DEAR [DEBBIE TRAVIS] -- I have a wall unit in the living room that is a light colour laminate, and I want to make it a darker colour to match the wood of my couch legs. What kind of paint would I use to give it a wood look but a darker colour? I've never done anything like this before and I'm nervous about it.

DEAR [Lill] -- You can paint over a laminate surface providing you follow a few important preparation steps -- wash with a heavy-duty detergent such as TSP and then sand to rough it up. Apply a high adhesion paint primer that is designed to cover slippery finishes or oil-based paints. There are laminate paints but if you can't find them, use acrylic paint. It is tough and fast drying. The easiest method for you would be to apply two coats of paint in the shade of brown that matches your furniture legs. However, real wood isn't just one colour. If you would like a more realistic effect, here's one way to proceed.