Don Smith
Paint Company

About Don Smith Paints

Richard Scott
Don Smith Paints

Profile: Springfield Scene Magazine March/April 2011
Photography by: Terry Farmer
Written by: Juliann Pennell

Don Smith Paints at 1724 S.MacArthur Boulevard in Springfield has been coloring in between and perhaps a little outside of the lines of the Springfield area since 1991 and the tradition continues. Locally owned by Richard Scott of Springfield, the store has been providing commercial builders and Do-it-yourselfers (DIY) with quality, high-end paints, blinds, wallpaper and supplies to change the look and style of Springfield’s residential community.

Prior to ownership, Richard Scott had been a sales rep for Pratt & Lambert Paints for 12 years and the Don Smith Paint stores in Bloomington and Springfield were the largest accounts within his territory. He and Dexter Smith, son of Don Smith partnered and bought into the business in 1997 sharing equal partnership of the Bloomington and Springfield locations. It was in 2004 that the two traded stock becoming sole owners of their own respective stores.

Commercial builders have usually been the primary customers for Don Smith Paints, however, DIY’ers have been doing their share in keeping sales fairly even. Today, there are more and more existing homes being renovated, refurbished and revamped. Bringing color into a room is the surest and quickest way to enhance the beauty of the décor or bring life into an old, or tired –looking room. Don Smith Paints carries top-of-the-line products such as Aura from Benjamin Moore and Red Seal Porcelain from Pratt & Lambert Paints to bring that high-quality beauty into your home.

It may seem daunting when choosing the right color, but, Don Smith Paints’ (DSP) color consultants take the worry out of color selection. To assist you in your redecorating endeavors, qualified design specialists set up a private consultation with you to assist in selecting the right color combinations or wallpaper designs that will identify with your personality and be a reflection of you in your home. You’re encouraged to bring in photos of the room, or a fabric swatch from a pillow or sofa cushion and Don Smith Paints can match that color exactly. If you are truly uncertain of what you want to do in the room, the design specialists can come to your home for a personal consultation. And if you’re doing the painting yourself, DSP has all the right equipment and accessories needed to get the job done, from spray equipment to brushes, rollers, tape and tarps, DSP has got you covered. The highly trained staff can show you how to properly use the equipment and offer tips and advice to get the job done correctly. They will help you with everything except the painting itself, however, if you are in need of a recommendation, they have a few painters who they trust and will recommend to do the job right for you.

Did you think wallpaper was a thing of the past? Did you ever hear of a little expression, ‘If something goes out of style, just wait 20 years and it will come back in again?’ Well wallpaper is making a comeback and with big and flashy results. Don’t discount wallpaper as a decorating option. "Wallpaper IS coming back," says Rochelle Wilson, color consultant. "It got a bad rap a few years ago because people weren’t putting it on correctly, and removing it became a chore. If you do it correctly, wallpaper is a very elegant way to beautify a room."

There are many lovely and exciting colors, patterns and designs to choose from. These aren’t the old ducks and geese from the past. "You should see all the neat stuff they have now." There are many classy, elegant designs and one will surely fit your style. Don Smith Paints only stocks the highest quality vendors of wallpaper, Thibaut, Seabrook and York.

Blinds and window treatments are an essential, finishing touch to every room. They add style to a room, provide privacy, proper light control, window insulation, and will even provide protection from UV damage to your furniture. Blinds and window treatments are a fashion statement in every room and should be part of every renovation project. A consultant can come to your home to measure for you. Don Smith Paints only carries the top designers in window treatments such as Hunter Douglas, Graber and Lafayette Interior Fashions.

Earning the reputation of providing quality customer assistance, Richard Scott takes pride in his highly trained and experienced staff. "Our staff is very, very knowledgeable," says Scott. "Steve Lowe is our store manager and he has 42 years experience. The rest of my loyal full and part-time employees have an astonishing 100 years of combined experience. We like to provide old-fashioned customer service, we will help you pick out colors, send you home with color paint samples and carry product out to your vehicle. We actually had one customer who required 21 color samples before she made a decision."

Be sure to visit www.donsmithpaints.com, there you will find useful tools if you’re getting an itch to redecorate. On the Benjamin Moore link, you can upload a picture of the room you’re contemplating on renovating and you can virtually repaint the room in a variety of samples to get a feel for the color you’re looking for.

Download this article in Springfield Scene Magazine from April, 2011...