What your contractor may be saying is that painters sometimes use the same "white" paint for the plaster crown mouldings at the ceiling as is used to paint the rest of the room's wood casework,(baseboards, doors, wainscoting, ect. This rule applies to the plaster medallions as well. Ceiling paint has special properties like high coverage low splatter, that make it a dependable choice but by all means not the only choice. Some people are turned off by the slightly cool nature of most ceiling whites, but if used in every room it helps pull the house together visually.

I like low lustre enamels for trim and doors. I think BM makes a water based version of its satin impervo that does a pretty good job of duplicating what the more toxic enamel version did. You might have your painter add flotrol to it for better results.

Decorators White in flat latex and the same color for the trim in semi gloss is a pretty standard choice, hence the name.

I think if you check the BS archives you will find that there have been many helpful posts about paint in the past.

Posted by: IMBY at July 21, 2008 4:07 PM in response to Color-b(l)ind

Wow, unless they already backfilled the site, there sure doesn't look like there is any shoring along the rear lot line. You can see the limestone colored building in the rear is not that far from the excavation. Dangerous for both adjoining properties and persons working in the hole. I think a surprise visit by the DOB's tactical excavation squad is in order. Does Timothy Lynch, PE read Brownstoner?

I think the development history goes as follows:

Neglected wood frame wreck on nice 25' wide lot bought by upper manhattan couple who have architect file plans and get approval for demo and new construction of 5 story building. Put property back on the market. NJ developer buys property with approved plans in place, "saving time", hence the 1.3 million price tag.
check out this link, it has a drawing of the new building.
http://nyrej.com/20130

Posted by: IMBY at July 22, 2008 4:46 PM in response to Development Watch: 314 12th Street

Try these screens. They allow one to move inside and out without the hassle of a door. Won't get in the way, visually, with your beautiful French

doors.http://www.improvementscatalog.com/product/id/100232.do

Posted by: IMBY at August 7, 2008 1:54 AM in response to screen doors to garden??

Maybe this is your first time at owning rental property but paying for a monthly exterminator service is just part of being a landlord. I have never heard of people bringing their own mice with them into a building when they moved in but "bargain basement furniture" most likely is the source of the bed bug (have they been officially identified yet?) infestation. I thought everyone knew NYC is currently plagued by bed bugs.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycha/html/residents/bedbugs.shtml

Posted by: IMBY at August 10, 2008 7:22 PM in response to Extermination Advise

West Elm

Posted by: IMBY at August 12, 2008 10:17 AM in response to "dark" hardwood floors being used in modern condos/homes

Mary Kuzma Finishing 718 388-8577

Posted by: IMBY at August 12, 2008 10:22 AM in response to Furniture Painting and Work

...missed the boat. Consider yourself lucky.

Try internet pornography. I hear college kids are into that stuff.

Posted by: IMBY at August 12, 2008 10:36 AM in response to HELP!

Dark floors will be more work to keep clean and show scratches more. Also have seen where there is uneven darkening over time when solid hard wood is used in sunny rooms. This tends to even out over time. Dog scratches tend to show up more. On pre finished flooring with a slight beveled edge, dust will collect and show up as white lines between planks unless vacuumed out. Dark floors make your ceiling look higher when used in contrasting light colored rooms.

Posted by: IMBY at August 12, 2008 12:03 PM in response to "dark" hardwood floors being used in modern condos/homes

Are you near an avenue? 100'from the corner? You may still have a commercial overlay.

Posted by: IMBY at August 14, 2008 7:59 AM in response to Restaurant on garden floor

Building does not seem out of scale for that corner. The setback is not so visible from the street.

I was just thinking how this builder had escaped all the problems that seem to plague every other builder in the neighborhood...Lots of excavation/foundation related Stop Work Orders. Then I checked your DOB link and found this from 8.08.08

Re:CONSTRUCTION POSSIBLE CAUSING DAMAGE TO 618, PLEASE CHECK 618 DBC

and this from earlier.

CALLER STATES THERE IS ONGOING CONSTRUCTION AT THE NOTED LOC DAMAGING THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY, THERE ARE NOW CRACKS IN THE WALLS, CEILING, CELLAR,ETC. CALLER STATES PLEASE CONTACT TO COME SEE DAMAGE/DO INSPECTION"

The site has always been pretty clean and well run at least from a passerby's standpoint. Would like to know that there was at least one guy out there who knew what they were doing.

Posted by: IMBY at August 14, 2008 4:14 PM in response to Development Watch: Facade Phase at 620 10th Street