Recent Project Maple Grove Family Room Painted in Black Fox A family room is usually the hardest-working space in a house, and this one in Maple Grove had gone roughly 10 years without fresh paint. The walls had collected the usual dings and nail holes, and the color no longer matched where the homeowner wanted the room to go. Katie reached out to us after a neighbor passed along our name. She was already working with an interior decorator and had landed on Sherwin-Williams Black Fox, a deep charcoal, for the family room walls. We provided a free estimate for the interior painting, she accepted the quote, and our painter Craig took the job from prep through final coat in Maple Grove, Minnesota.Key TakeawaysTHE CHALLENGEWalls that had not been painted in about 10 years needed full repair and sanding before a deep charcoal color could be applied.THE COATINGCraig patched and sanded every imperfection, spot primed the new mud work, and applied two coats of Sherwin-Williams Emerald in a matte finish.THE RESULTBlack Fox covered in two coats, and the homeowner left us a five-star review for the work. Going from a decade-old wall color to a deep charcoal puts every flaw on display, so the prep matters as much as the paint. We chose Sherwin-Williams Emerald in a matte finish because it carries dark tints well and the low sheen keeps the walls reading soft rather than reflective. The decorator had the color locked in, which let us focus entirely on surface repair, masking, and application.Project SummaryClient Profile:Maple Grove homeowner working with an interior decoratorProject Location:Maple Grove, MinnesotaPrimary Objective:Update a family room that had not been painted in roughly 10 years with Interior House PaintingCoating System:Two coats of Sherwin-Williams Emerald matte in Black Fox, applied as part of our Residential Painting ServicesKey Outcome:Full coverage in two coats, and a five-star review from the homeownerInspecting A Decade-Old Family Room When Craig walked the room, the walls told the story you expect from 10 years of daily family use: nail holes, scuffs, and small dents scattered across the surfaces to be painted. None of it was structural, but all of it had to come out before a dark color went on. Dark charcoal shades like Black Fox read differently than a light neutral. Where a soft off-white can hide a shallow dent, a deep color catches side light and shows it, so every patch had to be feathered and sanded smooth rather than simply filled.Prep, Priming And Two Coats Craig patched any and all imperfections on the walls to be painted, then sanded them back flat. All surfaces not being painted were protected with paper, tape, plastic, or tarps. Every spot of new mud work was spot primed so the fresh compound would not flash through the finish coat, and then two coats of Sherwin-Williams Emerald in a matte finish went on the walls. "Craig did a great job painting my living room! He was professional, friendly, and efficient. Would definitely recommend!" - (Katie, Get Fresh Paint) Because the decorator had already set the color, our job was to keep the schedule clean and the work tight. Patching and sanding on a job like this is the same groundwork we bring to any Drywall Repair Services call, and you can see similar interior work in our Residential Painting Gallery.Walls patched, sanded, and spot primed before two coats of Sherwin-Williams Emerald matte in Black Fox.Full Coverage In Two Coats Black Fox covered in two coats over the existing wall color, with no tinted primer or extra passes needed. The Emerald matte finish holds the depth of the charcoal without bouncing light off the wall, which is what the homeowner and her decorator were after for a family room. Katie was impressed with the finished space and left a review naming Craig specifically. Referral work like this one, passed along by a neighbor, is a good share of what we do around Maple Grove, and you can read more client feedback on our Customer Reviews page.Thinking About a Darker Room? We paint interiors across Maple Grove and the surrounding Twin Cities, and we are comfortable working alongside your interior decorator or designer on color. Jon has been running Get Fresh Paint out of Maple Grove for over 20 years, and our painters are employees, not subcontractors. Have a room in Maple Grove that has not been painted in a decade? Let's get you a free quote and a start date.Get Fresh PaintMaple Grove, MNCall 612.325.1409 or Schedule OnlineFrequently Asked QuestionsWill a dark color like Black Fox cover in two coats in a Maple Grove home?On this Maple Grove family room, Black Fox covered in two coats of Sherwin-Williams Emerald with no tinted primer required. Coverage depends on the existing wall color and the quality of the paint you start with. We spot prime any fresh patching compound first so those areas do not flash through the finish.What prep goes into painting a room that has not been painted in 10 years?We patch every imperfection on the walls being painted and sand them smooth, then spot prime the new mud work. Everything not being painted gets protected with paper, tape, plastic, or tarps. That prep is what keeps a deep color from highlighting a decade of nail holes and scuffs.Can you work with my interior decorator on color selection?Yes. On this project the homeowner had already chosen Black Fox with her decorator, and we handled the estimate, the prep, and the application. We are happy to coordinate with your decorator on sheen and product so the finish matches the look they are designing toward. Our work is backed by our five-year warranty on labor and materials.Project Photos