“[Bill] saved the ceiling in my Victorian when everyone else said it could not be saved. He
matched colors beautifully … [He] is the best painter I have worked with in twenty years.”
Susan R. – Cambridge, MA
“After Bill … came over to give his estimate … I decided right then to use him for the job and
canceled … the next estimate as I was very impressed with his candor and thoroughness …”
Caroline B. – Framingham, MA
“The walls and ceilings were in rough shape before they began. After they were done,
things looked better than I could’ve imagined.”
Caroline B. – Framingham, MA
“They did a fantastic job, absolutely unbelievable. I would definitely recommend them
and hire them again!”
Ruth B. – Jamaica Plain, MA
“The work [Bill] did was completed quickly and beautifully… Plus … it was nice having him
in the house. That’s no small matter for someone like me who works at home.”
Jim M. – Concord, MA
“Mr. Larkin was a pleasure to work with. His workers were on time, polite, and seemed very
attentive to their work. I was extremely impressed! ... [They] did a spectacular job!”
Diane T. – Natick, MA
“I absolutely needed the job done within the next two and a half weeks. As he said he would,
he completed it within that time… [We] were very impressed and happy with the results.”
Caroline B. – Framingham, MA
“Bill’s initial visit included extra time spent in making color recommendations. Bill sent a very
detailed and professional proposal… Although … not a large job, Bill gave it his full attention.”
Greg N. – Watertown, MA
“Bill and his team did a terrific job. The plaster in my house is over 100 years old-his team both
repaired and matched the paint perfectly. They were very polite, punctual, [and] friendly …”
Frederick S. – Hanover, NH
“[The] estimate was the most reasonable. [Bill] gave us a lot of advice even though we hadn’t
made a decision yet … They arrived on time and coordinated around the flooring guys.”
Shruti G. – Sudbury, MA
“[Larkin Painting] did a nice job prepping the walls, and the finished job looks great! They were
also able to finish ... earlier than Bill had estimated … This was a pleasant experience overall …”
Suzanne K. – Franklin, MA
“The crew was punctual, professional, and courteous. The entire job was completed in four
days. Items were moved and returned to their original locations and clean up was first rate.”
Robert S. – Hudson, MA
“We’ve had a lot of work done [on] our home … and our experience with Larkin Painting
has been, by far, the most enjoyable. Bill Larkin is a true professional …”
Peter D. – Marlborough, MA
“I am very pleased and would recommend highly… I consider the price very reasonable,
considering that most of the work was “grunt work.” He even helped start my lawn mower.”
Helen M. – Framingham, MA
“Bill and the guys did amazing [work]... He was very attentive to our needs and was willing to
work with our color choices. They were punctual, clean, and the quality was outstanding!!!!”
Michael K. – Newton, MA
“Bill was patient and receptive—another workman would probably have been pretty frustrated
and given up on the color wash process. He truly takes pride in his work …”
Leah S. – Watertown, MA
“Workers were extremely polite and respectful of my wife and two year old daughter who were
frequently in the house as work was being done.”
Andrew R. – Westborough, MA
“Highly professional job. Larkin has an excellent, friendly, and clean crew. I can highly
recommend his company.”
Horst W. – Belmont, MA
“Bill and his crew came on time, worked meticulously, and cleaned up at the end of each day…
He truly takes pride in his work and is very concerned regarding customer satisfaction.”
Leah S. – Watertown, MA
“One great thing about the company is the head of the company is very accessible … [Bill]
listens carefully, and he will easily make adjustments.”
Thomas A. – Newton, MA

Color You Can Eat~Pantone Color Inspiration

photo courtesy Angela Shenk

 

I am sure you have heard someone say, “That color looks good enough to eat!”  Maybe you have even said it yourself when looking at a particularly rich color of red or a sweet cotton candy pink.  Well a blogger has been playing around with Pantone colors and her food.  Pantone is a wonderful source for color inspiration and exploration.

