The post Why Fall Is One of the Best Times to Paint Your Home appeared first on AMC Painting.
]]>Most homeowners think of spring as painting season. And while spring is a great time for exterior projects, fall is actually one of the most underrated windows of the year for getting both interior and exterior painting done right. The weather cooperates, the results are better and you set your home up perfectly for the months ahead.
At AMC Painting, a painting contractor serving Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and south Denver, September and October are two of our favorite months to work. Here is why fall might just be the smartest time you could choose to refresh your home.
Colorado fall weather is a painter’s dream. Seriously, check out our TikTok, Facebook or Instagram pages to see how dreamy it is to paint during fall. Temperatures in September and October are typically 35°F minimum application temp and 40–70% humidity, which is exactly what exterior paint needs to cure and bond properly to a surface. Unlike summer, when afternoon heat can cause paint to dry too fast and leave uneven finishes, fall temperatures give paint the time it needs to set correctly.
You also get a break from summer’s intense UV exposure and afternoon thunderstorms, both of which can interfere with exterior projects. Clear skies, mild temps and lower humidity? Yes please.
Fresh exterior paint is one of the most effective ways to protect your home from the elements. Colorado winters are tough. Freeze-thaw cycles, heavy snow loads, high winds and intense UV even in cold months can all do real damage to exposed siding, trim and wood surfaces.
Getting your exterior painted in the fall means all of those surfaces head into winter with a fresh, fully cured protective barrier. That is peace of mind you simply cannot put a price on. Waiting until spring means your home spends another entire winter exposed and unprotected.
There is nothing quite like hosting family and friends in a freshly painted home. Fall is the ideal time to refresh the spaces where you will be spending the most time over the coming months. Think living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, entryways and guest bedrooms.
Booking your interior project in September or October gives the paint plenty of time to cure and off-gas before the holiday rush begins, and it gives you the chance to enjoy your beautifully refreshed space all season long. It is one of those investments that pays off every single day.
Here is something a lot of homeowners do not realize: spring is the most competitive time of year to book a painting contractor. Everyone wants their exterior done before summer, which means schedules fill up fast, wait times get long and pricing can reflect the demand.
Booking your project in the fall means you get your preferred dates, your project gets the crew’s full attention and you avoid the scramble entirely. It is a smarter way to plan and it usually means a better experience from start to finish.
There is something about the rich, warm palette of a Colorado autumn that makes you want to bring those colors inside. Deep greens, warm taupes, moody charcoals, earthy coppers. Fall is a natural time to think about color in a fresh way and imagine what your home could look like with a new palette.
Our team loves helping homeowners find colors that complement their space, their style and their surroundings. Whether you are drawn to something bold and dramatic like this month’s Sherwin-Williams Color of the Month, Rock Bottom SW 7062, or something softer and more neutral, we can help you find exactly the right fit.
What to Look for Before You Paint This Fall
Before any paint goes on, a little prep work goes a long way. Here are a few things to check as you head into fall:
- Inspect your exterior for chips, cracks and peeling paint, especially around windows, doors and trim where moisture tends to collect.
- Check your caulking. Old or cracked caulk around windows and doors is one of the most common entry points for moisture and cold air. Re-caulking before painting makes a big difference.
- Look for fading or chalking on exterior walls. If you see a white, dusty residue on your siding or notice that your exterior color looks significantly different in sun-exposed versus shaded areas, it is time for a fresh coat.
- Think about interior wear and tear. After a full year of living, scuffs, marks and fading are normal. Fall is a great time to assess which rooms are ready for a refresh before you start entertaining.
Fall is a short window and it goes fast. If you have been thinking about a painting project, now is genuinely one of the best times to make it happen. Our team at AMC Painting is ready to help you make the most of the season.
Call us today, email us at office@amcpainting.com, or submit a form to schedule your complimentary estimate today. We would love to help you transform your home before winter arrives!
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]]>The post How Long Does Exterior Paint Last in Colorado? What Every Homeowner Needs to Know appeared first on AMC Painting.
]]>You invested in a fresh exterior paint job. The color looks great, the trim is crisp and your home has never looked better. So how long can you expect it to stay that way? In most parts of the country, a quality exterior paint job lasts seven to ten years. At AMC Painting, we are proud to back every exterior project with a 10 year warranty because we know Colorado’s climate can take a real toll on your home, and we want you to have complete peace of mind from the day we pack up our brushes.
Colorado’s climate is one of the most demanding environments for exterior paint in the entire country. The combination of intense UV radiation at altitude, dramatic temperature swings, freeze-thaw cycles, hailstorms and low humidity creates conditions that can shorten paint life significantly if the right products and processes are not used from the start. Understanding what affects your paint life puts you in a much better position to protect your investment for years to come.
At AMC Painting, we have been helping homeowners across Colorado protect and maintain their homes since 2006. If you are noticing signs of wear on your exterior and are not sure whether it is time for a repaint or just some maintenance, getting started is simple. Give us a call or fill out the contact form on our website to schedule a complimentary walk-around assessment. We will take an honest look and give you a straight answer.
What Is Realistic for Colorado Exterior Paint Longevity?
A well-executed exterior paint job using quality products in Colorado typically lasts between five and seven years before a full repaint is needed. With exceptional prep work, premium paint and favorable conditions, some projects stretch to eight or even ten years. On the other hand, a job done with inferior products, skipped prep steps or in difficult weather conditions can start showing wear in as little as two to three years.
Here is a general guide based on what our crews see across the region:
- Premium paint with thorough prep work: 7 to 10 years in favorable conditions, 5 to 7 years on heavily sun-exposed or wind-exposed sides.
- Mid-grade paint with proper prep: 5 to 7 years overall, with south and west facing walls showing wear earlier.
- Budget paint or skipped prep: 2 to 4 years before visible deterioration begins.
- Trim, doors and accent surfaces: typically need attention sooner than main body surfaces due to higher exposure and more direct contact with the elements.
Why Colorado Is Harder on Exterior Paint Than Most States
Most paint manufacturers develop their products for average conditions across the country. Colorado is anything but average. Here are the specific factors that make our climate uniquely challenging for exterior paint:
Colorado Springs sits at over 6,000 feet above sea level. Fort Collins is not far behind. At that altitude, the atmosphere filters less UV radiation than it does at sea level, which means paint surfaces receive significantly more intense sun exposure than the same product would face in a lower-elevation state. UV radiation breaks down the binders in paint over time, causing fading, chalking and loss of adhesion. This is the single biggest reason Colorado exterior paint tends to age faster than national averages suggest.
Colorado is famous for days where temperatures swing 40 to 50 degrees between morning and afternoon. Paint expands and contracts with temperature changes, and repeated cycles of extreme expansion and contraction cause paint film to crack and lose flexibility over time. The more dramatic and frequent the swings, the faster this process occurs. Our spring and fall seasons, when overnight lows can still dip below freezing while afternoons climb into the 60s and 70s, are particularly tough on painted surfaces.
When moisture gets behind or beneath paint and then freezes, it expands. When it thaws, it contracts. Repeat this process dozens of times over a Colorado winter and you have one of the most effective ways to lift, bubble and peel exterior paint. Proper surface prep and caulking before painting is the best defense against moisture infiltration, which is why we never skip these steps regardless of project size.
Colorado is part of Hail Alley, the region of the country that sees the highest frequency of large hail events. A single hailstorm can chip, crack and compromise exterior paint across an entire side of a house. High winds carry abrasive debris that scours painted surfaces over time. Both factors can shorten paint life unpredictably and may trigger a repaint sooner than expected regardless of how good the original job was.
