What are Your Walls Saying?

Are they shouting that your home was decorated in the sixties and never have changed since? Remember those walls that matched your green shag carpet? Does every room in your house rate a yawn in boring white?

Paint as well as love "covers a multitude of sins," but it can also update the inside of your home. I consulted with the paint departments of two major home renovation stores to get information about what colors and combinations are most popular right now.

Stark white gets a makeover in rich creams. Neutrals borrow from desert tones, buff, sand, and tawny browns. Darker shades in spicy colors, like cinnamon and nutmeg may be used as a focal point wall without making rooms too dark. Reds like brick and terra cotta make a dramatic statement when used sparingly. Light and darker shades of apricot are favored for bedrooms. Soft sage green and butter yellow light up modern kitchens. A brighter red may cheer on the cook also. Warm colors are in.

If you prefer cool colors, pick some berries; raspberry and cranberry. Your lipstick might match the new mauves which pair well with powder or blush pinks or eye shadow gray or silver.

Another trend is faux finishes. If you liked to finger paint in kindergarten, you may want to try your hand at Venetian plaster, this thicker paint is spread on with a spatula at different angles. Another rich European look is a Tuscan finish applied with a 1-1/4" nap.roller. The look of granite is available in a texturized .paint.

If you find accent pillows, curtains, a throw, or bedcover that inspires you, the experts at your local paint store are happy to make an exact match or find complimentary colors.