A 1908 Newton Highlands Victorian — original chestnut moldings, transom windows above every doorway, plaster walls that had been patched a dozen times across the last century. The new owners wanted a contemporary palette without touching the historic trim character.

The challenge

Plaster doesn't behave like drywall. Patches show through unless prep is deeper. The original chestnut trim had been varnished, painted, and re-varnished — the existing finish was unstable and patchy. We needed to bond a new finish over century-old material without stripping.

What we did

  • Skim-coated 40+ plaster cracks and old patches across 11 rooms
  • Bonding primer on all trim (STIX) before topcoat — adheres over varnish
  • BM Regal Select in Edgecomb Gray on walls — warm greige that flatters the heavy moldings
  • Trim in BM Advance satin, hand-brushed (sprayed trim reads wrong on Victorian profiles)
  • Ceilings flat white throughout — Decorator's White matches the trim

The result

Historic character preserved, plaster crisp, palette warm. The owners moved in the day after we left the keys.

For Newton interior work, see interior painting in Newton or the MA interior cost guide.