I want to paint my fireplace. It was red brick with black mortar. The previous owner sponged the brick face with grey paint. It has built-in oak bookcases on each side. It creates a solid wall of 'dark', and I thought painting the brick and mortar would lighten it up and let the bookcases stand out. My walls are cream and the carpet is forest green. Every thing else in the room is earthy colors. Any suggestion for the fireplace color, and for painting brick?

Painting the brick should be pretty easy. Just be sure to use a thick nap roller which will give better coverage on an uneven surface. I would go with a light, neutral color if your goal is to lighten it up the fireplace and make the bookcases stand out. Use a cream or off white that compliments the stain on the bookcases and blends (or matches) your existing wall color. This will give you a fresh, bright pallet to decorate around.

	My bedroom is currently mocha faux suede with a deep red accent wall. I painted it this way about 5 years ago. Is the red accent wall still a good trend or should I change it?
	Red is always a good trend, but if you’re ready for a change, try a sky blue color on the accent wall. Rich browns and lighter blues go great together. Find a shade of blue that compliments your existing mocha faux suede. It will add serenity, and instantly update the space.

We are painting our kitchen cabinets black and adding brushed nickel hardware to give it a more contemporary look. We have butcher block as a backsplash, and my husband wants to get rid of it and paint the walls red for a back splash. I thought more of a brick red but he wants a red red. Which would help bring out the contemporary look without being garish?

Both reds would work in the space. When people go red, I like to see them go bold! The “red red” (which usually has some underlying blue tones) will pop nicely against the black cabinets, the brick red will have a warmer, earthy feel. Both can look contemporary. I would base the color you choose on other tones in rooms bordering the kitchen. Hold up samples of your red options against some of your existing wall colors, furniture, and décor, and see which red blends more naturally with your existing color scheme.

	I am renovating an old 1946 home. None of the walls are smooth and lighting accentuates this problem. I'm thinking about texturing the walls. I don't care for wallpaper but I am open to suggestions.
	A Venetian Plaster (which you can do the old school way with actual plaster, or with a faux Venetian paint) or a faux suede paint, will diminish the imperfections and add some design interest to the walls. I never used to like wallpaper either, but there are so many amazing prints out there to choose from these days. It’s not your “grandmother's wallpaper” anymore!

My home is about 10 years old and the kitchen needs an update. I have an open floor plan with kitchen and family area connecting. My cabinets are white and I need some ideas for countertops and flooring and cabinet hardware but I also have a limited budget! Help!

Let’s start by unifying the open floor plan…If you have existing wood flooring in the family area, continue that into the kitchen. If you have carpet in the adjoining area, than you can do any flooring you like. Woods or cork are easy on the knees and back in a kitchen area where everyone stands a lot. Porcelain or ceramic tile are cost effective, low maintenance and stand up to high traffic. Spend the bulk of your budget on countertops!!! It’s what people notice and a good quality product has good resale value. Natural stone holds its value very well. Solid surface counters are sometimes lower cost and are often maintenance free, so look at all your options. I love the look of a Soapstone grey counter with white cabinets and honey colored wood floor. Very classic and timeless so you don’t have to remodel in another 5-10years! Restoration style hardware (chrome) will give the kitchen age and character. And give the space some pizzaz with a fresh coat of paint on the walls and a fun, low cost tile backsplash.

I currently have a white satin fireplace mantle. What is the best way to get a smooth high gloss black paint on the mantle?

When you’re painting with high gloss black paint, it’s all about being patient. To start, lightly sand the existing satin finish. Clean with a tack cloth to remove dust particles. Use a short nap mohair roller to apply the paint. Do not use brushes as the brush strokes are very evident. You can use as many coats as you like until you get to your desired finish. Some experts prefer to “wet sand” (dampen the painted surface and lightly sand with a very high grit sandpaper between paint applications). The coat applied on top of this should dry smoothly. After you get the finish that you like, you can buff the surface to take off the haze and draw out the shine.

	I need to paint my dining room. I have painted my entry dark red, a small hallway dark blue and there are other shades of blue throughout my house. I'm worried about using too many different colors, yet I really like a golden color in a dining room. Would that work, or should I stick to a color I've already used before?
	I love blues and reds together, so you're off to a good start! Keeping colors similar helps the home from feeling disjointed. But if you are longing for a new tone, make sure it blends with the red & blue palate you have established. Stay away from 'yellow' golds and lean more toward a 'tan/kahki' gold and it will flow better.

My living room is small, narrow, and dark, with a low ceiling. How can I brighten it up and make it seem bigger?

