DECORATING ADVICE : The ‘Little Extras’ Will Dress Up Beige Bedroom

Question: Please help me choose a color scheme for our bedroom. I like a soft room, and I really like beige. In fact, I’d like my room to be all beige. How does that sound to you?

Alison Larson

Answer: I’ve decorated lots of rooms in beige over the years, and the most important rule here is to use many different tones and textures. When beige is used in one tone, a room can look very boring. I suggest giving a beige bedroom some interest.

For example, why not cover your bedroom walls in a soft beige damask? This will give some pattern to your setting. Next, hang beige raw silk drapery with fringe at your windows on brass poles.

On a beige carpet, place a sculptured beige border around the room. Then make sure your accessories--lamps, paintings, throw pillows--are colorful and inviting. A beige room can look great if you have all the interesting little extras.

Q: Our home is decorated in all beige and white tones. The sofa in our living room is upholstered in fawn-beige velvet. The carpeting has a beige and white pin-dot pattern with a darker beige striped border.

Our baby grand piano needs to be refinished. What color stain should I use? What color draperies other than beige should I use on the windows, and what color should I use for the walls? Finally, what color would you recommend using on an antique English wing chair? I love yellow.

Virginia Ashton

A: Add some drama to your home by staining your piano ebony black. It will stand out nicely in your mostly beige home. Keep your walls in the creamy tone; vanilla would be my choice. At the windows, choose a pattern of beige, yellow and white, perhaps in a taffeta plaid. And for that English wing chair, bright buttercup-yellow will add charm and life to the room.