From soft whites to deep greys, and a spectrum of popular colours such as purple, blue and red, Lynda Reeves shows off the top paints from our January 2011 issue and reveals how she would use them. Versatile neutrals in warm and cool tones can brighten up an entire room, for instance. Or, try painting window frames an almost-black shade of grey. Experiment with fun accent colours by painting out a piece of furniture, one accent wall, or a small powder room.

For more on these paint colours, see our Top Paint Picks Of 2011 photo gallery.