A new lipstick, new nail polish, a different hair shade – color can be a quick and easy fix when you need a little lift. Works the same for your home. Instead of a major make-over, try a fresh coat of paint. Painting is cheaper than remodeling, it lets you express your creativity and I’m pretty sure it burns calories, too. Not a bad return for a few hours and a couple gallons.
I looked around and found some cool resources to help you paint yourself out of that white box. Here are my top picks. See what you think and let me know what works for you.
For inspiration, watch the slide show of 20 Living Room Colors That Never Grow Old. It includes the color palette used for each example, suggestions to complement the furniture, flooring and accessories you already have and tells you which manufacturer makes the shades shown.
[image: http://0.tqn.com/d/homerenovations/1/5/W/D/-/-/1.JPG]
Is gray the new blue? Is purple passé? House Beautiful has a slide show that shows you the hottest interior paint color trends.
If you want to go beyond basic and turn your walls into works of art, you’ll find inspiration, ideas, fundamentals, FAQs and demo videos here.
Are you trying to sell your home? Benjamin Moore has some great advice on what paint colors appeal to potential buyers.
DIY network has put together their Top 55 Faux Painting Projects with tips for creating dramatic faux finishes on walls, doors, floors and furniture. Don’t worry about getting in over your head. Each project includes rating for difficulty level, cost and time to complete.
Want to see how a color will look in your home before you break out the brush and roller? Check out Valspar Paint’s Virtual Painter, Sherwin-Williams’ Color Visualizer or Behr’s Paint Your Place.™
Don’t know the first thing about painting? TLC’s How Stuff Works has a really helpful section that covers basic painting techniques, Realtor.com will tell you the right way to prep before you paint and Home Depot has a paint calculator to help you figure out how many gallons you’re going to need.
If you’re big time into research, don’t miss Consumer Report’s Recommended Paints with Buying Guide and Ratings.
And finally, for the truly brave, here are tips for painting with your kids.
Do you have any painting advice you want to share? Let’s hear it.
