Picking paint colors for an old Pittsburgh rowhome is tricky. We help you choose shades that work with your home's light and age.
A lot of homeowners in Pittsburgh's older blocks near Butler Street pick a color from a swatch at the store. Then they watch it look totally different on their walls at home. Lighting changes everything, especially in these early-1900s homes with smaller windows and darker rooms. We've seen folks repaint a whole living room twice. The color read warm in the can. But it looked cold on the wall. The color wheel isn't just a design tool, it's based on how light actually works[1]. So before you buy five gallons, your home's light, your trim, and what will actually hold up. Waiting until after the paint is on the wall just costs you time and money.
You're ready to repaint the outside but can't decide between the classic rowhome look or something fresh. We help pick colors that fit the street and still feel like yours.
Original woodwork in these old Pittsburgh homes needs a color that doesn't fight it. We know what shades work with aged wood tones.
Neutral, buyer-friendly colors help homes sell faster. We'll steer you toward shades that photograph well and appeal to more buyers.
Some rooms in these older homes just don't get much light. We know which colors open them up instead of making them feel smaller.
Picking one color at a time can leave your home feeling choppy. We help plan a palette that flows room to room.
Homes near the floodplain often have staining that bleeds through paint. We factor that into your color and primer choice from the start.
Picking the wrong color means repainting sooner than you should. That costs time and money you don't need to spend. We've spent 35 years helping Pittsburgh area homeowners get it right the first time. Our advice comes from experience, not a sales pitch.
Not sure where to start with colors for your Pittsburgh home? Call us and we'll walk through it with you, no pressure at all.
We keep it simple so you never feel stuck guessing at paint chips alone.
We come look at your walls, trim, and lighting in person. Photos and swatches alone don't tell the full story.
We show you a few colors that fit your home's style and age. You tell us what feels right, and we narrow it down together.
Once you've picked a direction, we give you a clear, honest quote for the painting work. No surprises, no hidden add-ons.
Our color consultations are free when you book an estimate with us. There's no separate charge just to talk colors and lighting. Understanding how colors interact on the color wheel helps us guide you faster, without guesswork[1]. If you want a standalone consultation without a painting project booked, we'll quote that upfront too. Either way, you'll know the cost before we start.
I recently had this company paint the exterior of my home along with two garages. The owner Bob was easy to talk and accommodating. The real star was Mark who did most of the painting. He did an excellent job, was courteous, was promptly on time and cleaned up after himself. Both painters on sight were so respectful and worked non stop. I highly recommend from my experience.
Bob and team did an excellent job painting both the interior and exterior of the home. They arrived on time and we’re very professional. I would highly recommend them for any painting projects you have.
We recently had USNER PAINTING paint our four story fire escape. They have painted it in the past and did a great job so we expected nothing less and they delivered again. The restoration engineer who worked on our job was impressed with their work and recommended them for another job he was working on.
They completed the job in a timely manner and left the work area clean when they were finished.
Jeff Wilson
Ben and his co workers were very attentive to the work that needed to be done. They went above and beyond moving alot of boxes and furniture to the middle of room and covering everything before painting and put everything back and cleaned up when finished. They also did other jobs that I didn't even think about doing but definitely need to be done. They made a big improvement in my attic and basement.
Bob and Ben did a great job painting the front of our house.
Bob Usner responded almost immediately to my online inquiry, gave me a fair quote based on pictures I sent, his son Ben came out and did the work, quite excellently. Ben was thorough, respectful, professional. We are very happy with the results and would use Usner Painting again when we need to. Highly recommended!
We are so glad we found Bob Usner and his painting company. We asked Bob to paint the interior of our newly purchased home. Josh and the painting crew did a phenomenal job not only painting, but with some wall repait, too. The crew worked long hours to make sure the job was completed on time (before flooring contractors arrived), even though we expanded the scope of work a couple of times. You couldn't work with a nicer group of people. We will definitely call them again for any future painting needs.
Can't say enough good things about Bob & Ben. They gave a competitive price estimate. They were reliable and started and finished the job on schedule. The crew was great to work with and their work and attention to detail was fantastic. We had some very old wallpaper in a bedroom and hallway that had to be removed. As they started to strip it, they discovered it was applied over a previous incorrectly hung layer which made the removal very labor intensive. The crew did a fantastic job and was able to remove both layers and restore the walls to their original condition.
Highly recommend Bob & Ben Usner Painting
I highly recommend Bob Usner for any and all paint jobs. He previously did an excellent job on some exterior paint work and just completed an entire interior repaint of my house. He and his crew far exceeded my expectations. I have 100+ year old house and the plaster was definitely showing its age. His crew did way more extensive work repairing walls and ceilings than I could have ever expected. He used top quality paint and detailed attention was paid to its application. His estimate was more than fair, and he stuck to it – there are no surprises with Bob. His crew cleaned up at the end of every day, they were polite and conscientious while in my home, and they were very mindful of my pets. In my opinion, if you are looking for a local business to support, you won’t find anyone better in the Pittsburgh area. Bob will always be my go-to for any painting I need.
Here are answers to what homeowners in Pittsburgh ask us most.
It's free when paired with a painting estimate. If you just want a standalone consultation, we'll quote a small fee upfront. Either way, you'll know the cost before we start.
Most consultations take 30 to 45 minutes. We spend that time looking at your lighting, trim, and existing colors. Bigger homes or multiple rooms may take a bit longer.
You can, but store swatches often look different once they're on your walls. We've seen homeowners repaint rooms twice after picking colors alone. A quick consultation saves you that headache.
Most homeowners repaint every 7 to 10 years for exteriors and 5 to 7 years for interiors. Older Pittsburgh homes with original siding sometimes need it sooner. We'll tell you honestly if your home can wait.
No, take your time. We'll give you samples or recommendations to live with for a few days. Rushing a color choice usually leads to regret later.
If a color looks washed out, too dark, or clashes with your trim, that's a sign. Lighting in older homes can make colors read very differently than expected. We catch this during the consultation before you commit.
Yes, we always consider this for Pittsburgh's older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1978 and need lead-safe practices during prep. We'll walk you through what that means for your project.