I know the rule is that you don’t play with your food.  However, once you see her creations, you might abandon that rule for some food and color fun.  The blog is in French, but you don’t need to reach back to your high school French to understand what the author is doing.  Summer is on its way and Spring is already here.  You can find many different colors in your daily fruits and vegetables to inspire your color exploration.  You can check out the results of her color and  food play here.  After checking out her site, I encourage you to play with your food to find colors that inspire you.  If you have any questions about color and paint, please give me a call at (508) 740-6212, email me at bill@larkinpainting.net, or send me a message on Facebook.  Don’t forget to check out my color inspiration boards on Pinterest.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Bill

 

 

By Angela on Friday, May 18th, 2012
Categories: Color, Creativity, Inspiration, Residential Painting

Kipper Color

photo courtesy Angela Shenk

 

Are you familiar with the children’s show Kipper?  My granddaughter simply loves it.  It’s easy to see why.  Kipper’s world is gentle yet exciting.  Recently while she was watching an episode, I noticed how beautifully the artists use color in this show.  Many children’s shows have wonderful palettes, but Kipper is one of the most artistic and inspiring.  There are beautiful greens of trees, grass, lily pads, and blues in all sorts of hues and varying saturation.  One of the most impressive uses of color I have seen on the show is the use of greys and browns.  They fade in and out and create movement as well as places of stillness.  The designers and artists use space and color brilliantly.  In some scenes the background is rather minimal-a green line with faded out edges gives you the sense of ground.  In other scenes, the background is wonderfully full with mixtures of bright and more subtle color.   No wonder the atmosphere is so calm and stable on that show, even when the characters are experiencing some rather exciting adventures.

You can do the same in your home.  Picture classic grey walls with pops of blue, red or green, or you could paint the walls in one of the modern shades of tan with green, grey, blue or red pops of color.  The color pops can be provided by furniture, flowers, picture frames, you name it.  The possibilities are endless.  You can truly find color inspiration anywhere.  Take a quick look at the following clips to see how the artists use color to influence the mood of the show.  Think about what kind of mood you want to have in the rooms of your home and follow your instincts and what makes you happy.

You can find the links here (This 7 minute episode has gorgeous displays of color in the objects the characters touch as well as the backgrounds; be sure to note how they blend and contrast with each other) and  here.

Enjoy,

Bill

By Angela on Friday, May 11th, 2012
Categories: Color, Creativity, Inspiration, Residential Painting

Thank You Flowers

photo courtesy Angela Shenk

 

The eyes we see with become flowers,
the ears we hear with are flowers,
the lips we speak with become flowers.

~Thick Nhat Hanh

Whenever we undertake a project, we work hard to ensure that our clients enjoy the process.  Often after completing a project, many customers tell how much they miss our painting crew.  That in itself is so humbling.  We are happy to help our clients realize their visions and make their spaces beautiful and inviting.  We are happy that the experience is one they actually enjoy.  That means we have done our job.  To share our gratitude, we always send Thank You Flowers to our customers after we complete their projects.  In this small way, with such a beautiful part of nature, we say thank you to our customers for allowing us the privilege of being in their homes and working with them to make their vision a reality.

 

 

By Angela on Friday, May 4th, 2012
Categories: Flowers, Residential Painting, Thank You, Who We Are

Bill’s Movie List~One

I like to think of this  blog space as a place where we explore care of the self through care of our home environment and awareness of life all around us.  We share things that inspire us whether that inspiration is a cool, dark blue, blueberry, a finely appointed kitchen, Van Gogh’s Siesta or a movie.  With this in mind and in honor of Autism Awareness Month, I am sharing with you some movies that I think are inspirational and pretty cool.

First up is Adam.  This movie is about a young man living with Aspberger’s Syndrome and how he negotiates a romantic relationship while living alone for the first time in his life.  It stars Rose Byrne, Hugh Dancy and Peter Gallegher.  Adam is a funny and beautiful movie that gives us a different look at autism.

