Borrow Her Favorite Ideas

This owner painted her living room walls a pale blue, a hue drawn from her oak-leaf drapery and a pillow fabric. "All the upholstery in these rooms is neutral, and most of the color is on the walls. Just by repainting, it would be easy to change the look if the mood strikes," she says. She retained the original tongue-and-groove paneled walls, narrow bookshelves, and built-in corner cabinets.

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