Of course, color can be a little tricky. Overused, it becomes messy. Underused, it's wimpy. Phillip Sides, a Florida designer known for his adept handling of neutrals shot with a punch of color, transformed one room he'd designed by adding colorful accesories -- the safest way to introduce color. Then he took the plunge and painted the walls in the same space. Here, we show you the results and share Sides' suggestions for coloring a neutral space.

"Neutrals work great in rooms with good architecture," says Sides. The scale of a room, the placement of the windows and doors, and the proportions of the trim and moldings all stand out when the furnishings and color are complementary. The interest in the room comes from the play of textures, forms, and patterns, not just the fabrics and paint. "I've been known to put something sterling silver next to rusted iron," he says. "That creates an energy that makes the space work."

Sides' room started out neutral with a mostly off-white palette. Dark wood and iron provide a contrast and help direct the eye around the room -- from the coffee table at the center of the room to the iron rods near the ceiling. The only color comes from the aqua pillow on an armchair, but it's picked up in subtle variations in the books and pottery, proving that even neutral spaces can take a little color. Shades of white and off-white on the lamps, curtains, upholstery, and other accessories in the room complement and play off each other.

In both neutral and more colorful spaces, Sides advises sticking to one dominant color, blue in this case, and bringing in other coordinating colors in much smaller doses. And don't be afraid if there's a subtle clash of color. "Every room needs the right amount of wrong to work," he says.

For the second room design, Sides changed not only the wall color but also the lamps, art, accessories, and window treatments to give the space more intense color. "The blue introduces the first layer of color and is backed up with red and green," he says. The throw on the sofa, the ginger jars, and the lamps reiterate the soft turquoise shade on the walls, while lighter variations of blue, such as on the rug, mediate between the walls and the white sofa.

Usually Sides uses color to compensate for architecture that's less than great. "It reinforces the decorations, which can then take precedence over the architecture," he says. But he warns against oversaturating a room.

"The draperies I hung have color, but I chose something subtle because the wall color is strong," he explains. A little restraint keeps any one piece from speaking too loudly. "Watch out for too many patterns," he says. "If you have one strong one, let the other fabrics recede so you don't feel distracted."

PHILLIP'S TIPS FOR LIVING WITH COLOR

Neutral Rooms

· A neutral scheme shouldn't prevent you from bringing in a little color. Just be careful because a little goes a long way.

· If you're averse to color, stick with gold and green. "They take on other colors really well and can almost function as neutrals." Avoid pastels and jewel tones -- "they'll only get you into trouble because they don't accept other colors as well."

· A tone-on-tone pattern can enliven a neutral room.

· Let the flooring recede and stick with a good sisal or sea grass carpet.

Accessorizing With Color

· Artwork is a great way to add color and personality.

· Keep your big pieces neutral, and use colorful secondary pieces. Too many big, colorful pieces pull your eye in too many directions and break up the flow of the room.

· Go for balance. Accessories in a neutral space will draw your eye around a room. Create a natural progression from one focal point to the next.

· Be judicious. Too many accessories, beloved or not, will just look like clutter.

Color-Filled Rooms

· Select a color you love, then don't be afraid of it. "Blow it out," he says.

· Select accessories that can support the color -- a rug, lamps, or collections that will help the color feel less like a statement and more like part of a whole.

· Choose one dominant color, and accent it with secondary colors. But show a little restraint; otherwise the colors and patterns will conflict.

· Pay attention to your trim. "I never paint the trim or ceiling a color from the same paint swatch. Even if I want to pair blue trim with blue walls, I go for a different palette. It's much more pleasing and more interesting to see a contrast, no matter how slight."