Hoping to change the look of your living spaces? It’s easy to do with just a simple change of paint color and the incorporation of decorative painting techniques. Just take a cue from the winners of the Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute's recent competition, “The Prettiest Painted Rooms in America”. This national competition invited designers and decorators to showcase their best use of paint color and pattern within an interior living space.

To make your own home a competition contender, try the following painting ideas garnered from the contest.

	1. Plain walls receive an instant lift through the addition of varying directions of beadboard and wainscoting. This media room provides a tranquil and inviting atmosphere with cool paint shades of turquoise and subtle green.
	2. A hand painted mural sets the tone for gracious living in this two story entrance. While hand painting a mural may not be for everyone, the use of easy-to-do stencils can replicate wall coverings or a favorite scene.
	3. A tone-on-tone strie technique provides this room with an every changing appearance. The walls of this living room where first painted with a cantaloupe colored paint. A slightly deeper hued glaze coat was then applied and, working from top to bottom, a clean, dry brush was “dragged” through the colored glaze.
	4. A young boy’s bedroom receives a real color punch by incorporating bold paint stripes. The lampshade provided the inspiration for both color and pattern. Use painters tape and a level to achieve this striking effect at home.
	5. This soulful space is a wonderful place to relax at the end of a busy day. Painted in the palest blue and punctuated with chocolate brown furnishings, this bedroom color combination is easy to duplicate in any home.