Having the Lead-Safe Certification means that we follow safe practices while working on projects in your homes and offices. It’s one way that we make certain we are watching out for you, your employees and your family when you trust us with a painting project.

How does a company qualify to be a Lead-Safe Certified Firm?  The certification program is run through the EPA and requires that the firm abide by the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule. This rule requires lead-safe work practices by doing things such as minimizing dust and cleaning up thoroughly. The rule also requires individuals must be trained in those safe-work practices by EPA accredited training providers.

Lead was used for years in paint and other products in and around our home before it was known to be dangerous.  It is a toxic substance and can lead to a range of serious health problems, especially for children.  Consuming or breathing in lead paint dust or lead paint chips from old, peeling lead-base paint is the main cause of lead poisoning in children.

Following lead-safe work practices on projects that disturb lead-based paint in pre-1978 homes and buildings, child-care facilities and schools is a way to prevent possible health problems.  This is why the EPA has developed the Lead-Safe Certification program, so that contractors and consumers can see at a glance which companies work to keep you safe. At Heartland Painters, we strive to provide the highest quality, safest work environment for both our employees, our clients and their families.

If you’ve recently repainted or begun planning a new paint job you may have discovered that the color names are quite creative and even entertaining to consider.

Examples of paint color names:

Sage – “Calico”
Blue – “Jetstream”
Grey – “Knitting Needles”
Khaki – “Leapfrog”
Tan – “Light Incense”
Red – “Indiscreet”

After reading through some of the names it doesn’t take long to see that there’s a good reason paint companies supply color swatches so you’re able to see what they’re talking about instead of solely relying on the name.

In addition to what are considered the “normal” paint color names, there are some even more creative twists. Some companies gear their paint names towards the rich and famous where brown might be called “Soho Loft” and maroon, “Nobleman”. While others have chosen a more humorous approach naming a particular shade of green, “Zombie Apocolypse” and plain old white, “Beer Foam”.

It makes sense that with all of the shades and hues available these companies have to come up with unique names to give you something you can remember. You can’t help but wonder how one gets the job of designating names for paint colors. You would have to be a very creative individual.

All of the fun just adds to the creativity of giving a room or the exterior of your home or office a facelift with a new paint job. If you are embarking on a new painting project, it would be good to keep in mind that no matter how catchy the name it’s the color itself and the quality of paint that will make your paint job beautiful and long lasting.

“Faux” is a French word meaning “false”. If you’ve ever heard of faux pearls or faux jewels, it simply means that they are man made and not real pearls or jewels. You might choose faux pearls because you want the look of pearls without the expense of the real thing.

So what exactly is Faux Painting?

Faux Painting is an exciting way to manipulate paint on walls, ceilings, floors and even furniture. It duplicates the look of more expensive finishes such as marble, leather, fine wood, brick and stone. It is used in people’s homes when they want a more exotic look, in places like restaurants and also in theaters and film sets where painters can change the entire look of a room with the stroke of a brush.

Of course, the application of faux finishes can be a bit more complicated then just the stroke of a brush. There are often multiple paint colors that are used to blend and layer on top of one another for different effects. The tools used in Faux Painting are seemingly endless, but can include cheesecloth, sea sponges, sheep’s wool, bristle brushes, artists brushes, newspaper, grocery bags, rollers and more. There are even specialized rubber rollers that will duplicate wood grain and a multitude for textured finishes as well as wallpaper patterns.

Just as the tools used in Faux Painting are endless, so are the looks you can create using them. While it may seem intimidating at first, there are a lot of simpler looks that can be mastered pretty quickly even by a novice painter. “Colorwashing” is a subtle, sophisticated and relatively simple Faux Painting process which produces a fresco, aged look. Even the more advanced marbling and stone looks, or something like creating an elaborate rug design on a hard wood floor can be accomplished by anyone with enough research and prep time.

If you decide to embark on a Faux Painting project of your own, practicing on a board beforehand can help you nail down the technique. The nature of paint itself is that it’s fairly simple to cover up any failed attempts or when you decide you want to change up the look of a room in the future. Faux Painting is a fun and simple way to add a polished look to any room.

