House of Color

House of Color began, by its own account, as a 600-square-foot paint shop in San Francisco's Mission District in 1946. It now runs three showrooms, in the Mission, San Bruno and South San Francisco, and this page covers the South San Francisco store. The chamber's records list that store at 501 Airport Boulevard with the phone 650-458-0592. The company's website now gives (650) 588-7412 for this showroom, and the Benjamin Moore dealer locator places it at 20 South Linden Avenue, Suite 3A, so confirm the current address and phone before you drive over.

Paint, finishes and color help

The store sells paint and stain from Benjamin Moore and Dunn-Edwards, wood finishes from Penofin, MinWax, Mohawk and Cabot, and painting tools and supplies alongside, with Festool and Graco among the brands named on the website. Staff offer color consultations for anyone stuck between swatches, and the counter can match an existing color with Accutinter 7000 and MatchRite equipment, which helps when you are touching up a wall and the original can is long gone.

The company's growth traces back to one buyer. Francisco Cerda, who left Nicaragua in 1981 after working in his father's paint store there, bought House of Color in 1988 and built it out from the single Mission shop. The website also says the business donates to schools, churches and local organizations. Michael Cerda is the contact on the chamber's record.

Getting the right product

For a color match, bring a sample at least the size of a coin, such as a paint chip, a cabinet door or a length of trim; a larger piece reads more accurately. Know the surface, whether bare wood, painted drywall, stucco or metal, and whether the job is inside or outdoors, because that decides the primer and the product line. Settle the sheen before mixing, since flat, eggshell and semi-gloss look different on the same wall, and tinted paint usually cannot be returned. Contractors should ask whether the store sets up trade accounts and whether larger orders can be held or delivered to a job site.

Customers on the north Peninsula

A paint counter in South San Francisco is a short drive for homeowners and painters in San Bruno, Daly City, Brisbane, Colma, Millbrae, Pacifica and Burlingame, at the northern end of San Mateo County. The company's other showrooms in San Bruno and the Mission give customers a choice on either side.

Call the South San Francisco showroom at (650) 588-7412, the number on the company's website. The number in the chamber's older record is 650-458-0592.