IT'S a marriage made in heaven. After more than 20 years providing flooring to the island's homes and offices, Stafford Flooring is branching out.

The well-respected company's owner, Randy Stafford, has just bought out another long-established name in the decorating business ¿ Home Paint.

Mr. Stafford (pictured right) concluded the deal for the St. John's Road store – now renamed Stafford Paint ¿ at the end of last year.

The merger is a natural combination, made at just the right time. The island's construction boom still at full throttle ¿ and, of course, new buildings are not complete without a fresh lick of paint.

But the Stafford group is not only called in to add the finishing touches to newly-erected projects. A flood of television shows and magazines has made home decorating more popular than ever before.

Redesigning your space ¿ be it a living room in a private house or a boardroom in a company office ¿ is now viewed by many as more of a hobby than a chore.

And as fashions change and redecorating becomes easier for the novice, homeowners it would seem are no longer prepared to stick with the same decor for 20 years or more. No wonder home decorating is big business.

"I think it's a good mix because, through Stafford Flooring, we've built up connections in the design field ¿ with designers, specifiers, architects ¿ and so it was a natural fit," said Mr. Stafford. "Now we can expand on that relationship and offer more of a full package.

"But it also helps that Stafford Flooring has always had a very solid reputation. People are quite proud to have a Stafford floor ¿ we get told that so often ¿ and so what we have in Bermuda is name recognition, which is a good thing. Because of the size of the country, when we do good business, word very quickly gets around.

"Of course, Home Paint has a long history of high-quality products, experienced staff and excellent service. We plan to influence the store with the Stafford Flooring style and offer products at a price they can afford and a service they expect."

So what does the new owner think makes his new company stand out from the rest? Firstly, Stafford Paint will continue to supply the same top-quality brands it has become known for. Paint technology, like the construction industry, is ever evolving, with new products continually coming on to the market.

Jewels in Stafford Paint's crown include Pratt & Lambert and California Paint brands selected by the retailer after digesting a plethora of independent consumer reports.

"You do need to sell a good product to be successful and we do want to sell a good-quality paint," Mr. Stafford said.

The company recently supplied Government's Ministry of Works & Engineering with a new product that blocks mould from spreading.

"It's non-toxic and, as long as you clean the visual mould and mildew on the surface, it will not return 738211; it cannot penetrate the coating. That means that, rather than having to pull a wall down completely, it can be saved," Mr. Stafford said.

The businessman is also prepared to put his money where his mouth is. Hearing about a new primer that can cover everything from masonry to metal to wood in just one coat, Mr. Stafford decided to test it out on his own shop front.

"We put it to the test and it still looks great now," he said.

Satisfying your customer might be one key to business success, but does it not also provide a drawback? How will customers repeatedly flock back for more when the product you sell them can last a lifetime?

It's a question Mr. Stafford has no problem answering.

"In providing products that last a long time, it doesn't mean that you're doing yourself out of business, even in Bermuda where we have a small space and a limited number of clients," he said. "I can't say how the cycle draws back around but as the island is developing, we seem to have a steady stream of customers. I can be looking at supplying one half of the island now and then, in time, turn to the other half. By the time we have supplied them, the first half needs supplying again.

"The great thing about Bermuda at the moment is there's a lot of construction going on. But to be honest, it's always been like that. There's always been an upcycle and it's always been busy industry.

"Our suppliers always want us to provide quality paint and that's what we want to sell. We do as much as we can to promote the quality paint that is going to last."

Although the two divisions of the Stafford empire are currently at different locations ¿ albeit on the same road ¿ a line of flooring products will go on sale at the paint store, enabling customers to examine both floor and wall ideas under the same roof.

Mr. Stafford pointed out that, replacing an old floor is becoming increasingly within the grasp of even the novice do-it-yourselfer. New laminate, clip-together floors that require no special adhesive mean putting down a new floor surface has also become a weekend job for the decorating enthusiast.

"Products like Alloc laminate flooring are definitely bringing down the area of expertise, and we'll be selling it at the paint store," Mr. Stafford said.

"You don't need any special glue – just a tape measure and a saw for when you hit the wall."

Paint manufacturers are also developing new products to help the amateur achieve professional finishes.

And as another aid to the home decorator, Stafford Paint also plans to supply instructional DVDs and computerised colour charts to make that final selection process easier.

New products and high-tech aids are obviously one way to draw the customer in, but for Mr. Stafford, no business can be a success without the human touch.

He has retained many of the staff who worked under the previous owners, partly for their expertise but also because they recognise the importance of good service.

"We hope that we will continue to provide service that we had in past and look to improve it," Mr. Stafford said.

"We need to adapt to our customers and be responsive, to be able to respond to new developments in the industry."

Building might be seen to be very much a man's world, but as far as Mr. Stafford is concerned, when it comes to making that so-important colour choice, women usually have the final say over their partners.

"I'd say it's very much the lady of the house who makes that decision," he said. "The wife might narrow it down to just two or three colours and then ask her husband for an opinion, but that's only to make him feel involved - to get him psyched up for putting it on the walls."

As a successful entrepreneur, Mr. Stafford believes that a few essential ingredients are necessary to achieve a successful recipe.

He said: "You don't always have to be an expert in what you enter into ¿ that's where I was when I entered the painting business. People were saying 'You're a floor guy, what do you know about paint?'

"I saw an opportunity and if you can get the support of experts then that's where you go.

"But it's like anything ¿ you have to be very focused and don't let anything get you down or get you bothered – just keep plugging away. And make sure you have enough room in your office to put a bed in it."