It is a common strategy to update any home by painting bright white over off-white, cream, or even stained trim and wood. It can dramatically lighten any home that has been plagued by dark colors and a lack of windows for lighting. The reverse can be used to add a bold area to a newer home that has all white trim. Recently we painted all the trim and doors in a finished basement dark gray. The basement was designed to be a game room, bar, and home theatre. Adding the dark gray created an effect that was bold to please the typical male desire for a “man cave” but greatly pleased the female need for elegance. We also painted cabinets of a living room dark gray in another home. The cabinets were previously stained wood in a home that was built in the 80’s with all stained wood. The dark gray added a boldness to the room that provided variation from the otherwise repetitive wood stain pattern of the home. The boldness was achieved without being overwhelming and fit well with the rest of the home’s color scheme.