When it comes to painting the interior of your house, many people are intimidated by color. “Going beige, or off-white, or some neutral color just seems safer,” says HGTV decorator Candice Olsen. “But a splash of vibrant color, whether on all four walls or in a major accessory or furniture piece, can add zest and interest to your rooms as well as insight into your mood and personality.”

It isn’t easy to choose the right color when you are working from tiny paint chip samples, Olsen observed. Before you go bold on a wall or walls, try a broad swath of your chosen color to be sure it is exactly what you want – and remember that paint is not permanent. If the look you aspired to is not quite right, try another.

Olsen offers tips on choosing – and using – bold color to help your home make a statement to be proud of:

Think palette – You can have different colors in different rooms, but think in terms of broad palette choices that look well together; a range of pastels, for example, or bright primary colors, or a spectrum of deep jewel tones.

Ruth Schoenherr is a mortgage broker who will help you find home loans in the Clearwater, Palm Harbor, Largo, Safety Harbor, St Petersburg and Tampa Bay area. For more information, go to her web site at www.ClearwaterMortgageBroker.net.