How to choose the right color

You can make yourself crazy picking colors for your home. Or you can make it easy with our cheat sheet to the perfect palette for the five most important rooms in any house.

1.KITCHEN:The natural choice for the space where you start your day is a shade of YELLOW. Sunny and vibrant, it sparks creativity and makes people happy-like a cup of coffee.

2.BATHROOM:To bring calm and tranquility, consider BLUE, a cool color that sets a relaxing tone. Pale blues are best for walls; brighter blues make nice accents.

3.DINNING ROOM:For a bold look, RED is a favorite for dining room walls. Intense and high-energy, this family of colors is said to stimulate both appetite and conversation.

4.BEDROOM:In a private room where the atmosphere should be restful and soothing, some version of PURPLE can provide an unexpected hit. Look for lavenders and lilacs.

5.FOYER:For open areas that link different rooms, an ORANGE shade works well since it harmonizes with others colors. A blend of yellow and red, it adds a feeling of warmth.

6.MIXING AND MATCHING:All colors come from the primary colors red, yellow, and blue. Mix two primary colors and you get the secondary colors orange (red and yellow), green (yellow and blue), and purple (blue and red). Here are three proven ways to put them together.

 Complementary colors. Colors on opposite sides of the color wheel enhance and intensify each other's energy:red and green, yellow and violet, and blue and orange.

 Monochromatic colors. Mixing in white, black, or gray produces tints, shades, and tones of the same color, such as lilac, plum, and lavender. Together they create a subtle restful feeling.
 Analogous colors. Neighbors on the color wheel, such as yellow-orange, create a harmonious effect when used together.