Episode 236: Paint Hack Attack, Color of the Year 2022, Tablescapes Made Easy, Avoiding Scams

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SEGMENT 1: Paint Hack Attack

Life hacks are all over the internet! And many of them are just terrible ideas . . . . One “paint hack from the pros” that we ran across involved pounding holes in the rim of your paint can. We talk about why that’s such a bad idea.

SEGMENT 2: Color of the Year 2022

Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year for 2022 is October Mist. It’s a great color that “plays nice” with so many other colors! It’s easy to work with and might be something to consider as you plan your next paint project.

SEGMENT 3: Tablescapes Made Easy

Putting together a centerpiece for your holiday table is easy. You just have to start with a few basic concepts and work from there!

SEGMENT 4: Avoiding Scams

It’s pretty much always “Scam Season”. We’ve all run into them from time to time and some of us have been hooked and taken for a ride. We talk about some current scams going on in the Holland area as well as some basics behind what scammers do and why. All of that info should help us avoid getting suckered by that next phone call.

Here are the articles we referenced in the discussion:

Episode 235: The Best Leaf Tarp, 10 Minutes with Your Fridge, Hailey’s Monumental Bathroom Re-do

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SEGMENT 1: The Best Leaf Tarp

When you have a lot of leaves to deal with in the fall, you get creative! You look for new solutions everywhere. Well, I stumbled into what I think is the best leaf tarp out there. And it’s actually a dump truck tarp. We’ll tell you why we like it so much.

SEGMENTS 2: 10 Minutes with Your Fridge

Our refrigerators don’t ask for much! But one thing we can do to possibly extend their life is to periodically clean the condenser coils. We’ll tell you how (and the good news is it’s quick!)

SEGMENTS 3 and 4: Hailey’s Monumental Bathroom Re-do

Hailey’s cat, Berger, couldn’t get to his litter box the other day . . . and two weeks later, Hailey had a brand new bathroom. We’ll talk about all the crazy steps in between!

Episode 234: Fall Prep, Spontaneous Combustion, Time Capsules, Why Painters Wear White

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SEGMENT 1: Fall Prep

The seasons are changing and while it’s been a remarkably warm October so far . . . we all know what’s just around the bend. With that in mind, we go over a number of projects that you want to make sure you’ve got wrapped up in the next couple of weeks!

SEGMENTS 2: Spontaneous Combustion

Hailey ran into a story of how a home improvement project ended up resulting in a fire that burned the home to the ground. Rags used to clean up oil-based stain and solvent were left accidentally in a pile and, over the course of a couple hours, they ignited because of spontaneous combustion. 

We talk about what happened and how to prevent it . . . and, because it’s Fire Prevention Month . . . we discuss a number of other safety measures to consider.

SEGMENT 3: Time Capsules

Not the usual topic for a home improvement show, but we think a personal time capsule, filled with family memories, and set to be unearthed at some future date might be a great project with a huge payoff! It’s definitely something fun to consider.

SEGMENT 4: Why Do Painters Wear White?

It’s an age-old question . . . and the internet is full of answers! We sift through all the suggestions and have what we feel might be the definitive list of reasons professional painters have worn white through the ages!

Episode 233: Backing Out and Pressing On

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This episode, we explore the concept of failure. So often we fear it and do everything to avoid it…but it’s part of life! And it’s part of every great endeavor. But, not every instance of failure or complication we encounter should be handled in exactly the same way….

SEGMENT 1: Backing Out of Color Mistakes

This episode, we explore the concept of failure. So often we fear it and do everything to avoid it . . . but it’s part of life! And it’s part of every great endeavor. But, not every instance of failure or complication we encounter should be handled in exactly the same way….

When choosing colors, most of us put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into making the right choice! But even then . . . sometimes when we roll the new paint onto the walls, we wonder if we’ve made the right call! If you’ve ever been in that situation and have worried you made the wrong “color call” . . . here are a few considerations:

FIRST: Colors change as they dry down — sometimes dramatically – so give the paint time to dry before you react too quickly!

SECOND: Colors are affected by our surroundings! If the wall is a different color, and you view the new color framed with that older color, your impression of your new color may not be accurate at all. You may need to paint an entire section, covering up that old color entirely, before you’re able to judge the color accurately.

THIRD: If you know you just picked the wrong color, here’s what we can do in the paint store to help:

  • Tinted paint CAN be changed, but only in limited degrees. However, if your color is close, but just leans “too gray” or “too green”, “too yellow” or “too pink”, then usually we can adjust it to an acceptable hue.
  • We can also deepen the color to some extent, but the amount of change we can affect is limited by the base used for the original color and the colorant already present in the mix.
  • Finally, lightening colors is very limited.

