Whole-Home Interior Repaint — Monroe Colonial

What the job involved

A classic Orange County colonial on its original builder-grade paint, which is to say flat white walls that had been touched up so many times the hallways were a patchwork of slightly different sheens. Fresh paint on a wall like that is the only real fix — touching up a flat that's fifteen years old never blends.

The open-plan living and kitchen area drove the color decision. Because those spaces read as one volume, they had to share a wall color, which meant finding a neutral that worked both against the kitchen's warmer cabinetry and in the cooler north light of the living side. We sampled large boards on both walls and left them up across a full day before committing.

The two-story staircase was the technical part of the job. Stairwell walls are the hardest surface in a colonial to cut cleanly, because you're working from staging at varying heights with no consistent footing — and it's the first thing anyone sees walking in the front door.

Bedrooms took individual colors within the same family, so each room feels distinct while the hallway that connects them still ties the floor together.

Full scope of work

• Open-plan living and kitchen area
• Two-story staircase and upper landing
• All bedrooms and hallways
• Ceilings throughout
• Trim, casing and interior doors
• Nail pop and crack repair