Interior Painting Ideas

An inside job

A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for any home or apartment. Just a simple paint job can vastly spruce up your interior design, giving you a lot of bang for your buck. It's one of the most inexpensive ways to improve the look of a room or group of rooms.

Following is a brief list of painting ideas that will give your home the look and style you've always wanted. But before using any of the ideas below, always be sure to protect your working area with drop cloths or painting tape. Both of these items are available at any hardware stores, and they are quite inexpensive.

When painting a room, your choices today are no longer limited to flat, semi-gloss, and gloss. Creating your ideal look that complements your style and personality can be as simple as a trip to your local home improvement store for both the tools you need, and the instructions for techniques like rag, sponge, splatter, faux, and texture painting.

If you'd like to give a room a unique look with painted designs, consider stencil painting. If you're able to stay within the lines (it's actually very easy), you can inexpensively add a distinctive touch and flavor to any room. Stencil templates-which are available at craft stores and home-improvement stores-allow you to paint a variety of designs. You might consider a flower border in your sun room, cute stars in your child's bedroom ceiling, or fruit designs in your kitchen. There are styles available to match almost any decor or theme. Be creative!

You might also want to try a wallpaper border. They are much easier to apply than you may think, and a wallpaper border greatly expands your options. Your home improvement store probably even sells a kit containing all the necessary tools. You can add even more appeal by applying it above or below decorative molding in a room, or with complementary wallpaper.

Use wall colors effectively. If you're going to use any other color besides flat white, consider the decor of the room and the "mood" you want your walls to project. For example, a room with brown leather furniture and decor might go well with an eggshell-white or taupe color paint. Also, certain colors are known to affect people's moods. Yellow, for example, induces anxiety in many people-a color that should be avoided. Other colors like lavender are known to be calming and tranquil.

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