Colorado’s dry climate is a double-edged sword for paint. On the plus side, low humidity means paint dries faster and is less prone to mildew. On the downside, extremely dry conditions can cause wood to shrink and crack over time, which puts stress on the paint film above it. Caulk in particular dries out and fails faster in dry climates, which is why annual caulk inspections are a smart maintenance habit for Colorado homeowners.
What Extends the Life of Your Exterior Paint
The good news is that several factors within your control can meaningfully extend how long your paint job lasts. Here is what makes the biggest difference:
Preparation is the single most important factor in paint longevity. A beautiful paint job applied to a poorly prepared surface will fail far sooner than a simpler job done over properly cleaned, repaired and primed surfaces. This means pressure washing, scraping failed paint, sanding, filling cracks, replacing damaged caulk, spot priming bare wood and allowing everything to fully dry before applying finish coats. At AMC Painting, thorough prep is non-negotiable on every project.
Not all exterior paints are formulated equally. Premium paints contain higher concentrations of binders and UV-resistant pigments that hold up significantly better under Colorado’s sun intensity. We work with Sherwin-Williams products because their premium exterior lines are specifically engineered for durability in demanding climates. The upfront cost difference between a mid-grade and a premium paint is minimal compared to the extended life you get in return.
Paint applied in temperatures outside the manufacturer’s recommended range, in direct intense sunlight or on surfaces with residual moisture will not cure correctly and will fail sooner. Experienced Colorado painters know how to read conditions and schedule work in windows that give paint the best possible chance to bond and cure properly. This is one of the most underappreciated factors in how long a paint job lasts.
Catching small problems early prevents them from becoming big ones. A quick walk around your home each spring to look for cracked caulk, peeling trim, chipped paint around windows and bare wood at the base of siding can add years to a paint job. Touching up these small areas before moisture gets in protects the rest of your paint from accelerated damage.
Warning Signs That It Is Time to Repaint
Not sure if your home is due for a repaint? Our team is happy to provide a complimentary assessment and give you an honest read on the condition of your exterior. In the meantime, here are the most common warning signs that it is time to schedule a repaint rather than another round of touch-ups:
- Chalking: Run your hand across the wall. If it comes away with a powdery residue, the paint’s binders have broken down and a new coat is needed.
- Fading: Compare sun-facing walls to shaded sides. Significant color differences mean UV has done real damage to the paint film.
- Peeling or bubbling: Paint separating from the surface means moisture has gotten underneath. This needs to be addressed promptly to prevent wood rot.
- Cracking or flaking: Fine cracks across the surface, sometimes called alligatoring, mean the paint film has lost its flexibility and can no longer protect what is beneath it.
- Failed caulk: Visible gaps, cracks or missing caulk around windows, doors and trim are an open invitation for moisture. This should be addressed immediately.
- Bare wood: Any area where wood is exposed to the elements without paint protection is actively absorbing moisture and degrading. Do not wait on this one.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Next Paint Job
If you are planning an exterior repaint this fall or are thinking ahead to next spring, here are a few practical steps you can take to make sure you get the maximum life from your investment:
- Choose a contractor who prioritizes prep work and is transparent about their process. Ask how they handle caulking, priming and surface repairs before painting begins.
- Invest in premium paint products. The difference in cost is small and the difference in longevity is significant, especially in Colorado’s climate.
- Trim back any vegetation touching your home’s exterior. Plants and shrubs that contact painted surfaces trap moisture, accelerate wear and can physically damage the paint film over time.
- Keep your gutters and downspouts clear and functioning. Water overflowing from clogged gutters runs down painted walls and accelerates deterioration at the worst possible spots.
- Do a visual inspection each spring after the snow has cleared. A few minutes of attention early in the season can catch issues before they turn into major repairs.
Schedule Your Complimentary Exterior Assessment with AMC Painting
AMC Painting has been helping homeowners throughout Colorado protect and maintain their homes since 2006. We bring the same family-owned commitment to quality and craftsmanship to every project, whether it is a full repaint, a targeted touch-up or an honest assessment of what your home actually needs.
If you completed an exterior project this summer and want to know what to watch for going forward, or if your home is showing signs that it might be time for fresh paint, we would love to take a look. Give us a call or fill out the contact form on our website to schedule your free assessment. A little attention now goes a long way toward protecting your home through another Colorado winter and well beyond.
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]]>The post Cabinet Painting 101: How to Transform Your Kitchen Without a Full Renovation appeared first on AMC Painting.
]]>You love your kitchen layout. The appliances are great, the countertops are still holding up, and the bones of the space are exactly what you need. But those cabinets? They have seen better days. Maybe they are dated, worn, scuffed or just a color you have grown tired of looking at every morning. A full kitchen renovation sounds appealing until you see the price tag.
Here is the good news: you do not need a full renovation to fall back in love with your kitchen. Professional cabinet painting is one of the most dramatic, cost-effective upgrades a homeowner can make. For a fraction of the cost of new cabinetry, you can completely transform the look and feel of your space and get results that look like you spent a whole lot more.
At AMC Painting, we have been transforming kitchens, bathrooms and built-ins for homeowners throughout Colorado Springs, Fort Collins and South Denver since 2006. Getting started is simple. Request a complimentary estimate by calling us or filling out the contact form on our website. We will schedule a visit, take a look at your cabinets and put together a clear plan and timeline so you know exactly what to expect.
Cabinet Painting vs. Cabinet Replacement: What Is the Difference?
Before we get into the details, let us put the value into perspective. A full kitchen cabinet replacement, including the cost of new boxes, doors, hardware and installation, can run anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000 or more depending on the size of your kitchen and the materials you choose. Cabinet refacing, which means replacing just the doors and drawer fronts while keeping the existing boxes, typically runs $8,000 to $20,000.
Professional cabinet painting delivers a stunning visual transformation at a significantly lower cost. You keep the cabinets you have, eliminate weeks of contractor disruption and end up with a finish that is smooth, durable and beautiful when done correctly. The key phrase there is when done correctly. Cabinet painting is not a standard wall painting job, and the difference between a professional result and a DIY attempt is significant.
What Makes Cabinet Painting Different from Regular Interior Painting
Cabinets are one of the most demanding surfaces a painter can work on. Unlike walls, cabinet surfaces are handled constantly and exposed to heat, moisture, cooking grease and daily cleaning. That means the prep work, the products and the application process have to be handled with a much higher level of precision.
Grease and grime are the enemy of a long-lasting cabinet finish. Even cabinets that look clean to the eye can have a thin film of cooking residue that will prevent paint from bonding properly. Professional cabinet painters use commercial grade degreasers to strip surfaces down before any prep work or primer is applied. Skip this step and even the best paint will start peeling within months.
Cabinets need to be sanded before painting, not to remove the old finish entirely, but to create a surface the new primer can grip. This is especially important on factory finished or previously painted cabinets where the surface is smooth and non-porous. Every door, drawer front and box surface gets proper attention before a drop of primer goes on.
Not all primers are created equal, and for cabinets, using the right bonding primer is non-negotiable. At AMC Painting, we evaluate each cabinet surface individually to select the primer that will deliver the best adhesion and the smoothest base for the finish coat. The primer is what makes a cabinet paint job last five to ten years rather than one or two.
One of the biggest visual differences between professional cabinet painting and a DIY brush job is the finish quality. Professional painters use spray equipment to apply finish coats to cabinet doors and drawer fronts, producing a smooth, even surface without brush marks or roller texture. Doors are typically removed, painted flat in a controlled environment and rehung after the finish has fully cured.
Which Cabinets Are Good Candidates for Painting?
Not every cabinet is a perfect candidate for painting, and an honest contractor will tell you that upfront. Here is what our team looks for when assessing whether your cabinets are a good fit:
- Solid wood or MDF (medium density fiberboard) cabinets paint beautifully and are ideal candidates for a professional repaint.