Next is Loving Lampposts.  This is a wonderful documentary that explores what it means to be autistic.  Often with autism, the concern is with what is “wrong” with the person.  Autism is categorized as a disorder, an illness in a way.  The filmmaker talks about his own son who loves lampposts and is diagnosed as autistic.  Loving Lampposts is an amazing exploration of autism, “normalcy”, and how we regard people who live with autism.  This is definitely a must-see.

The third film is also a documentary.  It’s called Autism: The Musical.  This beautiful and moving film has won several awards including a prime-time Emmy.  The camera follows a group of autistic children as they prepare a live musical performance.  The children are all affected by autism differently.  Some of them are somewhat verbal, some are pre-verbal, while others talk almost constantly.  One child does not really talk, but has one of the most angelic singing voices you have ever heard and is a crack mimic with a sweet sense of humor.  The film explores all of the peaks and valleys of such a venture and explores how autism affects the diagnosed and their families.  You watch the children discover and explore their artistic talents.  This movie usually brings joyful tears at the end.

Last there is Wretches and Jabberers.  I think you will enjoy finding out how the film got its title.  In Wretches and Jabberers, two middle-aged men who have autism go on a world tour in hopes of changing many people’s assumptions that they are not intelligent because they have autism and cannot speak.  Both men spent substantial time mute (they discovered their voices through typing) and one was institutionalized for years.  You can check out the trailer here.  Again, this movie was a joy and an inspiration to watch.

Regardless of whether or not your life has been touched by autism, I think you will enjoy and be inspired by these stories.

 

Be well and enjoy exploring all that life has to offer,

Bill

 

Doran who lives with autism and his hearts-photo courtesy Angela Shenk

By Angela on Saturday, April 28th, 2012
Categories: Autism, Blue, Inspiration, Light It Up Blue, Movie List

Blue

Ask a person what his or her favorite color is and the answer is usually blue, and with good reason too.  Blue is an aspiring and inspiring color.  It symbolizes hope, confidence.  It can be happy or moody, silly or reserved.   Blue is calming and blue is electric.  We see this certain calm when we look at a painting by Monet.  We see jazzy electricity in a work by Van Gogh.

Monet

Photo courtesy Metropolitan Museum

Van Gogh

Photo courtesy Judaica-Art.com

Blue can work in any area of  your home.   Think office, bathroom, study, or even the sun porch.  Blue isn’t just for baby boys anymore, even thought the color still works well in a traditional or modern nursery.  Remember reds and oranges make blue pop, while greens lend a more blended feel to a blue palette.  Check out the cool blues in the Color Cards from California Paints.  You can also find some of my blue inspiration over at Pinterest.  Feel free to repin and share.  Have a great time “thinking blue”!

Photo courtesy Angela Shenk

Photo courtesy Angela Shenk

Be well,

Bill Larkin

By Angela on Saturday, April 21st, 2012
Categories: Blue, Color, Residential Painting

Autism-We All Have a Little Bit

photo courtesy autismspeaksblog.file.wordpress.com

Autism.  There are so many feelings and realities associated with the word: fear, hope, trust, anger, despair, relief, determination and happiness.  Years ago an autism diagnosis was fairly rare.  Parents were told to put their children in asylums.  Mothers were blamed for their child’s condition.   So much was unknown.

Today, we know more about autism, but much remains unknown.  There are many clues to the why and the how, but no one is sure how it all plays out or what exactly causes one child to have autism and another to be ‘neurotypical’, whatever neurotypical means.  My grandson, Doran, has been diagnosed with autism for 7 going on 8 years.  Some days his autism is easier; some days his autism is more difficult.

