Homeowners and designers know what a difference color makes in a home. They can spend hours poring over print and online images in search of the perfect hue. But sometimes the color in the image doesn't end up looking the same on the wall. Why?

"Have you ever bought a piece of clothing online, thinking it's one shade of a particular color, only to find that it's completely different when it arrives?" asks photographer Christopher Stark. "Same goes for photos." We talked with Stark, photographer David Duncan Livingston and designer Jean Verbridge to get the scoop on how you can find and get the perfect color for your walls.

Color 1: David Duncan Livingston, original photo on Houzz

What makes a color look different from space to space? The ambience, look and feel of a color are highly dependent on an area's light and surroundings. The quality of the light in the room and how it hits each object makes a big difference. "The light can create color casts that change the appearance of the colors," says Livingston. "Think of the coolness of fluorescents or the warmth of incandescents."

"I usually pick the final color based on the time of day I'll be spending the most time in that room," says Verbridge. "It's also easier and less expensive to purchase small paint samples instead of painting an entire room and finding out you don't like the color."

Furniture, trim and accessories can change the look of a color from one room to another as well.

Related: Consult a Professional Painter First

Color 2: David Duncan Livingston, original photo on Houzz

Why do colors look different in photos and online? The changes in color and light in different rooms are captured in photos — and often are more exaggerated, as Livingston illustrates here. While most professional photographers work to correct these color shifts and make the colors clearly, the photos will show up on different devices in different ways. "When an image is reproduced on a laptop, a magazine page or a photographic print, each of the outputs is slightly different, and the colors may shift a bit," says Livingston.

Photographers set their monitor colors to the same calibration, which allows them to get very close with color accuracy in postproduction. But the same standard doesn't apply to other devices. "Most consumers are not looking at things on a calibrated monitor," says Stark. "I wouldn't make a major decision that isn't reversible without seeing [the color] in person."

Color 3: Contemporary Dining Room, original photo on Houzz

How do I get a color I love online into my home? While Verbridge doesn't recommend going with a color listed online or in a magazine — since your own light will likely make it look very different in your space — there's still a way to get the hue you're looking for: Get a hefty supply of paint chips to find a match. "Put the color match next to the photo on your screen and squint your eyes. If the two can blur together, you have a match," says Livingston. Try a few samples from that same paint strip to test in your room to find the best one for your room's lighting and surroundings.

Related: A Color Guide for Every Room in the House

By Vanessa Brunner, Houzz

White-on-white kitchens have been a classic look for many years. Why does this trend endure? For starters, white connotes cleanliness, makes small spaces appear larger, and brightens rooms that are naturally dark.

Although many all-white kitchens are just lovely, some can appear a bit stark or cold. To help clients warm up their white, I recommend a variety of strategies, such as mixing metals and adding contrasting paint, fabric or wood. Read on for inspiration for personalizing your white kitchen so that it stands out from the crowd.

White Kitchen 1: Allard Ward Architects, original photo on Houzz

1. Warm metal accents. Copper, bronze, brass and polished nickel are just a few of the metals that can warm up an all-white kitchen. The gold sconces above the window and the white pendant lights, with their subtle hint of gold, add warmth and a touch of luxury to this all-white kitchen.

Related: Kitchen Lighting in Copper, Bronze, Brass, and Nickel

White Kitchen 2: GIA Bathroom & Kitchen Renovations, original photo on Houzz

2. Color and metal. Moving beyond metallics alone, a single contrasting color when combined with metals can create drama in a white kitchen. In this photo, a modern white kitchen intermingles black pendants and countertops with gold seating. This combination contributes to the room’s sleek contemporary look.

White Kitchen 3: Orchid Newton Ltd, original photo on Houzz

3. Wallpaper. I love wallpaper, especially in kitchens. Wallpaper can introduce color, movement and dimension to a white kitchen. When applied to a lone wall, wallpaper can create a dynamic focal point, as shown in this photo. The bright white cabinets and crisp white walls are softened by the shades of blue in the fish swimming on the side wall. This kitchen’s under-the-sea motif is enhanced by the blue tile on the back wall and the sea urchin-shaped pendant lights.