- Thermofoil or laminate cabinets can be painted but require additional prep steps and the right products. Ask us about your specific situation.
- Cabinets with significant structural damage, warped doors or failing box joints may be better candidates for replacement rather than painting.
- Cabinets in good structural condition but with worn, outdated or discolored finishes are almost always excellent candidates for a fresh coat.
Not sure which category your cabinets fall into? Our team offers complimentary in-home assessments to evaluate your cabinets and give you an honest recommendation. If painting is the right call, we will tell you. If replacement makes more sense for your situation, we will tell you that too.
Popular Cabinet Colors for Colorado Homes in 2026
One of the most exciting parts of a cabinet painting project is choosing your new color. Whether you are going for a clean, timeless look or something with a little more personality, here are some of our most requested cabinet colors right now:
For a Clean, Timeless Kitchen
- SW 7oo5 Pure White: Bright, crisp and clean. The go-to for a fresh, modern look.
- SW 7012 Creamy: A warm white with just enough depth to feel inviting rather than stark.
- SW 7015 Repose Gray: Colorado’s most popular neutral. Works beautifully with natural wood countertops and stone backsplashes.
For a Bold, Sophisticated Statement
- SW 6258 Tricorn Black: A true, deep black that pairs beautifully with brass or gold hardware for a high end, dramatic look.
- SW 6244 Naval: A rich navy blue that has dominated kitchen design trends and complements Colorado’s mountain inspired palettes perfectly.
- SW 6119 Antique White: Warm, classic and versatile. Perfect for a farmhouse or transitional kitchen style.
For a Two Tone Look
Two tone cabinets, where upper cabinets are painted a lighter shade and lower cabinets a darker one, are one of the biggest kitchen design trends right now. A popular Colorado combination is SW 7005 Pure White on uppers paired with SW 6244 Naval on the island or lower cabinets. It is a striking look that adds depth and visual interest without overwhelming the space.
How to Prepare for Your Cabinet Painting Project
A little preparation on your end goes a long way toward making the project run smoothly and keeping your home comfortable during the process. Here is what we recommend before our crew arrives:
- Clear out your cabinets completely. All dishes, pantry items, cookware and small appliances should be moved out so our team has full access to every surface.
- Clear your countertops of everything, including countertop appliances, to give painters a clean workspace and protect your belongings from overspray.
- Plan for limited kitchen use during the project. Depending on the size of your kitchen, the painting process typically takes two to four days, so it helps to stock up on easy meals or plan to eat out for a couple of nights.
- Allow adequate curing time before loading cabinets back up. We will give you specific guidance on when your new finish is ready for regular use.
- Consider new hardware at the same time. New pulls and knobs are an inexpensive finishing touch that can make the transformation feel completely custom. We are happy to advise on hardware that complements your new color.
Ready to Transform Your Kitchen? Schedule Your Complimentary Cabinet Estimate
AMC Painting has been helping Colorado homeowners fall back in love with their kitchens since 2006. We serve Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, South Denver and the surrounding communities with the same family owned commitment to quality and craftsmanship on every project, big or small.
Whether you are ready to paint your kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanity or built-ins throughout your home, we would love to take a look and put together a no obligation estimate. Give us a call or fill out the contact form on our website. Your dream kitchen might be closer and more affordable than you think.
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]]>The post Why Hire a Professional Painter? The Real Cost of DIY vs. Calling the Pros appeared first on AMC Painting.
]]>We get it. Every summer, the hardware stores fill up with hopeful homeowners armed with rollers, drop cloths and a whole lot of optimism. DIY painting seems like a no-brainer. How hard can it really be? The truth is, painting is one of those projects that looks simple until you’re three hours in, staring at streaky walls and wondering where it all went wrong.
At AMC Painting, we’ve seen it all. We’re not here to discourage the DIY spirit. We love it! But we do want to help you make the most informed decision for your home, your time and your budget. So let’s break it down honestly.
The Appeal of DIY Painting
There’s no denying the allure. You control the schedule, you pick the products and at the end of the day, there’s real satisfaction in stepping back and saying, “I did that.” For small projects like a single accent wall, a bathroom refresh or touching up trim, DIY can absolutely make sense. If you have the time, the patience and a steady hand, go for it.
But for larger projects, especially full interior repaints or complete exterior transformations, the math changes quickly.
The Hidden Costs of Doing It Yourself
Here’s what most people don’t account for before they pick up that brush:
A professional crew can complete in two days what might take a dedicated DIYer two weekends or more. That’s time away from your family, your hobbies and your summer. How much is your weekend worth?
While paints have lower VOCs these days, having a paint job take multiple sessions means more time that your house is smelly and that if you have pets/kids you have to safeguard them from the open paint.
Quality paint, primer, brushes, rollers, painter’s tape, drop cloths, ladders, sprayers. The supply list adds up fast. Professionals buy materials at scale and know exactly what each surface needs. DIYers often overbuy, underbuy or grab the wrong product entirely.
This is where most DIY paint jobs fall short. Proper preparation (cleaning, sanding, priming, caulking, repairing damaged surfaces) is what separates a paint job that lasts five years from one that starts peeling by next spring. It’s tedious, time-consuming and easy to skip. Professional painters never do.
Drips, lap marks, uneven coverage, paint on the trim, missed spots. These are all fixable, but fixing them takes more time, more paint and more frustration. In some cases, a DIY job gone wrong actually costs more to correct than it would have to hire a professional from the start.
Exterior painting often means working on ladders, scaffolding or elevated surfaces. Falls are one of the leading causes of home improvement injuries. Professional painters are trained, insured and equipped to work safely at height. Your safety is worth more than the money you might save.
What You Get When You Hire AMC Painting
When you bring in a professional painting team, you’re not just paying for paint on walls. You’re investing in:
- Expert preparation: Every surface is properly cleaned, repaired, primed and ready before a drop of finish coat goes on.
- Precision application: Clean lines, even coverage and a finished product that looks like it belongs in a magazine.
- The right products: We know which paints perform best in Colorado’s climate, which primers bond to which surfaces and how to get a finish that lasts.
- A clean worksite: We treat your home like it’s our own, protecting your furniture, floors and landscaping throughout the process.
- Peace of mind: AMC Painting backs every residential project with our Zero Deposit Promise. You don’t pay a thing until the work is complete and you’re happy with it.
So, Which Is Right for You?
Here’s our honest take: if it’s a small interior project and you’re up for it, go ahead and try it! Painting can be a fun and rewarding weekend project at the right scale. But if you’re looking at your full exterior, a multi-room interior or any project that involves height, significant prep work or a timeline that matters, call the professionals.
Your home is likely your biggest investment. The paint that protects and beautifies it deserves to be done right. Add a little color to your life with AMC Painting.
Ready to skip the ladder and leave it to the pros? AMC Painting offers complimentary estimates with no pressure and no deposit required. Give us a call at (719) 574-3018 or visit amcpainting.com to schedule yours today. We’d love to show you what a difference professional painting can make.
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]]>The post Spring Is Prime Time for Commercial Painting — Is Your Colorado Business Ready? appeared first on AMC Painting.
]]>When people think about spring painting projects, they usually picture a homeowner with a color swatch standing in front of their house. But business owners have just as much to gain from a fresh coat of paint, and in many cases, even more to lose by putting it off.
The exterior and interior of your commercial property are your brand’s first impression. It communicates professionalism, attention to detail, and pride of ownership to every customer, client, tenant, or employee who walks through your door. In Colorado’s competitive business environment, whether you’re running a retail store in Colorado Springs, managing a multi-unit property in Fort Collins, or an office complex along the Front Range, the condition of your building is important.
