First,begin by cleaning the walls to remove dirt and build-up. Use warm water andlightly clean the walls in a circular motion. Clean the cabinets in the samemanner and consider replacing one set of cabinet doors with glass cabinetdoors. If you do replace the cabinet with glass, highlight the inside of thecabinets with a paint color that complements the colors of your kitchen. Thiscolor "inside" the cabinets will draw the eye to this cabinet and highlight thebeautiful china and glass items contained inside.

Next,replace the hardware on the cabinets with something more modern oreye-catching. And, when you have finished with the hardware, change the lightswitch and electrical plate covers. 

Finally,completely clear the counters and evaluate placement of kitchen counterappliances.  Putting some of theseitems away in cabinets and highlighting the counters with a pretty lamp, vaseof colorful flowers or antique kitchen gadget can add just the pizzazz youneed. A few quick changes and a little "elbow grease" can create a "new"kitchen in an afternoon.

 The pictures shown here give you a glimpse of the type of extra precautions it takes to prepare and paint this exterior of this 7 unit apartment building.  ...no those aren't little Ummpa Loompas standing in front of the A.Allbright van. 

This "blocked" or "squared" accent wall should be in a location that is easily seen. You will be painting large squares and will need 4-6 colors of paint. Consider using a hunter green, deep wine, navy blue or gray, a creamy vanilla color and a khaki color. Or if you are of the teenage persuasion, perhaps pink, orange, cream and sunshine yellow would be great colors to brighten your room. Since you will be painting one square at a time, plan for this activity to take several days. Choose the size of your squares and begin by penciling the grid onto your wall.

Once you have created your grid, plan out the colors and paint a splotch in each square so that you keep the color scheme accurate. Next, use painter's tape to mark off your first square. Paint the first color and give sufficient dry time. Remove the tape when it is dry and then place the tape for the next color. You cannot tape all the squares at once, because there will be the width of the tape that will confuse the pattern.

Recommended paint for this project is a satin finish paint. If you desire even more creativity, you can do "swirls" or geometric shapes in some of the squares. A little patience and fun colors will create a wall that everyone will love!

The employees of A.Allbright Painting, inc. (www.aallbright.com) are experienced in all phases of painting and waterproofing including brush, roll, and various spray techniques. We are experienced and familiar with 100% acrylic, oil-base, elastomeric, urethanes, lacquers, waterproofing and roof coatings.  We have experience with the use of swing stages, scissor lifts and 30 to 150 foot man lifts.

We are continual students of the trade and hold a current accreditation certificate at the National level with the Paint and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA) (www.pdca.org) in various painting techniques.

For more on this project and the Xten firm go to http://www.xtenarchitecture.com

First, clear out the room as much as possible. The more room to work, the better. Cover any leftover furniture so that paint drops don't leave a new, undesired effect on your furniture. Next, carefully examine your walls and look for cracks, holes and dents. Use painter's putty or a lightweight spackle for minor patch work and carefully cover these indentations. Allow the spackle sufficient time to dry. Once dry, carefully sand the walls and reinspect for any leftover marks on the wall.  If the holes you patched are larger than the size of a nail hole, a little primer over the patch is a good idea. One step that is almost always forgotten by the homeowner is to carefully wash the walls with a mild cleaner to remove the dust and stains. This is not always necessary but is a good suggestion if the walls have not been painted in quite a while. 

Finally, if you are going to tape, use the painter's blue tape* because it is easier to remove. For extra delicate surfaces, like cabinets, murals or faux finishes, invest in the 3M orange-core blue tape. If using tape, make sure to remove the tape soon after painting because once it dries, it could create peeling when lifting tape from dry paint. Most professionals recommend "cutting" in the paint where the wall meets the ceiling or wood trim instead of using tape.

Once you have followed the above tips, you are ready to create your masterpiece. Use clean rollers and brushes and always have soap and water near to remove unwanted paint from carpet or surfaces. One final word of advice, if you live in the Los Angeles area and need extra assistance, you should check out A. Allbright's Painting Parties.   

To begin, choose color combinations that will work for a young or older child. If you are having difficulty deciding on colors, choose a piece of artwork, wall border or even favorite stuffed animals as the focal point. Most colors can be easily matched at the home improvement or paint store.  Look for subtle and bold colors in the artwork or border that will complement each other well.  For example, a light frosty mint green and deep grape purple sound odd together, but are quite stunning when set next to each other. Paint the green on top and purple on the bottom and do a "Tinkerbell" or butterfly wall border. For an older girl, use chair railing and crown molding for a formal effect. Planning ahead can mean an easy transition from the wall border to the chair railing when your daughter has grown up a little.

