7 Can't-Miss Paint Colors

The go-to, goof-proof, by-the-gallon way to freshen up every room in the house, from home-decorating expert and Today show contributor Elizabeth Mayhew.

From Reader's Digest

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These seven options will make your next paint decision easier.

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From Clipart.com

These seven options will make your next paint decision easier.

• Million Dollar Red (#2003-10): Good for dining rooms and family rooms.
  


• Potpourri Green (#2029-50): "Earthy and pale," a neutral for kitchens and bathrooms.
  


• Wood Grain Brown (#2109-30): Less red and more gray than Hershey's Kiss brown, this is the color Mayhew used in her own dining room.
  


• Hawthorne Yellow (#HC-4): Good for rooms and hallways without much light.
  


• Gray Owl (#2137-60): Works in bedrooms or throughout the house.
  


• Birds Egg (#2051-60): A blue with a "clean gray tint," another all-purpose color for Mayhew.
  


• Early Morning Mist (#1528): "Somewhere between gray and beige" is this versatile neutral "greige."

--Source: Flip! For Decorating: A Page-by-Page, Piece-by-Piece, Room-by-Room Guide to Transforming Your Home by Elizabeth Mayhew (Ballantine, $24)

From Reader's Digest - May 2009

• • Decorating

• Tips for a Neater Paint Job
• Use dropcloths and masking tape to protect against splatters and spills.
• 
• How To Paint Woodwork: Tips and Techniques
• How to brush a silky smooth paint finish on trim.
•