cutting-edge-painting

Inside a 1929 MacGregor Home Restoration: How We Matched Original Wood Stain on New Baseboards

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 15:37:00 GMT

By Chad Feagley | Cutting Edge Painting | Home Painting

When a general contractor reached out to us about an interior painting project earlier this year, we knew right away this wasn't going to be a typical job. The home — a 1929 build by legendary East Bay developer Charles MacGregor — carried nearly a century of character. Our task wasn't just to paint it. It was to honor it.

A Home Built by a Legend

Charles MacGregor built roughly 1,500 homes in the early 1920s and '30s, and if you've spent time in Albany, you've seen his work. He had a signature style: Mediterranean-texture exteriors, large picture windows — especially in living rooms — and a fondness for split-level floor plans, whether that meant a bedroom perched over a garage or a staircase that went halfway up and halfway down.

This particular MacGregor home was undergoing a near-complete remodel. By the time we arrived to estimate the job, contractors were still on-site putting the finishing touches together. New can lighting had been installed throughout, along with new baseboards, refinished floors, and all-new fixtures. The bones were original; nearly everything else was fresh.

The Challenge: Recreating Original Stained Wood

Here's where the project got interesting. The original windows — still in place, still wearing their coatings from the 1920s — gave the home an unmistakable warmth. The clients had fallen in love with that aged, stained-wood look. But the new pre-primed baseboards being installed throughout the home? Bright white. Factory-fresh. No character whatsoever.

The ask was clear: make the new baseboards look like they belong with the original windows. Recreate the appearance of old stained wood — without actually staining them.

That meant no shortcuts. I analyzed the original coatings closely, got together with my team and our paint reps, and we worked through the best method to achieve a convincing woodgrain effect on pre-primed surfaces. The results exceeded expectations.

The Reveal

In this video, you can see exactly what we were able to achieve. Look closely at the baseboards — they almost have the appearance of real woodgrain. The texture, the tone, the warmth. All created with paint and technique, not actual stain.

We carried this finish throughout the entryway, living room, dining room, and kitchen — and we freshened up the fireplace mantle to match the same aesthetic. Every inch of new trim now ties into the original windows, creating a cohesive look that feels authentic to the home's era.

From Prep to Final Coat: A Complete Look at Our Process on a Historic Albany Remodel

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 15:36:54 GMT

By Chad Feagley | Cutting Edge Painting | Interior Painting

In our last post, we covered the most unique challenge of this 1929 MacGregor home restoration: recreating the look of aged, stained wood on brand-new pre-primed baseboards. Today we're pulling back the curtain on the full scope of the project — the prep work, the spraying process, the crew, and the bathroom finishes that really made this home sing.

Starting with Prep: Caulk, Fill, Sand, Prime

Since this house was essentially a complete remodel, we approached it much like new construction. That means no cutting corners on prep.

We caulked all the gaps, filled every nail hole left from installation, and sealed all miter joints to make the trim look fluid and seamless. Then came the sanding — to knock down any lines and create a smooth base — followed by dusting clean, priming to encapsulate the surface, another sand, and finally the finish coats. Sanding between coats throughout. It's a process, but that's what creates a finish that lasts.

The Spray Process: Trim, Ceilings, Walls — in That Order

Once prep was done, we moved into our spray sequence. We always work in the same order: trim first, then ceilings, then walls. That discipline keeps overspray from undoing finished work.

The staircase on this split-level home gave us a great opportunity to show off our setup. We sprayed the risers and the stringers going up, then staged doors vertically — standing them upright on posts — so we could spray them and get a perfectly level finish while still being able to work around the space as they dried.

After trim came ceilings. After ceilings came walls. Each room was taped, coated, touched up, and then cleaned up before moving to the next.

Meet the Crew

A project like this doesn't happen alone. I want to take a moment to introduce some of the team that made it happen.

Ricardo handled rolling the walls on the lower level. Jose was finishing out the hallway. And Cesar was wrapping up the final touches in the downstairs living room. These guys are the reason the work gets done right.

