• Your bungalow can stand out from the crowd.bungalow image by martini from Fotolia.com
  
  Bungalows come in a range of styles, but most of them consist of a single story with a relatively open floor plan. Some bungalows feature attics that have been converted into an additional room. Painting bungalows involves utilizing paints and finishes that emphasize the architectural style's most winning features while camouflaging its design challenges.
  
  

Color Schemes

• Paint a bungalow in neutral hues or earth tones to make the interior feel spacious. Other color schemes can accomplish a similar feat. Cool tones---faded cornflower blue, brighter periwinkle, apple green, lavender, stone gray or steel blue---make walls appear to recede. Go brighter and bolder on an accent wall with lime green, turquoise, fuchsia or burgundy to create a focal point. Paint bungalows in a two-tone palette, using the paler hue on top and on the architectural elements commonly found in bungalows: shelves, molding, window frames and door frames.
  
  

Finishes

• The narrow spaces, tight corners, sloping ceilings and low light conditions of many bungalows mean that some paint finishes look dull, especially in the short, dark days of winter. Avoid eggshell and matte finishes, except as detail or accent paints. Emphasize satin, semi-gloss and gloss finishes. In the tight space of an attic room conversion, stick with a crisp white with blue undertones in gloss for the ceiling, and extend the finish down any slanted walls to create the illusion of volume. Long, narrow hallways, window frames, door frames and high traffic areas benefit from gloss finish which hides fingerprints, stains and dirt.
  
  

Paint Effects

• Use paint for modern and arty effects in your bungalow. The open floor plan allows you to see from one room into the next. Paint rooms contrasting, but complementary, colors for a bold juxtaposition. Cobalt or periwinkle against mango orange has Caribbean-infused funk, while icy pink and aqua have a retro, shabby-chic aesthetic. Highlight architectural features by painting them in a brighter color than your neutral walls. For example, a pale yellow room gets added flavor with trim, moldings and built-in shelves painted turquoise or lime green.