Laundry room? Yes, the one room in the house that is invariably ignored, when it comes to decorating, as it is thought to be strictly utilitarian. Nevertheless as long as you're going to be spending a significant amount of time there washing and folding clothes, why not have a pleasant atmosphere there as well, if at all possible?

But it is the walls of your living room, den or bedrooms that require the most care.

Most people paint their walls with the desired shade. There are hundreds of different colors available these days, but chances are that thousands of people will have selected the same colors that you have. There are hundreds of different wallpaper designs available, but again, thousands of other people will have that exact same wallpaper.

How can you decorate the walls of your home with something that will be unique to your home alone?

The solution is the faux finish. Instead of flat walls without personality, your walls will be three dimensional works of art, which you are able to create yourself.

If you're looking to make a homey atmosphere, than the colors you choose are essential. Base your colors on neutral earthtones, running the gamut form yellow ochres to rich chocolate browns.

The faux finish gives your walls a rustic appeal, similar to the Tuscan style that is so popular. You can exture your walls with a variety of products to get the look of stucco or terracotta, to give the impression of cracked and crumbly, ancient walls. Or give them the look of pure marble!

The "trompe l'oeil" (fool the eye) method provides a fantastic conversation piece for your walls - have a ceiling that looks like the Sistine Chapel, or a wall that looks as if a brick-framed fire place is set within, or that you have a window looking out over a cliff with crashing waves below.

Mural Fantastic is one source on the web where you can acquire ideas for how to give the Tuscan look to your living room or den. They have suggestions for murals, trompe l'oeil, and faux walls.

Accents of Salano is another company that provides wall treatments and tapestries for that Tuscan look. They also offer all kinds of accessories to give your home the complete look of Old Italy.

Finally, TuscanDesigns provides photo after photo of examples of faux finishes for your walls which demonstrates what a talented home decorator is capable of.

So let your imagination run riot.