You can see the crew at the end of this video:

The Rooms: A Fun Yellow, a Pop-Up Blue-Green, and a Crisp Monotone

Beyond the woodgrain trim work, each room had its own personality.

Upstairs, a kid's room got a fun yellow — bright, cheerful, and full of energy. You can see the tape peeled clean, the vertical door stands still in place, and the yellow walls complete.

The upper bathroom went with one color throughout — a clean, monotone approach that let the cabinetry, countertops, and faucet finishes do the talking. When you have great fixtures, sometimes the best thing you can do is get out of the way.

The lower bathroom took a different direction. The accessories were more minimal, so they went with a pop-up color — a fun, inviting greenish-blue that draws you in as you approach.

The Final Walk-Through

Here are some of the final photos from the completed project — and they speak for themselves.

This house was a delight for us to work on — to be a part of the process from the beginning to the end stages of painting, to be able to create a facade using different techniques for those stained pieces. The clients were ecstatic and are still ecstatic, enjoying their beautiful home.

This is what Cutting Edge is about. Taking on the challenge, doing the work right, and leaving something behind that the homeowner loves. We look forward to serving others this way in the future.

— Chad, Cutting Edge Painting

Choosing Exterior Colors: First Impressions and the Right Palette

Thu, 07 May 2026 02:02:25 GMT

Choosing exterior colors is more than just a choice — it's a first impression, it's what greets you when approaching. Whether you're refreshing your home, preparing to sell, or designing from the ground up, selecting the right palette is created by a balance of aesthetics, environment, and viability.

The impact of color influences how a property is perceived by all who pass by. Lighter shades tend to make a home appear larger and more sophisticated, while darker colors can create richness in depth and refinement. These are personal choices, and color can express your attitude and emotion. Soft neutrals can feel timeless, while bold colors can express individuality.

Maintenance should also be considered when selecting exterior colors, as heat absorption can impact how long the color will retain — dependent on microclimate and the surrounding area. The type of material the property is made of can affect the color choice as well, whether it be stucco, wood, or Hardie board siding; all possess their own individual character and treat colors differently.

Selecting a color palette should work in harmony with its environment. Elements like landscaping, trees, and even neighboring homes will affect the choices. The architectural style of the property plays a major role in determining the correct colors. Victorians can carry a wide variety of colors on one property to accent all their characteristics. Craftsman styles call for simple but elegant palettes that enhance their designs. Modern homes with clean, crisp lines and less ornamentation can support bolder, experimental, or high-contrast palettes. Details like doors, windows, shutters, trim, and railing provide an opportunity to involve accent or dimensional colors that add pop without taking away from the main scheme.

There are vast home designs that scale all spectrums across the East Bay Area — whether it be a mid-century home in El Cerrito, CA, a shingle-style home in Rockridge, Oakland, a Victorian in Alameda, or a stucco ranch in Richmond, CA. Each style and neighborhood has its own character, and the right color palette brings it out.

Ready to explore your color options? At Cutting Edge Painting, we partner with a colorist and apply samples before any commitment — so you can feel confident in every choice. Contact us today to get started.

Choosing Interior Colors: How to Create a Story in Your Home

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 02:02:08 GMT

Choosing an interior color — or colors — is a perfect opportunity to shape the space you want to change. Many factors influence the decision. The shape of the actual space plays a role in how deep or light a color should be. How much natural light comes in throughout the day can be a determining factor in the degree of shade that is chosen. Floor color, furniture finishes, tile design, hardware — all play a pivotal role in picking the right color and how it will reflect your experience.

The beauty of choosing colors is the ability to link them consistently throughout a home or space. Connecting shades of colors to create a story in your own space — from a calm blue that feels refreshing to wake up to, to a pop of bright orange in a kid's room to stimulate — the options are vast. Selecting the right trim color holds a key to allowing the colors in each specific area to flow, uniting the stories of each room together.

Colors are not limited to just paint. Stain can give a lot of options if there are wood elements in the space, adding another dimension to the overall look and feel. The possibilities are endless for every situation.