Doran has made great strides.  He works hard everyday to navigate a world that is often confusing and downright painful to him.  When he was first diagnosed, his parents were told a lot of ‘nevers’ and ‘will be’s’.  He will never say “I love you.”  He will be dependent-always.  He will never communicate with you.  He will always struggle socially.  He will never have a sense of humor; he will never smile.  As it turns out, Doran does say “I love you” and means it.  He is an affectionate, intelligent child who, according to his teachers, sees himself as a learner.  He even likes a little girl in his class and tries to get her attention by calling her ‘poopy-head’.  Somehow that seems like typical 5th-grade boy behavior.  My grandson thinks he is hilarious and often points out the ridiculous and the funny to the rest of us.  Instead of always wanting to be alone, Doran wants to play with and hang out with other children-sometimes, just like the rest of us want to hang out-sometimes.  Typical or not, Doran is a child growing up.  We have come a long way and we have a long way to go.  That in itself is a gift.

Autism is a spectrum.  Actually it should be called autisms because once you have met one child with autism, you have met one child with autism.  Some people with autism require diapering all their lives.  Others run amazingly successful corporations.  Watching Doran, I think we all have a little bit of the spectrum in us even if we are labeled neurotypical.  The autism in us causes us to seek out the supersoft bedsheets, the calming sound of the ocean or a stream, reflexively cringe at certain sounds and crave certain types of food to name a few quirks.  We all have a little bit.

The new statistic is that 1 in 88 children is diagnosed somewhere along the autism spectrum.  1 in 88.  Imagine a face and a personality behind each of the 1 in 88.  It is incredible.  If you suspect that a child you know may be affected by autism, please talk to a qualified medical doctor or pediatric neuropsychologist.  While autism bequeaths many gifts, it also comes with many challenges, so early intervention is key.  Now there is a pre-screening exercise that you can perform yourself called M-CHAT.  It asks simple questions like whether your child points to things of interest, participates in pretend play, and so on.  This is an invaluable tool that wasn’t available for Doran’s parents when he was little.  So if you suspect something, take advantage of this questionnaire and seek out autism professionals that can help.

photo courtesy autismspeaksblog.files.wordpress.com

April is Autism Awareness Month.  There are many celebrations and activities going on all month.  Check out Autism Speaks for resources and information.  If you can “Light it Up Blue” this month; install a blue light at your entryway.  Paint your nails blue, wear a puzzle piece pin, and explore the path of autism with us.  Doran and I thank you.

photo courtesy Angela Shenk

 

Warm regards,

Bill

 

By Angela on Friday, April 6th, 2012
Categories: Autism, Blue

The Color Green

This week we are talking about the color green.  I couldn’t make it through the entire month of March and not talk about the color green, now could I?

Green is one of those colors that people approach very cautiously.  This is understandable as I think we have all had some unfortunate experiences with green wall paint.  Many of us remember the avocado green from the 1970′s.  It’s an archaelogical discovery when you stumble upon an avocado green kitchen or den with all of it’s 70′s shag carpet loveliness.   Some folks question whether that color was ever groovy, but most people agree that particular shade of green has worn out its welcome by now.

Despite its past, green can be lively and refreshing.  It can inspire calm, as well as creativity.  The key to finding a green for your walls that you won’t regret is to look around for your inspiration.  There are endless varieties of green everywhere, especially in Nature.  If you look closely you can find it in rocks, wood, feathers, water, not just plants.  Find your favorites and go from there.  A trustworthy paint contractor can help you discover greens that match your lifestyle and taste.  He or she can even suggest different spaces of your home where green will show off the ‘bones’ of your home.   You should also think about how the lighting in your spaces changes throughout the day, or even the seasons.

Green has a lot of potential.  Color discovery should be a fun and exhilarating process.  Be bold and confident.  Ask your contractor for help.  He or she can paint different color swatches on your wall.  This takes a little more time, but if you are wavering, it’s reassuring to know whether you will enjoy the color before painting the entire wall.  You are creating a vision for your lifestyle, for your home, and your contractor should be there to help you every step of the way.  It’s an adventure and a wonderful one at that.

