You read a lot about recommended paint colors for your house from experts in the field. Strangely, no one ever emphasizes that you can paint your home whatever color you want. That, however, is exactly what Doug Dillman and his wife Nina did. The couple recently painted their home on Collage Avenue in Forth Worth an assortment of 10 different colors. Their source of inspiration? Pixar’s 2009 animated feature-film Up. But what drove the Dillman’s to cover their house with an Up inspired paint job? The story is both humbling, and inspirational.
Up Inspired Paint Job Brings Hope and Joy to Neighborhood
The Dillman’s
Doug and Nina Dillman live in the 1800 block of Collage Avenue. Their home was originally built in 1900 and expanded in 1920. Needless to say, it was long overdue for some renovating, particularly a paint job. Their plans were put on hold, however, when the family experienced a string of unfortunate health issues. The Dillmans took their daughter Daisy to the hospital in 2014 when she discovered bruises all over her body. She was diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. In other words, she had a very low red and white blood cell count, and literally no clotting factors. Daisy then began an extensive treatment plan with chemotherapy.
Keep Looking Up
While Daisy was in the hospital, her father Doug would walk around the place, staring down at the floor. One day he came across a scrap piece of paper on the floor. He was about to throw it away when he turned it over and read the words, “Keep Looking Up.” Doug took it as a message from God, especially when Nina suffered from a small stroke as Daisy’s treatment was coming to an end.
Celebrating Recovery
As Daisy’s cancer receded and Nina recovered, the family decided to celebrate by picking up that old to-do list. The house still needed a paint job, but what colors should they paint it? Nina had watched the movie Up with her children some years before, and had the idea to do an Up inspired paint job on the house. The couple took the idea to Justin Smith at Pinnacle Painting in Fort Worth, who loved the idea.
A Happy House and Joyous Neighborhood
The Dillmans now live in a near replica of the house in Up, and the neighborhood can’t get enough. People slow down to look at it as they drive by, and some even give a friendly honk. Passersby stop and admire the brilliant colors and compliment the family on their home. It has brought hope to the family and inspired joy in their neighborhood. Painted above the porch, Doug Dillman included those inspiring words, “Keep Looking Up”, to remind us all that hope springs eternal.
This article is based on a story featured in the Miami Herald. See a picture of the Dillman’s home here.