Selecting colors can be a very personal choice, dependent on what you like or what you like to see. We recommend spending time in the space to see the movement of the light and to feel what speaks to you. Then the fine-tuning happens — shuffling through options to find the range of color to settle in. Next, samples are placed in selected locations to help visualize the colors chosen for the spaces. Whether you have a Craftsman home in Albany, CA, a Bungalow in Berkeley, CA, or a Victorian in the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland, there are the right options for every situation and every style.

In Part 3, we'll look at exterior color selection — how to balance aesthetics, environment, and the architectural character of your home to make the right first impression.

Color and How It Shapes the Way We Experience a Space

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 02:01:45 GMT

We look at colors in nature and notice what we feel when soaking them in. Seeing lush green trees and feeling refreshed among them, looking into the ocean and experiencing peace, or watching a captivating sunset pierce the skies and viewing the gradient colors of pinks to orange. Colors fill our daily lives and how we perceive the world; they give us context as to where we are and what we do. Colors can make us feel a heightened sense of awareness, and they can also bring a tremendous feeling of warmth.

Color is an incredible tool that can shape emotion, communicate mood, and influence how a space is experienced. Choosing a color is an important step of the overall paint process — one that can be overlooked if not given the attention it deserves. But choosing a color can be a rewarding experience. Being able to create an emotional reaction that soothes you, or an energetic feel that can rejuvenate you.

Now there is an incredible amount of colors to choose from. It can be overwhelming to decide which shade of a certain color will be the best fit. That's why at Cutting Edge Painting, we partner with a colorist who will take the time to help with choosing colors. Their expertise will help guide you to the right fit and create your own narrative amongst the colors that are chosen. We also apply samples before commitment to a color to ensure satisfaction with all choices.

In Part 2, we'll dive into interior color selection — how light, space, and the details of your home come together to create a story that's entirely your own.

Paint, Finish, and Walk-Through: Completing a Waterfront Exterior Project

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 02:03:59 GMT

With the prep work complete and every surface primed and ready, it's time for the part most people think about first — the painting. But even here, there's a method behind every decision we make.

Choosing the Right Paint System for a Waterfront Home

Before we start, we take into consideration the environment of the home and the specific painting system that should be used. This house is located in Point Richmond, California, and it sits on the water, so we want a product that can hold up well to a lot of weather and a lot of salt coming off the water.

For this project, we recommended a low-sheen paint for the main body. That might go against the norm — typically you'd use flat for an exterior body and semi-gloss for trim — but for SF Bay Area waterfront homes like this one, weather protection is the priority. In this environment, there's a lot of moisture, and having the weather fall off the exterior is critical to protecting the surfaces long-term.

Applying the Paint

We used the low-sheen paint and applied two coats, since we were converting the color from a medium gray to a dark bluish-black. Applying two coats protects the exterior better and allows the true color to show.

Here's how we apply it:

First coat: We spray onto the surface.
Second coat: We spray, but then back-roll into the surface. Back-rolling allows the paint to penetrate inside the surface, creating a seal on top and a more uniform look.

If you only applied a spray application, you'd end up with lap lines on the exterior body and an uneven finish. This two-step process gives the exterior colors a uniform and longer-lasting finish.

Trim, Garage Doors, and Details

Onto the trim — same color, but we step up the sheen level to create contrast between the body and the trim. We apply two coats onto all the trim, garage doors, metal railing, and detail designs.

Scaffolding Removal and Patching

While working on the house, we complete the scaffold sides first so we can let the company know it's ready to come down. When they remove the scaffolding, there are holes left behind from where it was drilled into the house for stability. We want to make sure we're on site when that happens.

As they drop the scaffolding level by level, we go up and patch the holes, prime them, and finish painting them — so everything is protected and nothing is left undone.

The Final Walk-Through

Once the site is cleaned up, we walk around with the homeowner. We check for any touch-ups or items that need attention. If anything comes up, we take care of it on the spot.

