| OK, so you know about all the color trends, and | | | | treatments. |
| you want some color in your home, but you are | | | | 4. RUGS: Rugs can be a work of art ,on your |
| afraid of it for fear of making a mistake. What do | | | | fifth wall. They break up a floor space and create |
| you do? | | | | a focal point in a room. They are typically of |
| Well, you can always inject color in other ways. | | | | many colors and you can use your rug for |
| Although painting walls is one of the least | | | | inspiration to work with that color palette for |
| expensive ways, color can also come in other | | | | accents elsewhere in the room. |
| forms, such as window treatments and | | | | 5. FABRICS: Pillows and throws are great accents |
| accessories. This can especially be true when you | | | | to help soften a space and yet add color and |
| are living in a rented space. | | | | pattern to a room. The nice thing about it is that |
| A neutral background provides the perfect | | | | you can also change the look and feel of the |
| "canvas" for adding zest with color in your space. | | | | room by changing the pillows and throws from |
| Use these tips to decorate your neutral space by | | | | season to season, or summer to winter and |
| using color as an accent: | | | | create a different color scheme. |
| 1. ARTWORK: What a great way to add | | | | 6. FLOWERS: These always brighten a room |
| personality to your room and bring in color at the | | | | when grouped together. This can be done with |
| same time. That favorite wall hanging or painting | | | | blooming plants or fresh flowers. You can use |
| can also be used to get your inspiration for a | | | | your favorite pottery or vase to fill with the |
| color scheme that you love and can use | | | | brightest flowers you can find. In the spring, you |
| throughout. | | | | can cut branches from flowering trees and |
| 2. ACCESSORIES: Accessories to a room are like | | | | bushes like forsythias, apple blossoms, azaleas. In |
| jewelry to a dress. It pulls the room together, | | | | the fall, you can use autumn foliage. If flowers are |
| and brings in color and sparkle. You can achieve | | | | scarce, you can use bowls of fruit as an |
| this by displaying colored glassware, colorful plates, | | | | alternative. |
| a floral arrangement, favorite hand-painted | | | | If you are unsure as to what color to use or how |
| antiques, or even changing out your white | | | | much you want of it, look to what inspires you |
| lampshade for a colored one. | | | | and how you use color. Evaluate what you have |
| 3. WINDOW TREATMENTS: These are a great | | | | at home. Do you tend to buy accessories in one |
| way to invite color inside. You can line even | | | | color or more? You can layer two colors by using |
| neutral draperies with a contrast colored fabric, | | | | a complimentary color scheme. But remember, |
| perhaps with a pattern, and expose the underside | | | | small touches of an interesting color or color |
| by tying them back. You may use a lightweight | | | | scheme wake up a room, whereby too many |
| colored fabric under the sheers or lace curtains so | | | | colors that are scattered throughout create |
| some of the color comes through. There are | | | | confusion. |
| many ways to introduce color with window | | | | |