Below is an article originally printed in Women's Edition - The Magazine for Metropolitan Women - April 2006

THE PAINTED HOUSE
by Jules Marie

Meet Candi Hyland, a gifted artist and designer with a remarkable portfolio of work. She gestures with her 5-in-1 painting tool as Michelangelo must have done with his brushes while creating his frescoes for the Sistine Chapel.
Inspired by countless artists before her, Candi, owner of The Painted House, can paint your dreams onto the walls, and yes, even the ceilings, of your home.

An Art History degree, coupled with a Graphic Design degree from the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design, lend credibility to this passionate painter. “I have always been involved in the arts, always. I still paint on paper and canvas when I get a chance,” says Candi, her enthusiasm contagious.

What makes the Painted House unique? The Painted House’s success simply comes from years of working with clients who love the harmony that interior paint brings to their décor.

When Candi paints, her work reflects the unique personality of each client. No two dreams are the same, so when Candi paints your walls her work reflects you, your family, your lifestyle. Her goal is to go beyond what most painters offer and take as much time as needed to sit down and truly listen to you and translate your ideas into colors that will ultimately bring your home to life.

“I love colors. They’re fresh and there’s something for everyone.” Says Candi. “Paint is an inexpensive way to change the entire effect of a living space.” Absolutely, the right paint resembles fine artwork and painted walls are refreshing when they pop with color. “The trend is towards rich, textured colors that are darker, more vivid that five to ten years ago. People are going a little beyond what they thought they wanted and are trying deeper jewel tones-green, burgundy, gold, red,” adds Candi.

The Painted House uses Benjamin Moore Paints, as they’re easy to apply and have a rich, creamy texture that Colorado’s dry walls love. Colorado’s 300 sunny days a year can cause paint to fade so using higher quality paint can keep your walls looking brand-new longer. “Benjamin Moore Paints tend to dry quickly and have a lower toxicity than other paints,” according to Candi.

How do you replace your tired, white walls with world-class painting? “People have anxiety about making major changes in their home. We’re going to be sure before we go to far. They can experiment long before we put paint on the walls,” promises Candi, as she describes the color sampling she offers.

Sampling gives you a chance to make an informed choice that you can live with. Candi will buy small samples of paints from Guiry’s in Boulder, CO to apply directly on walls or make “sample paint boards” for her clients, of the colors they think they’ll like. The client can then experiment with how the paint looks during the day, the evening, when it’s sunny, when it’s not.

The Painted House guarantees that you don’t have to go to a hotel while they do their work. You’ll get a detailed itinerary so you can continue living in your home while the work is being done. Candi indicated that there’s rarely a schedule they can’t keep. “ Clients will come home for lunch and be happily surprised at how much has been accomplished. They also appreciate that I’m on location: I don’t send a crew of college students. I’m there start to finish, beginning with the initial consultation until the job’s done. I hand select other talented painters to work with me that are dedicated to enhancing our client’s surroundings. It’s a group effort with everyone taking ownership of their piece of the wall. We work together as a group to get there.”

I asked Candi why someone would hire the Painted House rather than just doing the painting themselves. She said not many people look forward to taping off walls and painting fine lines themselves. Other clients need paint work done after remodeling or buying a new home. Some just need a touchup prior to selling their home. Yes, sometimes she paints an entire house white prior to its being sold.

“No matter the size of the job, we never compromise quality. We can accommodate and adjust to every situation. Just tell me up front what you want so when I give a bid, I can give you the best price possible. The bid is never a surprise because we’ve identified what you want.” says Candi.

“About 90% of our jobs are simply painting clean lines. Most of what we do is solid colors with accents. I also promote faux, as I enjoy doing it.” I asked her just what exactly is faux painting? “Faux means making something look like something other than what it is…crackle, marble, texture. When I create a faux finish for a room, I take into consideration all the elements in that room. This includes furniture, carpets, window treatments, accessories and lighting. The faux should compliment and enhance the natural beauty of a room,” says Candi.

Faux painting often requires several layers of paint. To achieve a crackly, faux-leather wash, Candi might apply chocolate brown for the base coat. She’d create a second coat by dipping crumpled up plastic bags, or cheesecloth, in the paint and dabbing it on the walls. “You just bag, bag, bag it until your arm falls off,” she laughs. The final coat could be a bronze metallic for the ultimate finish. “You’ll never have two walls that look exactly alike,” muses Candi. “With any faux project I provide the client with a sample of their custom faux for approval before the job begins.”

The Painted House is competitively priced, with Candi’s added personal guarantee that she’ll provide higher quality artistic work for the same money as other interior painting companies. “It makes me happy when people love their home. I love the thank you cards that come afterwards; that’s why I do this.”

As Michelangelo said, “I saw the angel in the marble and I carved until I set him free.” Give Candi a call at the Painted House @ 303.257.6250. Schedule a free consultation and let her set your angels free.

Women’s Edition | April 2006