Paint Ideas That Will Make Your Friends Jealous

Painting a room is one of the easiest ways to alter a home's appearance. Even if all you do is add a little color, you can bring new life to an old room. Step outside the traditional realm of home decorating by looking for paint ideas that will help you express your personality and your style. Need help getting started? Here are a few simple ideas that you can try.

Painting Idea 1: Boost Curb Appeal With Neutral Colors

The way your home looks on the outside can affect what people expect to see on the inside. With the right exterior paint, you can make your friends and neighbors jealous. Consider the following options when you want a good paint job.

• Start small by painting the front door. You don't have to know how to paint a room or a home's exterior before you can start making changes. Practice your skills on the front door. You'd be surprised at how this can alter your home's appearance. For a bold look, choose a red paint. For a fresh look, consider a yellow hue.


• Use white paint to emphasize your home's architectural detail. This look works well for almost any type of house, but it can really make Victorian-style homes pop. Start with a neutral color for your exterior walls and limit the white to trim features. For example, you can use the white paint on window frames and railings.


• Add a touch of class to your home by selecting a color like Behr's stately gray for the exterior walls. This hue has the ability to elevate your home from traditional to stylish while preserving class. The look works well for homes with dormer windows, garrets or rich-colored accessories, such as a wooden front door.

Paint Idea 2: Create an Old-World Feel With Fresco

If you want a paint idea that will make your home look as if you spent top dollar on a professional artisan, then you want to add a fresco faux-finish to one of your walls. With this painting technique, you can add dimension to your wall that will mimic the aged beauty of handcrafted plaster walls. This technique can be the perfect backdrop for your favorite traditional artwork or your antiques. Use the following process to step back in time:

1. Use a sea-sponge roller to apply a dimensional base coat, like Sherwin Williams Faux Impressions Dimensional Basecoat. Unlike traditional paint projects, this project won't require you to hire a professional painter. In fact, you should use an uneven texture.


2. Spread the base coat with a finishing trowel before it has a chance to set. For the best results, use a curving motion. Don't press too hard or you'll flatten the texture. Once you have the basecoat spread out, let it dry.


3. Apply two layers of an interior latex paint in your color of choice. In most cases, you'll use a matte finish paint. Use a paint brush to paint along the trim and blend this area with the rest of the wall using a roller before the trimmed section can dry. If the paint along the trim dries before you paint the wall, you'll create a frame that will ruin your faux finish.


4. Let the paint dry and then add a layer of glaze that is the same color as the interior latex paint. For the best results, apply the glaze to a moist sponge and use circular strokes to spread the glaze onto the textured wall. To lighten an area, go over it again with the sponge without reapplying more glaze. To darken an area, add more glaze.

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Paint Idea 3: Modernize Your Kitchen With Paint

Simple paint ideas can have a major impact in a kitchen. If you're looking for a smaller project than fresco, consider the following easy home improvement projects:

• Create a modern space by updating your cabinets with black paint. This works really well when you have light-colored walls. If you feel like the cabinets are too dark, take the doors and the hardware off and leave the cabinets open. By doing this, the cabinets will become the perfect backdrop for you to display dishes, jars, glasses or other kitchen accessories.


• Lighten the room with yellow paint. Most homeowners know that white paint will lighten a room, but they may not realize that other people find white walls cold and uninviting. By using a light yellow color instead, you can add a subtle warm touch to the room while improving the lighting.


• Invite kids into the kitchen with chalkboard paint. You can use this type of paint in a variety of ways. Paint the pantry door and use the surface to keep track of family information. Paint the bottom cupboards and let the kids "re-decorate" every day.

Changing the way your home looks is as easy as picking up a can of paint and a paintbrush, but impressing your friends may require more than a fresh coat of paint. Start with these ideas and see where your inspiration takes you. Find the best paint brands at our DIY blog.