Color plays a vital role in our mood, our ability to think and work and our energy level. Surrounding yourself with colors that inspire and seduce you to greater things is a wise investment in your environmental improvement plan. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Paint is the first thought that comes to mind when dealing with color, and with good cause - there is little cheaper and easier in the realm of interior design than a fresh coat of paint, and almost nothing possesses it's singular ability to so completely alter that aspect of a room or other living area as to render it unrecognizable to the original inhabitants. Paint can pull out architectural features that you never knew existed and conceal ones you'd rather forget. It can mask flaws, straighten bent angles, draw you in or pull you back. It can fill a room with vibrant energy, or lull it with a deep and abiding serenity. All this and more, for a few dollars a gallon. Buy the best you can afford (in paint, you really do get what you pay for) and leave your fears behind. It is just paint, for all of that, and you can always do it over again.

2. Plush up the joint with gorgeous pillows, furniture coverings, bright or richly toned rugs, decorator lampshades and any number of other accessory items. Nothing is as inviting as a room lush with deeply layered tapestries of color and pattern, softly curved with thick cushions and deep seats and warmly laid with rosy ambient light that fills the corners with it's cheery hue. Or if you prefer something more energizing than comforting, zing it up with snazzy colors, vibrant shapes and snappy combinations. Either way, a place perfectly trimmed with furnishings and trinkets that bring out the best qualities of the space is always a treat to behold and a treasure to return to.

3. Floor to ceiling, most people overlook two of the most effective ways of setting the tone of a room. First off, look at what your standing on and imagine the different possibilities - new carpet (what colors, what textures can you envision?); tile big and small, rough and polished; wood both natural and intricately laid with parquetry and other fancy work (or the newest cool thing: bamboo planking); concrete, dyed or plain and left flat or scored into shapes and designs - the options are nearly limitless. Then look up. How about the ceiling? Sure, there is the standard drop ceiling tile, but why just in white? And how about pressed and patterned tin or punched steel? Why not paint it, or paper it or even cover it with fabric? Maybe even a trompe l'oeil image of cherubs, angels and clouds! Why not? It's your space - when you look to the heavens for inspiration, or examine the ground at your feet for that lost train of thought, why shouldn't they be able to answer you back in kind?

4. You've got to use everyday objects such as paper, pens, office supplies, computer accessories and the like - why not get them in the colors and patterns that make you smile or lift you up? Most anything these days is available in so many colors, shapes and sizes that you should be able to find a perfect fit for whatever suits your need. And it's harder to put off important chores when the tools are so inviting.

5. Install colored light bulbs and sheer curtains wherever a hint of ambient color is required. The soft-edged lushness of a single hue gracing an entire room can often be the soothing presence of calm that you need to do your best work - while the vivid sparkle of a brilliantly bright splash can provide the energizing jolt you require to get you up and moving!