As the holiday season rapidly approaches, consider spreading some yuletide cheer with color! Many simple decorative accessories can be converted into treasured gifts with subtle enhancements, or completely transformed with the application of paint. Ordinary framed mirrors, picture frames, plant containers and pottery are just a few examples of everyday decorative items that can be purchased at yard sales, craft or discount stores for a minimal investment and transformed into memorable holiday keepsakes.

An excellent choice of paint for these projects would be a high quality interior gloss or semi gloss paint. Water based or latex products perform very well, with much lower odor than solvent or alkyd paints. For maximum adhesion and uniformity of finish, first apply a latex stain blocking primer that is recommended for interior use.

If you’re using a decorative technique, high quality interior flat, satin or semi gloss paints can be used, depending on your sheen preference. For a distressed look, a flat latex paint works well or use one of the many specialty products designed for this use.

Decorative paint techniques and hand painted stencils can be applied to various popular fabrications such as wood, plastic or resin, ceramic, metal, paper or stone. Again, use high quality interior latex paints for adhesion to most surfaces, with lower odor. Novelty fabrics and exciting trims can be adhered to the surface of decorative item to portray a contemporary or whimsical flavor. Adding a personalized name or favorite quote using a free-hand paint application lends customization to a holiday gift for a minimal dollar investment. Personalization of gift items also allows the gift giver the ability to coordinate the gift with an established color scheme, room theme and style of décor.

Baskets offer a wonderfully practical and stylish storage solution that can be utilized within most any interior space. Accommodating any budget and available in an enormous array of styles, shapes and sizes; baskets offer an ideal holiday gift giving solution. Woven wood and wicker baskets are attractive in their natural state, but the addition of paint transforms ordinary containers into holiday focal points which can be proudly displayed as decorative accessories throughout the home.

Baskets can be painted using neutral colors, or with stripes that feature innovative hues. Specialty finishes and decorative paint techniques can create the illusion of distressed containers. Stencils that feature bold color palettes can be applied to baskets sporting muted, solid background colors to provide interesting motifs that offer eye-catching color contrasts.

The best part of colorful holiday gift baskets: the recipient can easily and inexpensively seasonally restyle the container or alter the color palette in order to suit a specific interior space, by simply repainting the basket!

Baskets should first be wiped clean. Depending on the materials used in the basket’s construction, it may have materials that "bleed" through a topcoat. This can be blocked with the use of a proper stain blocking primer.

For the finish coat, consider using a high quality interior latex paint in a satin finish. If your basket has a fine weave, a small roller with _ inch nap or brush is a suitable tool. For more open weave baskets, an aerosol works well for covering all the nooks and crannies. Be sure to have ample ventilations and proper eye and skin protection.