If you'd like to create a warm and inviting living space, consider using homemade, eco-friendly paints. Creating your own paint is considerably less expensive and can be an extremely satisfying endeavor for anyone whose goal is self-reliance. It's also a safer choice -- most commercially manufactured paints contain toxic materials or petroleum-based ingredients that are energy-intensive to produce. Plus, mixing your own paint is sometimes the only way to achieve a specific color or effect. In fact, natural paints offer unique finishes very different from those of manufactured products.

Flour paint is among the simplest and most versatile of all homemade paints. It can be applied to most interior surfaces, including bare wood and drywall, stone, wallpaper, earthen and gypsum plasters, masonry and previously painted surfaces. (Avoid using flour paint over joint compound.)

In the recipe below, flour acts as a binder that keeps the paint glued to a surface. The clay acts as a filler and pigment, but you can substitute any combination of finely ground inert materials, such as chalk, mica, marble, limestone or silica for the clay. If you want a textured surface, use more coarsely screened materials.

Flour paint is too thick for use with a roller, and it tends to be hard on brushes. Choose inexpensive brushes with natural bristles ? nothing fancy ? and stock up. When first applying flour paint, the brush marks will be evident. To remove the marks, wait until the paint has begun to dry and smooth over with a damp sponge or clean, damp brush. Going over the surface again when the paint has become leathery will also help reveal the mica or other filler.

BASIC FLOUR PAINT
Yields 1? quarts
1 cup flour
5 1/2 cups cold water
1 cup screened clay (clay can be purchased from artists' supply stores in a wide variety of colors)
1/2 cup additional powder filler, such as mica