Find balance of dark, light

Q We live in an old house that has high ceilings and dark wood paneling in the living and dining rooms. I guess you'd call it traditional, yet we love the look of modern furniture. We don't want to change the paneling. Can you mix these styles?

A: The most exciting feature of today's style is that you can mix and match any way that suits you. There are no rules. The goal is to create a living environment that comforts and pleases you, and the more you go with your instincts, the happier you will be with the result. Think about how you use these rooms. Are they day or night rooms? Dark walls can be a bit heavy in a day room, but that's easily remedied.

The sitting room shown here is an impressive example of how modern meets traditional and light balances dark. It is part of the newly renovated Clift Hotel in San Francisco. Well-known designer and architect Philippe Starck, who is behind the hotel's masterful design, is celebrated for taking high-tech materials and designing them to live harmoniously in domestic settings. You can see how happily you can move your modern furniture into those dark-paneled rooms. White drapes and upholstery, reflective surfaces of the glossy walls and mirrors, and a pale-gray area rug are in perfect contrast to the rich wood tones.

When you are shopping for your new rooms, don't forget to infuse a little surprise, a touch of humor, an element or two that will make you smile. I think Starck did it here with the stunning copper cube table. And the shot of purple in the throw folded neatly over one of the pristine white chairs. Be bold with your choices; it's your home.

Q: I live in a new home built with historic Southern architecture. The walls are 10 feet high with large white crown molding throughout and dark-wood floors. I've used a paint color palette of earthy but bold colors: terra cotta for the kitchen, rusty red dining room, pale yellow entry and halls and medium taupe for my husband's office. The living room is next, and I'm thinking of a light green with some taupe as a contrast wall. Am I using too many colors? Someone told me never more than three colors on a floor. The architecture has a historic feel, when I think people used more color.

A: I live in a Victorian home with the same architectural features you describe. I have infused my home with color, different in every room, upstairs and down, and it works. My kitchen is white, and the color is in the counters and cupboards. It's what your eye tells you that is most important. Never mind the rules.

So far, your color sense is working, and there is no reason not to keep on trusting it. Sage green is a good choice, goes well with dark-wood floors, and green is a balancing color that will coexist happily with whatever surrounds it.

Debbie Travis' House to Home column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. E-mail your questions to house2home@debbietravis.com.