you're done!

Special effects
You can try adding personal touches to your walls, but this must be done carefully and with a lot of thought. Before adding frills, test them on a poster board.

Sponges, cloths and combs can add cool effects. Try dipping different fabrics in paint and running them over walls and trims.

One neat trick is running a window squeegee with ridges cut into the rubber over a fresh layer of paint. This adds a cool 3-D effect. You can also find cool texture paints, which feature the effect to begin with (such as denim or sandstone).

Cleaning the equipment
For latex-based paint: use soap and water. Really, that's it.

For oil-based paint: put on some gloves and soak the brushes in a bucket with turpentine solvent. Try not to breathe deeply. Rinse in more solvent, then wash with soap and water. Let dry.

Never pour solvent or oil-based paints down the drain; it's extremely bad for the environment, as it can seep into soil and contaminate local water supplies. Instead, find out about disposing of hazardous wastes in your town. Many cities have home pickup services for solvents and other wastes.

Storing paint
Oil-based paints can last a long time, and are handy to keep if you ever want to make touchups. Latex paints, however, go bad after a while. Consider giving paint away to friends or to Habitat for Humanity, a charity that builds housing for needy people.

• Don't paint over wallpaper. Peel it fully before painting.
• Wear a hat so that paint doesn't drip on your head when painting the ceiling.
• Open the windows to air out the rooms. Use a good-sized fan to keep the air moving.
• Use a facemask if using oil-based paint in a closed room.
• Work smart: alternate rooms so that while one is drying, you're painting the others.
• Oil-based paint can be cleaned from skin with vegetable oil.
• Unpainted drywall and plaster must be primed before painted. Untreated wood must be stained before painting. enjoy your pad, picasso
  
  

Now that you know how to paint like the pros, make your living area match your personality.