When a client comes to me for color consultation, I think in terms of color & sheen — and also special effects. The whiz bang that makes a movie exciting can elevate a room, too. Many paint lines have special effects paint - Ralph Lauren is the first that comes to mind. From metallics to suede, river rock, and the glow of candlelight, Ralph has special effects paints that add dimension and distinction.

I particularly like metallic paint used in small doses to highlight architectural features. In a contemporary dining room with squared off columns, I had a custom charcoal metallic put on the columns - and the space turned out incredibly. The clients were a little hesitant at the thought, but were thrilled with the result.

If you want to add sparkle to a surface that must stand up to intense wear, there's a commercial grade metallic paint made just for that. Scuffmaster Metallics come in a range of great colors, from regular metals to ethereal blues and floating-on-a-feather spring greens.

Scuffmaster describes them as Pretty. Tough. Paint.

I describe them as Metallic Sparkle. Marvelous Color. Indestructible Finish.

I love them for a vanity, cupboard doors, a special piece of furniture, the drawer fronts of a chest of drawers, the bench in a mudroom, or anything in a kids' bathroom or bedroom. If you put in the work to make it shine, you want it to stay that way - and Scuffmaster Metallics will, no matter what you throw at it. When durability counts, Scuffmaster will not disappoint. And on top of all that, their water based, low VOC formula makes them environmentally friendly, too. Sometimes when it glitters, it is gold.

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I had the pleasure of participating in the design team that selected and named Miller Paint's new ColorEvolution line of paint -- updated colors for a classically modern sensibility.

Interior Combo:

What inspired this color combination?

The loveliest pink in the collection - Pinkie Ring - is named after my mother, Pinky, who does justice to the color wherever she goes.

Further inspiration comes from this stylized photo that shimmers with the light and imaginative aspects of Pinkie Ring in a sophisticated version of the classic pink and white and grey.

How would I use each color?

In a contemporary or traditional living room:

Pinkie Ring - fireplace wall
Tahitian - floor, fireplace and accents
Glisten - walls
Wafer - doors, windows, trim, ceiling, and mantel - also furniture
Art and accessories bring in the softening, rosy glow of Pinkie Ring grounded in the depths of Tahitian

A bolder, more dramatic interpretation:

Pinkie Ring - walls
Tahitian - floor, fireplace, doors, windows, and trim - also furniture
Wafer - ceiling, mantel and accents

Exterior Combo:

What inspired this color combination?

In Miller Paint's new ColorEvolution line, Big Red is named after my father, whom we call Big Red because he turns so many heads in his red wool fedora that strangers offer to buy it from him as he's walking down the street.

Further inspiration comes from this poetic study of the enduring power of red: