Time flies, and just like that, it’s been a decade since we’ve been in our house. In my mind, the previous owner had it stained immediately before listing, but now look at that 10 years of gone by. It was time, so we just had our house stained, and in a very bold move, decided to go with pretty much the same exact color it was before. We’re very happy that we went with Cranford Custom Painting.
The color is called Briarwood. Think of it as sort of a toasted oatmeal, if that’s a thing. We had our exterior trim painted in 2020 or so. It wasn’t chipping or peeling, but it had always bugged me that our oatmeal colored contemporary home had a dated 1990s vibe with hunter green exterior trim and cranberry doors.
At the time we were having the trim repainted, I got two color recommendations – – a dark gray, and a dark gray with a hint of blue, thinking either one would be fine. I went with the slightly more fun hint of blue.
Catastrophe, when the sun hit it on a bright day, it screamed purple at me. Jay didn’t see the difference, but I went from not liking the hunter green to hating the new gray. I promised him I would get it right the second time, and I did. Benjamin Moore Overcoat for the trim win. Having your trim painted is a really good way to change the look of your house for pretty short money. But when it came to having the entire exterior of the house stained, I knew I had to get it right the first and only time or I would be looking at my bad decision for at least a decade.
We decided to hire Cranford Custom Painting for two reasons. The first reason is the same answer that I get a lot when I ask people who recommended me to them, and their answer is often, I don’t know, people talk, and I see your signs everywhere. There’s one strong vote for Cranford Custom Painting–their signs are everywhere. The second reason is because the last time our house was stained, by the previous owner, it was done by Dave Cranford and his crew– – so my thought was, he will have an idea of how long it took, so therefore, his labor estimate will be something he can look back on from the last job. I say that because our house is large and unique, and has some very high spots.
Maintenance is not all that fun. Switching out your exterior lights is a fun change to see. Having some cabinets painted can really make a difference in your kitchen or bath. But when it came to staining our entire house, we made a very safe decision, and pretty much went with the same exterior color after giving it a lot of thought.
About our experience working with Cranford Custom Painting. We thought the pricing was fair, the certificate of insurance arrived before they started, they showed up every time he said he would, his workers were friendly but not needy, and they did a great job. Even though you know I went with the same color, there’s a depth to the color that had been sun-faded over time.
As someone who works constantly with home-related tradespeople, it’s tough to pick just one. I maintain a list of recommended home-related trades professionals, and I encourage you to use my list as a guide, do your own research and send me your before/after photos and your own recommendations.
Dave Cranford
Cranford Custom Painting & Carpentry
Interior and Exterior Painting, Residential and Commercial, Kitchen Cabinet Painting and Refinishing
PHONE: (978) 464-2800
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