Name: KristinaXI
Location: Chicago, Illnois
Type: One bedroom rental

Why I use color:"I think the number one reason I use color is because I grew up in a military household – even when we owned the house we lived in (which happened once, for about 3 years, in 13 years of moving all over), we couldn't get too creative with color or painting since we had to worry about selling the house within the next two to three years. Painting a room, to me, then, is the ultimate form of ownership. Even if I move in a year and have to paint it this back, for now, this is my space, and I can do what I like without having to check with anyone else whether they approve of my taste. "

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"I joke that I use color in lieu of having a personality, but really, the colors I use are entirely indicative of my personality, and to me, no room is completely done if it has white wall (though I've seen some AT house tours that belie that sentiment)."

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2 Good color tips:

"Go with your instinct. Each time I showed up at the paint store, I just went with what felt right in my gut, and freakishly enough, it worked all three times"

"Get some sort of edging device. I hated taping and it actually ripped off some of the paint from the molding (I didn't paint that) so the edger became my best friend. "

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Favorite type and brand of paint:"I prefer Pratt & Lambert's colors, but at Thybony paints (5440 N. Clark), they matched those using their own paint, so I ended up using them for all my rooms – and I like an Eggshell finish."

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