Aki Kato, Camden Field

He recalls one of his favorite murals, painted by his partner, Bonge, in a child's room. The family was very fond of a massive live oak tree in their yard, and Bonge recreated that tree and its surroundings on the child's wall. "It turned out wonderfully, "says Kato. "A really magical room."

Kato says that one of the most popular rooms for murals is the foyer. "People like to make a statement; a bold first impression. This will definitely do it!"

While both Kato and Fargione say they get more requests for murals than for trompe l'oeil, Kato has worked extensively in the latter. Trompe l'oeil is a French term meaning "fool the eye," a technique in which the artist uses paint to simulate architectural features that aren't actually there. Clients have asked Kato to conjure up everything from crown molding to old bricks to columns and beyond.

"I had some clients who had these two fuse boxes, side by side, in their laundry room," Kato recalls. "They hated the way they looked. So, I painted a big window between them, and used the fuse boxes as shutters. My clients loved it!"

Along with murals and trompe l'oeil, both Kato and Fargione have vast experience with more conventional faux finishes - inishes that can create the illusion of texture, depth, and atmosphere in a room. They agree, however, that fewer requests

Hand painted wall unit. Alison Fargione

Aki Kato, Camden field

"People can create their own faux finishes today, with products they can pick up at Lowe's or Home Depot," says Kato. "It's not as easy as it looks, but there are plenty of how-to books out there, classes you can take, etc."

Kato and Fargione agree that, while heavy-duty finishes like marbling and crackling used to be all the rage, people today are usually more interested in achieving the "Old Tuscany look," sort of an aged, stucco finish reminiscent of crumbling, sun-dappled European villas. Again, this effect can be achieved with minimal instruction and products available at your local home improvement store.

Some of the more common faux finish techniques being mastered by do-it-yourselfers today include rag rolling, sponging, and color washing. Rag rolling requires you to apply a finish with rags attached to a roller, which leaves a lovely, blurry flow of color resembling watered silk. Sponging, the quickest and easiest technique, is just what it sounds like. Use more than one topcoat color for a more vivid, textured look. Color washing is a technique which gives walls the subtle luminosity of an impressionistic watercolor. The finish is slapped on with a brush, loosely, with little regularity. For a softer look, you can pat the surface with a damp rag. There are many books and websites that describe these techniques in detail, and more.

So now that you've decided to do it - to make a fresh start in one of the most splendid places on earth - why not give your new house that special something that sets it apart from the others? A truly distinctive, uniquely expressive home is yours for the imagining. Just open your mind and let your walls do the talking!