There is an ongoing debate on how to use light or dark colors in a small room, but if your goal is to make it feel bigger & brighter, here's my take: If the room gets good natural light, use warm yellow or terracotta tones. It will make it warm and inviting, and bright. If you have very little natural light, use cool tones like light blues and greens. If there is dark trim, paint it light-you can even use the wall color to create a contemporary, seamless look. And lastly, avoid any design elements like wainscotting that creates division in the room. We want the eye to move freely throughout the space.

	My questions are about colors. You can see my kitchen from the Living room and vice-versa, and you can see my bedroom from living room and vice-versa. How can I paint each room and keep them from clashing with each other?
	The best way to avoid colors that clash is to look to nature! Think fall leaves, blue waters, green grasses and plants, even the Grand Canyon. Nature layers and blends color for us beautifully, so find a family of tones you like and go from there.

I bought an old barn we're converting to a home. Is there a DIY product that we can use on the first floor to keep moisture from coming up (they didn't use a vapor barrier under the concrete). Since I'm in a wheelchair, it needs to be fairly easy to use. Thanks.

Congrats on your barn conversion! What an exciting project. The vapor barrier you use can be determined by the type of flooring you choose. If you are installing hardwood flooring on a plywood underlayment, then layers of asphalt felt with asphalt mastic or 6 mil polyethylene sheathing are the best choices. If you are installing a floating floor of any kind, then the manufacturer of the product you are using will recommend an underlayment that is a vapor barrier and sound transmission retarder in one (usually made from foam, cork, or rubber). I always opt for the highest quality underlayment possible if you plan on living in the home for a long lime. The floating floor with a roll out underlayment is the easiest option, but not necessarily the best choice for your application. In the end it will depend on budget, your choice of flooring, and the amount of labor you would like to commit to.

	The owners before us didn't seal the walls before they put up wallpaper. In removing the paper from the sheetrock the paper from the sheetrock came off. I know I have to prepare the sheetrock before re wall papering but how do I fix the areas where the paper came off?
	First, sand off lightly (100 grit) the areas that have any debris. Next, seal the wall with a drywall sealer (like Guardz) or a primer. Then skim coat the damaged areas with drywall taping mud. Let dry. Sand. (repeat mudding/sanding as needed until smooth). Apply primer. Now you're ready to hang new wallpaper, or paint.

	I'm installing travertine pattern stone on concrete slab with radiant heat. Is it necessary to install a slip sheet under the radiant heat mesh or does the radiant heat act as a slip sheet itself under the tile?
	You can addhere the in- floor heat mesh to the concrete slab, and then tile directly on top, being very carefull not to knick the heating wires with the trowel. Some people prefere to pour a layer of self leveling concrete over the in- floor heat, let cure completely, then tile on top of that. It is one more step, but makes the tile job much easier.

"I need to gut my kitchen. Help, what's new for a very small 10x11 kitchen? Our refrigerator has to be moved, new flooring and walls then cabinets."

Small spaces are the new "big"! It is a game of inches and good planning and use of space is key. Customize the cabinets to maximize storage. Run cabinets to the ceiling. Pull out pantries, slide out shelves and trash bins, spice racks, etc. use space wisely and keep you from having to dig in the back of cupboards. Install a microwave (like the new "drawer" microwaves) UNDER the counter to save precious work space. You don't need walking space in a kitchen, just work space, so explore all your options when it comes to reconfiguring the room. Undercabinet light iluminates your work area, makes the space feel bigger, and is a great design feature when it highlights a new backsplash.

	We want to put a satin finish paint on a wall that has high gloss paint on it. How do we prepare the wall?
	There are several products (one is called "Gloss Off") that are designed to prepare high gloss and other hard-to-stick surfaces for painting. But, you can also just use 100grit sandpaper and lightly scuff the walls to knock the sheen down. Then wipe with a talc cloth to remove any dust and you are ready to paint.

We are fixing up an old farm house. The wood is not even. I'm trying to get clear lines on the trim. I love the Scotch Blue, it's still hard to get clear lines. Any tips? Thank You.

One way to give yourself a new line on the uneven trim is to put Scotch-Blue™ Painter's Tape on the wall up to the trim in as straight a line as possible. Use paintable caulk to line the uneven bottom of the trim. Squeeze a thin bead on the line, wipe over with a wet finger to smooth it out, and remove the tape immediately (and slowly). Let the caulk dry. You now have a new "straight line" between the trim and the wall to paint. Now you can start the taping and painting process as usual!

I have dark wood paneling in my new house. I can't afford to take down the paneling yet, but I'd like to brighten up the room. What are my painting options that will minimize the look of the paneling?

Start by using a multi-purpose primer or adhesion primer that is made to adhere tightly to glossy paint, paneling and other slick surfaces. Then paint with your prefered color scheme. I love the whitewashed look on old paneling, it looks as if it was meant to be there as opposed to something you are trying to cover up. And it brings a bright, fresh look to a room that was previously dark, and outdated.