For fun, look at the picture below to see many shades of green can you find.  To explore more green (because there is so much more), hop over to my Green Inspiration Board over at Pinterest.  Feel free to comment, share, and repin as you like.

photo courtesy Angela Shenk

Have fun and think green!

Warm regards,

Bill

By Angela on Saturday, March 31st, 2012
Categories: Color, Creativity, Residential Painting

Green Paint – No, Not the Color This Time

Photo courtesy Angela Shenk

It used to be when I mentioned green paint, folks’ minds would immediately turn to the color green.  Sometimes even their faces would turn slightly green at the thought of  that 1970′s avocado shade of green.  But that is a subject for another post.  Today we are exploring green paint of every color.

Gone are the days when American paint companies poured all kinds of lead into our household paint.  Now newer ‘cleaner’ paints are arriving on the market and are more readily available.  Some companies are choosing to only make paint with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs).  Others have launched alternative lines of no or low VOC paints in addition to their traditionally made paints.

What are VOCs and what do they do anyway?  Well, according to the United States Geological Survey,  VOCs are “[h]ydrocarbon compounds that have low boiling points….”  They evaporate into our air quite readily.  “Propane, benzene, and other components of gasoline are all volatile organic compounds.”  We worry about VOCs because they contaminate ground-water and some of the compounds “persist in and migrate with ground-water to drinking-water supply” and have been shown to be toxic to humans.  Source: http://toxics.usgs.gov/definitions/vocs.html.

Several companies such as California Paints, Benjamin Moore’s Natura Line, and Yolo Colorhouse provide beautiful and luxurious colors in low and no VOC paints.  These paints have low or no odor and many dry quickly.  Yolo Colorhouse provides some of the longest-lasting no VOC paint on the market.  Beautifying your home with paint is one of the best things you can do for yourself.  Take your time to explore and learn more about these newer, green paints.  You can be green and have a gorgeously painted home.  Have a wonderful time discovering these exciting paint options.

Feel free to Pin this information on your Pinterest account for future reference and share it with your friends.  Remember, if you have any questions, send me an email, call me or contact me on Twitter, Pinterest, or Facebook.

 

Warm regards,

Bill

By Angela on Saturday, March 24th, 2012
Categories: Greening, Residential Painting

Color Clash or Not: Finding Color Inspiration in Nature

I can’t get enough of color.  It brightens my mood, inspires me, calms me and affects my everyday life in beautiful and significant ways.   One of the best ways to enjoy color is to have it on the walls of your home.  Many times people don’t know where to start when choosing paint colors.  Will it be too bright?  Will it clash?  Will I hate it once the color hits the wall?  How do I find a color that will speak to who I am and bring more enjoyment to my home and life?

photo courtesy Angela Shenk

I have always been inspired by nature.  Beauty and color are all around us all of the time.  I first noticed color growing up in the Berkshire mountains.  Do you know how many colors of green there are and how they change with the light, the clouds, the seasons?  Have you every noticed that colors in nature don’t clash?  Take a close look at the photos in this post.  It all works.

See what I mean about nature and color?

photo courtesy stonebrookpublishing.files.wordpress.com

photo courtesy stonebrookpublishing.files.wordpress.com

 

You can find inspiration from nature’s colors anywhere.  You don’t have to live in the mountains or on a beach, although that would be a treat.  You can find inspiration in the moss peeking between the cracks of a city sidewalk, in the coffee beans waiting to be ground for your coffee, in the color of your pup’s fur, a sunset, or if you can get up early enough, a sunrise.  You can find it in the clouds of a coming summer thunderstorm, a glass of lemonade (yep that counts as nature too), those dastardly seeds of a dandelion, or even in the feathers of those ubiquitous and pesky pigeons.

Don’t be afraid.  Go out, explore, and find your color inspiration in Nature!

