DIY Life

There's a reason most of us have beige couches and white walls - picking a color scheme is scary. I don't know about you, but I don't understand color wheels. I mean, I get the part about red and yellow making orange; but tone, hue, color depth? That's all greek to me.

Sometimes I see colors together and I know instinctively that they work, but I don't know exactly why. So rather than try to make sense of these rules, I thought I'd share some foolproof decorating color combos that'll work every time.

• Black or dark brown, and a pastel-like tone: Think chocolate brown and baby blue or black and pale pink. Pale green and lavender also work...
  

• Black and white alongside a bold color: Black, white, and red is always a classic, but aqua, yellow and bright green or pink are also good choices.

• Monochromatic: When in doubt, pick a color you like and use different shades of it. The trick is to make sure the different shades aren't so close together that it looks like you tried to match them perfectly and missed. Also, mix in prints and different textures (a fuzzy blanket, or a shiny table) to keep it from being too boring.
  

• Pick a print: For the ultimate in easy color scheme creation, find a printed fabric you like, and use the individual colors as your color scheme. Of course, when it comes to printed fabrics there are unlimited options, but I'm kinda partial to Amy Butler Designs.