1. Repaint.
Of course, this only works if your otherwise beautiful wall has been painted to resemble the murky depths of a stagnant pond, or a mural of the French Riviera that went horribly wrong. Repainting assumes that, underneath a few ugly color choices, your wall is not inherently ugly. If this is the case, get a good primer and a pleasing shade of whatever color makes you happy, and go at that ugly wall. You can also paint over dated paneling, those fake ceramic tile boards, and wood, as long as you use a good quality primer made for the purpose. Some primers even claim to adhere well to ceramic tile itself.

2. Hide it behind fabric.
Similar to sweeping your pile of dirty clothes under the bed, you can stick that ugly wall behind something pleasant to look at, and no one will be the wiser. Tapestries are a good choice; no longer are they just for castles or hippies, but come in a wide variety of styles and colors. Quilts are another good way to cover up an ugly wall. Draperies, hung from ceiling to floor, can be used to cover up the wall. Theoretically, you could hang fabric over all the walls in a room; as long as your fabric was not too dark, the effect would be pleasing. Practically, though, this might make finding light switches and outlets difficult.

3. Repaper.
Depending on the condition of your wall, fresh wallpaper might be able to save it. If your wall is not smooth and flat, most wallpaper will be difficult to properly install, but there is a very heavy type of paintable wallpaper that is designed to cover up cracks and minor imperfections. This paper is available in simple textures, as well as more intricate patterns that can help to hide particularly uneven walls. After you apply it, you can paint it the same color as the rest of the room, which will help your ugly wall to blend in seamlessly with its surroundings. Just make sure to remove all loose or peeling material from the wall before applying, or your new wallpaper will also start to peel.

4. Hide it behind enormous furniture.
While a gigantic dresser might be difficult to obtain, there is plenty of floor to ceiling shelving available. Instead of your ugly wall, you could be surrounded by floor to ceiling books, collectible plates, antique dolls, or your great grandfather’s prized collection of seven hundred porcelain elephants.

5. Posters.
We are not talking about your old college dorm, “101 Ways to Cure a Hangover” posters stuck in the wall with four mismatched thumbtacks. A group of posters, framed in cheap plexiglass frames and hung close together in a group, can be a great way to cover up an ugly wall and add some visual interest to a room. Posters that would have historically been posted on city walls or fences work best grouped so closely together: band posters, old advertisements, old movie posters, and theater bills all work well. Make sure the colors of the posters compliment each other and the room itself.

6. Work with the ugliness.
Hey, sometimes ugly can be cool. Just look at those interior decorators who spend hours making it look as though the plaster is crumbling off the wooden lath or brick beneath. And there you were, complaining that your plaster walls were showing the brick. Okay, maybe most of our ugly walls involve damaged drywall and peeling wallpaper, which are significantly less sexy than exposed brick. But you can still see if there is a way you can embrace the ugliness. Maybe stripes of paint or large flower shapes can make that plaid wallpaper attractive again. Maybe not, but it can be fun to find out. If your wall is horrifically ugly to begin with, what could you possibly do to make it worse?

7. Hang stuff on the wall.
Put up a bunch of wall hooks (assuming your wall is stable enough to accept hooks), and hang your coats, your hat collection, or a bunch of sparkly vintage dresses on the wall. Or put a few small shelves up and put some wildly trailing plants on them. Wall mirrors, old photos, framed flowers, your father’s collection of antique road signs; they can all cover up your ugly wall. Of course, now your room feels ten foot square and you are so overwhelmed by all the visual clutter that you want to cry, but at least you can’t see the wall behind all that stuff!

8. More joint compound!
If your walls are strong and stable, but suffer from someone’s attempt to create a stucco texture that does nothing but collect dust and scrape your elbows when you walk down the hallway, try scraping off the highest points and smoothing joint compound over the rest. You won’t end up with perfectly smooth walls, but you should be able to improve the texture significantly. Instead of sanding the walls when you are done, a slightly damp sponge can be used to smooth it out, creating much less mess.

If all else fails, there is always the sledgehammer and a trip to the home improvement store for new sheetrock. In most cases, though, you can make your walls a lot more attractive without resorting to wall-directed violence. And remember: a wall doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.

Lead Based Paint Hazard

Are you concerned with lead based paint in your home? Below is some information to better inform you of where lead based paint is found and steps to take reduce the risk of exposure to lead.

Lead based paint is mostly found in homes that were built before 1978, as the Federal Government put a ban on lead-based paint in homes in that year. A few states had banned lead based paint even earlier than that.

Where can lead based paint be found?

1. Homes located in the city, country, or suburbs
2. Apartments or single-family homes, along with private and public housing complexes
3. Interior as well as the exterior of the house
4. Soil surrounding the house due to lead paint or leaded gas seeping from cars

If you suspect your house has lead based paint, take precautions before you or your contractor do any remodeling or renovation that may disturb the paint.

