by HJ HOLTZ | May 6, 2024 | INTERIOR PAINTING
Sometimes, you know exactly what you want, but are wary of taking the plunge.
That was the case recently when H.J. Holtz & Son partnered with Richmond-based KDW Home to refresh a kitchen that the homeowner had grown tired of. “There were two inspiration photos – one with a high gloss turquoise room, the other with a muted, all-gray look,” says Peyton Edwards, a principal of KDW Home and lead designer. “The homeowner knew she wanted to do the turquoise but needed the push.”
The kitchen refresh represents a departure from other areas in the home, which feature white walls as backdrop to an eclectic art collection. “There are bold splashes of color throughout the house,” Edwards notes. “But this is the only room that has high-gloss paint.”
The project began with custom cabinets in Sherwin-Williams’ Nifty Turquoise sourced through KDW Home. Then the Holtz team used Fine Paints of Europe Hollandlac to paint the remainder of the kitchen in the same hue.
“Our cabinet maker provides a special finish that really stands up to heavy use, which is what you need for cabinets,” Edwards says. “We knew we could trust Holtz to match the color, which they did.”
To break up the color, Edwards and the homeowner selected stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops with a matte finish, and kept the stone wraparound for the island. The room is further anchored by the original concrete floor so the bold color doesn’t overwhelm.
Edwards says the project went well because of the strong working relationship between KDW Home and H.J. Holtz & Son. “Everybody had to do their part, but we have good communication and we know Holtz team members are going to show up when they say they will.”
Holtz can also be relied upon to do the job right the first time, Edwards adds.
“The Holtz team has years of learning and trial-and-error behind them,” she says. “No one else in the state of Virginia could execute this successfully. Certainly, it’s not going to appeal to everyone, but the client knows Rick Holtz really well. They have worked together for a long time.”
by HJ HOLTZ | Apr 16, 2024 | Historic Restoration, Carpentry Services, Residential Painting
Every year, the Garden Club of Virginia’s Historic Garden Week in Virginia demonstrates the power of “curb appeal” – the term often used to refer to the aesthetics of a property’s exterior. H.J. Holtz & Son understands the importance of that initial impression.
“There’s so much to think about outside,” says company President Rick Holtz. “Shutters, windows, trim, and doors – these are all obvious. But you also have fences, railings, porches, benches, even outbuildings. Sometimes, homeowners don’t consider those elements, because they’re so focused on the inside, but that’s what people see first.”
For 2024’s tour, Holz & Son worked at 4601 Lilac Lane, where on April 23 ticket-holders will be able to tour nearly four acres of garden and farm, tucked inside Richmond’s city limits. The homeowners, longtime Holtz clients, had the company repaint shutters and doors as well as paint the entire pool house. Tour participants on April 25 will be able to see 109 Nottingham Road, which has a fresh, Holtz-painted front door covered in a Fine Paints of Europe coating.
Not everyone has a house that will someday be featured on a Historic Garden Week tour, but an exterior assessment to take stock of what might need a refresh is recommended at least once a year. Outdoor surfaces are subjected to greater wear and tear than indoor spaces, thanks to the effects of sun, wind, precipitation, and even bugs and wildlife. With an in-house carpentry division, Holtz & Son is often able to repair or replace damaged wood, so a separate contractor isn’t necessary.
“In the past, we’ve rebuilt an entire gazebo, and we regularly fix railing posts and fences,” Holtz says. “Our carpentry team works both on-site and in our new expanded shop, which allows them to manage multiple jobs at a time with greater efficiency.”
To schedule an evaluation of your home’s exterior, call H.J. Holtz & Son, 804-358-4109.
Sponsored by the Garden Club of Virginia, Historic Garden Week dates to 1929, when it began as a way to raise money for historic Kenmore, the Fredericksburg home of Betty Washington Lewis, George Washington’s sister. Funds raised support the ongoing restoration and preservation of Virginia’s historic public gardens and landscapes across the state as well as a research fellowship program in landscape architecture.
For more information about Historic Garden Week or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.vagardenweek.org/.
by HJ HOLTZ | Apr 4, 2024 | Historic Restoration, Furniture and Cabinetry, Residential Painting
The spectacular properties featured during Historic Garden Week have been prepped for a year or more for their time in the spotlight. Participating homeowners know that hundreds of people are eager to see meticulous gardens and plantings as well as pristine interiors filled with floral arrangements created by the state’s garden club members. Nearly every year, H.J. Holtz and Son helps to ensure those spaces look their best by providing interior painting, exterior painting, custom cabinetry, and cabinetry painting.
“We’re always happy to assist an existing or new client who’s getting their house ready for the tour,” says company president Rick Holtz. “Sometimes, it’s a small project, like painting the front door and shutters, but other times, the homeowner realizes that they want a full interior refresh.”
