If I repaint the entire interior of my house as a decorating project (not just painting over old paint to freshen it but using new colors, contrasting trim, etc.) is it a capital improvement or maintenance for tax purposes?
Painting an existing building is normally not a capital improvement, but painting a new building or a new addition usually is an exempt capital improvement.
In either case, the tax exemption is almost always limited to labor, so it’s a moot question if you do the work yourself.