Better Homes and Gardens:

Tips and Tricks for choosing, using and loving color (a selection)...

... 4. Follow the rule of three. When you pick a color; use it at least three times in a room... 7. Think of hallways as palate cleansers-the sorbet that's served before diving into the next course. Keeping them neutral allows you to branch into any color in rooms that flow off them 8.Don't sweat slight color variations between fabrics and walls. The best rooms are slightly off-stronger, lighter, softer, just not a spot-on match to a swatch... 10. Take fabric, wallpaper and paint swatches in a notebook, binder or pencil pouch when shopping 11. Break up a room of matchy-matchy wood furniture with one painted piece, even if it's black or white... 13. The back of a fabric, curtain, comforter or area rug is sometimes more interesting. If no telltale signs, like hems, will show, go ahead and flip it... 15. Top a lamp with a colored or patterned shade. Suddenly your room will seem more alive and vibrant... 17. Everyone thinks of walls when they think of color. But using color in accessories- rugs, pillows, art- makes an amazing impression without going crazy on the walls... 20. Yes, those sample-size containers of paint are worth the few bucks for testing colors (my #1 rule: always test 2-3 colors per room before committing)... 24. Art and fabric are great building blocks for a palette. Look closely at the item, and pull out the background colors to use as room accents... 25. When choosing colors for a bedroom, pick out the bedding first and go from there 26. Paint is the least expensive mistake you can make. Be brave. The worst-case scenario is that you'll have to repaint... 29. Wallpaper or paint the inside of bookcase to set off what's displayed... 30. Two schools of thought for testing a paint color before taking the plunge: 1) Paint the wall that gets the most natural light...2) Paint a piece of foam core and then move it around the room to see how it looks in different light and against trim (Use two coats...)

Contact erin@todayandyesterday.com for a information on color consultations