May is one of the best months of the year to tackle commercial exterior painting in Colorado. Temperatures are favorable, weather windows are longer, and you can get your project completed before the heat of summer and the busy season that comes with it. Getting started with AMC Painting is simple. To begin, request a complimentary estimate by calling us or filling out the contact form on our website. We’ll schedule a site visit, discuss your project needs, and outline a clear plan and timeline for your repaint. AMC Painting has been serving commercial clients across Colorado since 2006. Here’s what you need to know.
Why Commercial Buildings Need Regular Repaints
Commercial properties take a harder beating than most residential homes. Higher foot traffic, larger exposed surface areas, and greater public visibility all mean that wear and deterioration show up faster — and are noticed more. Here are the key reasons business owners schedule regular commercial repaints:
Curb Appeal Drives Business
Studies consistently show that customers make snap judgments about a business based on its exterior. A faded, chipped, or dingy building exterior signals neglect — and that perception can carry right through the front door. A well-maintained, freshly painted commercial property signals that you take your business seriously, which gives customers confidence that you’ll take their needs seriously, too.
Colorado’s Climate is Hard on Commercial Exteriors
Colorado’s 300+ days of sunshine, combined with UV intensity at altitude, freeze-thaw cycles in winter, and the occasional hailstorm, create conditions that accelerate paint deterioration on commercial buildings. Stucco, concrete, wood siding, metal panels, and other common commercial cladding materials all need the protection that a quality paint system provides. Without it, you’re looking at more costly structural repairs down the road.
Tenant and Lease Obligations
For property managers and commercial landlords, maintaining a building’s painted surfaces is often a lease requirement. Keeping your property well-painted helps you attract and retain quality tenants, supports property valuations, and helps you avoid disputes at the end of a tenancy over the condition of the space.
Types of Commercial Painting Projects AMC Handles
Commercial painting covers a much broader scope than many business owners realize. AMC Painting works with a wide variety of commercial clients across Colorado, including:
- Retail storefronts and shopping centers
- Office buildings and professional suites
- Multi-family housing and apartment complexes
- HOA communities and common area buildings
- Restaurants and hospitality properties
- Industrial and warehouse facilities
- Medical and professional office buildings
Both interior and exterior commercial painting fall within our scope. Interior commercial projects often include lobbies, hallways, offices, restrooms, and common areas. Exterior projects range from a full building repaint to targeted work on trim, doors, parking structures, fences, and signage surrounds.
What Makes Commercial Painting Different from Residential?
Commercial painting isn’t just residential painting on a bigger scale. There are meaningful differences in how these projects are planned, staffed, and executed. Working with a contractor who understands those differences matters.
Downtime costs money. An experienced commercial painting contractor will work with your operational schedule to minimize disruption, whether that means early-morning starts before your retail doors open, phased work across different areas of the building, or weekend scheduling for spaces that cannot be touched during the workweek. At AMC, we build a project plan around your business, not the other way around.
Business owners can make the process even smoother by taking a few simple steps to prepare before the project begins. We recommend:
- Clearing the areas to be painted of furniture, equipment, or inventory to give painters safe and easy access
- Notifying staff, customers, and tenants about upcoming painting activities so everyone can plan accordingly
- Coordinating with AMC Painting on access requirements and site security, especially for after-hours or restricted areas
- Ensuring that wall surfaces are accessible and any sensitive equipment or data is properly protected
These small actions help shorten project timelines and ensure a seamless start to your commercial repaint.
Commercial surfaces often require coatings that go beyond standard interior or exterior house paint. Depending on your property type, your project may call for epoxy floor coatings in warehouses or garages, anti-graffiti coatings for exterior walls in high-traffic areas, elastomeric masonry paint for stucco or concrete block buildings, or low-VOC, low-odor formulations for occupied spaces like medical offices or schools. At AMC Painting, we assist property owners in selecting suitable coatings by evaluating your property’s specific needs, including surface type, environmental exposure, durability expectations, and how the space is used. Our experienced team will walk you through your options and recommend the best solutions to protect your investment and keep your building looking its best. AMC Painting’s crews are trained and equipped to handle all of these applications.
Commercial projects require the right number of skilled painters working in a coordinated way to hit deadlines without cutting corners. AMC Painting has the crew capacity to scale up for large commercial projects while maintaining the quality control standards our clients expect. A job that might take a small crew weeks can be completed in a fraction of the time with the right team on-site.
Signs Your Commercial Property Is Overdue for a Repaint
Unsure whether your building requires maintenance this spring? Our team provides complimentary property assessments to help business owners make informed decisions. If you’re uncertain, book a walk-through with AMC Painting, and our specialists will identify any potential problems or updates needed.
You can also do a quick walk around your property and look for these warning signs:
- Fading, chalking, or discoloration on exterior walls, especially on sun-facing sides
- Peeling or bubbling paint on trim, fascia boards, or around windows and doors
- Cracked or missing caulk at joints, seams, and penetrations
- Staining, mildew, or efflorescence on masonry or stucco surfaces
- Interior walls that look dingy, scuffed, or out of date in customer-facing areas
- It’s been five or more years since the last professional repaint
Why Book Your Commercial Project in May?
May offers Colorado businesses the best combination of favorable weather and scheduling availability. Once June and July arrive, exterior painting crews are in high demand across the region. Booking now means:
- You get your preferred dates before the summer rush fills the calendar
- Mild temperatures support proper paint curing and a long-lasting finish
- Your building looks its best heading into Colorado’s busiest outdoor season
- Exterior work avoids the extreme afternoon heat of July and August, which can affect application quality
Get a Complimentary Commercial Estimate from AMC Painting
AMC Painting has served commercial clients throughout Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, South Denver, and the surrounding communities since 2006. We bring the same family-owned commitment to quality and customer service to every commercial project that we bring to every home we paint.
Whether you manage a single storefront or a portfolio of commercial properties, we’d love to walk your space, understand your goals, and put together a no-obligation estimate. Give us a call or reach out through our website. Let’s make sure your business puts its best face forward this spring.
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]]>The post Popular Spring Interior and Exterior Painting Ideas to Get Your Home Ready for Summer appeared first on AMC Painting.
]]>Warmer days have homeowners everywhere thinking about their spring interior and exterior painting projects. That’s right, the season of renewal has arrived, and AMC Painting has some great ideas for transforming your home inside and out before all the real fun of summer begins. Whether you’re looking to spiff up the yard for a season of grilling and entertaining, change up the same old colors you’re tired of seeing every day, or give your home an extra boost of protection from rain, wind, and sun, we can help. We’ve got project ideas, color inspiration, and insights on the protective benefits of paint and stain. Let’s get started!
Invest in Exterior Paint for Siding and Trim
Nothing says “total refresh” like a new paint color for your home’s exterior. Spring is an excellent time of year to paint a house, even in Colorado. Those 300+ days of sunshine that make our state so popular also ensure our painters can hit the ladders and scaffolds before the summer rush. Even in years with bomb cyclones and multiple blizzards, AMC Painting still finds lots of milder days that offer optimal conditions for curing your paint and ensuring a great finish.
Siding and trim aren’t just a vanity project, either. They protect your home from harm.
Trim
Painted, caulked trim seals off areas around windows, doors, and other potential entry points to your home’s important infrastructure — wiring, plumbing, drywall, studs. The trim covers the gaps, and the paint protects the trim. Paint is the barrier to water damage, UV damage, and other forms of deterioration that weaken your trim.
Siding
Siding benefits from a fresh coat of paint for the same reasons, just on a broader scale. Siding keeps the elements from chewing through sheathing and insulation materials like your house wrap or any insulation. Paint seals the siding from the elements so that UV damage doesn’t rot the material and cause it to pull away from the walls of the house.
