By MARK MONTANO

By MARK MONTANO
KNIGHT RIDDER TRIBUNE
Q. Mark! Mark! Mark!
I stupidly painted my walls black, and now I know it was a mistake. My mom said that it was up to me to brighten them up. She was the one who warned me against it, and now I have to pay the price. What can I do to make my room bright again? -- Samantha, 16, Augusta, Maine.
A. Relax; we all go through a paint-it-black phase. It's easy to brighten up those walls. First of all, if you can't or don't want to paint again, then you are going to have to make your room look very sophisticated by putting up lots of art and mirrors so that the solid black is broken up a bit. You might also try painting some fake molding on the walls in white or even doing a great all-over stencil in pure white on the walls. If you use something called Stain Kill, that will go right over the black.
You might also try stenciling with a primer so it's nice and bright. Try an all-over stencil such as vines and leaves so there is a lot of detail to take your eye away from the black. If you think of it like a sketch, it will help -- instead of black on white, you are sketching white on black. Hang some white or light pink curtains fast! Some lighter bedding, pillows and rug will help to make the black less harsh, too. And a bright green houseplant never hurts.
If you are going to paint the walls and remove all the black, then you will have to prime the walls first. Sorry, but that is the price you pay for choosing a dark color. It's not the end of the world, and with a little work, you may just find yourself in the most sophisticated room ever! Good luck!
Q. I'm decorating my daughter's basement bedroom, which has a drop ceiling that I have painted. I want to make the ceiling a "glittery" one, but I can't get the glitter to work on the ceiling without making a big mess throughout the room. Any suggestions for me? -- Bonnie, Philadelphia.
A. I love the look of a glittery ceiling, and this is a great way to add some spice to a ceiling without changing the color. If you have tiles, it's best to take them down and do them on the floor. Some stores like Home Depot sell glitter paint for this kind of project. If you want a special, out-of-the-ordinary color glitter, you may have to make it yourself. What I would use for a ceiling that is approximately 10 feet by 10 feet is one gallon of a flat latex varnish mixed with about three-quarters of a cup of glitter. This will give an even, glittery finish. Try different amounts if you want less shimmer! Then just paint it on with a roller.
Now, if you want more of an effect, like let's say a Milky Way pattern, then paint on the varnish, and while it's wet, sprinkle on the glitter yourself in a pattern you like. If you can't take the tiles down, it's best to mix the varnish and glitter together, then apply it with the roller. Now you will have a ceiling to match her sparkling personality!
XNeed help with your room? E-mail your question to markmontanonyc@aol.com. Mark Montano can be seen on TLC's "While You Were Out." Check local listings for times. For more information about Mark and his work, check out www.markmontano.com.