Brett Linden has nearly four decades of experience in high-end painting, faux finishes, specialty plastering, restorations and more. He is a trusted color consultant, and advises clients on the best, longest lasting products in use today.
Brett apprenticed with celebrity designer Steven Lehner in Los Angeles before founding Linden Painting & Surface Design in 1990. Over the years, Brett custom-painted dozens of luxury and celebrity homes in Santa Barbara, Malibu and Los Angeles Counties, and also single-handedly painted —inside and out — the first new-construction home erected after the Malibu fires in 2018.
Brett spent three years on Maui, adding his professional touch to luxury condos and high-end homes all over the island. In 2024 he returned to the mainland and is currently based in Colorado Springs.
Lara McGlashan spent the better part of her paying career as a magazine editor, but away from the keyboard, she loved getting down and dirty with all manner of home projects, including painting, furniture restoration, flooring, gardening and more.
Magazines have nearly disappeared these days, but Lara's love of all things creative remains. She feels fortunate to be able to channel her innate creativity, color sensibility and work ethic into Linden Painting & Surface Design.
To us, painting is an art, not a chore. Therefore, we never use sprayers or watered-down paint. Every surface is carefully assessed and precisely executed, giving our clients enduring results. With us, you'll never feel like you're in a construction zone. Any items moved during the painting process are returned to their exact original locations, and all trash, tools and materials are removed from the premises at the end of each workday. When you return, your home is just how you left it — only now it's freshly, beautifully painted!
Have you ever hired a painter who started a job — and then disappeared? That will never happen at Linden Painting & Surface Design. We will always return your call, show up on time anddeliver bids in a timely manner.
We pride ourselves on delivering a high-quality, stress-free painting experience to all of our customers. We guarantee your home will never look like a construction site, and that you won't be inconvenienced by our presence. When we arrive, we take several photos of your space, and move only what's necessary in the moment. When we're done, we replace everything exactly how it was when we arrived, and take all our materials and any trash with us when we leave. No mess, no hassle — just a perfectly painted home and a very happy customer!
We only use brushes and rollers for our projects — we never use sprayers. This allows us to deliver the highest-quality work in the most effective, efficient way. Rolling and brushing also means you actually work the paint into the surface, giving it better durability.
Paint is more expensive than ever, and it's important to make the most of every drop to ensure our customers don't break their budget. Sprayers are inefficient and messy, and a lot of costly color is sent into the air rather than onto the surface being painted. What's more, in order to protect your home and belongings from overspray, everything needs to be covered with tarps, plastic and tape. Ultimately, this adds to your bottom line — as well as the landfill.
No. In most cases, it is faster and cleaner to hand-paint a home with care and attention than it is to spray. Painters who spray spend several days prepping a home before they even crack a paint can. When finished, they have to clean the sprayer, (a lengthy process which eats up several billable hours), and remove all the plastic and tape from the walls and cabinets (materials which add to a bid). Even with the very best painter's tape, the color inevitably bleeds underneath, meaning the painter has to spend even more time fixing it. Long story short: Being patient, careful and meticulous, and using brushes and rollers — not sprayers — ultimately saves you time and money!
Never. Many painters and contractors dilute a paint with water so it moves through the sprayer quickly. In concept, the paint should cover more surface area, however thinning your paint changes its chemistry, affecting the way it covers, dries, hardens and sticks to your walls and trim. For example, if you've ever had a door or a wall feel "tacky" years after it was painted, it means that paint was overly diluted and was unable to cure properly. Thinned paint also is extremely likely to peel and fade, and your home will need to be repainted sooner and more often.
Many painters underestimate the impact of perfectly painted woodwork, but to us it's like the sparkle on a diamond. Because attention to detail is paramount in this realm, we meticulously prep all the surfaces to be painted, and remove and catalog all the hardware from doors, drawers and cabinets. Everything is carefully hand-painted, cut in and laid off with a brush for a super-smooth, glossy finish — no ugly stipple, lint or roller marks. Once we replace all the hardware, your woodwork is factory-perfect for years to come!
Absolutely. We are experts at troubleshooting any issue you may have, such as incorrect colors, mismatched sheens, peeling, cracking and more. Call for a free consultation or an estimate on your project.
Yes. We coordinate with owners and property managers to execute complete, top-to-bottom repaints during slow spells, and to facilitate quick in-and-out repairs and touch-ups between rentals. We've worked on condos, townhomes, apartments and estates, and give all properties and clients the same friendly, professional treatment, no matter how big or small the job.
Many people are "painters," but Brett is an artist, adept at executing all manner of faux finishes, including Venetian plaster, marbling, antiquing, distressing, glazing, wood graining and more. He can capture the textural methods of the past using modern technology, and there is no surface he cannot improve with his sophisticated touch.
If you're unsure which color works best with your flooring, furnishings or overall aesthetic, we can help. We have years of experience working with interior designers and decorators, and can advise you on the hues and sheens that would best match your project and design. Interested in a restoration? We can advise you on the most accurate colors and color combinations that were popular in a particular era, as well as any faux finishes that might enhance your vision.
Our true specialty is quality, luxury interior painting and finishes, but we will consider exterior work on a job-by-job basis.
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