Do you think your home might look improved with a few marble columns or maybe with a room paneled in exotic wood -- say burlwood or Malaysian teak? While this certainly sounds good, you likely can't afford it. Things like this are expensive -- unless you know the secret of faux finishes. These painted look-alikes are dramatic yet inexpensive -- because they are done with only paint. These illusions, from age-old techniques of wood graining, marbling, glazing, daubing and sponging, have been handed down from generation to generation of fine furniture craftsmen and artistic interior decorators. Today, these techniques are being made available in magazine articles, books and on the Internet. So, check your local library, fire up your computer and visit your local hardware store for ideas. And that's the On The House tip for today.