The Van Gogh House, a Central Florida landmark painted in the style of Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” is receiving a fresh coat of paint thanks to a donation from Florida Paints. But this is more than just a home improvement project — it’s a story of love, advocacy, and art with a purpose.
A Home that Became a Landmark
In 2017, homeowner Nancy Nemhauser made the bold decision to cover her home in a mural inspired by her autistic son Chip’s favorite painting, “Starry Night.” For Chip, who is language-impaired and known to wander, the mural served a vital purpose — it helped him recognize his home and feel a sense of safety and comfort.
“He’s known to be a runner,” Nancy shared in an interview with WKMG News 6. “I wanted to make sure he could identify where he was going.”
The city of Mount Dora responded with thousands of dollars in code violation fines, launching a legal battle that garnered national attention. Nancy fought back and won — and in the process, the house became a symbol of advocacy, resilience, and autism awareness.
A Refresh for a New Chapter
Years later, the Florida sun has begun to wear down the vibrant mural. Now, as the story prepares to be shared with the world through a new documentary titled “Starry Fight: A Canvas for the World”, Florida Paints has stepped in to help.
As part of its “Paint a Brighter Day” community initiative, Florida Paints donated paint, primers, and specialty coatings to help restore the mural and prepare the home for filming. The Florida Paints team also conducted precise, onsite color matching to preserve the mural’s original design while enhancing its durability with weather-tested coatings made for Florida’s unique climate.
“The Van Gogh Starry Night House tells a story about how art can bring people together,” said Rick Strube, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Florida Paints. “We’re honored to lend a helping hand to the Nemhauser family so the house can shine brighter than ever before and inspire more of our community members and visitors for years to come.”
Starry Fight: A Story for the World
The story of the Van Gogh House is now being brought to life on film through Starry Fight: A Canvas for the World, a documentary by director Lionel “Lee” Montells. The film will follow Nancy and Chip’s journey, their legal battle, and how this once-controversial mural became a symbol of hope and visibility for the autism community.
Currently in production, Starry Fight will explore themes of advocacy, parental determination, and how creativity can be a powerful force for change. Viewers will also get a behind-the-scenes look at the home’s restoration and the passionate people working to preserve its meaning for years to come.
The documentary is expected to premiere later this year, with more details to be announced soon. You can follow its progress and learn more at starryfight.com.
Florida Paints believes in the power of paint to transform communities. We are deeply committed to supporting local nonprofits and organizations through paint donations that help restore buildings and homes, bring people together, uplift environments, and offer hope to those in need. Together, we can Paint a Brighter Day.
From Local Inspiration to Global Spotlight
In recent weeks, the story has been shared by media outlets across Florida and beyond, including:
- WKMG News 6 / ClickOrlando
Watch the full story - WFTV Channel 9
Read the story here - Fox 35 Orlando & Fox 51
Broadcast and digital coverage ongoing - Orlando Sentinel
Featured in print and digital editions - Yahoo! Life
Read the feature
A Story That’s Still Being Written
The restoration work is ongoing and will culminate in a community unveiling ceremony later this month. As part of the refresh, Florida Paints also supported an autism artist-led canvas painting, which will be incorporated into the home’s terrace as an infinity symbol — a powerful visual statement of connection and unending love.
This project is a continuation of Florida Paints’ broader commitment to giving back through color. The company’s Paint a Brighter Day program has donated over 8,000 gallons of paint to nonprofits, community organizations, and families in need.
For Florida Paints, it’s not just about paint — it’s about purpose.
Learn More
💙 To learn more about the documentary, visit starryfight.com
🎨 To learn more about Florida Paints and the Paint a Brighter Day initiative, visit floridapaints.com
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Sam Moore
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