This redevelopment actually required the demolition of 35 older units and replaced them with a well-designed, green complex. This new complex not only provides more units for more residents but conveniently connects to neighboring parks, retail centers and service providers. 16 Park is a good example of the type of building that can support and even rejuvenate urban living areas that may have been neglected.

Some of the green elements of this exciting new development include the use of green roofs and rain gardens. Residents will enjoy all of the best that modern green building can supply. They are also treated to attractive, modern design elements both inside of the units and in the exterior areas and landscaping.

Working on this project and others like it is one way that we are able to support the Indianapolis community and do what we do best, providing quality painting services. 16 Park is just one recent endeavor that helps improve lives, protects the environment and changes outdated stereotypes about public housing. Not bad for something as seemingly simple as an apartment complex.

Painted surfaces have become such a normal part of our environment that we rarely take time to notice them anymore.  Paint provides a colorful, protective layer over many objects and buildings that we come into contact every day.

Just looking around your home you may be able to see paint on the exterior walls, roof, trim, shutters, decks, interior walls, ceilings, cabinetry and furniture. In businesses you may also see paint on the walls, ceilings and floors (wood or cement), metal pipes, fences and signs.

However, paint isn’t limited to buildings alone. Out on the streets we use paint on our cars as well as on the roads themselves to direct us how to drive. Paint is not just for protection and general appearance either. We also use it to enhance our lives with murals on city buildings and on canvases as artwork displayed proudly on walls both in homes and businesses.

It is true that paint is a part of practically every part of our lives. We use it to protect, communicate, beautify, display, express and make our lives simpler, cleaner and more colorful.  Anywhere that we live, work or play we use some form of paint to make our lives better.

If you take a minute to look around your home or office, or even down the street that you’re walking, and think about what it would look like without any paint you begin to get an idea of how important a role paint plays in our everyday lives.  It wouldn’t be too dramatic to say that the world would be a rather dull place without paint.

Award reflects business’ consistently high level of customer service

Heartland Painters has been awarded the prestigious 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor bestowed annually on approximately 5 percent of all the businesses rated on the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service and health providers.

This award is an honor for Heartland Painters because it is a reflection of our client’s real experiences with our company. We are dedicated to providing quality workmanship and excellent customer service. Receiving this award is important because it shows us that our efforts pay off with the satisfaction of our customers. It also inspires us to continue working towards providing the best possible service for our customers.

“Only a fraction of the businesses rated on Angie’s List can claim the sterling service record of being a Super Service Award winner because we set a high bar,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “The fact that Heartland Painters can claim Super Service Award status speaks volumes about its dedication to consumers.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award winners have met strict eligibility requirements including earning a minimum number of reports, an exemplary rating from their clients and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List, but members can find the 2011 Super Service Award logo next to business names in search results on AngiesList.com.

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Angie’s List collects consumer reviews on local contractors and doctors in more than 500 service categories. Currently, more than 2 million consumers across the U.S. rely on Angie’s List to help them make the best hiring decisions. Members get unlimited access to local ratings via Internet or phone, exclusive discounts, the Angie’s List magazine and help from the Angie’s List complaint resolution service. Take a quick tour of Angie’s List and view the latest Angie’s List news.

The most obvious answer to that question is paint makes things prettier and more interesting. New paint can freshen up an old room. It’s not even a question in most people’s minds that a home needs to be painted after one family moves out in order to be clean and pretty for the new owners.

The exterior of our homes and businesses are also looked upon with favor when given a fresh coat of paint. One of the first signs of good maintenance of a home is whether or not it has cracked or peeling paint. We value homes that are not only well made and well maintained but that have the age-old realtor term, “curb appeal”. How better to increase curb appeal then to make sure the exterior of a home is nicely painted.

However, there are other reasons that we should consider a painting project for our own home. Paint provides many positive elements that are less aesthetic in nature but just as important to the care and maintenance of our homes.

