Our Chooz Score evaluates 44 factors across reviews, digital presence, and business credentials. Here's what stands out for Of The Essence Design Build Paint
Every project with Of The Essence Design Build Paint starts with a conversation. The team walks through the space with you, listens to the look you are after, and turns that into a clear plan and an estimate you can review. Online Estimates make that first step easy for busy Wilmington homeowners.
From there the work moves to the crew. Cassandra Harris manages the schedule, lead painter Eddie Ray runs the day to day, and Michael Carter oversees the larger construction and design-build side. Because the painters and carpenters are in-house, the same faces show up each morning, keep the site clean, and communicate as the job progresses.
The company handles interior and exterior painting, cabinet refinishing, faux finishing, decks, epoxy floors, and full remodels across the coast. Owner Tara Gilmore has built the business over more than two decades on repeat clients and referrals. Each job closes with a walkthrough, so you sign off only when the finish is right.
Updated: 08-06-2026
They keep homeowners in the loop from the first meeting through the final walkthrough. On a Wrightsville Beach exterior job, Kiles wrote that "Eddie kept me informed every step of the way" and answered every question along the way. Nelson Hughes saw the same on his project, noting that "Casey communicated often throughout the entire project". Steady updates are simply part of how this crew works.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google
Reviewers point to careful, high-quality work above anything else. After a repeat project, John Peter Hondros said "Their attention to detail, efficiency, and pride in their work really stand out". On Facebook, Eddie Tippett summed up the crew in three words, "Cleanliness organization and skill". Homeowners describe finishes that hold up and a team that treats each room with real care from prep to final coat.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google, Facebook
Yes, leaving a clean home is part of the routine. Danielle Akey noted that the crew "kept a clean work space" and brought a good attitude each day. On a larger interior remodel, Kim Rohach wrote that "They cleaned up after themselves at the end of each day". The team protects floors and furnishings and tidies up before heading out each evening.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google
They handle full exterior repaints on coastal homes built to weather salt air. Kiles hired the crew after they "painted the entire exterior of my beach house in Wrightsville Beach" and trusted "a paint job that can stand up to the salt air and weather". The team preps siding and trim so color and protection last through the coastal seasons around Wilmington.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google
Cabinet refinishing and kitchen updates are a core part of the work. Brittany Kelly said the crew "took our kitchen cabinets from being outdated to looking brand new" during her remodel. Cathy Singletary agreed after her own project, writing "We love the repainted kitchen cabinets, they turned out perfect". Beyond cabinets, the team handles trim, shutters, and the surrounding kitchen finishes so the whole room comes together.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google
Yes, they take on complete interior repaints for whole homes. Heather Fleuriet shared that "We hired them for a complete repaint of our entire home" and left thrilled with the result. On his dining, office, and kitchen project, John Kraus wrote that the lead "made sure every aspect of the job was completed to our satisfaction and on time". Larger interiors move room by room.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google
Yes, the company goes well beyond paint into remodeling and design-build. On Yelp, Craig C. described a full home transformation where "it looks and feels like a brand new dream home" once the work wrapped. A repeat client known as D was just as pleased and "would hire Of the Essence again". Kitchens, baths, additions, and whole renovations all fall within what the in-house crews build.
-Review Snippet Sources: Yelp, Google
Yes, homeowners describe the crews as honest, reliable, and easy to have around. On Facebook, Derrick Paris called them "Honest and reliable, Efficient and down to earth". Terrell Lee felt so comfortable that "I’ve even left them at my house while running errands" during a project. Consistent faces, clear communication, and respectful conduct on site are why clients hand over their keys with confidence.
-Review Snippet Sources: Facebook, Google
Of The Essence Design + Build and Paint LLC is a limited liability company registered in North Carolina. The state lists the business as active, with Secretary of State identification number 0920469 and a formation date of 6-6-2007. That registration reflects a company operating in the greater Wilmington area for well over a decade under consistent, established ownership.
-Verification Sources: North Carolina Secretary of State
Updated: 08-05-2026