“Color is your friend,” proclaims the first chapter of Bright Bazaar: Embracing Color for Make-You-Smile Style by Will Taylor.

Maybe, but in a world where many folks play it safe with white or neutrals color schemes, color can be scary.  We know. We recently decided our plain white walls in our Children’s Department needed an upgrade. Knowing how much kids love color, we chose yellow, orange, and red for the walls. Gulp.

Well, the results were stunning.

From blah to bold.

From boring to brilliant

From beige to bright.

The Children’s Room is now a vibrant space filled with energy. And all for the price of a few cans of paint and some risk-taking in our color selections. We are now eyeing other areas of the library, deciding what we can “colorize” next.

If you’d like to take your decorating to a more colorful level but need a little help, try these titles.

New Color Schemes Made Easy by Better Homes and Gardens

Color Idea Book by Robin Strangis

Can’t Fail Color Schemes for Kitchens & Baths by Amy Wax

The Color Scheme Bible: Inspirational Palettes for Designing Home Interiors by Anna Starmer