On interior walls paint helps to hide imperfections and can actually brighten the natural light in a room. Paint also brings texture to walls, further smoothing out any imperfections. Interior woodwork benefits from paint by being protected from scratching or scuffing

Painting the exterior of your home is one of the most important aspects of protecting your home from the elements. A coat of paint acts very much like clothing for your home (thus the name, “coat”). It protects key areas of your home from the elements. Wood without a paint covering is subject to the damaging effects of water, sun and mold.

All of this protection gives your home longer life. So in addition to adding curb appeal to the exterior and beauty and mood to the interior, paint is working hard to keep your home strong and dry far into the future.

While it may not be the perfect time to begin a painting project, it could be the perfect time to decide on exactly what you want. Out of all of the decisions you will need to make for any painting project, one of the first on the listis color.

Color may seem to be a simple choice. Everybody knows that the best colors for a baby’s nursery is pink or blue and the best color for an office is off-white. Or is it? When choosing a color going traditional isn’t a bad choice, it’s just not your only choice.

Color in your home can be used to reflect your personal style. Whether it’s a calm and peaceful master suite, a warm, comfortable family room or a cheerful, bright kitchen nook, take some time before you paint any room in your home to think about how you want that room to feel in the long-term. What type of interactions do you want to have there? All of these things combined with your personal taste can be used to pick the perfect color that will not just cover the walls, but make it feel more like your home then ever before.

It may be easier for some to consider color in their homes then in the office place, but you can use color to present your business to the world. Color in your place of business can offer employees, customers and clients a feeling of who you are as a company and where you’re going. The colors you choose can be contemporary or traditional and convey professionalism and excellence in all that you do. I would encourage you to look into the possibility of using color to communicate the best your business has to offer.

The color of a room is a key component of the first and lasting impression of that room. Spending some time considering color and what kind of impression you want to make is a smart move before you spend the time, effort and money on a painting project.

But it is never too early to start planning for the projects that you would like to accomplish later in the year! A good place to start planning is the Indiana Home and Garden Show, January 6- 8, 2012. The show will be presented at the Indianapolis Convention Center in Hall F.

The show will bring home owners together with some of the leading decorators and contractors in the area, who will be presenting their services along with new ideas for the coming season. The Home and Garden Show is a great way to get to know the various contractors in a way that you just can’t get on line or from the yellow-pages. Because January is a down time for home improvement, many of the exhibitors will be offering Show specials so that you don’t forget us before spring. It can make the last days of winter go a little faster to have a project scheduled for when the weather does turn nice.

Admission to the show will be $5 dollars for adults and free to kids under 18. There promises to be a lot of entertainment for $5!

We hope that you will Take the time to come over and say hi to us at the Heartland Painters booth while you visit the show. We’re looking forward to seeing you!

We would like to take a short break from our usual Interior and Exterior Painting posts for some holiday related fun that is still painting related.

Window painting has always been part of the holiday season in my house, and it is a holiday tradition that your family may also find they enjoy. Window painting is usually part of store front holiday displays, but they can also work in the home. They are best if you have a large window that is visible from the street. My Mom always thought of her widow paintings as part of the holiday display that you didn’t have to wait for dark to enjoy.

Some people paint the outside of the window, but then your art work is exposed to the weather. Painting from the inside presents a couple of challenges, but it is just a matter of planning around them. The design will have to be applied “backwards”; the surface details painted first, with the other elements layered on and ending with the background.

There are a number of ideas for patterns on line, but an even better source is greeting cards and coloring books from the dollar store. Tempera paints or craft acrylics are the traditional window paints. Acrylics are available for about 99 cents a bottle, and come in a great variety of colors so you don’t have to worry about mixing colors if you don’t want to.

Use an artist’s brush for the details you will apply first. A sponge brush is a cheap way to apply the larger colored areas. The acrylic will clean easily with water. After the holidays, the painting is simple to remove. I like to wet the whole area with regular window cleaner, then give it some time to soften. Next use the edge of a credit card to scrape away the softened paint, wiping the card on a piece of wadded newspaper. Finally wash the widow with glass cleaner.

Enjoy all your painting, and Happy Holidays!