The best course of action is to reach out to any RepcoLite or Port City Paints and talk through the situation.

FOURTH: There’s nothing better than avoiding a problem in the first place

  • Benjamin Moore Sample pints
    • Paint it in your home
    • View it in your lighting!
    • Make sure you got it right
  • RepcoLite’s Color Consultants
    • In-home visits for $50/hour
    • Free in-store consultations

SEGMENTS 2 & 3: Tragedy, Failure, and the History of the Telegraph

With almost all invention, the road from concept to reality, is usually bumpy! The history of the invention of the telegraph is no different. But there are great lessons tucked inside the story!

SEGMENT 4: A New Take on Feature Walls

We can’t focus on failures the whole episode! Now it’s time to jump into a project that really caught our eye over the last couple weeks: feature walls done not with just paint or wallpaper . . . but with wood strips. It’s a great project, a simple project, and can have a tremendous amount of impact in your space!

Episode 232: Instagram Contest Update, Supporting the Arts, Drill Bits 101, The History of Color on Trim

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SEGMENT 1: Instagram Contest Update

There’s still time to enter our contest! Click here for everything you need to know!

SEGMENT 2: Supporting the Arts with Lions and Rabbits Center

We talk with Hannah Berry, founder of Lions and Rabbits Center for the Arts. 

SEGMENT 3: Drill Bits 101

There are so many options when it comes to drill bits. We cut through some of the confusion!

SEGMENT 4: The History of Trim

Last week we talked about putting a color other than white on your trim. This week, we look at the long history of what trim has looked like in America since the 1700’s!

Episode 231: Escape Rooms, Unusual Trim Colors, Steam Cleaning, Removing Wallpaper

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SEGMENT 1: Escape Rooms

Out of the Box Games and Toys is a gem of West Michigan! They have an AMAZING selection of unique games and toys. The Zeeland location has something extra special we needed to experience for ourselves…an Escape Room! Learn about what an escape room entails and if we made it out in time!

  • Out of the Box has 3 locations. Find them in Kentwood, Zeeland and Holland. 
  • The Zeeland Location is the only store with Escape Rooms. These rooms can hold 6-12 people depending on which room you choose. They also vary in difficulty and are friendly for a variety of ages and skill levels. 
  • Escape Rooms are designed around a theme and require you to work as a team to solve the puzzles and riddles in order to make it out.

SEGMENT 2: Unusual Trim Colors

Usually the first color that comes to mind when painting trim is “white” but we want to challenge that convention. Using a color other than white on trim can actually be the best of both worlds. We discuss when/where it makes sense.  

  • Painting trim colors other than white started to gain popularity about 5 years ago. At the time it seemed ridiculous but it’s proven to be a design choice that has a lot to offer.
  • Using a color on trim can have a big design impact without overwhelming the space. This design is easiest to implement in rooms with defined starting and stopping points.
  • If you love color but also want to maximize the light in your space using white on the walls and color on the trim could be the compromise you have been looking for. 

 

SEGMENT 3: Steam Cleaning

Hailey has a new steamer!… That may not sound terribly exciting but you would not believe all the things you can do with Dupray’s Neat Steam Cleaner. Hailey gives a full review after putting it to the test.  

  • Tested the steamer on a stove top to remove serious carbon build up, on wool upholstery to remove a black grease stain, carpet stains and more! Amazing results. 
  • Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner is extremely simple to use, stores easily, reaches 50 psi, heats to 275 degrees, comes with 10 attachments and can produce continuous steam for 50 min. 
  • Easily eliminates; dirt, grease, soap scum, stains, 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, bedbugs and mold. You can use it on; floors, furniture, toys, kitchen appliances, car interiors, grout and tiles, bathrooms and more. 

SEGMENT 4: Removing Wallpaper

Wallpaper gets a bad reputation because people believe that it is extremely difficult to remove. However, wallpaper can be easily removed if properly installed. It may be tempting but painting over wallpaper instead of stripping it can lead to problems. 

  • Stripping wallpaper is another perfect use for the Dupray Neat Steamer we discussed in the previous segment! The large paddle attachment works great and has been well reviewed for this application. 
  • If you decide to forgo the steamer here are some supplies you will need: DIF, Paper Tiger, Spray Bottle, Large Putty Knife, Hot water, Lots of towels.The most important thing is letting the DIF product and water do the work for you. Don’t rush! 
  • Water based paint CAN be used over wallpaper but does have the ability to cause paper to bubble. Oil based primer is better if you do decide to go down that road. Just remember paint will make the seams of wallpaper very obvious no matter what paint you use. Once the wallpaper is painted over it is much more difficult to remove.