Ever choose a paint color because you loved it so much on the little chip you picked out at the store...but it looked nothing like that on your wall at home? You're not alone! Rachael calls in Kristan Cunningham to help out a couple whose paint has them feeling blue.

Take a look at Justin and Daina's "house of blues."

The Tips

Although Kristan is a big proponent of painting, she cautions that there are a few basic rules to follow. "It's important that you think about shades you really love and choose more muted and sophisticated versions of them," she says, "you also don't want to get too funky with accent colors." If you're hesitant to paint an entire room, Kristan suggests doing just the ceiling, floors or trim. "Think of the walls as your clothes. Sometimes you want them basic. Then you bring in the accessories like the trim to dress up the outfit."

What's the best way to pick a color? "To get the truest assessment of what a color will look like once it's up on the wall, hold the paint chip against the wall. Just looking at it flat on a table casts light on it in a different way," Kristan suggests, "think about the energy of the room you are painting. Living rooms tend to be places you would gather with friends and family for great conversation, and you'd want to choose a color that gives off great energy." Warm colors like reds, oranges and yellows (Rach's favorites!) promote energy and excitement and tend to be more dramatic and sexy. Cooler colors like blues, greens and lavenders take on serene and calm associations that you want in a room where you relax, like a bedroom or bathroom.

The Tricks

When doing the painting yourself, Kristan has some great tips for creating decorative details and making razor sharp lines.

The trick to sharp lines around the baseboard and top of the wall is acrylic gel medium which can be purchased at art supply stores. "Apply it anywhere you plan on taping off the wall and it creates an invisible seal between the painter's tape and the wall. Once it dries, the paint cannot leak through the tape and your edges will be perfect," says Kristan. When painting over the tape, make sure you do not push against it or you risk moving the tape and ruining your straight line. Rather, go with the line of the tape.

An added benefit of painter's tape that Kristan loves is, "you can create free details: crown, baseboard and chair moldings, wainscoting or stripes. All these items could otherwise be pricey if you are doing a whole room."