However, our reader didn’t quite see it that way. She is struggling with the color palette, and specifically the accent color. While the red provides a nice contrast to the otherwise neutral theme, the red combined with the green gives off too much of a Christmas vibe. I like the red, but I can also see our reader’s point. Let’s see if we can give her some ideas for new and even unexpected accent colors.

Existing palette of sage green, black, white and red.

The current room:

My first inclination is just to shift the red to a more orange-y color. This eliminates the “Christmas,” but keeps the contrast.

Another variation on the orange/earthy scheme is to introduce pattern. Here’s a Moroccan inspired palette with accent pillows from Etsy and Medallion curtains from West Elm. I also think the room could benefit from one larger (and more dramatic) piece of art. In this version, I placed a black and white photo of Morocco.

Our reader was interested in exploring blue accent colors. With the sage green, it’s tough to find just the right shade of blue. Here, I opted for a rather purple-ish dark blue. This includes curtains in lustre sheen/Elderberry and art deco glam pillows. The overall look is very sophisticated.

To brighten up the color palette, here is a royal blue. I wouldn’t immediately think to pair sage green with royal blue, but with the right accessories and artwork, it is possible to tie it together. In this scenario, the Japanese print ties together a range of sea greens, ocean blues and misty atmospheric neutrals. With art like this, you can make it work.

Lastly, when in doubt, keep it in the family.  In this case, the green family. Sometimes you can make a pretty and unexpected palette by sticking to a particular hue. In this room, the sage green acts like a beige – in other words it becomes the neutral backdrop to the saturated green. The key, again, is in the accessories. What better accessory to a green palette than some actual live plants? Silk dupioni curtains in Greenhouse add a lush green anchor further matched by graphic pillows.

I hope this gives some new ideas for a lively color pallette with sage green. This room is so close…just that last 10% and it will surely be complete!

Mini-palette: Brown, Yellow, Sage, Beige

My first thought is a yellow and brown theme, to match the existing furniture and accessories. The color inspiration comes from Olympic paint in Calabash, which I paired with a chocolate brown. An aqua/sage striped curtain keeps the room looking modern.

Mini-palette: Teal, Terra cotta, Black

I found more inspiration with Olympic colors Blue Bayberry and Baritone. I love the combination of teal/blue with Terra Cotta. Add a little black and the palette really pops. To bring it all together, add some tall curtains in modern organic print.

Mini-palette: Terra cotta, brown, beige, yellow

Continuing with the Terra cotta, here is Olympic Ginger on the wall. This is warm and spicy, without being dark and oppressive. The Ginger coordinate easily with the the brown and beige of the existing room. I also love the existing throw pillows on the couch with a modern/ethnic rainbow appeal.

Mini-palette: Dark and light green, beige, brown

Lastly, a calm and friendly green in Dark Sage and Asparagus. The combination of muted green with bright green keeps the room lively, but still feels understated and earthy. Simple curtains soften the back wall. Also, note the green paint on the mantel and the back of the bookshelf to highlight the architectural details.

One simple move is to cover the room in cool neutrals. Gray walls and a black accent wall blend nicely with the existing curtain and neutral furniture. A couple of toss pillows from Etsy shop Nena Von adds a little personality and contrast.

Another way to spice up this muted color palette is to flip it!  Try a dramatic black ceiling with gray walls and add definition with a thick white border. I love how these standard colors turn into something unexpected. As a finishing touch, add some playful wall art such as “Mona Prankster” from Blik. 

This option is inspired by the original red striped walls.  The clunky red panels have been replaced with a more sophisticated retro wallpaper from online wallpaper shop DesignYourWall.com. Add an accent wall in Molten Lava from the Pantone interior paint collection, and you’ve got one hot room. Also note the retro vase accent from hi+lo modern glass

This last option adds color, but still keeps the space cool with Pantone Federal Blue. I couldn’t resist more Blik wall decals-these from the Eames office collection. An oversized deco pendant from 2modern.com adds a focal point over the dining table.

I’m wondering if you might weigh in on a debate I’m having with someone about whether to paint these funny closet doors in a bedroom…The color thought is a darkish brown.

