’s. The market features super fresh organic produce from local farms and amazing prepared food. Everyone at MB Jessee is hooked on the tamales from Tamalago. Yummmmm! If you’re down our way, check it out! Emeryville Farmers Market Haven @ Park.   Community 2010-08-26T22:32:03+00:00 http://www.mbjessee.com/news/sharpening-the-saw-at-mb-jessee-painting/ http://www.mbjessee.com/news/sharpening-the-saw-at-mb-jessee-painting/#When:22:37:55Z We’ve been in the wonderful position at MB Jessee this year to be able to hire.  As a result, we have quite a few new faces around the table at our company meetings.  Matt and I thought it would be a good time to have a half day team training to educate our new painters on ‘The MB Jessee Way’ and as a refresher for our veterans.  We called it ‘Sharpening The Saw.’  Our plan was simple.  We organized the meeting with just a few key components, asked each of the MB Jessee foremen to lead a portion of the meeting with a topic they felt was critical, and we hoped for a lot of participation from our guys.  We sketched ourselves out a rough map to follow: How We Look, How We Act, and What We Do.  A quick call to our neighbors here in Oakland, Carrie Dove Catering, to provide a delectable breakfast for everyone to chow down on mid-morning and we were off and running. Many people call themselves painters.  But their idea is vastly different from the MB Jessee definition! We’ve all seen the guys in cut-off paint spattered jeans, t-shirts so covered with paint you can’t actually see what color they once were, and tennis shoes working away at an unkempt jobsite.  Um, that is not ‘The MB Jessee Way’!  Our Foreman, John, lead this topic by example.  Crisp and clean from his the top of his MB Jessee cap to the bottom of his work boots.   The professional way that you appear and how you carry yourself matters, John told us, and sets the tone for the whole project.  John closed with a rejoinder to look your best by “showing your belt!” The next stop on our road map was How We Act.  Our estimator Ricardo, foreman Richard and I set up the discussion around the themes of going the extra mile for our clients, respecting each other, and professional conduct at all times.  We had a lot of great feedback from all of our guys during this segment.  Some of our favorite takeaways were: There is no I in team—so let’s all work together It’s more than what you know, it’s how much you care Pause, think, choose What does our client need today and how can we deliver it? Go the extra mile! After a morning full of talk, we were ready to eat!  We had a lovely breakfast of baked French toast, maple sausage, breakfast potatoes, fruit salad and a frittata.  Everyone sat together in our shop and chatted and laughed.  It was terrific! After a spread like that, we were all ready for a bit of a stretch!  Next stop on our map: What We Do.  Again we looked to our foremen to lead the way.  Vicente demonstrated how to properly set up a shop.  He showed the multiple steps MB Jessee uses to protect a client’s home by using a plastic masking film, then a masking paper and then a drop cloth on top.  Only then did he then begin to set up the paint cans etc.  This methodical setup ensures that no spills or drips will get on any of our client’s belongings and allows us to “wrap it up like a burrito” at the end of every day, leaving our client’s home as clean as we found it—even mid-project! Rigo was up next with ladder safety.  He used an old MB Jessee teaching technique we call Know, Show, Do.  He first explained how to use a ladder safely and then showed us himself how to do it.  Lastly, to cement it in our minds, he had a couple of the guys do it—even Matt! We closed out our long morning of training with a great wrap up discussion.  It was an informative and educational day for everyone at MB Jessee Painting.  And best of all—we got so many ideas for our next training.  We’ll see everyone in September!    Company News 2010-08-25T22:37:55+00:00 http://www.mbjessee.com/news/how-to-choose-the-best-painting-contractor-in-the-bay-area/ http://www.mbjessee.com/news/how-to-choose-the-best-painting-contractor-in-the-bay-area/#When:02:11:07Z What makes a great painting contractor? Great question, and certainly one that every homeowner or businessperson in the Bay Area should ask themselves before their search begins outright. It is simultaneously the most important and difficult step in the process. Many Bay Area residents opt for finding a company online or in the Yellow Pages. Take a look at reviews on Angie’s List, City Search, Google Reviews and Yelp. These sites will give you a sense of who might be the right fit and which companies should be avoided. In this digital age, online searches are often the first step in charting a discerning course for quality painting done at houses or business spaces. Like any profession, painting companies are broadly arrayed according to size, experience, craftsmanship, technique and business practices, amongst other things. The person researching painting companies should ask a number of questions. What is the company’s history? Is there an immediate sense of professionalism amongst the company’s leaders and employees? Are they licensed and insured? Many people find their painting contractor by way of referral through friends and family or at the workplace. Those who have had solid, fruitful dealings with a painting company will provide answers to many of the above questions. That said, don’t be afraid to make further inquiries once you’ve been given a referral. Schedule a telephone conversation or an in-office visit to get a sense of the company and their management. A true professional contractor will gladly provide you with all of the details you will need to make an informed decision. This is especially important if you are comparing notes on contractors without the benefit of referrals. To aid in your search, it also helps to be very clear about your job and make sure that you emphasize that you will always be