If we put the rooms of our previous homes onto hangers and hung them side by side, you could wear any one room with any one of the others, and you’d be styling a smart outfit.

With all the colors in the world, my world is always a different shade of the same two colors: gold and green. Sometimes the gold is soft and mellow while others are bold and bright. Green may be emerald, misty-gray, or teal. Some homes more gold; others mostly green.

This time I was determined to be color-adventurous with our little cabin in the woods, and produce something that was not a mix-and-match interior with all the other interiors of my life.

I spent hours studying color schemes. Then I pulled all the linens from the linen closet, separated the odd, this-is-such-a-good-deal-it-doesn’t-matter-that-it-doesn’t-match-my-room linens, and attempted to build a whole-house decor from mis-matched linens.

I divvied them by room onto the daybed upstairs where the perfect style emerged:  Ralph Lauren in white, taupe and black. There would be absolutely no gold or green in this little cabin.

Just for fun we went to the E.J. Victor pre-market sale last week. The showroom to the left of the front doors had been cleared and was now stocked with an odd collection of non-furniture clearance items. The price list taped to the wall read: pillows $15, silk pillows $25, regular drapes $25, extra long drapes $50, accessories $10. I think I may have lunged for that room.

There were velvet drapes in black, red, royal blue, and shades of purple. Gray flannel, black & white, and blue & green plaid draped the tables and spilled over onto the floor. Coordinating pillows filled the shelves.

We were standing in the middle of a dis-assembled Ralph Lauren showroom.

I was clearly in heaven.

Red velvet drapes $25, plaid pillows $15, and red porcelain accessories $10 each.

Plaid drapes with deep, emerald bullion fringe ($50/pair).

White, taupe and black are out. Gold and green is back. . .