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Purple Room Perfection(5 of 5)

Purple-savvy designers also recommend the following combinations:

"I really like mauve, caramel and slate together, and grayish purple works well with golden yellow," says designer DD Allen. "Dark lilac, ice blue, ebony and eggplant combine to create a moody nighttime room for dining, and deep plum with autumn colors helps a large room feel more intimate."

For Old World sophistication try purple with gold, suggests interior designer Susan Symonds, or mix purple with lime green for a high-energy effect. Designer Yvonne Lane pairs gold with a bold purple rug in this dining room (above) for a striking effect.

If you want to keep things purely purple, try mixing various shades: "Purple has such a range and the pairing of two contrasting purples, like lilac and a vibrant violet, can be fun," say Lola. "Purple and black are a great combination; for example, grape color mohair with glossy black lacquer can be very sexy."

Not ready for that much purple power? Purple is also a wonderful accent color, say designers Alexandra Loew and Lauren Soloff from The Desk of Lola: "It is great to use should you want to introduce a floral or botanical element to the decor."

Whether you choose to use a lot of purple or a little, with other colors or on its own, color forecaster Catherine B. Stein, president of THE COLOR COUNCIL, is unequivocal in her endorsement: "Purple reigns!"