Of course, the aesthetics are definitely part of the fun of painting a house. The color selection and the final results are the reward for the responsible part of the equation. Think of it as the beautiful evidence of responsible ownership you get to see every time you pull into the driveway.
We’ve got a spark of inspiration for you with a few selections picked by the color experts at Sherwin-Williams.
Deck Stain and Refinishing
Are you already hosting summer parties in your head as you dust off the patio furniture and start your spring chores in the yard? Why not get your deck restained before the outdoor entertaining season begins?
Deck stain is an excellent way to instantly add the wow factor to your yard’s overall appearance. And like paint protects siding, deck stain also helps your boards withstand the foot traffic from all your guests lining up for burgers and hot dogs fresh from the grill. At AMC Painting, we use professional stains with excellent water resistance and UV protection to enhance the natural strength of your deck boards. No warping, no cracks, no giant splinters waiting to gouge bare toes in sandals.
Picking a deck color can be as fun as selecting a shade for your siding and trim. We love the selections below for their versatility. They work with a variety of color schemes and architecture and will give that deck the fresh, new look you want for your upcoming parties. Even better, you may find some unexpected colors that may add unique interest that complements your home.
A Note About Refinishing
Homeowners often express concern about the restaining process, believing they are in for hours of sanding. In some cases, where damage is severe, that is a reasonable concern. However, the average deck in good repair can typically be prepped with some professional power washing from an experienced technician. You can usually get a better idea during the estimation process.
Fence Staining
We see a lot of confusion regarding fence staining. Is it necessary? Isn’t modern fencing designed to hold up without stain? What’s the point?
While it’s true that popular fencing materials like cedar privacy panels do have properties that make them more resistant to damage, those panels also have to exist in a very complex climate. The relentless sun and wind, plus snow buildup and monsoon season, can cause severe damage over time if your fencing is not protected. You need only cruise through an older neighborhood after a windstorm to see the impact. Fallen fences everywhere!
Stain soaks deep into wood fibers to shore them up against damage from the elements. With the barrier in place, the fence will be less prone to cracking, warping, rotting, or shrinking. Your fence won’t look like a jack-o-lantern, and your pets won’t escape every time we have a gusty day — which is often.
You don’t have to have a brand-new fence to get started with staining this spring, either. If the fence is old and gray, but the wood is still intact and ready to do the job, you can absolutely breathe new life into it with stain. At AMC Painting, we use a combination of methods to strip away dirt and oxidation, revealing the fresh wood beneath. Once it’s prepped, you’ll be very pleased to see your old fence looks more like a new one — you’ll likely be the only one who knows the difference.
We’ve shared some classic stain colors below to help you start crafting your vision for your fence this spring.
Home Interior Updates
What is it about spring cleaning that makes us want to transform everything else in the house? One minute you’re in the bedroom debating whether or not to stuff winter clothes back into storage, the next you’re daydreaming about how nice it would be if you could open up the room with the right shade of sage.
If you’ve been inspired by the season (or are distracting yourself from chores), consider adding these ideas to your daydream list:
- Update bedrooms with bright, airy colors.
- Give your kitchen a fresh face without a full remodel by painting walls and cabinets.
- Create a cool living room oasis for escaping the impending summer heat.
- Renew bathrooms with a new color while protecting walls from mold and mildew.
- Give the whole home a fresh coat of paint for a cohesive, clean look — great for people planning to sell or buy their dream home.
Check out these interior color swatches for color ideas inspired by the color of the season — green!
Of course, you don’t have to stick with green. You can check out some of our past blog posts for more interior inspiration.
- Color Inspiration — Staycation Style!
- Deck the Halls with Light and Paint
- Back to School Painting Ideas
Spring Refresh for Maximum Summer Fun
Go ahead and give in to the temptation to get those interiors and exteriors refreshed for the summer ahead. You’ll love the results of a clean, new color and a whole new look, and you’ll add all sorts of protective other benefits like water resistance and UV protection. Let us know if you need any help! We offer complimentary estimates and the best customer service in the business.
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]]>The post Interior Painting Projects that Boost Your Home’s Value appeared first on AMC Painting.
]]>Are you looking for interior painting projects that boost home value? Whether you’re about to sell your house, apply for a second mortgage, refinance your existing home or simply want to spiff up the place while adding value, we can help!
Fresh paint is one of the most impactful ways to transform the appearance of your home and make it more appealing to, well, everyone! Realtor.com puts the ROI of painting your home at 107%! One designer interviewed even described it like a “crisp new outfit without the designer price tag.”
We’re sharing some of the top ways homeowners add value with interior paint, plus key ways to assess if new paint is right for your space. Let’s get rolling!
Upgrade Option 1: Update the Entire Interior with a Neutral Color
One of AMC Painting’s most common projects for sellers, property managers and folks working toward refinancing/upgrading is a whole-home interior repaint. A whole-home repaint is just that — every room gets a new coat of your selected color. You can see some of the most popular neutrals we use below, but beige, greige, gray and, tried and tested white, are all excellent options for creating a clean space.
- SW 7005 Pure White (Expert Pick)
- SW 7029 Agreeable Gray (Expert Pick)
- SW 7004 Snowbound (Sep. 2022 Color of the Month)
- SW 7008 Alabaster (Apr. 2022 Color of the Month)
- SW 7015 Repose Gray (Expert Pick)
- SW 7631 City Loft
- SW 6385 Dover White
- SW 7036 Accessible Beige
- SW 7551 Greek Villa
- SW 9166 Drift of Mist (Feb. 2024 Color of the Month)
Why neutral? There’s a reason real estate agents joke about interior painting colors like “realtor gray” or “builder beige.” It’s because these foundational colors offer potential buyers the best blank canvas for all their future homeowner dreams. They offer warmth and neutrality. People can live with them happily for years before ever considering repainting. Neutrals create a space where people can envision themselves living with their stuff and their unique design choices. It’s about setting the ideal conditions for their imagination.
Paint Color Really Can Make a Difference in a Competitive Market
That means if you’re planning to sell your home, it is not the time to show your appreciation for Prince with a Purple Rain color scheme in your main living areas. The Broncos themed basement may have to say farewell. And that all black bedroom your teenager begged for? Probably a good time for it to go, too. You’ll all get the chance to shine in your new home.
Think of it this way. Your future homeowner has two comparable homes. One has a fresh repaint with an airy neutral that is move-in ready. Maybe they’ll want to paint a bedroom or two, but the rest of the home is ready for all their pictures to be hung and furniture to be set. No nail holes to fill. Farewell scuffs on the trim. No child-height trail of fingerprints in the hall.
And then there’s the comparable home — but with a different, bright color in every room. Discoloration where pictures used to be. Patched holes, but no new paint to cover them. Scuffed trim. Chipped walls and doors. It’s a home that’s been loved and lived in, but in a competitive market, those factors could cost you! In a refinance or HELOC situation, the lender may offer you less or even require you to repaint to secure financing, too.
If a whole-home update is too daunting for you, there are some other options that can help you control your budget while adding value. Take a look!
Upgrade Option 2: Kitchen Refresh
The kitchen is a key consideration for prospective buyers. It can also influence the overall value of your home for many other purposes, like HELOCs or refinancing. In fact, most realtors recommend upgrading the kitchen over any other room in the house.
As one of the most-used rooms in the house, the paint can take a real beating. Yes, even kitchens owned by cleaning fanatics. Life happens in the kitchen and life, well, it’s messy. Some of the key places/ways your kitchen paint may be taking a hit:
- Around the trash can — spatters, scrapes, chipping paint where the can touches the wall, grime on the trim near the base of the can.
- Above the oven — back wall, under and on the surface of any cabinets around the stovetop, the ceiling above the vent hood/oven.
