These six examples will show you how much a little color can do.

Warm Tones
To use colors as designers do, work with those of the same value (intensity). If you would prefer to decorate using a single color, rather than pairs of colors as discussed below, simply vary the tones from paler tints to dark shades.
For example, you might place pale pink throw pillows on a dark-red couch.

Add Red to Cool Hues
Spin the color wheel for your color palette. Lavender and green on the cool side of the spectrum soothe a cottage-style bedroom. Touches of red, adjacent to purple on the color wheel, give a lively counterpoint and jolt of energy.

An Energetic Pair
Match up the warm hues of yellow and red for a happy color scheme. Decorators gravitate to sunny yellow for walls, especially in bedrooms, to take advantage of the color's light-reflecting qualities. Red supports for playful accents.

Classic Blue and White
Blue and white rank as the most beloved of two-color palettes. A mix of patterns that varies the hues of the blues enlivens this classic scheme. Quilts and accessories, in white and blue, finish in refreshed style.

Fresh & Lively
Update classic yellow and green with lively tints of these favorite colors. A youthful slant pairs pale yellows with light apple green, which has undertones of yellow. The combination readily accepts touches of other brights.

Modern Colors
Give contemporary decor a playful twist with bright pastels, such as turquoise and hot pink. With the current interest in mid-20th-century design, that color combo is hot again.