If you haven’t picked up a copy of the September issue of House Beautiful magazine yet, these photos should inspire you to do so. We’ve always been a huge fan of the color green as a wall color (our dining room is Benjamin Moore Hancock Green), but it’s also a magnificent accent color in just about every setting. In the rooms featured below, the color green completely dominates–and it really works! It made us stop to think about how we too could include more green in our rooms this fall.

We love this modernist beach house. The palette of lime green, white, and brown, with dashes of hot orange, works–without looking too “decorated”.

Here are five great pieces you can add to your fall interiors piece by piece. Of course, a bowl of Granny Smith apples will do the trick, too, in a pinch. – S & L

1. Maine Cottage Furniture Sally Hall Table, 42″w x 20″d x 28″h, $590 2. Jonathan Adler Chartreuse Carnaby Hollywood Mug,$18 3. Habel construction Sweet Pea Beads Large Zip/Toiletry Bag, 11″w x 8″ h x 1.5″ d, $45 4. CB2 Clover Chair $349 5. Crate and Barrel Green 18″ barstool, On sale $49.95.

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While we’ve all heard by now that purple is THE color for fall 2009, Lauren and I just can’t wrap our arms around it. We’ve always preferred pink. Choosing to paint a room pink is a really ambitious decision, and we’re here to tell you that there are some seriously bad pink paint colors out there. We recommend the following exclusively, as we have tried them all, and know that they’ll work no matter what.

1. Glidden Pink Carnation (GRL13)  Glidden paint is sold in all Home Depot stores. It’s reasonably priced, and we used it for a DIY project recently and were really pleased.  This is a strong color, but it’s also a very clear, true pink. For painting furniture, we recommend this one.
2. Benjamin Moore Love and Happiness (1191) ) This pink is the color of worn ballet slippers.  It’s soft and feminine. Perfect for a dressing room or even a little girl/baby’s room.
3. Sherwin Williams White Dogwood (SW6315)  Sherwin Williams really got this color right as it has that almost grey/pink hue.  It’s a very sophisticated and subtle pink. We would recommend this for small spaces.
4. Farrow & Ball Middleton Pink (245)  This is the go-to pink in England for bedrooms as well as sitting rooms.  It’s all a room really needs as it is strong, and perfect for a room where all of the other elements are neutral.
5. Benjamin Moore Pink Begonia (2078-50)  I once used this color in a breakfast nook for a young family.  It screams, “wake up and be happy!” Green accents complement this pink beautifully.
6. Benjamin Moore Cat’s Meow (1332)  This pink is the color I chose for a nursery many years ago.  It works beautifully with brown accent colors in the room.
Oh, and two more tips: 1.When in doubt, (i.e. the color is just too strong for your space), add one to three parts white paint to mellow the color out, and 2. For the perfect white trim color to complement pink walls, we recommend Benjamin Moore Super White. Go pink! – S & L

By far, the most frequently asked question to designers like me is: “What color should I paint my bedroom, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, hallway…?” So today, we’re sharing our best recommendations for tried and true yellows. But, hold on! Before you run out to the paint store, remember this: whenever we paint rooms yellow, we always use creamy white moldings. My favorite creamy white is Benjamin Moore Acadia White (OC-38). It has a hint of red in it, which really complements any yellow wall. And if you’re feeling really ambitious, paint the ceiling of any yellow room a silvery gray, like Benjamin Moore Gray Mist (OC-30). Perfect combinations, every time.
1. Benjamin Moore Crème Brulee (2022-70) Great name, right? I’ve often recommended this color for baby’s rooms because it’s a very gentle yellow. It works for anyone who just wants a soft, subtle yellow. You won’t be disappointed.
2. Benjamin Moore Yellow Lotus (2021-50) I adore this color in a space that gets a lot of natural light. It’s very bold and strong, but a true yellow. Wonderful kitchen color. Looks terrific as a wall color with creamy white cabinets and stainless steel appliances.
3. Benjamin Moore Goldtone (OC-112) This color is a golden yellow with just a hint of orange. It’s perfect in a room decorated with lots of additional complementary colors. It looks great with red, brown, green and black.
4. Farrow and Ball Lancaster Yellow (249) This beautiful, soft yellow is derived from a paint color used by 20th century tastemaker Nancy Lancaster (1897-1994). Nancy was the owner of a very influential English decorating firm called Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler. She has been credited with creating the English Country look. Not so popular today, but when I began my interior design work in the early 1990′s, it was the rage. In any event, if you’re looking for the perfect yellow to paint your living room, bedroom- really any room, this would be your best bet. Trust me, Nancy knew what she was doing,
5. Farrow and Ball Babouche (223) Babouch is a very, very bright and intense color best used in small dark spaces or narrow hallways for dramatic effect. It reminds me of the exterior color of houses in Tuscany and is absolutely wonderful to look at both day and night. It takes a brave soul, but it’s worth the trip.
6. Benjamin Moore Sunshine (2021-30) This color reminds me of a burnt orange Crayola crayon. It’s a terrific color for a really sunny space. A kid’s room would be great in this or even a dining room with brown accent pieces. – S

Your response to our color theory stories has been so strong, we decided to share another of our favorite interior colors with you: Grey. This photo is a quick look at a bathroom being renovated for a client of mine in a pre-war apartment in Manhattan.
The wall color is Benjamin Moore Misty Grey. (Please excuse the quality of the photo- it was not taken by Matt McGrath, but by his mom, the amateur.) This grey is such a subtle contrast in color against the crisp white Waterworks tiles and the original white pedestal sink. I would recommend it for any all white bathroom. Below are our top 6:

1. Benjamin Moore Full Moon (2119-70), 2. Benjamin Moore Grey Owl (OC-52), 3. Benjamin Moore Misty Gray (2124 -60), 4. Farrow & Ball Light Gray (17), 5. Benjamin Moore Icicle (OC-60), 6. Benjamin Moore Moonshine (OC-56). As you can see, we love Ben Moore colors!

By the way, we’re great fans of the book, House Beautiful Colors for Your Home, if you’re about to embark upon a home renovation and are looking for expert advice on color selections. – S

When we first moved in to the 1920′s home we live in now, we were flat broke; renovations would have to wait. EXCEPT, that is, for the dining room. This was one room that could not wait. We’re a family who lives for entertaining friends and family around the dining room table so I insisted on painting the walls immediately. Down came the hideous red from the previous owners and up went Guilford Green. It’s been there ever since. And, over the course of the past six years, every room around it has been repainted too.

1. Benjamin Moore Guilford Green (HC-116) My dining room, 2. Benjamin Moore Hancock Green (HC-117) When my dear friend Valerie reluctantly moved from downtown New York city to my suburban town, she needed solace. She wanted to wake up every morning to a color that helped her feel right about her new surroundings. We painted her bedroom Hancock Green and immediately she felt calmer and more willing to enjoy the benefits of living on a tree lined street. That’s not to say that she doesn’t miss the city…right,Val? 3. Farrow and Ball Vert de Terre (234) An earthy, sophisticated green. This makes a wonderful color for a study or any room without a great deal of natural light, 4. Sherwin Williams Mesclun Green (7724), 5. Martha Stewart Seedling Green (MS242) Wonderful color for a sun room or a porch. Very soft, 6. Farrow and Ball Bone – The quietest of greens. Sublime in a bedroom with a pale blue velvet headboard. Do you guys have a green that you like to use? – S