Homeowners experiment with paint colors, say local painters

Sid Triantafilou of Greco Linden Hills Painting paints houses in residential neighborhoods, including East Isles, near Lake of the Isles. (Photo by Lulu Jaeckel)

Greg Chileen, owner of Chileen Painting, said bold colors are becoming popular.“Colors like gold and bright, bright colors that feel more welcoming and bring out warmth, are becoming popular,” Chileen said. “Especially in kitchens and bathrooms.” (Photo courtesy of Metro Creative Graphics)

Homeowners experiment with paint colors, say local painters_Lulu Jaeckel.mp3

Posted Thursday, February 27, 2025 12:16 pm

Reasons to hire a painter

Although painting is a project that can be tackled by do-it-yourselfers, there are various advantages to calling in a professional to handle painting projects. Here is a look at some of the benefits to working with a professional painter.

Cut down on the job time

A professional painter can reduce the project timeline. Painters have the skill set and experience to complete a project in a timely manner. This means the job will be streamlined from preparation to clean-up.

Pay attention to details

Professional painters are likely to do a job that is nearly flawless, especially after homeowners exercise their due diligence and vet painters carefully. Professionals will pay attention to the small details that less experienced painters wouldn't think about.

Reduce your workload

Painting can be a time-consuming job, and most of it occurs even before you pick up a brush. It can take hours to prep walls, patch holes, remove moldings, and apply painter's tape.

Painters already have equipment

Do-it-yourselfers may need to buy new tools before beginning the job. This means brushes, rollers, tape, tarps, trays, and much more. Unless you plan to paint multiple times, this can make stocking up a considerable investment. Professionals already have all the right gear and tools of the trade.

Lasting results

Professional painters understand which products will produce the desired results, depending on the wear and tear of the space. Paints are not all created equal, and certain walls, floors and trim may require unique priming and preparation that novices are not familiar with. Professional painters can help ensure durability and save homeowners from having to do the job again in a few months or years.

Audio

Homeowners experiment with paint colors, say local painters_Lulu Jaeckel.mp3

By Lulu Jaeckel

Whale gray, dry sage and french press are some of the popular names of interior paint colors right now at Benjamin Moore, a paint company.

Sid Triantafilou, a local painter and owner of Greco Linden Hills Painting, said earth tones such as brown, tan and red have also gained popularity.

“I’m glad that something other than gray has come to be,” Triantafilou said. “People are experimenting and that’s been nice.”

Triantafilou went to school to become a carpenter but joined a painting and design program when an opening became available.

He was the top of his class and won first place in the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America award for his painting skills.

One of his most recent projects features earth tone colors. His client requested that their living room and dining room be painted to match the colors in their fireplace.

Greg Chileen, owner of Chileen Painting, said bold colors are becoming popular.

“Colors like gold and bright, bright colors that feel more welcoming and bring out warmth, are becoming popular,” Chileen said. “Especially in kitchens and bathrooms.”

His most memorable project he worked on was restoring the Lake Harriet band shell.

John Roberts, the owner of John Roberts Painting, has worked as a painter and carpenter for over 40 years. His first painting job was in 1979 in Virginia, Minn. where his mentor, Orlando Secola, helped him paint a bakery.

“Orlando taught me the business,” Roberts said. “Fifty percent of this job is promotion. He would walk down the street and everyone knew him.”

Roberts graduated from a two-year carpentry program at Eveleth Area Vocational Technical Institute in 1985.

He enjoys his work because it’s not a 9 to 5 job.

“There’s some people that want to be free you know,” Roberts said. “They don’t want to have to punch a clock. I work for myself and I get the job done but I don’t have to punch a clock.”

A lot of times, people already know what color they want for the interior and exterior of their house, Roberts said. It’s usually an off-white, tan, yellow or gray.

“A lot of people who are looking to sell their house will go for a more basic color too rather than bold colors,” Roberts said.

He also said ceilings are usually painted off-white and accent colors look the best in small rooms.

Tim Schaub, the owner of T Schaub Painting LLC, said choosing colors for a home is very subjective.

“Color trends change every year,” Schaub said. “But light gray has always been a popular color for the interior.”

Steve Polta, the owner of Steve’s Painting, and Schaub both love their jobs because they transform people’s houses.

“I love beautifying older homes and restoring them,” Polta said.

All of these local painters use water-based paints with low volatile organic compounds.

Volatile organic compounds include chemicals that have short and long-term health effects, according to the EPA. VOCs are emitted as gases from products like paints and cleaning supplies.

“We use the best paint and we don’t cut any corners,” Triantafilou said.