"Color possesses me," declared Paul Klee. It possesses us, too, especially in the current trend of colorblocking and gradients — a crackerjack way to add bold color without splashing it on your walls.

These pieces tend to look their best in clean, simple settings without much competition — but there's always room to break the rules. And, if paint is your thing, commit to it with gusto a la Muriel Brandolini (image #3), or take the edge off with a more subtle gradient shift (image #9).

Shown above:
1 PIece by Swiss artist and color theorist, Paul Klee.
2 Study for Homage to the Square, 1963 by Josef Albers - $419 at Room & Board
3 Nuance armchair and footstool by Luca Nichetto for Casamania at Aria
4 Muriel Brandolini’s rainbow riser staircase
5 Rebel Chair, Dune
6 Brunkrissla duvet cover and pillowcase - $19.99 at IKEA
7 Paul Loebach Nesting Tables - $400 at Areaware
8 Pendleton Glacier National Park Blanket, Urban Outfitters, $160
9 Omaggio Kitchen by Reckweg & Nordentoft via thesweetspot
10 Pink gradient wall via bkkhome
11 Pantone Chairs at Seletti's 2010 ICFF booth, image via L. Weekes