Paint is a major part of a kitchen design. From cabinets to walls, there are endless color options, and picking the right ones can quickly become overwhelming. Here at Catchlight, we’re here to help you find the perfect color to complement your style and space.  FOR CABINETS  There are standards for paint color on cabinets. The timeless option is, of course, white. Whether it’s a bright white, creamy white, or white with a grayish undertone, white gives you the most flexibility when it comes to designing other spaces in your kitchen. You can pair white with any aesthetic and any colo ..read more

Every year, paint enthusiasts are treated with a slew of brands releasing their “Color of the Year.” Not only does this help us with inspiration on recommendations, but it also helps guide homeowners on current and upcoming color trends.  Exploring the ‘Color of the Year’ options can be daunting, especially when considering what colors complement or pair well with these bold and unique choices. Below, we highlight a few of the 2024 color options and palettes that best accompany each one.  Benjamin Moore – Blue Nova  Whoever said blue is out clearly has not seen Benjamin Moore’s ..read more

Plaster veneer over blueboard is still commonly used in higher-end new residential construction these days, but in Greater Boston, there’s a high likelihood you’ll find plaster walls or ornamentation in many older homes; in fact more than 50% of Boston’s housing stock feature original lathe and plaster walls and ceiling. Historic properties like these are our cup of tea, our bread and butter! Newton, Wellesley, Brookline, and other towns are full of homes built before the widespread adoption of drywall (gypsum board), which became the go-to medium in the mid-20th century. With that, Catchlight ..read more

For anyone who has undergone restoration work on their home, you’ll know that it’s seldom a “quick fix” situation; this is especially true of historic homes. Hiring a contractor for kitchen painting can quickly become much more involved than originally anticipated. Yes, it’s highly likely for a job to be done correctly, but issues underneath the surface must be attended to before finish work can be completed. There’s an element of opening “Pandora’s box” that comes with the undertaking. When one problem/issue is fixed, it can reveal another waiting behind it – it’s simply the way things go.&nb ..read more

New England winter, love or hate them, they’re a part of life if you live in Greater Boston. Sometimes, they’re unexpectedly gentle, and other times, they’re weekly blizzards, time perfectly with the Monday commute (2015, anyone?) It’s a flip of a coin in our lovely city, and unless you and yours are committed to the snowbird lifestyle each year, you mentally prepare for whatever mother nature brings us.  A question we often hear from clients is whether or not it’s advisable to undergo painting projects in the wintertime. While the short answer is a resounding yes for most painting projec ..read more

The form and function of interior design schemes have an ebb and flow to them. Victorian times were formal, and the mid-century touted clean, colorful lines. Today, we see an open, often more casual aesthetic to match today’s way of life. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the kitchen.  It wasn’t long ago that the kitchen was a place for cooking everyday meals only, certainly not where anyone outside the family would choose to gather. Instead, guests were entertained in the dining room, away from the chef and the accompanying mess of meal preparation.  Today, the in-home dining ex ..read more

Working in some of the country’s oldest neighborhoods is one of the most rewarding aspects of our work at Catchlight. Our team of talented painters has developed a unique set of skills that painting contractors in other regions of the nation simply do not need because, here, in the Greater Boston area, many homes have building features originating from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.  The endless design and construction features in Boston Brownstones, Victorians, or Colonials are unlikely to be found west of the Mississippi, let alone outside New England. One such feature is horsehair ..read more

Every homeowner Catchlight has worked with has had different design goals motivated by their own unique style. Like snowflakes, no two design schemes or color choices are the same. Part of our work involves helping our clients tease out their aesthetic goals by asking the right questions during the discovery phase; this helps us more clearly define the results they are looking for. A foundational element of interior painting, one that is sometimes overlooked, is the choice of interior paint finishes. While less visually impactful than color, interior paint finishes each have a particular effec ..read more

As anyone living in New England will tell you, your home’s exterior faces an unrelenting adversary – dirt, grime, mold, and the weather’s unforgiving touch. However, there’s a solution available that can add new life to your clapboards, shingles, siding, and brick; power washing. Regardless of the type of exterior you own, the improvements that come with power washing can be significant, which is why we’ll examine some details in this article.  Power washing, also known as pressure washing, is a thorough cleaning technique using high-pressure water to remove dirt, mold, and even those stu ..read more

As anyone living in New England will tell you, your home’s exterior faces an unrelenting adversary – dirt, grime, mold, and the weather’s unforgiving touch. However, there’s a solution available that can add new life to your clapboards, shingles, siding, and brick; power washing. Regardless of the type of exterior you own, the improvements that come with power washing can be significant, which is why we’ll examine some details in this article.  Power washing, also known as pressure washing, is a thorough cleaning technique using high-pressure water to remove dirt, mold, and even those stu ..read more