Need a Good Eye for Interior Design

I agree with going for a walkabout through Target. They really do have nice affordable home accessories. You could literally go with ANY color(s) you wish, they ALL go with cream and white.

So go take a look and see what 'pops, pops, pops' for you!
*Can you name that movie? Sorry, this is my family's favorite game, throw out a line and see who can come up with where it came from! :)

~So jealous! I LOVE picking out new stuff and changing the 'feel' of my home and would be in heaven if we were able to be redecorating right now!

I love to decorate! Check out Houzz.com. It is a website that has 1000s of pictures by room. It will help give you ideas. Also to add warmth and color to the dining and LR, I might start by getting an area rug. You can then pull colors out of the rug for curtains, pillows and art. Also JMO but the art you choose will make all the difference in making your room look finished. I have colored paint on my walls but until the art work was hung the rooms in my house looked really unfinished.
PS art does not have to be expensive. Do you have a Home Goods store near you or Kohls? I have also bought ready made frames at AC Moore and Michael's then put a print in frames. so much cheaper than custom frames. Have fun!!!

When you get ready to go shopping, I don't know if you have a KIRKLANDS or HOMEGOODS, but those are great places to buy accessories.
www.kirklands.com
www.homegoods.com

Cream is like a blank canvas. Almost anything will accent it. Try some of hews of your favorite colors.

Buy 4 decorating magazines, and tear out everything you like, for any reason. When you are done, look through the pictures, and you will see a pattern, and you will probably see a color scheme. Then copy that.

Don't just try and choose colors, it doesn't work. Buy Elle Decor, and House Beautiful, and a couple more that suit your fancy.

2 or 3 shades of light to medium green should do the trick, to bring the outside in, esp if you don't to take care of indoor plants. Green vases w/white silk flowers, green throw rugs and blankets, etc.

If you want something bold, it sounds like red would work.

If you want something really bold, there are a ton of Moraccan designs...muted yellows, reds and greens. If you really want to stay w/wines and burgundys, a Moraccan purple (its almost plum) would make the color scheme more updated.

I've seen a Scandanavian color scheme of white, bright aqua blue and dark browns. It may sound like the colors contrast too much but it is actually very clean, bright and pretty if you do it right. W/your white walls you can stick w/bright blue textiles (pillows, blankets, rugs, curtains) and dark brown/iron knick-knacks (candle holders, picture frames, lamps).

No matter your color scheme, throw something orange in the room. It will represent the sun and brighten any home, no matter how large or small the orange item is.

GL!

Any color would look good. I would go with a pattern for the pillows or the curtains or both since you have a solid cream couch. Floral, geo, stripes, whatever fits your style. I love to look at Pottery Barn, HGTV's website, and decorating magazines to get ideas.

Honestly, anything and everything will go with cream and white. What I like to do when I have totally blank slate like you do is go through magazines or walk through stores that I like and see what pops for me in terms of color. The Pottery Barn catalog is my favorite for color, as is Martha Stewart Living magazine. Target has surprisingly nice home decor pieces - I got beautiful striped drapes predominantly a deep red with sage and wheat accents, a nice decorative drapery rod and pillows that coordinated with the drapes (not matchy-matchy but picking up the same colors) all at Target. You can also add color with a runner for your dining room table, a bold centerpiece, some fun accents (pillar candles on funky candle sticks, an unusual vase), etc. But really, any color scheme that resonates with you will be fine. Get flipping through some catalogs or websites and have fun!

Unless you like it (which is always the best reason to pick something) I would stay away from the wine/cranberry. Not really in anymore. If you want to stay in that family I would do a raspberry instead. Here are a couple of options:
go to Target and check out their pillows-Marshalls and TJs have good ones too. Pick something out that really speaks to you in colors that you instantly like. Use that as your color base to work around. These places also have inexpensive drapery. Go with either a solid or very small pattern. Check out area rugs too...they are a nice way to tie in a room. If you have somebody to make them you will be able to get a huge selection of fabrics at Jo Anns..and you can tie all the colors together. You can make pillows, a runner or tablecloth and even stretch complementary fabric on a gallery frame as your artwork.

Go to a few stores and just look around. You'll know it when you see it. It's great to have a neutral background, because the pillows and throw you like right now for Spring/ Summer could be switched out for something different in the Fall/ Winter. Keep curtains a shade that will go well with many colors and textures year-round) Have fun!!

Since cream is the base I would splash in a variety of colors not just one. Buy a sage and a burgundy throw for the back of your new couch as the starter and get throw pillows with those particular color accents. Small pieces, like picture frames and vases with sage and burgundy will color up the room.

Depends on the mood you want to evoke and if you want the color to transition well between seasons. I have a lot of redish, winish colored accents and I find that I love them in winter and hate them in spring when I need to lighten up.

For what you described, I would go with either a palate of greens, silky curtains and varying shapes and patterns of pillows or possibly an orangy palate. I'm not talking bold dorm room colors, but more subtle silky adult oranges or greens. I think these two colors transition better year round than red or browns.

I always use Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware catalogs for my inspiration in rooms. I cannot afford to purchase much of anything from either, but I use them for ideas and staging looks. That's the best thing to do, study photos and then find less expensive ways to create the look yourself with what you have, antiques, garage sale and discount items, etc. There's a great Blog called Hooked on Houses too that is mostly about homes in movies, but there are some great interior shots from favorite shows and movies you can get ideas from.