- Walls around counters — high prep areas, walls behind sinks, any wall behind a countertop appliance.
- General discoloration — look behind decor and check for differences in color to see if smoke, grime or UV damage has drastically changed paint color.
- Cabinets — around handles, along the tops of the doors, around hinges.
- Walls around dine-in spaces — where tables/chairs touch walls, around high chairs, painted areas under bartops or kitchen islands.
Transform the room without construction.
Painting the kitchen can give the room new life, even if you can’t do a dramatic renovation. It covers years of wear and tear, while protecting walls, doors, trim and cabinets from new years of use.
- Clean, fresh color
- Refreshed, open space
- Repair and hide damage
- Quantifiable improvement
- New protection for years to come
At a loss for color selection? We’ve got some popular kitchen neutrals and cabinet colors that may help. We’ve stuck to timeless colors to ensure you won’t have to worry about getting burned by new trends.
- SW 7008 Alabaster (Apr. 2022 Color of the Month)
- SW 7666 Fleur de Sel
- SW 9589 Limewash (Designer Color Collection)
- SW 6204 Sea Salt
- SW 0068 Copen Blue (Dec. 2021 Color of the Month)
- SW 7015 Repose Gray
- SW 9587 Mushroom (Designer Color Collection)
- SW 9588 High Sierra (Designer Color Collection)
- SW 9591 Whisper (Designer Color Collection)
- SW 7643 Pussywillow
Upgrade Option 3: Bathroom Makeover
While bathrooms aren’t as popular with homeowners as kitchens, an outdated or worn out bathroom can be a deterrent. What are some of the top challenges for homeowners trying to remodel their bathrooms?
- Wallpaper: Few design choices have vexed homeowners the way the wallpaper trend has. It peels, it rolls down, it collects mildew where it curls … not the best for bathrooms.
- Mildew and mold: Do you have poor ventilation that creates unsightly blotches on the walls? Dark stains around faucets?
- Carpet: Why are painters mentioning carpet? Consider that if you remove carpet (and you probably should), you will likely need to drop the trim down, leaving a space to paint where the previous trim was and subsequently needing a refresh on the base trim where it met the carpet.
- Cabinets, doors, trim, areas by outlets and switches: Like your kitchen, this equally high-traffic area gets a lot of human interaction. The longer you’ve lived there, the more “lived in” the space.
- Peeling, bubbled paint: Moisture can cause paint to separate from the wall, creating bubbles and peeled spots. In addition to being unsightly, they also collect more water and can lead to mold and mildew on the walls.
Bathrooms have the benefit of returning impressive results with less work. Bathrooms are often smaller and take less time to paint. They use less paint as well. Most painting companies can turn a couple of bathrooms in a home quickly, adding to the benefits of this simple upgrade. Everyone likes more time!
Upgrade Option 4: Update Communal Spaces
There’s a reason we haven’t mentioned bedrooms in this list. It’s because they’re the spaces that people can close up if they’re not ready for their close-up. If buyers have the option to chose, they will pick a home where the public-facing rooms are ready for company over rooms no one will see without permission. That’s why communal spaces are the next recommendation for a smaller interior paint project.
You can designate any room in the home a communal space, but the most common paint projects include:
- Living room/family room
- Dining room
- Basement
- Playroom/ rec room
- Home theater/library
- Entryway
- Hallways, alcoves and nooks
- Mud room
- Bathrooms
- Kitchen
These are the spaces that will see a lot of guest traffic and repainting them will help buyers feel like the home is ready for entertaining. Like our other recommendations, keep it neutral.
Assessing the Need for Interior Paint Upgrades
We know that spending the money on new interior paint can feel stressful. But, it may be a necessity for increasing home value. It’s important to be realistic about the condition and quality of your existing paint. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can determine if you should invest in new paint.
- If you’re debating whether or not to paint, it’s time to inspect your walls. View it from the perspective of a buyer — be realistic and analytical. Turn on your brightest lights and check paint in high traffic, high-touch areas. Look for fingerprints and grime amassed around door jams, light switches, door handles and stairwells. Look along hallways for handprints or around the bases of doors for shoe marks. Look for chips, peeling, stains, dirt and grime. Trim is especially prone to collecting dirt that won’t quit.
While assessing these areas, determine the amount of work required to bring paint into an acceptable condition. Do you have the time? Would you have to hire someone? Consider whether or not it will damage the paint to clean or repair trouble spots properly. Is it more trouble than it’s worth to come up with a result that won’t look as fresh and new? It may be better to save time, effort and anxiety with a refresh.
Other assessments for interior paint upgrades can include:
- Remove paintings and decor and compare the newly exposed areas to your current walls. Is there a difference in color? Fading? Stains, grime or dust? Is it a matter of cleaning or has the paint become faded by UV damage or wear? If it’s faded, it might be time for a fresh coat.
- Assess damage. Do you have a lot of large holes from decor or picture frames? Is there a gouge in the wall where the doorknob hits? A hole from the time your daughter practiced her fast pitch indoors? A boy-shaped dent in the basement drywall? Did you or a family member smoke indoors? Do you have soot on the walls and ceiling from a fireplace? It’s not just a matter of patching these problems, but also recovering them effectively. Do you have the right paint shade? Does the end result match the old paint?
- Be realistic about color. We talked a lot about color above. Are your current colors neutral enough to keep buyers interested? Do you have anything really dark or dramatic, like a cherry red statement wall or an all black bedroom? These are great expressions of your personal style, but prospective buyers likely only see a new chore and expense on the horizon.
We hope these interior painting tips are helpful! Whether you commit to a whole-home repaint or just a few select rooms, you can be proud of investing in your biggest asset. And, you’ll be ready to sell, refi or simply enjoy your new space, all while knowing you’ve added real value!
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]]>The post Can You Paint Inside in the Winter? appeared first on AMC Painting.
]]>We’re answering your top questions about indoor painting when the temps drop so you can decide for yourself if you want your interior glow-up now … or want to wait until the spring. Let’s get started!
1. Is it safe to paint indoors in winter?
Yes, it is entirely possible to paint your home interiors safely in the winter. However, that safety depends on several factors:
- Type of Paint: Modern interior paint formulas are designed to be safer than their predecessors, with almost all brands offering a low-VOC or zero-VOC option. VOCs are volatile organic compounds — gasses that evaporate from liquids like paint. We have a really helpful breakdown of the ingredients in your paint here. Low-VOC and zero-VOC ensure you can actually be in your house while the paint is drying without worrying about harmful chemicals impacting your air quality.
Ventilation: Speaking of air quality, it’s still a good idea to keep the painted area ventilated. Think of this step as an abundance of caution. We encourage homeowners to crack a window or turn on fans to improve airflow. And, while interior paints are not nearly as smelly as they used to be, there will be a little odor that ventilation can help dispel. - Temperature: Climate control is important. Painting the interior of a vacant house without heat is not going to yield the best results for the longevity and appearance of your paint. Fortunately for homeowners, the ideal temperatures for interior painting tend to align with the ideal temps for human comfort — 60-75 degrees.
It’s worth noting that even if your selected paint is not specifically designated as low/no VOC, most new formulas are still well below the government-allowed number of 250 grams per leader. AMC Painting uses Sherwin-Williams brand paints, which tend to have low VOC across their interior latex brands and use ColorCast Eco Toners to avoid introducing more VOCs to the existing formula.
You can check out if a paint is ultra safe by checking the UL GREENGUARD Certification here.
2. Will interior paint dry properly during the winter months?
Yes, interior paint will dry properly if you paint during the winter months. The key is to maintain your home’s regular climate control. Keep the temperature over 60 degrees and under 85 degrees. If you can manage that, you’re doing great for ensuring a beautiful final product.
