Jermaine and Tonja White founded Shades of WHITE LLC in March 2022, building the business from their Ypsilanti headquarters on North Washington Street. Jermaine oversees operations and leads job sites while Tonja manages business strategy, scheduling, and client communication, including virtual color consultations before projects begin. Crew members JJ, Nate, Jerome, and Carl round out the team across residential and commercial projects.
The company handles interior and exterior residential painting, multi-unit apartment turnovers, commercial spaces, and specialty work including drywall repair, wallpaper removal, popcorn ceiling removal, porch staining, and accent walls. They partner with Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore for premium, low-VOC paint products, and offer free color consultations with every booked project.
The fully insured team serves Southeastern Michigan, covering Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Saline, Canton, Novi, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, and surrounding communities. Shades of WHITE LLC is a Certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and a member of the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber (A2Y).
Updated: 03-24-2026
Multiple reviews highlight owner involvement as a defining trait. Aliyah Mgawe, who manages apartment buildings, noted that "the owners actually come to each job and paint their crew!" Mike Burkhart described Jay, Tonja, and JJ as "a small family owned business that can get the job done right the first time." This hands-on approach means the people quoting the project are the same people executing it.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Jay's repair work receives consistent praise for being undetectable after painting. Alex and Sophie Erstad reported that "the patches he did are completely invisible and his paint job was perfect" after kitchen ceiling drywall damage. The owner reply to Sheila Washington's review revealed the process involves minor skim coating and sanding of walls to create a flawless finish before paint application.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Property protection stands out as a consistent practice. Doreen Turk-White noted that "the crew made sure to use drop cloths and barriers to protect items not being painted." Carla Harris described end-of-day cleanup so thorough that "you wouldn't have known they were there." Jackie Foster confirmed they were "careful to cover all furniture, patched all imperfections, painted, and cleaned up."
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Value perception comes through strongly across reviews. Amy Clarice called the investment "well worth" it for painting several tall walls and trim areas. Pinara Smith praised the company for being "precise with pricing" and offering professional color consultation advice. Multiple reviews carry Google's "Reasonable price" and "Great price" tags, and Pamela Petty Baskin noted "prices very reasonable for the job."
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Owner replies reveal a pattern of bonus services. When painting apartments for Aliyah Mgawe, the team also "repaired an area on one of the stucco ceilings and re-applied stucco where needed." For Carmen Maldonado's mother's exterior project, the team completed "minor wood replacement, pushed in protruding nails, and handled necessary caulking." Doreen Turk-White's interior project included staining wood doors and creating chalkboard walls.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
The company has earned strong trust from real estate professionals. Realtor Emily Grish stated "I now recommend them to all of my clients, both buyers and sellers" after two successful listing projects. Property manager Aliyah Mgawe plans to continue using them for apartment turnovers, and H&H Property Management confirmed using them for "my rental and personal property" with consistent satisfaction.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Daily communication is a hallmark of Jay's project management. Carla Harris described receiving "daily progress reports from Jay as to what to expect the next day or when he ran into unforeseen problems and the possible outcome." Parvin Keller praised the team for clearly communicating "costs, issues, and schedules." Lisa Robinson and Shawna W both emphasized great communication throughout the entire process.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Stacie McNulty's review describes the team completing an interior project in time for a milestone celebration at her home, even though "our time crunch was related to renovation delays and not them." She added that "they showed up exactly when they said they would, on time, ready to go." Malaika Starling reported the crew showed up and completed a bathtub reglazing during a huge snow storm without delay.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Shades of WHITE, LLC is registered as a Domestic Limited Liability Company with the State of Michigan, Entity No. 802822709, with an Active status and Good AR Standing. The company was filed on 3/18/2022 with resident agent Tonja Edwards White. Michigan requires a Residential Maintenance and Alteration Contractor license through LARA for residential painting projects over $600. The company states on its website that it is fully licensed, bonded, and insured. The LARA license lookup is available at https://aca-prod.accela.com/LARA/GeneralProperty/PropertyLookUp.aspx?isLicensee=Y&TabName=APO and the Michigan business entity search is at https://mibusinessregistry.lara.state.mi.us/search/business.
-Verification Sources: Michigan LARA, Michigan Business Registry
Updated: 03-24-2026