Have you ever been on an errand at the home improvement store and sorta happened to detour by the paint chips “just to look”? And stood there pulling paint chips and grouping them in your hands with some unformed future project swirling through your grey matter?

And lusting over a previously unnoticed perfect shade of pale blue-grey-green?

Nah, that NEVER happens to me!

Paint lovers, unite! Don’t be ashamed of your love for that luscious lime, that incredible inky blue, that scrumptious saturated scarlet!

Because really and truly, paint can give you more bang for your buck than almost any decorating tool. Take your interiors beyond builder grade! Get out of neutral nowheresville!

Just look at some effects I achieved with paint on recent projects…

You’ve probably seen bookshelf backs painted, but I decided for this “glam” Airbnb apartment to pull all the colors from the project into the background for this little knock-your-socks-off niche.  And so that the items on the shelf don’t fight with the paint, I styled it with all white accessories!

(Hey, if you try this idea, would you send me your photo? I’d love to see your take on it!)

Why not use paint to create a frame for a displayed object, like I did for the dining room of this Texas State Fair-themed Airbnb? The painted outline draws your attention to the object and says, “Looky here!”  (And a hidden sensor starts a recording of the Texas state song–JUST KIDDING!)

On that note (and with MORE paint ideas) you could keep your theme going with some chalkboard paint and chalk pen text, as I did in that Airbnb’s bathroom! Naturally, you can replicate this idea with any text that inspires you on a different wall in your home–we just wanted to give guests a little prompt for singing in the shower!

For a real one-two punch, try some painted horizontal stripes for a bold graphic look. The black and white was perfect for the Texas accent wall, and I couldn’t resist a little painted cactus wall art in the foyer for fun. You say you’re not the artist? You could always find some printed art you like, then trade your talents with an artistic friend who can recreate it for you!

Of course, if bold contrast is not in your wheelhouse, you can use the same paint technique and a softer palette to make a different statement, as I did in the bedroom of my client’s daughter. Because she loves birds, it seemed natural to pull some sky blue into the scheme.

With your trusty painter’s tape, patience, and three colors of paint, you could even have THIS wowza plaid wall in your home!

(You could also call that artistic friend of yours.)

My point being, imagine past boring beige (even if your dad says it’s best for resale) to some fresh new looks that creative use of paint in your home can bring you!