Inspiration for a mid-sized eclectic l-shaped enclosed kitchen remodel in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, yellow cabinets, soapstone countertops and stainless steel appliances

wa design
Example of a trendy exterior home design in San Francisco

www.nicholasgingold.com
Example of a classic backyard patio design in Orange County

Don't let your interior doors be written off as some functional piece of hardware. Come to Glenview Haus and make your interior doors just as stunning as the rest of your home. Glenview Haus' Traditional Wood Interior Door Collection ensures that every door stands out with all the elegance and style. Our Traditional wooden doors are finely made by expert artisans and designed with all of your needs in mind.

mel@media-bliss.com
Example of a small tuscan bathroom design with an undermount sink

Detail of Iridescent Venetian plaster finish on all walls in Living Room by Christianson Lee Studios
Example of a transitional home design design in New York

Custom Surface Solutions (www.css-tile.com) - Owner Craig Thompson (512) 430-1215. This project shows the remodel of a small 1950's vintage home master bathroom. 8"" x 18" Calcutta gold marble tile was used on the shower walls and floor wall base and ceramic gray penny tile on the floor. Shower includes curbless pan / floor, dual shower boxes, frameless glass slider, trough duel fixture sink and chrome fixtures.

Location: New York, NY, United States This Loft was tastefully renovated back in the '90s, but was due for an update and an expansion of the kitchen and dining areas to accommodate the client's cooking skills and entertaining needs. EnlargIing the island and adding cabinetry to delineate the office, bar and dining areas was a priority. The bathroom was updated to feel like a tranquil spa with beautiful new tile, plumbing fixtures and cabinets. Our biggest challenge was coordinating the entire renovation while our client was out of town for the Summer! Photographed by: James Salomon

