Why be boring when you can be exciting? And that goes for home decor, too. For example, if your walls could speak out, they would probably call for help. Aren’t you tired of white walls or that eggshell shade that you thought was all the rage not too long ago? Boring, boring.

With the vast array of products available today, you, the homeowner, can create more interesting and intriguing color effects or hire an expert to get it done for you.

New walls

By using paints and glazes, you can create some of the easiest or the most elegant finishes to your walls in a flash.

There’s everything from sponging and ragging techniques to creating fabulous faux finishes to bring your home alive.

For example, some of the hottest trends to date are using glazes and dragging tools. There are rollers that create the texture and the glaze. The roller does the work. Also available are pearl-like glazes. You can create Old World looks on your furniture pieces or accessories using crackle paints and varnishes or give walls that aged look.

New techniques

From sponging to ragging and rolling, the use of glazes and texturizing tools has become a cool way to update your home.  Feather dusters can be used to create a soft clouding look or combs, too, can be used to create the look of denim. If you set your mind to it, almost anything is do-able! Most decorating centers and do-it-yourself stores have easy to follow pamphlets giving you step-by-step instructions.

Fresh color

Remember that fresh color can update a room, disguise a fault, or open a small space. Choose one of today’s soft new colors, led by blue, aqua, and true lavender, to transform your home interior. While blue is still popular, shades of cool, pale or lemon yellow are gaining momentum. The return of true greens with blue undertones reflects another strong color trend. Softened hues of orange and red are also being introduced as energizing, accent colors.

Overall, colors being used now are fresh as well as clean. Don’t use more than three colors per room and take care to choose colors that work together throughout the entire home. You can create a happy, relaxed atmosphere by selecting warm colors like lemon yellow, coral and orange. Warm colors make for a cozy atmosphere and blend nicely with neutral or natural shades.

On the flip side, cool shades of blue, green and purple are restful. Try using cool colors in a sunny room or where brightness and glare needs to be toned down.

Your style

Choosing the right wall paint color depends on what you like, the amount of natural light, and artificial light, flooring colors, and furniture colors. Keep your interior trim color simple and the same throughout your home. Unify your trim and ceiling by painting them the same color. Though this effect is subtle, it keeps all your rooms related to each other.

For moldings and doors, ask the paint store to mix a blend of your color choice cut with white. A common formula for this is one-part color to three parts white.

Scrape minor cracks on walls and ceilings, fill them with spackling compound, let dry, sand and fill again. Before you start painting, seal every gap or crack with the best quality latex caulk you can find. Look for trouble spots around doors, windows, corners or where walls meet floors and ceilings.

Use good paint

Invest in good premium paint, brushes and roller covers. Bargain paint is no bargain if you’re looking for better coverage, longer wear and a more washable surface.

Select a professional quality 3-inch wide synthetic-bristle brush. It’s best to use an l/2-inch nap roller cover when applying flat paint; 3/8-inch nap for semi-gloss and l/4-inch nap for high gloss finishes.

To determine how much paint, you’ll need, simply calculate the surface area to be painted. Multiply this by the number of coats you expect to apply. Read the container label to find out how much area the paint will cover. Divide the area per container into your total surface area to determine how many containers you’ll need. Spreading paint too thinly lowers its durability so don’t skimp.

Overall, it’s up to you what color and texture you want to use to spruce up the walls (or anything else) in your home. Have fun and let your imagination go wild! Your walls will surely thank you!