Look on the bright side

What’s hot: People are experimenting with vibrant island colors, particularly turquoise and coral in accent pieces. They’re also using orange and variants such as cantaloupe and peach.

Cool combos: Pink and green are pervasive in fabrics, pillows and accessories. Teal, blue-green and aqua are coming back -- especially when paired with crisp white. Taupe also is in, particularly with indigo and navy. For accent pieces? Preppy combos like navy and Kelly green.

Match game: Don’t be concerned with precisely matching shades. Pottery or artwork may look more interesting if it’s all in different shades of blue, for example.

Bright white: In a return to the minimalist look, white walls are coming back. They play up art and accessories well.

Pass on purple: Purple’s popularity is falling. It may be part of a print, but it’s rarely the main hue. We thought pink would be short-lived, but it’s not going away.

-- Maryann Hammers