Learn to Utilize the Color Revolution

Additionally, we're living in the midst of a total color revolution. Years ago, no one would dream of putting the colors brick and cinnamon, for example, in the same room. Now that combo sounds almost too sedate! Today you'll see unheard-of mixes of grays and browns, roses and olives, mosses and lavenders.

The problem is that so many people are still afraid of color. They think it's too permanent, and they're scared to take a chance. In truth there's no easier way to change your look. And, if you don't like the result, just keep on moving!

Here's how to feel more comfortable with making changes—and save yourself both time and frustration.

•  Begin by collecting paint strips. Hardware stores won't object if you gather a fistful, as long as you act like a serious consumer—which you are!

•  This is where the fun begins. The strips will enable you to "play" by combining unexpected colors. Find the shades closest to your walls and furniture, then hold up several different color possibilities for rugs, pillows, and throws.

•  If you eventually decide to paint, you'll also discover that there are about 10 different versions of candlelight, some green-based, some blue-based, and some gray-based. (You'll see the differences when you lay them side-by-side.) Obviously, if green is the color of your recliner, you'll choose the one with the slightest tint of green (rather than blue or gray) for your woodwork and trim.

•  Revel in those great names. The days of crayon-box limitations are over. Now we're seeing "new" colors such as bayleaf, butter, pigskin, and ecru-all the better to spark your creativity. Get ready to surprise yourself. Perhaps you've always disliked aqua...but that luscious light seafoam is an entirely different story.

•  Rethink neutrals. The only acceptable ones used to be white, ivory, gray, and beige. Now your walls, generally the backdrop for your furniture and accessories, can be virtually any color, from gunmetal to sage to garnet to orchid.

•  Forget dead-on matches—too boring. Four identical daffodil pillows on a navy duck sofa won't be nearly as eye-catching as several different textures in a variety of honeys and marigolds.

•  Monochromatic, however, is still marvelous. The same hue in several different shades can create a dynamic yet restful room. Just be careful not to combine variations that are too close. Get out those paint strips again and pair up rusts and clays that are two or three steps apart. Not one and not six.

•  Think about balance. If your walls are marine and your sofa is crabapple, your floors will need something more impactive than bare wood or white wall-to-wall. Imagine instead a patterned rug in shades of blue and green on a background of pale tobacco with tiny touches of maize or blush. This is always an issue if your walls are a medium-to-dark color. A too-light floor will make your room look top-heavy. Even a luxurious marble or limestone will need some deep-hued floor covering for balance. Consider at least a couple of 5' x 8' scatter rugs.

•  Add a deep jolt to a room filled with pastels or a lighter one to a room filled with deeper tones. For example: If your sofa is parchment and your chairs are light spinach, try a rug in some variation of fog (deep gray) or nantucket (quail brown). If your furniture combines cobalt and chianti, add some touches (pillows, perhaps) in lobster bisque or raw silk.

•  Give yourself some time to get used to your new look. After a few days, you'll invariably wonder why you didn't make those changes sooner!