Wallpeel-off stickers have made a parent's job so easy.  They are easy to apply and easy to remove. A large "Tinkerbell" can be peeled off and replaced with polka dots as your daughter grows! The color combinations are endless and can help to create that magical room for your daughter!

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Hi Josh,
Just wanted to thank you again for taking care of the front door.  Miguel re-painted it on Tuesday and I really like the new color.  Very very happy with the way it turned out.

You and your staff/crew have been so great since day one!  Thanks for everything.

Sincerely,
Nicole

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Paint It Pink

Twenty-two years ago, as a young man with an entrepreneurial spirit, Josh Abramson established his company A.Allbright Painting. Over the years his company grew, and so did his commitment to playing an active role in Santa Clarita.

Seven years ago when his beloved grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer, this disease came into the forefront of his life. At 84 years old, she was the matriarch of his family, and he couldn't imagine life without her. Gratefully,Grandma Millie is now 91 years old and cancer free, but the experience prompted in Josh a need to help the community. "So many people are affected by breast cancer," says Josh. "I knew there was something we could do."

Josh wanted to use his business to make a difference in Santa Clarita. He contacted Jackie MacDougall from SCVmomsblog.com about his idea, the "Paint it Pink"campaign, and she supported his venture by participating in a promotional video and posting online discussion groups. She also suggested donating to Circle ofHope, and Josh was impressed that the nonprofit assists breast cancer patients living, working, or receiving treatment in Santa Clarita. "It was a perfect match for us," says Josh. "Circle of Hope is exactly what I was looking for."

The "Paint it Pink" campaign ran from February through April, 2010, and for every exterior or interior painting job scheduled, A.Allbright Painting donated 5% (up to $500) to Circle of Hope in honor or in memory of an individual of the client's choice. It was very successful, and Josh presented COH founder Colleen Shaffer a check for $2,000 at a ceremony held in his office. Colleen comments, "We are so grateful for this company's generous efforts to help Circleof Hope's clients."

When asked why he embarked upon this project, Josh said that he is committed to doing the right thing. "I truly care about Santa Clarita Valley residents, and I look for ways that I can support the community. I believe that all businesses, whether large or small, can contribute their talents to a worthy cause. Once you do, it's so rewarding that your efforts have made a difference in the lives of local community members. It benefits all of us. "

Circle of Hope thanks Josh for his passion and generosity. He is an inspiration to businesses throughout the community. Josh says, "We're hoping to expand the campaign next year and make it an annual event." For more information visit www.aallbright.com.

Almost done painting this beautiful home on Rodeo Dr. in Beverly Hills, CA. We are spending a lot of extra time on the prep work because the old paint was in such bad shape.  Some of the paint on the old windows had to be completely stripped off.  Where the paint is in good shape and sound, we are using a special advance technology primer and finish coating it with Benjamin Moore's Aura Paint.  Our colorist, Philippa Radon has created a nice color balance for our client.  The colors are subtle and soft which really accentuates the dramatic architectural details of this home. 

The clients are some of the nicest people we have worked for. Here is an excerpt from an email I just received from them, "…both my wife and I think very highly of you and your work. Your guys at the job are very polite and professional, and your work is impeccable. It is clear to us that you are not there to cut corners and get out quickly. You take pride in your work and it shows. I was talking to my wife tonight about all the subcontractors that have worked on this job (and there are quite a few), and we both agreed that you are at the top of the list."

Stay tuned… to see what we do to the front door and what we do to all the precast columns for the final A.Allbright touch! 

"Where's Allbright?" Contest
We decided it was time to have a little fun during the month of August. I'm sure most of you have grown up with a "Where's Waldo?" puzzle or book in your home. We thought August would be fun to do something a little similar with our vehicles. One of the things we hear a lot from our clients is that they saw us working in their neighborhood.  We love to hear that and it seems everyone gets a kick out of telling us.  So let's have some fun with it!

How It Works:
Currently, A. Allbright has several Ford Vans, 1 Toyota Prius, 1 Trailer and 1 Toyota Scion driving around the Santa Clarita Valley and Los Angeles areas. It is your job to discover a citing of any one of our vehicles during the month of August.
 
 

1. Become a fan of Allbright on Facebook and be automatically entered to win
2. Search: Look for an Allbright vehicle and snap a picture
3. Post the picture on our Facebook  <http://www.facebook.com/allbrightpainting> Fanpage  
   

Points

• Become a fan = 1 Point*
• Post a picture of an Allbright Van on our FB fan page = 1 Point  
• Post a picture of a Prius or Scion = 3 Points
• Refer a friend and let us know that they've joined = 5 points
  

*Each Point = 1 Name Entered into Drawing
 
Tell your friends to join in the FUN and they too will be automatically entered to win our August Facebook Drawing - A day at the spa, Glen Ivy! A $100 value.

 
Sincerely,
Joshua Abramson
President