We have, for a long time, been looking for new and unusual ways to use multiple colors to make things around the house more interesting looking. We'll use a cabinet door as an example, but practically anything that you paint in two colors can be done using the same technique.

To paint a plain, flat-faced cabinet door, use light paint for the base color, then paint a shape onto the face of the door using a slightly darker color. Note: Always paint on the lighter color first.

The process is surprisingly easy.

First, prepare all surfaces as you normally would for any other paint job. Medium sand or remove paint, putty pitted areas, medium sand again, clean with a rag and thinner, then a tack cloth, prime, and when completely dry, lightly sand to make ready for the finish coats.

Always remember, with painting, 80% of the quality of the work is in the preparation.

The first of the two colors will be the background paint the lighter color.

Thin the paint so that it flows on smoothly. If brush marks can be seen in the paint a minute after it is applied the paint is too thick. When paint is thinned properly it feels like there are ball bearings between the paint brush and the surface being painted. If the brush grabs the surface the paint isn't thin enough.

Don't try to cover in one coat. The best jobs take two to three finish coats each applied as a very thin layer.

It is important that several days pass before the second color is applied. This because it is imperative that the base coat be thoroughly dried before you employ our trick to make a perfect connection between the base coat and the second coat.

Use masking tape to outline the area where the second color will be applied.

Once the base coat is dry, brush on a bit of the same color along the edge of the tape. This will seal the edge of the tape to the surface and prevent the second color from bleeding through. The result will be a perfectly defined edge between the first and second colors and a great looking two-tone paint job.

Important: As soon as the second coat has been completed quickly remove the masking tape. Leaving the tape in place for an extended period of time might cause damage to the first coat.

Undertake the project in a cool, dry place. Heat and moisture might bond the tape to the first coat and damage the surface.

For best results use drafting-type masking tape. It doesn't have as much adhesive as regular masking tape and will reduce the chance of damage to the first coat.