If Your Decorating Style Runs Bold 
You dream in vivid color-with lots of patterns. A simple strategy for pulling off hues with this kind of impact is to pick one neutral and two foundation colors, and then layer variations of those shades. If we had used just one red and just one pink with the white, this room would actually look boring, says home market editor Meryl Levin. And when it comes to mixing patterns, the rule is to vary the scale. For example, choose a quilt with an overall small pattern, and contrast that with bigger patterns on throw pillows, blankets, or a rug (above; see more combinations below). Just keep adding big or small motifs until the bedding feels balanced, and be sure to incorporate some solids (in this example, sheets and shams) to avoid stimulation overload. If you want to take the whole effect to the next level, consider injecting black in the form of furniture, trim, floors, or accents. Its sophistication keeps most colors from going tacky -- or in this case, from going Barbie, Page says.

Ethan Allen "Quincy" bed, $1,600, ethanallen.com. Kerry Cassill "Red Swiss Circles" quilt, $298, kerrycassill.com. Pillows, back row: "Palermo" standard shams, $135 each, olatz.com. Middle row: Anthropologie "Haya" shams, $88 each, anthropologie.com. Front row, left to right: The Sandor Collection "Symmetry" pillow, $84, thesandorcollection.com. Michele Varian "Poppy" pillow, $144, michelevarian.com. Red "Miranda" neckroll sham, $30, wellappointedhouse.com. Transylvanian
embroidered pillow, $98, branchhome.com. Chart House iron "Plume" two-light sconce, $413, lighttrends.com. (Learn to make the shades here.)

More Punchy Color Options
Above, top to bottom: Henry Road crimson/pink "Rio Samba" pillow, $75, and pink "Grid" pillow, $75, both at henryroad.com. The Company Store 200-thread-count solid percale Hibiscus fitted sheet, $24, thecompanystore.com. Designers Guild "Marinsky Scarlet" throw blanket, $340, designersguildusa.com. The Koko Company "Saigon" sham, $44, kokotrends.com. John Robshaw "Poppy" sham, $60, johnrobshaw.com. Anthropologie "Haya" quilt, $198, and "Louis" side table, $595, both at anthropologie.com.