Does your iron fence look like Chicago winters have been winning the battle for years? That slow orange spread across pickets and rails is not just an eyesore - it is active corrosion undermining the structural integrity of metalwork that frames some of Chicago's most architecturally significant residential properties. Windy City Painters addresses iron fence rust at the source, using professional-grade rust conversion chemistry and direct-to-metal coatings engineered for the specific abuse Chicago's climate delivers. PROJECT OVERVIEW This project involved a heavily rusted ornamental iron fence on a Chicago North Side residential property. Rust had progressed beyond surface oxidation into moderate pitting on lower rails, a pattern Windy City Painters sees frequently on properties within blocks of treated roadways where salt drift accelerates corrosion. The scope included mechanical descaling, chemical rust conversion, DTM priming, and a durable gloss topcoat matched to the original fence color. MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS Ospho Rust Converter: A phosphoric acid-based treatment that chemically reacts with iron oxide, converting it to iron phosphate - a stable, paintable compound. Corroseal Water-Based Rust Converter is an alternative for situations requiring lower VOC handling. Rust-Oleum Professional DTM Primer and Sherwin-Williams DTM Acrylic Coating serve as the primary coating system, formulated for direct metal adhesion with built-in rust inhibitors. For structurally compromised sections, welding is coordinated before any chemical or coating work begins. THE PROCESS Step 1 - Mechanical Preparation: Wire wheel grinding on an angle grinder removes loose rust scale, mill scale, and flaking paint. For advanced pitting, Windy City Painters deploys a needle gun descaler, which impacts the metal surface thousands of times per minute to drive scale from deep cavities. This step determines whether the fence can be coated or needs welding first. Step 2 - Chemical Rust Conversion: Ospho or Corroseal is brushed onto all remaining rust surface. These products do not simply seal rust - they react with it. The conversion process takes 24 hours to fully cure before topcoating. Skipping this step is the single most common reason iron fence paint jobs fail prematurely. Step 3 - DTM Priming: Sherwin-Williams DTM or Rust-Oleum DTM primer is applied by brush to ensure full penetration around decorative elements, picket tips, and weld joints. Spray application is used on open sections for even film build. DTM formulations bond directly to prepared metal without a separate shop primer. Step 4 - Finish Coating: A DTM topcoat in gloss or semi-gloss provides the final weather barrier. Gloss is preferred for iron fencing because the harder surface sheds water more effectively and resists dirt adhesion between maintenance cycles. Windy City Painters applies two finish coats for maximum film thickness. CHICAGO-SPECIFIC CHALLENGES Chicago's freeze-thaw cycle is the primary enemy of iron fence coatings. Water infiltrates micro-cracks in paint film, freezes, expands, and delaminate coating from beneath. Properties on the North Side and Near West Side also contend with lake-effect humidity that keeps metal surfaces damp for extended periods, slowing cure times and promoting under-film corrosion if preparation is inadequate. Greystones and Victorian brownstones typically feature ornate cast iron or wrought iron fencing with complex geometries that trap moisture and demand hand-brush application to fully coat recesses. WHAT TO EXPECT LONG-TERM A properly prepared and coated iron fence in Chicago should hold 5-8 years before requiring recoating. Annual inspection of weld joints, picket tips, and base rails closest to grade will identify early rust return. Addressing small spots with touch-up converter and primer extends service life significantly between full recoats. PRO TIPS Tip 1: Never pressure wash a rusted iron fence immediately before painting. Water drives moisture into pits and delays the surface drying needed for chemical converter adhesion. Allow 48 hours of dry weather before prep begins. Tip 2: Picket tips and rail ends are the first failure points. These end-grain equivalent areas on metal concentrate corrosion. Ask your painter to apply an extra brush coat to every tip and terminus. Tip 3: Black is the traditional and most durable color choice for iron fencing. Dark pigments absorb UV rather than reflecting it, reducing thermal cycling stress on the paint film at color change boundaries. FAQ Q: What does iron fence painting cost in Chicago? A: Most residential iron fence painting in Chicago ranges from $400 to $1,200 depending on linear footage, rust severity, prep method required, and whether structural welding is needed before Windy City Painters can coat the surface. Q: How do I know if my fence needs a welder before painting? A: If you can press a screwdriver through a rail or picket, the metal wall has failed. Windy City Painters inspects all fencing before quoting and identifies weld-required sections so repairs happen before any coating investment. Q: Is Ospho or Corroseal better for my fence? A: Both convert rust effectively. Ospho is solvent-based and fast-acting, preferred for heavy rust. Corroseal is water-based with lower odor, preferred in enclosed or residential settings where off-gassing is a concern. Windy City Painters selects based on site conditions. Q: Can iron fence painting be done in winter in Chicago? A: Application requires temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit for DTM coatings to cure properly. Most iron fence painting in Chicago runs April through October, with scheduling flexibility based on extended warm stretches. Q: How do I maintain my fence between professional recoats? A: Inspect annually in spring. Sand any rust spots to bare metal with 80-grit paper, apply Ospho, let cure 24 hours, then spot-prime with DTM primer and touch up with finish coat. Windy City Painters offers maintenance inspections. Q: Do you paint courtyard building fences and coach house gates? A: Yes. Multi-unit courtyard buildings and coach houses are common in the North Side neighborhoods Windy City Painters serves. We coordinate with property managers and HOAs for larger perimeter fence projects. Q: How long after painting can I touch the fence? A: DTM coatings are typically dry to touch in 2-4 hours and hard dry in 24 hours. Full cure for maximum hardness takes 7 days. Windy City Painters advises against pressure washing or heavy contact during that cure window. Visit windypainters.com to request your free iron fence assessment and project quote.

Close up of Cork Planking
Home design - mid-sized contemporary cork floor home design idea in Philadelphia with light wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances and an island

Example of a large classic u-shaped dark wood floor eat-in kitchen design in Minneapolis with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and black countertops

Garage - contemporary garage idea in San Diego

matt meaney @ artisan landscapes and pools
Design ideas for a large traditional full sun front yard stone landscaping in New York.

Master bathroom Photos: Natalia Lorca Ruiz
Mid-sized trendy master white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile and black floor doorless shower photo in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a wall-mount toilet, white walls, an integrated sink, solid surface countertops and a hinged shower door

Custom Surface Solutions (www.css-tile.com) - Owner Craig Thompson (512) 430-1215. This project shows a new construction master bathroom with two showers, and wall mounted vanities. Shower wall tile and vanity wall wainscots and floor base tile is 6" x 18" Carrera Marble on offset subway pattern. Shower floors are 5/8" Carrera Marble mosaic tile. All exposed edges including windows, shower walls, top wainscots and floor base are custom bull-nose profiled. Shower floor is custom mud set with SchluterSystems waterproofing and drain system.

Zebra grass for privacy screening
Photo of a mid-sized asian full sun backyard stone formal garden in Los Angeles.

Example of a mid-sized classic wooden straight staircase design in Chicago with wooden risers

Detail of one of the many retaining walls and planters created using board formed, cast in place concrete. Light source is a tiny bronze fixture inset into the concrete and containing a small LED bulb.

Photo of a mid-century modern landscaping in Seattle.