Timing is everything when it comes to getting ready for a big event, whether it’s Historic Garden Week, or any special event. “We always encourage people to call us as soon as they have a date in mind,” Holtz says. “Our calendar typically fills quickly, but we want to help repeat customers when we can, and sometimes we have an unexpected opening. And we’re diligent to make sure we hit deadlines.”
Crews have been hard at work for weeks to ensure Holtz client homes are ready for this year’s Richmond dates: Tuesday, April 23, in Windsor Farms-Nottingham; Wednesday, April 24, in River Hill; and Thursday, April 25, in Windsor Farms-Coventry. Visitors will see Holtz handiwork in homes on both the April 23 and 25 tours.
Tuesday, April 23
Windsor Farms – hosting two tours this year – was envisioned in the early 1920s as an upscale residential neighborhood away from the grittiness of the city. Designed in an English garden style popular at the time, the carefully plotted area features many historic homes that have been thoughtfully modernized.
At 209 Nottingham Road, Holtz & Son team members painted cabinets in advance of Historic Garden Week for a new client. At 4601 Lilac Lane, where only the exterior gardens are open for the tour, the Holtz team did exterior painting on the pool house and main residence shutters and doors.
Thursday, April 25
On this second day in Windsor Farms, visitors will encounter varied architectural styles, including English Tudor, Storybook or Cotswold, and European Revival.
At 4300 Dover Road, Holtz team members painted both the dining and living rooms as well as two interior fireboxes with high heat paint. At 4500 Coventry Road, the team hung new wallpaper in the den and painted several chairs in the shop. Projects at 109 Nottingham Road included painting the front door, crown moldings, windows and trim. Holtz craftspeople also installed wallpaper in both the living room and family room, and painted in those rooms as well. The living room also features a Holtz Built cabinet.
Sponsored by the Garden Club of Virginia, Historic Garden Week dates to 1929, when it began as a way to raise money for historic Kenmore, the Fredericksburg home of Betty Washington Lewis, George Washington’s sister. Since then, the tour has been canceled only twice: once during World War II and in 2020, due to the COVID pandemic. Funds raised support the ongoing restoration and preservation of Virginia’s historic public gardens and landscapes across the state as well as a research fellowship program in landscape architecture.
For more information about Historic Garden Week or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.vagardenweek.org/.
by HJ HOLTZ | Mar 19, 2024 | Historic Restoration, INTERIOR PAINTING
The H.J. Holtz & Son team believes that every structure, no matter what its use or purpose, deserves to be cared for and painted well. So when officials from Richmond’s Cathedral of the Sacred Heart called with a significant painting and restoration need, it was easy to say “Yes.”
The company recently repainted theMhistoric church’s choir loft, a commanding space that overlooks the sanctuary below. Soon, a new organ from Canada-based Juget-Sinclair Organbuilders of Montreal will be installed, and the church wanted the space to be ready.
“We learned a lesson” years ago, after flaking ceiling paint threatened to damage the pipes of another Juget-Sinclair organ at the front of the church, says John Marike, the church’s facilities manager. To remedy that problem, the organ manufacturer added fine wire mesh coverings to the pipe openings.
Seeking to avoid a similar post-installation fix for the new organ at the rear of the sanctuary, church administration hired H.J. Holtz & Son following a competitive bid process. Using a framework constructed by Scaffolding Solutions to reach every inch of the curved ceiling – which peaks 34 feet above the balcony floor – up to five Holtz team members could work at the same time. The team repainted the loft’s plaster walls and ceiling, and also repainted the wood of the choir loft railing, banisters and half the wall paneling.
Selecting colors for the choir loft was a critical element of the job, as they needed to match the remainder of the sanctuary, which will be repainted in the future, Marike says. The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is more than 100 years old; it’s recognized as a Virginia Historic Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places. With an Italian Renaissance Revival style, the cathedral’s interior is impressively ornate. Its soaring ceiling has many architectural elements for visual interest – rosettes, scrolls, faux mirrors, etc. And there are multiple paint colors, including a shiny faux gold leaf, for added impact.
“The Holtz team’s attention to detail was great,” Marike says. “The colors were so hard to match, and they really worked hard to get them right.”
Marike credits the team’s determination to stay on schedule, even with interruptions for regular midday church services and funerals that naturally occur without much warning.
“Even with interruptions, they still managed to finish ahead of schedule,” he says.
Next up on the schedule: the new organ!
by HJ HOLTZ | Mar 4, 2024 | Carpentry Services, Residential Painting
Only one thing can detract from a beautifully painted home exterior: shabby windows. That’s why H.J. Holtz & Son has extended its services to include full window restoration. “We see this as a need for our customers,” says company President Rick Holtz. “We have...