available to the contractor if he or she has any questions. This helps build a rapport, which is vital, and will go a long way in insuring a positive experience for both parties. It is at this stage in the process that you will get a good idea of how attentive the contractor is to your needs and how well they communicate. The last thing you want is a contractor who, after impressing you with their craftsmanship and record, forgets to return your phone calls and seems disorganized. Another great resource is the Better Business Bureau, which will have records of any serious complaints lodged against the painting company. Ask to see some of their recent work and speak to clients. Look at their website or Facebook page, for instance, which will have client testimonials. Once you’ve gathered the requisite information about each prospective contractor, compare notes on each and make your decision. The process may seem time-consuming, but—rest assured—the benefits of this degree of exactitude outweigh the costs. And, if you think about it, the only real cost is an unpleasant experience and a painting job that doesn’t last. Painting Tips 2010-08-25T02:11:07+00:00 http://www.mbjessee.com/news/mb-jessee-tackles-a-brick-home-project-in-pacific-heights/ http://www.mbjessee.com/news/mb-jessee-tackles-a-brick-home-project-in-pacific-heights/#When:16:06:23Z This past spring, MB Jessee had the pleasure of putting the finishing touches on a handsome two-story brick house in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood. Anyone in California will tell you that brick housing is rare due to the shifting tectonics of the Pacific and North American plates. Earthquakes, quite simply, make brick structures collapse. Yet, there we were, painting a stately brick home. The homeowners — two well-regarded practicing San Francisco physicians’ chose MB Jessee in part because of our charitable work, specifically our associations with Mission Health Center and the Tenderloin Children’s Center. The job itself was something of a challenge for a number of reasons. First of all, we had to contend with the proximity of the neighbor’s house, which necessitated getting special permission from the owner to access his property to paint trim on that side of the home. Also, as always, there was no room for error as far as flying paint chips and other debris — timing and execution had to be perfect. The entire exterior of the home had to be painted, which included all painted windows, doors, eaves, trim, as well as wrought iron and garden railing. We utilized green-friendly Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams paints for this home, which we’re happy to do since having an environmentally friendly painting business is of great importance to us. All in all, this home project was quite a challenging but ultimately rewarding experience for MB Jessee and the homeowners alike. Company News 2010-08-12T16:06:23+00:00 http://www.mbjessee.com/news/mb-jessee-the-bay-areas-premier-painting-contractor/ http://www.mbjessee.com/news/mb-jessee-the-bay-areas-premier-painting-contractor/#When:19:53:29Z Over the last seventeen years, MB Jessee Painting has served the San Francisco Bay Area's most sophisticated homeowners.  Did you know, eighty percent of the wealth in the United States is controlled by less than ten percent of the population?  It's true.  Also note, the vast majority of that elusive demographic resides in four distinct markets, one of which is the San Francisco Bay Area.   At MB Jessee painting we understand that average is unacceptable, that's why our business model is to provide the best possible experience on every project. MB Jessee considers neatness, professionalism and clean-up as important as the painting itself.  We carefully cover and protect your furnishings, carpets and floors. We additionally strive to have as little impact to your home as possible while work progresses.  Expect only the highest quality products available and know that "going the extra mile" is simply standard operating procedure in our quest to fascinate the most discriminating tastes.   We work directly with the Bay Area’s top interior designers, architectural firms and building contractors on the details, so our customer doesn't have to.   Whether your home is a sweeping estate in the Piedmont hills or the Penthouse Floor of a luxury high rise in San Francisco, MB Jessee Painting has every base covered.  We are on the prestigious AVL (Approved Vendor Lists) for luxury addresses such as The Ritz Carlton Residences, The St. Regis Residences and The Paragon in San Francisco.  MB Jessee is California Licensed and Bonded.  We maintain proper liability, worker's compensation and property insurances.  We background check and drug test each applicant before hire and maintain a continual training program.   When asked why MB Jessee Painting is the "go to painter" for the St. Regis Residences, Chief Engineer Dennis Hunt said "Each employee I've encountered is verbally very courteous, well groomed and uniformed...  In general MB Jessee is trustworthy and always quick to accommodate".   Matthew B Jessee Company News 2010-08-06T19:53:29+00:00 http://www.mbjessee.com/news/house-painters-in-san-francisco/ http://www.mbjessee.com/news/house-painters-in-san-francisco/#When:22:25:46Z MB Jessee Painting is located in Oakland CA, just minutes from the Oakland Bay Bridge. Most of our painting projects are conducted in and around the Downtown Areas, Piedmont, Pacific Heights and East Bay. However, we are not afraid to travel a bit. Our team of professional painters work on single family homes, custom homes, high-rise condos and high end commercial buildings. At MB Jessee, you will only get the highest quality paint job. We like to work for businesses and homeowners who want an experience similar to shopping at Nordstrom. That does not mean paying the most for a paint job. It means you get treated right and the job done well. So if you are the type of person who appreciates very high quality work and wants a company you can trust, please give us a call or send us an email. We'll be more than happy to serve you.  