One cool fact you may not know is that winter painting can speed up and support a more effective curing process. Meaning, your paint may dry faster and adhere better. That’s because winters are typically very dry and a dry climate helps moisture evaporate from your paint faster. That brings up another important tip. If you use a humidifier for those dry winter months, you’ll want to turn it off while your walls are being painted and during the initial curing process.
3. Do painting companies work in the winter?
We don’t know about other painting companies, but AMC Painting keeps on trucking all winter long. We do slow down on exterior painting, but we complete quite a few interior projects between November and March. One thing that many home and business owners may not know is how much easier it is to get the dates and times you need when booking outside of peak scheduling.
Because so many people think you can’t paint in the winter, they tend to wait for warmer months. That means you can flex your newfound insider knowledge to book an ideal time based on your schedule. Once the warmer weather sets in, finding the right timing can get a bit more competitive. Exterior painting projects begin to pick back up, taking up more of your potential time slots. Another benefit is that our clients’ schedules tend to be a lot easier in the winter months, too. Instead of giving up a warm, sunny day to sit inside and watch paint dry, you can snuggle up with hot tea and your favorite streaming service.
Be sure to check for sales or discounts in the quieter season. We offer our customers winter specials and early bird discounts for booking in the “off” season. You may be able to save money and get a fresh new look.
4. Why doesn’t everyone book in the winter if it’s so much easier?
While we can’t answer for every one of our customers, what we can say is that most people just don’t know it’s actually doable. Legitimate concerns about air quality, curing and timing keep them from making the call. That’s why we take time to share just how easy it is to book, paint and get on with your life, even when the temperatures outside are more frigid than fun.
For Maximum Chill, Book Interior Painting in the Winter!
There’s really no reason not to paint your home interiors in the winter. Safer paint formulas take the fears about air quality out of the equation, climate control and dry winter weather offer premium curing conditions and, on top of those two benefits, you’ll also have plenty of appointments to choose from.
If you’re interested in booking a winter painting project with AMC Painting, give us a call! We offer complimentary estimates so you know what to expect, from cost and timing to materials and paint colors.
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]]>The post More Than Permanent Christmas Lights: The Benefits of Year-Round Exterior Lighting appeared first on AMC Painting.
]]>While it’s incredibly popular to refer to exterior soffit lighting as permanent Christmas lights, that name can be more than a little limiting. In fact, the Christmas light option is just one of the many benefits that come from installing LED soffit lights on your home exteriors. We’re taking you beyond the holly-jolly and exploring the year-round benefits of this home upgrade. If you’ve been debating installation because you think this lighting is a one-trick pony, we’re here to help you learn more. And if you’ve already installed a system, you’ll discover new ways to leverage it — and feel extra confident in your choice.
Exterior Lighting for Safety and Security
Homeowners may initially choose these types of lights for the beauty and convenience that permanent holiday lighting affords. No ladders, no extension cords, no storage … you get the idea. However, there’s more to this handy system than some red and green sparkle. Our favorite benefit is the way that this lighting helps make your home a safer place for you and your family. Let’s start with the boost it affords your home security.
Help Your Cameras Do Their Job More Effectively
Have you ever received a notification on your doorbell or security camera, only to be met with a blurry image that resembles a “proof of Bigfoot” VHS tape? Even cameras with night vision are guilty of offering up grainy, hard-to-see footage that does very little to make you feel, well, secure. Was that a raccoon? Or the neighbor’s cat? Can you identify anything about the person trying to get into your car? Or just watch it happen in blobs and pixels? Soffit lighting adds an overall glow to your property, supporting your security cameras with enhanced illumination that makes it easier to spot what’s happening and who’s causing it to happen.
Deter Wildlife, Theft and Vandalism
This benefit also signals another key reason soffit lighting helps boost security — deterrence. A well-lit home is less vulnerable simply because criminals (and most wildlife) aren’t all that excited to be so visible while committing crimes (or tearing up your trash bins). Exterior soffit lighting makes it a lot harder for someone to tamper with windows and kick in a door unobserved. It tells you more about who, or what, keeps taking your pumpkins off the porch or messing with your lawn decorations. When you pair good lighting with good security (and some helpful neighbors who can better see your property), you can breathe a little easier.
Make Your Yard Safer to Navigate for Everyone
The same illumination that makes it easier to spot trouble also makes it safer for YOU. Light up those walkways, driveways and backyards with both soffit lighting and expanded exterior lighting options like landscape lighting. AMC Illumination works with Jellyfish Lighting, which even gives homeowners options to zone their exterior lighting. For example, you can keep your front yard bathed in ambient light while turning up the backyard for your kid’s impromptu football game. Or, target problem areas, like a walkway that gets icy in the winter, or that one spot where the dog always disappears from sight when you let them out at night. It even makes it easier for those after-dark packages, postal workers and food delivery drivers to get your stuff safely to the porch!
Of course, safety is not the only reason this lighting is beneficial. Let’s talk about how welcoming it can be!
Permanent Christmas Lights = Permanent Curb Appeal
Modern LED soffit lighting gives users a lot of options for creating colorful patterns. It also has natural lighting solutions designed to simply enhance and illuminate your home. The AMC Painting division spends a lot of time transforming homes for daytime curb appeal, but it’s the Lighting Division that gives the night a glow-up. Here’s what AMC Illumination installers say gets rave reviews from new lighting customers.
Highlight Architectural Accents
Do you have a uniquely peaked roof? Assorted gables and arches? Is there a beautiful medallion or a particular porch you’d love for people to admire after dark? There’s a reason this type of permanent lighting is also referred to as architectural lighting! The common installation location — attached to the soffit under the eaves — naturally outlines your home’s shape even before you start getting creative about the patterns, colors and design. The more dynamic the shape of your home or building, the more incredible the outcome when you click on the lights. For the best perspective, take a drive in some of the historic districts in your home city. You’ll see beautiful examples of how exterior lighting can be used to highlight incredible architecture.
Light the Way Home
There’s something so welcoming about a cozy home glowing from the road when guests pull up at night. It evokes warmth and familiarity and a sense of welcoming. Everyone loves a well-lit home! That’s why there are so many songs about leaving a candle in the window, the porch light on and a fire in the hearth. It’s why you leave a light on when someone you love is coming home late.” It’s your message to visitors, extended family, kids, grandkids, kids coming home from college or anyone else you’ve invited that you’re happy they’ve dropped in to see you.
Create Social Spaces
We also love the way exterior lighting can create social spaces for all those guests to enjoy when they’ve arrived. Our customers add permanent lighting to their porches, decks and backyards. The front porch leads as a key favorite for accent lighting. Homeowners are really embracing the new trend of creating cozy front porches. Think comfortable furniture, warming heaters and, of course, customizable lighting. We like to think we’re helping neighbors invest in becoming more neighborly by creating friendly places to commune together.
Decks are also popular for lighting upgrades. If you’ve got a big one, you can design quite the epic hosting spot in your yard, with programmable features that can set the mood, including fun options like intermittent twinkling and alternating colors. Add in a few patio heaters and you’ve got yourself a year-round entertainment space.
Speaking of color, let’s talk about how to turn permanent Christmas lights into “all the holidays” lights!
Beyond Christmas: Additional Holiday Lighting Inspiration for LED Soffit Lighting
We love decking the halls with Christmas colors in December, but there are plenty of other holidays and magic moments that also benefit from a customized light show. Let’s look at some of the fun ideas our customers have shared.
Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras: Decorate your home with the classic pink, red and white motif everyone loves for the day of love, or take it easy — Big Easy — with the Mardi Gras colors of gold, purple and green to celebrate.