Absolutely, we can weigh in! This is a perfect job for a Mochi Home visualization. Our reader had originally been looking at a Fuller O’Brien paint chip book. Unfortunately, paint chips for this brand are not easily accessible online. We picked some Benjamin Moore colors, but they could be easily translated to other brands.

Here’s the current room and the closet doors in question.

First, we painted just the closet doors a dark brown, as requested. This is Van Buren Brown from the Historical Colors collection. This already adds a little interest and definition to the room, but it doesn’t totally hang together yet.

With a little more effort, we think the brown doors could be a really nice feature. We added a classic chair rail, with the lower half in a neutral brown/gray called Smoked Oyster and the top in Pampas grass.  This nice palette of warm neutrals works well with the hints of red already in the room.  To really tie it all together, we found a modern rug from West Elm, which includes all of the colors.

Along the same lines, here are the closet doors in a lighter shade, Rockies Brown. We paired it with a wall in Sea Froth. Finally we removed all traces of red and replaced them with dark browns and neutral blues. A fun rug from 2modern does a nice job of tying it all together.

What if you are into the red?  Try something a little unexpected and paint it on the doors. We matched the red of the duvet cover. We recommend bringing some paint chips home to match your accessories or you can bring any item into the paint store and they will match it for you. These red doors are fun and little shocking, but…

We painted the wall that rich Van Buren brown and turned that plain wall in to the clear focal point. We love how the rich colors are outlined by the bright white trim, making them even bolder and crisper.

Lastly, I thought we could leave the doors white and just paint the wall instead. This shade of Gravel Gray is modern and sophisticated and goes great with the red accessories. The bright white closet doors suddenly look crisp and fresh on the dark back drop. I couldn’t resist adding this quill rug from CB2, a pillow, and some white vases on the dresser to add some height in the corner. To finish off the look, the curtains have been replaced by wooden shades, which I snagged from Hunter Douglas.

Hopefully we’ve given our reader a visualization of their ideas and some new ideas they hadn’t thought of.  Don’t be afraid to paint doors, walls, or even both! This plain wall can become an exciting focal point or an elegant backdrop. Good luck!

Here’s the apartment as it is.  You can see it’s been renovated with nice clean walls and windows to move light throughout the apartment. The fabulous (and original) wood floors are still intact, which helps retain it’s charming Brooklyn character.

Conscious Luxury from Sherwin-Williams.

We have to start with the purple room. We picked up this color palette from Sherwin-Williams. They call it Conscious Luxury from the 2009 Lifestyle Collection. The palette is a bit feminine, so we pulled out the bolder shades for a more modern and manly luxury. Check out the stripes, for a wallpaper effect. We also added a graphic pillow from West Elm.

Historic Milk Paint

Next, we tried something more soft and subtle from The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company in Groton, Massachusetts. We love this paint because it is produced using historic methods, is free of harmful chemicals, non-toxic, eco-friendly and just plain pretty. We used Lexington green in different shades for the walls and accented the bookcase with Federal blue. Lastly, a few more West Elm accessories and a neat Chilewich roller shade complete the look.

RL Island Brights

If that was too understated, then Ralph Lauren paints have the antidote. One of our all-time favorite color palettes is the Island Brights collection featuring some juicy shades of tropical paradise. For Clarence, we picked the very appropriate Bicycle Yellow for the main wall and added Island Sand and Montego Bay blue as compliments. We added a colorful Diego Rivera print and the existing striped rug also goes great with this theme.

Modern Classic from Ben Moore

Lastly, a little “grown-up” bachelor pad inspired by Benjamin Moore’s Modern Classic scheme. Sedona Clay and Hale Navy look both fresh and classic with the existing simple furniture and that striped rug. We also like how the Sedona Clay wall blends in with the huge wooden bookshelf, almost giving the effect of a built-in bookcase.

We like all of the rooms and can’t decide on a favorite. But you can see how a coat of paint can transform an already nice room into something really spectacular.

We’ll be featuring real homes (your homes) and updating them with a fresh coat of paint.  We might even include a few new accessories.  And the best part about our advice? It’s a virtual makeover.  That means no wasted money and no wasted effort.

Please join us on our makeover madness and submit a photo. You can even include some changes you would like to see us address.

Here's some change we can believe in. The Oval Office is nice, but how about a friendlier shade of green? What do you say, Mr. President?