A little yellow goes a long way.

In its brighter incarnations, yellow has a certain boldness that must be kept in check. “Yellow has a big personality,” says Jayne. “Be careful in your dosage. It’s like having a strong personality at a dinner party -- you need something to balance it.”

In this space: Positioned at the foot of a canopied bed, a Lucite bench upholstered in brilliant yellow appears to float. On a large scale, this color could have been overpowering, but just a dash of it brings the creams, greens, and blues to life.

RESOURCES: Interiors by Jan Showers & Associates, 214/747-5252, www.janshowers.com. Mercer bench and white cowhide rug, both from the Jan Showers Collection through David Sutherland (to the trade), 214/742-6501, www.davidsutherlandshowroom.com, or Grizzel & Mann (to the trade), 404/261-5932, www.grizzelandmann.com.

NextWhen using white and yellow together, keep the white tones warm.