First, have the area tested for lead. You can call up a Lead Abatement Specialist in your area to come out to your home and conduct these tests. Or you can call the EPA for a listing of specialists in your area.

Second, if you chose to remove the paint, do not use a belt-sander, heat gun with high temperatures, or dry sand paper to remove the lead based paint as this can generate large amounts of lead dust and fumes. This dust and smell can linger in your home for days to weeks after the work is done.

Third, if you discover that you do have lead based paint, and you want to remove it, you should temporarily move your family out of the house or apartment (especially children and pregnant women). Keep away until all the work is completed and the house has been properly cleaned of all dust and fumes. If it is not possible to move your family out for that time period, then at least block off that area, sealing it tightly so no dust or fumes reaches the rest of the house. Close off and cover any vents in the area being remodeled/repaired.

Please note that lead based paint does NOT necessarily have to be removed. It can stay in place and be encased with the proper coat/type of paint. If the paint is not chipping or flaking, it does not necessarily pose a hazard. The hazard comes from the dust and fumes of the paint that are inhaled or from flaking paint chips that a small child may ingest.

For more information, call 1-800-424-LEAD and ask for the brochure “Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home.” This brochure explains what to do before, during, and after renovations.

If you have already completed renovations or remodeling that could have released lead-based paint or dust, get your young children tested in case of exposure to lead.

Painting Drywall

The most important tip is to make sure the drywall is in good shape. If it is bumpy, lumpy, or has holes here and there, that is what your finished painted project will look like as well.

You have to start with a smooth surface. Make sure that the drywall is smooth, where no nails are popped up, all divots from screw indentations are filled, joints where drywall sheets meet are taped down, and all necessary areas are mudded and sanded.

Also note that any spots not properly filled in, mudded, and/or sanded will show through the final coat of paint. And before you buy the paint; make sure you understand that the glossier the paint finish is, the more likely you will see any small imperfections in the end.

After you have properly prepared the drywall and chosen your paint, the next important step is to choose your brushes/rollers. Don’t buy the cheapest you can find, because a good quality brush may be a little more expensive, but it will allow the paint to gently flow on the drywall surface. Some brushes are made for certain paint types and textures, so read carefully before choosing your brush. For high wall areas, make sure you also use a roller pole for easier reach and flow of painting.

If you need to mark off the area you are painting from other areas, such as the trim or the floor, use painter’s tape. If you use duct tape or regular masking tape, it will ruin the surface which it was applied. Make sure you mark off any door hinges or jambs as well, as getting paint in there can affect how easily the door opens and closes.

And if you wonder to use primer or not, ask yourself this: is the drywall new? Is there a glossy paint already on it? If either of these questions is yes, then use a primer, or you will regret it later. The primer will cover over the surface and allow the paint to “stick” better to the wall.

The last word of advice is to be patient. Let each coat dry thoroughly before applying the next coat. Use primer if necessary. Let the final coat of paint completely dry before removing any of the painter’s tape. If you remove the tape too soon, you may be taking some of the paint with it, and have to repaint those areas.

Happy Painting!

Indoor Humidity

What is humidity? Humidity is the amount of water vapor that is found in the air. Indoor humidity is the amount of water vapor that is found within in your own living spaces.

Why is it bad? Indoor humidity is bad because it promotes the growth of mold and dust mites, which can be serious allergens and can trigger a respiratory attack. Where you can feel sticky, sweaty, and very moist outside during a humid day, inside the symptoms are itching, sneezing, and coughing as well damage to your hardwood floors or furniture.

Can a house be too humid? Yes. If a house is more than 50% humid, then this condition will cater to the presence of termites, cockroaches, and other insects. You may see visible signs on the walls and ceilings such as condensation and stains. The paint may start flaking and the wallpaper may start peeling. And the worst is the mold, mildew, and dust mites that will grow.

Can a house be too dry? On the opposite side, a house can be too dry as well. If the house is less than 30% humid, then you may experience damage to the wood floors, furniture, and even musical instruments. You will notice an increase in static electricity, and possibly even electronic equipment damage. You will also see more dust in the home and may start experiencing throat and skin irritations. This usually takes place in the winter time when the heaters is use combines with cooler temperatures inside, which lowers the moisture level.

How do you solve a humidity issue? First, you need to find out what the humidity level is inside your home; a humidity meter can be found at various online stores. If the humidity is too high (over 50%), then you should install a dehumidifier, turn on a ventilation fan, and/or turn up your air conditioner. Ventilation is especially important in the bathrooms and around the stoves when cooking.

If the humidity is too low (under 30%), then a humidifier would work best to put the moisture back in the air.