View more about our MB Jessee Company Promise    Company News 2010-08-02T22:25:46+00:00 http://www.mbjessee.com/news/colors-for-a-modern-nursery-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area/ http://www.mbjessee.com/news/colors-for-a-modern-nursery-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area/#When:15:08:03Z Some friends of mine were recently blessed by the birth of a beautiful baby girl.  They are typical of many parents in the San Francisco Bay Area—hip and modern and they wanted a nursery for the new tot that would reflect that sensibility.  Wanting to avoid the babyish pastels and themes that so often dominate newborn rooms, they hoped to create a space that would grow with the little one while also suiting their tastes.  Here are a few fun ideas for a modern nursery! Blocks of Color Do you have a few pieces of artwork you’d like in the baby’s room?  Perhaps an impossibly tiny pair of hand crocheted booties in a shadowbox or that first ultrasound in a frame?  A professional painter can expertly place a few contrasting squares or rectangles on a wall and place the smaller framed pieces inside.  This will draw attention to the art and make it pop on your wall, adding visual depth and interest to the space.  Also, the use of large shapes in different colors will attract your baby’s eye!  Color Choices Of course, for baby girls, pink is often the go to choice and for boys, naturally, it s blue.  These are great choices!  But to mix it up and put a more contemporary spin on things, try pairing either color with a deep brown shade to accent.  Chestnut brown looks fresh next to both pinks and blues when used as a wall color.  How about a fun and unexpected splash of chocolate-colored polka dots on a pink accent wall?  Or, you might have MB Jessee apply some chocolate stripes on a blue wall.  Another idea is to use deep, rich tones in the cabinetry and furnishings in the room, instead of the more traditional white pieces.  Often existing or built in bookshelves and other cabinetry items can be repurposed for use in a baby’s room.  MB Jessee can provide you with guidance on painting and staining existing cabinetry.  Paint Choices The kind of paint used in a nursery is as important as the colors.  That “yucky paint smell” when someone is painting isn’t just offensive to your nose, it is actually volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, offgassing into the air.  Yuck is right!  We definitely don’t want that in a baby’s room.  Zero VOC paints now come in thousands of colors and are durable and beautiful as well as free of toxins.   Best of all, these “green paints” are now available far and wide and made by trusted manufacturers, like Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams.  A green-certified painter through the San Francisco Bay Area’s own Build It Green, MB Jessee is very well versed in green products and processes.  We’re happy to come out and discuss the benefits of green paints with you! If your family is about to be paid a visit by the stork, congratulations!  These are just a few ideas to get you thinking.  Need more help?  MB Jessee works with several talented interior designers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and we’re happy to refer one to you.  Give us a ring and let’s get started! Painting Tips 2010-07-27T15:08:03+00:00 http://www.mbjessee.com/news/a-hectic-san-francisco-office-a-zen-like-oasis/ http://www.mbjessee.com/news/a-hectic-san-francisco-office-a-zen-like-oasis/#When:20:59:48Z The scene is a familiar one to nearly anyone in any workplace in the San Francisco Bay Area. Constantly ringing phones, people popping in and out, deliveries, meetings, conference calls, faxes, emails, text messages—the nonstop hum of daily office life can sometimes leave dedicated staff members with a headache! But is that hurry up environment giving us what we want? Effective, efficient and productive workdays? Are we accomplishing our tasks and meeting our deadlines or are we getting so stressed and harried that we are becoming obstacles to ourselves? A few weeks ago at MB Jessee Painting we took a hard look at our own surroundings. We decided it was time for a change! It was time to transform the organizational brainpan of MB Jessee from a buzzing hive into something that while still a dynamic and industrious officespace, was also a calm and serene place to be.  So we got down to it.  Taking a cue from the fog that rolls over the San Francisco Bay on summer mornings, we pulled out our color charts and fan decks and began poring over hues of light grays and cool blues.  The MB Jessee painters, excited to show off their skills right here at home base, weighed in on our color choices.  Being a green-certified painting company, we’re well aware of the health dangers of the toxic VOCs that are still found in many conventional paints. We also knew that our office staff would need to work in the spaces while they were being made over and we wanted to minimize any VOC exposure both during the actual work and in the months and years after.  Naturally, we chose Sherwin Williams Harmony paints. Durable, water based, low odor, zero VOCs and with more than a thousand colors to choose from, Harmony really delivered. For the front MB Jessee office we chose a soothing grayish-blue, Meditative (SW 6227), for the two accent walls.  The rear office received a deeper blue, Loch (SW 6502), for its accent wall. To give a sense of continuity and tie the two rooms together, we went with Repose Gray (SW 7015) for all the other walls throughout.  It is astonishing what a difference new color makes! After the paint dried we added a few accessories to pull it all together—a soothing stone water feature, new welcome mats, and some rosemary and lavender plants. Our transformation is complete. Take a look and let us know your thoughts!   Company News 2010-07-07T20:59:48+00:00