Q. I Just moved into a new apartment saturated with BROWN . . . dark brown carpet! What color combination could be used to liven the place up? I want to include, but not focus on, the brown. Any patterns and ideas will be greatly appreciated!

A. Congratulations on your new apartment, Yolanda! Brown has a nice moderating effect on decor schemes, and dark brown carpet can look classic and wear well.

We suggest that you match the color of your main pieces of furniture with your walls. Try a light white/ivory tone. This strategy, using similar colors for wall and furniture, will make your room feel bigger and keep your dark carpet from competing with other strong tones. Consider these fabrics:

Hyatt Linen, Altima Sand, or Eureka Natural

Bring in throw pillows in your favorite colors, and don’t limit yourself in mixing bright colors and patterns. Consider bringing in a bold-colored accent chair for more color.

Other tips: Put some artwork on the walls with dark brown/ black frames, keep accessory items like end-tables and bookshelves in dark tones, and add an area rug to match your main piece of furniture.