The color scheme is often the first thing people notice when they walk into a room, so your choice of colors is probably the most important decision you will make when decorating your home. Getting it wrong can leave a room looking bland and insipid, or overpowering and garish; getting it right is both exciting and rewarding.

In The Color Design Source Book, Caroline Clifton-Mogg, a leading authority on interior design, guides you expertly through every aspect of using color in the home, from choosing the right scheme for each room to adding the perfect finishing touches.

The first hurdle is finding inspiration, so advice is offered on applying the lessons of nature, art and history to your home. Caroline then explores color in depth, delving into the nuances of the interior decorator’s palette. All colors have hidden subtleties and resonances – think of the rich brown of tanned leather, the grey-blue of a frozen pond, the faded purple of old velvet – and, depending on how they are used, they can make or break a room’s design.

No color works in isolation, so perceptive color combining is the only way to achieve a successful design scheme. The Color Design Source Book shows a wide range of classic and unusual looks – sometimes subtle and chic, sometimes bold and humorous, but always stylish and inspirational. The book also offers advice on using colors to create the atmosphere you want or to affect the shape or size of a room. A frosty living room becomes a haven of comfort; an oppressive hallway becomes a welcoming entrance; and a dreary kitchen becomes the heart of the home. Finally, the mysteries of professional color finishes are unraveled, from selecting the right paints for the job to applying decorative finishes, or even using textiles to cover your walls.

So, whether you are planning a whole new look or simply updating and enhancing an existing scheme, The Color Design Source Book shows how to make colors really work for you in every room of your home.