Quick Fix #1: Painting Walls
The Challenge: Lack of color.
The Fix: Paint just one wall.
The Reason: Because you get maximum effect for minimum effort. Because it's difficult in many houses with open plans to paint just the living room, since it merges into the foyer, the dining room, and the kitchen. Because if you tire of the color, repainting one wall is easier than repainting four. Because a single wall of color creates a focal point for a room.
The Tip: Choose a rich shade of blue, green, or brown. These are the dominant colors in nature, and most other colors look good with them. The Spitzers' wall was painted with Benjamin Moore Regal Wall Satin in Fairy Tale Blue (#2055-50,
www.benjaminmoore.com for store locations).
The Time: About nine hours.
The Cost: About $150.
Tips on Painting a Wall
Remove any switch plates or outlet covers before painting. Use Ace Brand Clean Release Masking Tape (about $5.50, Ace Hardware, www.acehardware.com for locations) to tape around window frames and moldings. Unless your walls are in good condition and already painted white, apply Zinsser 1-2-3 white pigmented water-based primer-sealer (about $19 a gallon, Ace Hardware, www.acehardware.com for locations). It helps the paint roll on more easily and gives the finish coat a uniform appearance. To pour paint from the can into the roller tray without making a mess, use a Shurline Pour Spout ($2, Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, 800-445-6937 for store locations). Always paint around the moldings, fireplace, and window frames first. Use a two-inch angled brush ($10, Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, 800-445-6937 for store locations). When using a roller, paint a three-by-three-foot W pattern on the wall, then roll to fill in the pattern; this will prevent vertical streaks. Continue in sections until the wall is covered. If you don't want to stand on a ladder, attach a standard broom handle to your roller to reach the ceiling. To skip cleaning a roller between coats, store it in a Ziploc bag (be sure to get all the air out) or wrap it tightly in aluminum foil.