Hi Amy, I love your shows. I learn so much. I have a question about painting a refrigerator. I have a perfectly good frig but it doesn't match with the current kitchen. I know I can paint it with an good appliance paint but can you tell me what I can do with the plastic handles. Can they be painted with the same paint?

Thanks for watching my shows! Painting plastics is tough, especially on a surface like a handle that gets so much use. Here's a step-by-step to get you started, but keep in mind this is an area that you will have to revisit for touchups. Remove the handles and any plastic covers needing paint. Start by cleaning the plastic surfaces with rubbing alcohol to remove any hand oils or kitchen grease. Lightly sand the plastic to scuff the surface and to help paint adhere better. Lightly spray or roll on a paint (intended for plastic) let dry completely and follow with multiple, light coats for the best finish.

Stripes are nice, but I've been thinking of painting circles and ovals too. Got any helpful ideas for getting clean curved lines?

Circles are fun and easy to make on the wall. First, determine the size of the circle you want to make. The most common and easy trick is to tie one end of a string to a nail, or thumb tack and the other end to a pencil. Put the tack on the wall where you want the center of your circle to be. Pull the pencil to the point where the string is taught. Start drawing your circle, making sure to keep the tip in touch with the wall the entire time. Change the length of the string for a variety of circle sizes!

	Need a "NO HOLES" way to hang/remove, framed watercolor fine art 18x24, & leave no holes or adhesive on the walls. Thanks for helpful info.
	Try using Command™ Picture Hanging Strips from 3M. With Command™ Picture Hanging Strips, you can easily put up and take down all of your pictures without the mess and damage of traditional hanging methods. It features a patented stretch release adhesive technology that is easy to apply and removes cleanly with no mess. When used correctly, there is no damage to your picture or your wall.

	I just finished painting my master bath and was not sure how long to leave the painters tape on after painting. I could not find any directions on the package so I came on-line. I still cannot find the answer to: How long can I leave the painter tape on before removal?
	In general, it's best to remove the tape when the paint is dry to the touch. In most cases, the paint will feel dry within 2-3 hours, but dry time depends on the paint used, number of coats, and the temperature and humidity levels.

	Where can I find the triangles of masking tape to mask the corners of my windows (diamond shape) so as not to get too much paint on the glass in those corners?
	Try using Scotch-Blue™ Painter's Tape for Corners and Hinges. These are pre-cut pieces of tape designed to fit into corners or to cover standard hinges while painting. They are available at most retailers that sell Scotch-Blue™ Painter's Tapes.

If you put blue painter’s tape over wall paper i.e. decorative trim around the ceiling, will it come off without tearing or damaging the decorative pattern?

Wallpaper can be a very delicate surface, so make sure it is strong enough to put tape on before starting. If the wallpaper is vinyl coated, it is safe to use Scotch-Blue™ Painter's Tape for Delicate Surfaces #2080, with the orange core. To be safe, test the tape in an inconspicuous area before painting. If you proceed with painting, remove the tape when the paint is dry to the touch. Remove at a slow pace, at a 45 degree angle to the surface, and hold the wallpaper in place as the tape is removed.

I want to paint stripes on a room in an attic that has not been dormed yet. Therefore, the bottom wall is about 4 feet high. What will make this room seem taller? Or should I just use different color on each wall? Please help.

I love stripes to create drama and draw the eye up, but in an attic (especially if the ceiling is an A frame-angled at the top – as most are) stripes could feel very busy overhead. A solid color will actually unify the space and give it height, but if you want drama, a darker color on the lower wall (4-foot section) like a wainscoting, and then a lighter color on the top section and ceiling would be nice as well!

	My daughter had friends sign her walls. Now she is on her own, how do I get rid of the "graffiti. Would love to make a guest room.
	If it is heavily stained you may need to use a layer of KILZ® primer (a heavy duty primer) to cover it. Or if you're covering it with a dark paint color anyway, a bit of your final color mixed into your primer should make sufficient coverage.

I have a very drab master bedroom that I want to create a peaceful, cabin type, outdoor feeling without spending too much money. The bed frame is built into the floor so we want to make it fun by attempting a bed made from logs with a interesting head board. The walls are white. I bought ivory curtains that are sheer. I have blue chairs that I got free and a tiffany type flower lamp in orangish peach, green, and brown. How would a Brick color paint for one wall and lighter hue for others be?

I love the idea of a brick color on the wall, especially if you lean toward the tints you said are in the Tiffany lamp. It will keep it earthy, yet unified with some of the other elements in the room. Light blues (like in your chair) and reds/burnt brick usually go well together. Make sure to do a sample board (or section of wall first) to test with the existing furniture you have, and to see the color in different shades of daylight. It will save you the headache of painting a dramatic color that looks much different on the wall that you thought it would!