GATCOMB PAINTING & RESTORATION
When I founded Gatcomb Painting & Design in 2014, the list of services we offered was short and sweet: interior and exterior painting. There was little demand for much beyond that. Few asked for more than brushing some exterior trim or rolling out a few interior walls. Cabinet refinishing was uncommon, using exotic and high-end coatings was rare, and faux finishes were simply unheard of.
I’ve always believed a successful business must be adaptable and mindful of the Big Picture. As times change, so must a company. In the last five years, we’ve collectively witnessed some major changes in the industry, and these are but a handful of reasons that I launched Gatcomb Painting & Restoration on 2019.
THE ECONOMY
The economy is booming. Homeowners previously hesitant to spend money on more than simple maintenance are now feeling confident enough to undertake larger projects. A few years ago, the homeowner might have been reluctant to address much more than a bit of water damage; today, they may be considering a full interior repaint, right down to enameling the kitchen cabinets.
THE HOUSING MARKET
The housing market has largely recovered from its long-suffering condition. New construction projects are popping up everywhere, but I’m particularly interested in the existing homes: historic structures that spent years on the market are no longer vacant.
RESTORATION WORK
Those once-vacant historic houses now have proud new owners, owners who want to maintain the original feel and aesthetic of the home. Instead of covering the existing cracked plaster with sheetrock, they generally want to see it repaired. Beautiful woodwork painted over long ago? They want to bring it back to its former glory.
OUR SERVICES
Our service list has grown exponentially, particularly in the area of recreating historic finishes and ornamentation. You want gilded cornice? We can do that. Decorative painting and faux finishes? We can do that, too. Repairing original plaster? Check. Distressed hardwood floors with period-correct fasteners? Absolutely.
OUR REPUTATION
Because of you, our reputation has grown to proportions I couldn’t have foreseen. (If you told me in 2014 that in just a few years we would win industry awards, gain a national presence and have folks offer us work in the American southwest, I would have scoffed at such a crazy notion.) We owe it all to you, our loyal clients and supportive community members
HOW DOES THIS BENEFIT YOU?
This division of Gatcomb Painting & Design is strictly dedicated to historic restorations, and this compartmentalization allows us to more efficiently work outside the parameters of the typical painting contractor to better serve you. Not only can we offer expanded services, but we can tailor those services to your unique project, complete with modified SOPs.
Over the years, I’ve invested a modest amount of time and money in acquiring original sales literature, color charts and books on design and décor from the Colonial Period to Midcentury Modern. I’ve visited historic structures and taken thousands of photographs for reference.
If you’re renovating a home from the 1700s and would like to maintain an air of that era, I want to install wide plank flooring (face-nailed with 8d iron cut nails) and maybe paint a checkerboard pattern in your dining room. (Floors of this era were often decoratively painted and rarely displayed any glossy varnished finishes.) If you own an 1800s farmhouse, I can provide samples of historic colors and period-correct finishes for inspiration. (Let’s look through some of the historical palettes to capture the subdued brilliance of the 19th century.) And if your office is in a 1920s brick building, we can discuss your tin ceilings and how to best accentuate the timeless architecture by using color, hand-applied finishes, and décor.
This is an exciting new venture and I look forward to working with you. If you have any questions, you can always reach me at (207) 812-5360.
Most sincerely,
I’ve always believed a successful business must be adaptable and mindful of the Big Picture. As times change, so must a company. In the last five years, we’ve collectively witnessed some major changes in the industry, and these are but a handful of reasons that I launched Gatcomb Painting & Restoration on 2019.
THE ECONOMY
The economy is booming. Homeowners previously hesitant to spend money on more than simple maintenance are now feeling confident enough to undertake larger projects. A few years ago, the homeowner might have been reluctant to address much more than a bit of water damage; today, they may be considering a full interior repaint, right down to enameling the kitchen cabinets.
THE HOUSING MARKET
The housing market has largely recovered from its long-suffering condition. New construction projects are popping up everywhere, but I’m particularly interested in the existing homes: historic structures that spent years on the market are no longer vacant.
RESTORATION WORK
Those once-vacant historic houses now have proud new owners, owners who want to maintain the original feel and aesthetic of the home. Instead of covering the existing cracked plaster with sheetrock, they generally want to see it repaired. Beautiful woodwork painted over long ago? They want to bring it back to its former glory.
OUR SERVICES
Our service list has grown exponentially, particularly in the area of recreating historic finishes and ornamentation. You want gilded cornice? We can do that. Decorative painting and faux finishes? We can do that, too. Repairing original plaster? Check. Distressed hardwood floors with period-correct fasteners? Absolutely.
OUR REPUTATION
Because of you, our reputation has grown to proportions I couldn’t have foreseen. (If you told me in 2014 that in just a few years we would win industry awards, gain a national presence and have folks offer us work in the American southwest, I would have scoffed at such a crazy notion.) We owe it all to you, our loyal clients and supportive community members
HOW DOES THIS BENEFIT YOU?
This division of Gatcomb Painting & Design is strictly dedicated to historic restorations, and this compartmentalization allows us to more efficiently work outside the parameters of the typical painting contractor to better serve you. Not only can we offer expanded services, but we can tailor those services to your unique project, complete with modified SOPs.
Over the years, I’ve invested a modest amount of time and money in acquiring original sales literature, color charts and books on design and décor from the Colonial Period to Midcentury Modern. I’ve visited historic structures and taken thousands of photographs for reference.
If you’re renovating a home from the 1700s and would like to maintain an air of that era, I want to install wide plank flooring (face-nailed with 8d iron cut nails) and maybe paint a checkerboard pattern in your dining room. (Floors of this era were often decoratively painted and rarely displayed any glossy varnished finishes.) If you own an 1800s farmhouse, I can provide samples of historic colors and period-correct finishes for inspiration. (Let’s look through some of the historical palettes to capture the subdued brilliance of the 19th century.) And if your office is in a 1920s brick building, we can discuss your tin ceilings and how to best accentuate the timeless architecture by using color, hand-applied finishes, and décor.
This is an exciting new venture and I look forward to working with you. If you have any questions, you can always reach me at (207) 812-5360.
Most sincerely,
Erick T. Gatcomb, Proprietor