St. Patrick’s Day: You’ll find thousands of ways to perfect your shamrock green if you select a lighting system with expansive color options.
Easter and Earth Day: Create pastel waves of color for guiding the Easter Bunny and his magical baskets to your house, then celebrate our amazing planet with blues and greens for Earth Day.
Memorial Day: A quiet red, white and blue offer respect and honor for service members who have lost their lives in service.
Independence Day: Launch the red, white and blue for a day or a whole month. You can also utilize lighting effects for a non-fireworks color show.
Don’t forget to contact AMC Painting for adding a little paint color to your world, too! We’ll help you give your home a glow-up day or night.
Happy Halloween: In addition to orange and black lighting, we also love purple and orange or purple, orange and green. We’ve also seen homeowners use blues and purples for a ghostly glow, red for a more scary effect and wild greens for a monster science lab.
Birthdays: Use the guest of honor’s favorite color to add impact to your celebration.
Weddings: Having a backyard affair? Match up the wedding colors or create your own social design.
Sporting Events: Whether it’s your hometown high school football team, college hockey team or favorite NBA ballers, you can show your spirit with team colors. Get the lights turned up for the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup, World Series, World Table Tennis Championships, League of Legends World Championship — if you follow it, you’ll have a way to share your pride in your teams with the world.
Turn Up the Value on Permanent Christmas Lights with Year-Round Benefits
It’s great that you’re looking to maximize the benefits of investing in permanent LED lighting. We hope these handy reminders will show you new ways to enjoy the benefits. If you are interested in learning more about soffit lighting, you can also give us a call to book a no-hassle, complimentary estimate. We’ll show you the possibilities that can help you make the final decision.
The post More Than Permanent Christmas Lights: The Benefits of Year-Round Exterior Lighting appeared first on AMC Painting.
]]>The post Deck the Halls with Light and Color: Holiday Decorating Ideas from AMC appeared first on AMC Painting.
]]>Freshen Up Interiors with a New Coat of Paint
The holiday season is usually filled with guests — holiday parties, visiting grandparents, the kids friends sleeping over during school break — and you want your home to look its best for all that foot traffic. Now is the time to get those walls glowing with all the colors you’ve been dreaming of when you’re admiring paint swatches.
Many homeowners think that painting in the winter won’t work due to scheduling or colder temperatures. However, it’s easier than you might think to book an interior painting project this time of year. AMC Painting can typically paint an average home in a day or two and you won’t have to empty your entire home or crash in a hotel to get the job done. All your household items are covered and protected (although you will have to take down pictures and move furniture away from the walls.
As for temperature interfering with the paint curing process, interior paint does just fine in your climate-controlled environment. Even better, Colorado’s mostly mild winter weather means you can leave a few windows open in the daytime to give that low-odor, low-VOC paint an extra boost. You’ll have a home that looks and feels fresh and brand-new when you open your doors to celebrate this season!
Color Ideas for Your Interior Refresh
While there may be a few homeowners who want that classic red and green Christmas motif (we’re ready if you need us, Santa), we know that most people will want a palette they can enjoy year-round. Check out these options!
Neutral Interiors
These colors work across every room. They’re also a great selection if you have plans to sell your home in the next few years. Buyers love a palette that doesn’t interfere with their own personal vision for the space!
Creative Colors
You don’t have to keep it neutral. If you’d like a chance to express yourself more boldly through your interior paint color, we’ve got some ideas for that, too. Check out these creative colors pulled from Sherwin-Williams’ Color of the Month for 2024-2025. These picks were all featured in our monthly newsletter. You can sign up here to get more color inspiration and other tips delivered directly to your inbox here.
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- SW 7578 Borscht
- SW 6967 Frank Blue
- Caribbean Coral SW 2854
- Mount Etna SW 7625
- Icy Lemonade SW 1667
- Honeydew SW 6428
Awesome Accents for the Holiday Wow Factor
If you’re not up for a whole-home interior makeover, that’s okay. You can transform your home with smaller touches that still make a big difference. Here’s what our customers are doing to spiff up their space in small, thoughtful ways.
Accent Walls:
Accent walls give you a lot of power when it comes to jazzing up a room with a little color or a bold hue. Have you always wanted to play with a color like Tricorn Black, but worried it would dominate the room? Would you love a little Cherries Jubilee, but not across the entire room? Accent walls let you go big and bold without engulfing your entire room in one color. Not only that, they can set the stage for the holidays. Maybe your snowy flocked Christmas tree will shine with sophistication in front of a charcoal accent wall.
Vibrant Doors:
Have you noticed how everyone seems to be changing up their entryways with standout front doors? We love the new trend that gives homeowners a chance to put a little whimsy into their exteriors without committing every inch of siding to the color. Colors that contrast with your siding add a nice surprise for visitors. If you want to make it really unique, you can pick a bright yellow, flashy purple or even pink, teal, orange or green.
Architectural Highlights:
Show off the coolest features of your home with interior paint! Do you have wainscoting you’d love to use to highlight vintage wallpaper? Is there an unusual alcove or an immense gallery wall you want to draw the eye? Paint can certainly do that. Give those features the love they deserve with new paint!
Permanent Christmas Lights — A Year-Round Glow-Up
Let’s talk about exterior decor! You’ve likely raked or shredded every leaf in the yard and covered the patio furniture for the winter. What else can you do that will really make a difference in how your home looks this holiday? Now is the time to consider the benefits of permanent Christmas lights. No, we don’t mean leaving up your lights all year after Christmas. In fact, we aren’t talking about hauling out the ladders and untangling yard upon yard of store-bought twinkle lights at all.
The days of cosplaying as Clark Griswold while you freeze and staple for hours are over. And, while lots of people generally refer to exterior soffit lighting as permanent “Christmas” lights, these systems actually offer year-round illumination. The fact that they can be used for holidays is actually just an incredibly festive bonus! These lights also provide security, elegant curb appeal and convenient illumination for your yard. Here’s what else we love about switching to permanent LED soffit lighting for the holidays — and beyond.
Professional Installation
We joke about Clark Griswold, but only a little. Climbing up on a ladder in the middle of winter isn’t fun or all that safe. With permanent lighting, you won’t have to worry about extension cords, falling in the bushes or stapling your sleeve to the fascia. Professional installers do all the hard work and leave the fun to you: learning how to light up your world with the handy app!
Millions of Color Combinations
Do you want classic white twinklers? Wintry green? Maybe you love the modern lime green, pink and red combo that’s become so popular for the holiday. Permanent Christmas lights offer nearly endless selections for brightening your exteriors. You can control them all from an app on your smartphone, not some anonymous green button attached to a dangling cord.
Chase, Race and Play
Over at our lighting division, AMC Illumination, we get a lot of questions about getting soffit lighting to twinkle and play like classic temporary lighting. We have good news — these lights have plenty of play to offer.
Safer Lighting
Christmas light safety continues to improve, but permanent, professionally installed lighting is still safer. Electrical fires are the leading cause of house fires. The more you tax your electrical system with extension cords, portable twinkle lights and overloaded outlets, the more you increase your overall risk. Professional soffit lighting uses a specialty connection that safely converts power to prevent piling onto your power grid.
If you’re excited about the possibilities permanent exterior lighting can bring to your home, check out this guest blog from AMC Illumination. It’s filled with ways to use your lights to celebrate the season.
Make Your House the Home to Be for the Holidays!
These holiday decorating ideas will help you create a festive space to celebrate and leave your home looking amazing for the new year ahead. If you’d like to learn more about transforming your space, give us a call to book a complimentary estimate. We’ll help you bring your vision to life with paint and light this holiday season!
The post Deck the Halls with Light and Color: Holiday Decorating Ideas from AMC appeared first on AMC Painting.
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