Warm regards,

Bill

By Angela on Friday, March 16th, 2012
Categories: Color, Creativity, Residential Painting

March is Green

It’s hard to believe March is already here.  I know many of you are looking forward to Spring and all the season offers.  Thoughts are turning to spring cleaning and renewal.  Many people are already looking at ways to have a healthier and “greener” life – choosing  to use fewer chemicals in their homes, using low or no VOC paint, eating healthier and resting more.

At The Larkin Painting Company, we’re going to highlight several fun and green topics during the month of March.  It’s my pleasure to share with you the things I’ve found while trying to include more healthful things in my life.  We have two fun, green treats today: a homemade house refresher using vodka and a cool smoothie recipe.

Let’s get to the smoothie first. Some folks have splurged for the all-mighty Vitamix, others use an immersion blender and still other folks (including me) use the trusty old-fashioned blender.

It’s Smoothie Time

1. One cup of more of a juicy fruit (this is for the smoothie ‘base’)

Grapes can be red or green
Peeled citrus fruit
Kiwi
Watermelon
practically any fruit you can think of using

 

2. Spinach, Parsley or Kale (or any green you enjoy)

You can start with one cup or two or load up as much as you like

 

3. Frozen Fruit-You can use 1.5 cups or more.  Try to make sure there are no added sugars to the frozen fruit. 

Strawberries
Blueberries
Mangoes (I find Trader Joe’s has great frozen mangoes)
Peaches
Pineapple (these have a bite so you don’t have to use much)

 

4. Supplement-One Scoop of  something like Trader Joe’s Super Greens Powder or flax or a vitamin mix-whatever you prefer or you can skip the supplement.


5.  Blending ease

To get things to blend more easily some people use unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, yogurt or plain water.  You decide.

Really a smoothie can be anything you like.  You should simply adjust for your specific taste.

This base recipe comes courtesy of Gina DiCello of smoothiebeast ( http://wttmb.tumblr.com/post/14569251480/smoothiebeast).

 

A Fresh Smelling Home

photo courtesy of www.angelsnation.net

After a winter of being closed up, we all like to add some freshness to our homes.   This recipe is sure is sure to smell great because you create it.  You can make as many as you like in all kinds of combinations to fit your different moods.

Non-Toxic Room Spray

Kimberly Allara created this recipe for a  non-toxic room spray.  It’s featured in this season’s SparrowMag (www.sparrowmagazine.com/issue03/).

Now for the vodka air freshener.  I bet you are curious; I know I was.  It turns out vodka has a lot of uses:

~½ cup vodka

~½ cup water

~and up to 25 drops of whatever essential oils you like.

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and spritz several times.  And that is that.  Simple, yes?  One warning: Do not inhale this spray directly and spritz away from your body.  As for the essential oils, I enjoy peppermint and citrus scents.  There are many oils to choose from such as lemon, rose, and grapefruit.  You can combine different scents to make new ones like lotus and grapefruit for example.  Create what pleases your nose and mood.  The possibilities are endless.  Oh, you may be thinking where can I find a spritzer?  You can recycle an old bottle in your house or buy something like this from Amazon or other smaller suppliers.

I hope you were inspired by these two green treats.  These are easy ways to feel refreshed and energetic quickly.  We’ll have more to share during the weeks of March.  Happy Greening!

Warmly,

Bill

 

By Angela on Thursday, March 1st, 2012
Categories: Creativity, Greening, Recipes
Next »

Contact Us

Get Larkin Painting’s Email Newsletter

Your Email Adress:
For Email Marketing you can trust

Serving the Greater Boston area, including...

Arlington Ashland Beacon Hill Boston Belmont Boston Boston Waterfront Boston's Back Bay
Boston's South End Brookline Charlestown Chestnut Hill Concord Dover Downtown Boston
Framingham Hopkinton Lexington Lincoln Medfield Medway Natick
Needham Newton Corner Newton Highlands Newton Lower Falls Newton-Waban Newton Norwood
Sherborn South Natick Southborough Sudbury Waban Waltham Wayland
Wellesley Wellesley Hills West Concord West Newton Weston Westwood Winchester