That's a completed painting project — and a happy homeowner.

This is just one project we've done at Cutting Edge Painting. We do many more like it, and we would love to do yours. Contact us today to get started.

The Prep Work That Makes Paint Last on a Waterfront Home

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:03:58 GMT

When most people think about painting a house, they picture brushes and rollers. But the truth is, the prep work is where a lasting paint job is won or lost — and on a waterfront home, that prep work matters even more.

Here's exactly what we do before a single drop of paint goes on.

Pressure Washing

The first step once the scaffolding is in place is pressure washing all the surfaces. Houses collect dirt and cobwebs over time, and on a waterfront home like this one in Point Richmond, California, there's a significant amount of salt sitting on the exterior from the SF Bay Area water. We want to pressure wash all of that clean so we have a good working surface to begin with.

Identifying Trouble Areas

From there, we go around and pinpoint all the trouble areas — whether it's rotted wood or areas that need more attention during prep. We make note of specific spots and what will be required to make them weather tight.

Sanding, Caulking, and Patchwork

We begin the prep process by doing a light sanding on a lot of the surfaces. This agitates the surface and opens the pores so that when we apply new products, they bond properly. We then do caulking and patchwork to seal any gaps, so the finished product has a solid weather barrier and is protected from any intrusion into the house.

Repairing Water-Damaged Wood

On this project, we found a couple of areas where water had intruded into the wood, creating soft spots. Here's what we do:

We dig those areas out and let them dry.
We apply a two-part epoxy liquid to penetrate the wood. The epoxy cuts off the rot from spreading further and strengthens the wood.
We let that dry over the course of about a day.
We then apply a two-part epoxy filler to fill in the damaged surfaces and flush them out.
After letting that dry for about 24 hours, we sand it down to smooth the area and clean the surface of dust.

Priming

Priming is a key part of protecting the work that has been done. Priming encapsulates the area and creates a surface for the new coating system to bond. By using this method, the damaged areas will now last an incredible amount of time and hold strong to the surface.

Masking

Finally, we mask the windows, door hardware, and ground cover, and cover any plants — making sure those areas stay clean throughout the process.

With everything prepped and protected, we're ready for the painting portion.

In Part 3, we'll cover the paint system we chose for a salt-air environment, the spray and back-roll technique that gives us a uniform finish, and how we handle the final walk-through with the homeowner.

From Quote to Kickoff: Exterior Painting a Point Richmond Waterfront Home

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:03:57 GMT

Hello, I'm Chad with Cutting Edge Painting. Today I want to walk you through a project we recently completed in Point Richmond, California — and give you a look at exactly how we work from the very first conversation to the moment we break ground.

The first step of our process is scheduling a convenient time for the homeowner to come by so I can take a look at what their project needs are. Once we walk around the premises and talk through what they're looking for, I make all my notes, then sit down and produce a quote. I send it over to the homeowner so they can review it, make sure everything is accounted for, and if agreeable, we continue on to schedule the work.

For this particular blog series, I'm going to focus on a full exterior painting job of an East Bay Area waterfront home.

A House Above the Water

This house is located in Point Richmond, and it sits above water on three of its sides. Two of those sides have either a deck or a walkway, which gives us access to put up ladders and reach the taller parts of the house. But one side has no walkway, no deck, and no ground of any kind for us to stabilize a ladder.

So I subcontracted a scaffolding company to come out and give us a quote for what it would cost to install scaffolding along that side.

Erecting the Scaffolding

Once that was arranged, the scaffold company came in and erected the scaffolding. On this house, they had to trudge into the water and build it from the bottom all the way to the top. It was amazing to witness — and very clever how they built and balanced it for weight by attaching it to the back of the house. Scaffolding typically bolts into sturdy parts of the house in order to stay stable as we work from it.

With the scaffolding complete, we were ready to begin our process.

In Part 2, we'll walk through the prep work that goes into a waterfront exterior in the SF Bay Area — from pressure washing off salt buildup to repairing water-damaged wood before a single drop of paint is applied.