Black or taupe, wine or white? “Transforming your home from ‘last year’ to ‘New Year’ with a new paint color is one of the most inexpensive and easiest ways to achieve quick design impact,” said Debbie Zimmer, paint and color expert with the Paint Quality Institute. “A gallon of paint and the right painting tools are all that stand between a space that’s ‘drab and dreary’ and one that’s ‘bright and cheery.’ Or, if subtle is more your style, some of the newest neutral tones can add lots of comfort and flair.”

Whatever color best suits your unique personality, Zimmer added, remember that a fresh coat of wall paint is a wonderful backdrop for furnishings or fabrics — if not the room statement wholly on its own. Zimmer shared, “And unlike many other types of home improvement projects, painting can be completed year-round, with minimal cost and minimal time.”

So, Zimmer emphasized, this weekend is the perfect time to start the year right-dramatically renewing your space, from the kitchen to living area, from bedroom to bath, with a fresh new hue for 2010!

Five quick tips from the Paint Quality Institute:

1. Not much time? Paint an interior accent wall with a dramatic new color.
2. Look up and say “Goodbye” to boring ceilings.
3. Who made the rule that all trim must be white? Break the rule, and create a classic monochromatic feel by painting baseboards and moldings the same hue as the walls but with a higher sheen.
4. Ready to wall-mount that new flat panel for the playoffs? Take a moment and add some bold color to the wall behind it. Your view of the games will be “picture-perfect” when it’s framed with the right color.
5. Whose got paint leftover? Put it to work, and delight your overlooked closet or pantry with the “pizzazz” of a new paint job.

To read more on 2010 paint color trends and tips, visit www.paintquality.com


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