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Thursday, July 17, 2008
new website launched!
We are proud to announce the debut of interior design in chicago! What do you think of our site?
Are you interested in finding a real designer?
Take a look at our before and after photos!
See what a difference the right paint color and stain color can make!
12:36 am edt
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2008.07.01
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We offer Stunning Draperies and Blinds to provide privacy, sun protection
or simply beautify your windows
Do you need help
for your rooms?
Hire an interior
designer that specializes in consulting, planning and giving you the direction you need to get your interior design projects
finished.
Are you looking for a qualified, credentialed residential interior designer? Have you wasted
your time and money on amateurs or made mistakes with free advice from your decorator friends?
Get pure advice!
"Free" design service is just plain  !!!
Furniture stores offer “free design service” to convince you to buy the inventory they have on hand.
But that is not in your best interest.
You deserve the very best in customer service and should not be limited to purchase
only one store's furniture or accessories.
Our goal
is to get you implementing, not just planning. A credentialed interior designer will give you real design solutions to help
you finish your home in a professional and attractive manner.
We refer only the most qualified residential
interior designers.
Find out more About Us, and then look at our Services to make your possibilities a reality. We offer Perfect Paint Color Selection for your walls and the best stain colors for
your floors as well as just the right color for your woodwork
| LEARN HOW COLOR THEORY APPLIES TO YOU |
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| graphics used with permission |
![Rotating "Click Here" with Violet Spinning Diamond](http://webhosting.web.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/pictures/animations/wordwith/ax/sbb0axcw.gif "Rotating "Click Here" with Violet Spinning Diamond") Ask the Expert!
For room rates and hourly rates of our designers or to discuss your project, send
your questions, comments or ideas to interior.design.in.chicago@gmail.com
For issues that are of particular interest to the the community, we may publish
(with your permission) your questions along with our answers on this web site. DESIGN FOR THE TIMES COLUMN
ELIZABETH BENNETT  Design Columnist PUBLISHED IN SUN TIMES
and DAILY SOUTHTOWN STAR State-licensed Residential Interior Designer until state no longer regulates residential
designers on 8/31/11
Question: One thing I hate about my house is the natural colored oak woodwork.
I noticed it's very common in the Midwest and I was brought up in the east coast where most homes have white woodwork.
We have far too much wood in our house, with a lot of crown molding and chair rails to have it turned into
white, and then there are the doors and frame...but the next house will DEFINITELY have white woodwork. Is
it worth painting our woodwork? We plan on selling when the home market picks up again.
Answer: Actually, I have quite a few clients that have
painted their natural oak wood trim and their doors a classic white color. They preferred the painted white
woodwork over the stained wood. If white woodwork is your preference, then I suggest you get an estimate
to have it painted. It can be painted successfully by a professional painter. In my opinion, painted white woodwork is richer and more elegant. In
the Chicago area most homes over the $1,000,000 price range have painted white woodwork. Sotheby’s
is one of the premier real estate offices for the high-end market in Chicago and has a home on the market for $8,400,000 and
the woodwork is white. So it is safe to say that white woodwork is the standard for an upscale home.Some homeowners are concerned with the upkeep of white woodwork.
If you have it painted with an enamel finish it should clean up easily. Benjamin Moore’s Satin
Impervo Paint is a good product for painting woodwork. Murphy’s Oil Soap and water is mild enough
not to remove the paint yet strong enough to remove any scuffs. Mr. Clean magic eraser works pretty well
for fingerprints around the door handles.In defense
of leaving your woodwork stained, there are some people that love oak woodwork, oak doors, oak spindles and railings.
It is true that many Southwest-Side homeowners love oak. I was told by an employee (wishing to remain
anonymous) who works in the trim department at Home Depot in Orland Park that oak sells more than white painted woodwork in
this area. He calls this area “Oakville.” So it is possible that a buyer
might prefer oak.Or maybe customers are buying oak
to paint it.
This brings up another commonly asked question on painting wood. Why
do kitchen and bath cabinet manufacturers offer maple, hickory or cherry cabinets in painted colors? These
are the harder woods, but if they are going to be painted why not go with more inexpensive oak or birch?If the thought of painting the “good” oak woodwork has some readers concerned,
take a look at www.farrow-ball.com. They are an international paint company. I attended their design professionals paint
training session recently and was astounded that they suggested painting trim, doors and wood floors colors such as lavender, blue and green.
In England most residences are so very old that even floors are painted colors. Now that is something
I haven’t suggested to clients.If you go ahead
with painting that woodwork, you will join the ranks of the First Family because the Obama family is now living in a home
that has white painted woodwork! An all oak kitchen →  is transformed and modernized into→ 
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