This post focuses on using bold colors for maximum impact. Many of the colors used in these images are colors that clients might shy away from on a paint chip. But in context with the rest of the space, these bold color choices really work.
Note: the images below show work by other talented designers except where it specifically states that the work is my own.
Many clients might be afraid to select the dark chocolate brown used on the back wall of this photo, but you can see how it provides a wonderful backdrop for the art and a nice contrast to the sunnier golden color used on the opposite wall. The dark wall definitely draws your eye.
I love the use of orange in this dining room. It adds a warm and happy feeling to the space and contrasts nicely with the dark woods and the white trim and chair upholstery.
This is a loft-like condo space that I designed for a young couple. At the start of the project they had the light brown sofa and the dark wood coffee table and small cafe table, but their walls were white and they had no other color in the space. Since the space was essentially one large loft-like room with no differentiation from the eating area to the living room, I used the green and orange colors to help divide the space. Note that I pulled green elements into the living room space (using accessories such as candles and pillows) to tie the spaces together a bit.
In this bedroom that I designed, I wanted to use a lot of color, but still have the space feel calm and restful. The soft blue and chocolate brown - accented by bright white and some black/browns - achieve this.
Although this space features bright colors, it works for a few reasons. One, all of the colors play nicely off of one another. Two, the architecture of the space - specifically the height of the walls and the complex ceiling line balance out the color impact. And three, the furniture and lighting are very simple - black chairs, white tables, and natural globe pendant lights.
Most people would never think of using pink on their walls. That said, this space, which I designed, needed to serve the needs of my client - a wedding photography, videography, and makeup studio. The space needed to be feminine and elegant - to help brides-to-be feel comfortable and in good hands. The pink wall is balanced by the use of a lot of white in the space - in the flooring, on the sofa, in the decorative trim work, and in the furniture.
Here you can see the space before and the space after. What a huge difference in how the space looks and feels when you walk in it.
Bright colors work when the users benefit from it. In this space for two very active young girls, which I designed, I wanted to create a playful, energizing room for them to do crafts, homework, dancing, and whatever else they dreamed up. The various shades of pink provide a feminine, girly contrast to the cheerful green. The existing beige carpet color and white ceiling balance out the bold use of color.
Play room before and after. The image at the top shows a vast sea of beige that wasn't much fun for two fun loving girls. The second image is all about fun.
This nursery, which I designed, features soothing pale blues accented by a bold lichen/lime green. The green provides much needed contrast to the blues and whites which are often overused in boys' nurseries.
Nursery before and after. This space in its previous incarnation (as a barely used guest room) looks drab and boring - even with the bright painting above the bed. It looks like a totally different space in the nursery image. 
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