White Kitchen 4: IS Architecture, original photo on Houzz

4. Colorful island. Wood-stained islands often appear in white kitchens because of the richness and contrast they bring. This kitchen shows a creative alternative, pairing a chartreuse island with a chartreuse Roman shade. Together they lend a whimsical, personalized feel. To give your white kitchen a personal touch, consider painting your island your favorite color.

White Kitchen 5: Mosaic del Sur, original photo on Houzz

5. Tile rug. Layering in a rug is a great way to introduce color and texture to an all-white kitchen, but some clients worry that a rug could be an added source of dirt as well as a possible tripping hazard.

This clever kitchen resolves both issues with a tile rug instead of a fabric one.

White Kitchen 6: Hindley & Co, original photo on Houzz

6. Backsplash. A tile backsplash also can bring color and texture to your white kitchen. But who says a backsplash must be tile? This kitchen has a counter-level window in lieu of a tile splash. The window faces a luscious succulent garden, thus creating a green vista for an otherwise monochromatic kitchen.

By Barbra Bright, Houzz 

You probably don’t give much thought to your garbage cans, other than remembering to put them out on the right day. But we all have to store our trash and recycling bins somewhere, and doing so can be a challenge on a smaller property, especially if you don’t want them to be an eyesore. If you’re struggling to find a stylish way to store your bins, check out these smart and inspiring ideas. Now, is it black or green bin day this week?

Garbage Bins 1: Outhouse Design, original photo on Houzz

Choose a screen. The curved screen in the corner of this courtyard is an attractive feature in its own right, thanks to the decorative cutwork pattern, and offers an elegant way to hide ugly plastic bins from view.

By using a screen like this, you can section off as much of the garden as you need — to store bikes or garden equipment as well as bins. To blend in the structure even further, you could grow climbers up and over the screen or along the wall behind.

Related: Outdoor Chairs to Entertain in the Garden

Garbage Bins 2: London Front Gardens, original photo on Houzz

Create a brick shelter. Built in red brick to match the house, and tiled with slate, this practical storage area blends with the property’s exterior and actually enhances the space with its character and interest. The look is mirrored in the raised bed at the front of the drive for a coordinated finish.

A custom compartment on the left neatly houses the bin, while two smaller storage compartments on the right make room for stacking recycling boxes.

Garbage Bins 3: Fenton Roberts Garden Design, original photo on Houzz

Make it part of the garden. The aim of this front garden design was to create a wildlife haven, and rather than see the bins as an unsightly obstacle to be hidden away, the owners decided to make them integral to the design.

They created a sturdy wooden structure with a living roof that works as an extension of the garden and is planted with wildlife-friendly flowers and foliage.

Related: Create a Wildlife Haven With a New Bird Bath

Garbage Bins 4: Beertje Vonk Artist, original photo on Houzz

Design it into an outbuilding. In a larger space, an open-sided outbuilding like this one is ideal for storing and hiding bins. It’s painted a heritage shade and is partly screened in front with evergreen topiary to create a visually appealing feature — a great way to smarten up a drab drive.

This idea would complement a traditional or cottage exterior, but if your style is more contemporary than country, you could choose a sleeker style, or paint it a darker shade to tie in with the exterior of your home.

Garbage Bins 5: Kate Eyre Garden Design, original photo on Houzz

Tuck it into a border. Can you spot the trash bins on this drive? They’re neatly tucked away in the wooden box to the left of this image, and the impact of the structure has been much reduced by positioning it in a decorative floral border and planting low standard trees right alongside it.

The structure also has a green roof planted with succulents to further disguise the box and make it as visually appealing as possible.

Garbage Bins 6: The Honest Scot, original photo on Houzz

Build a clever storage wall. If space is limited, why not make your recycling containers work extra hard by turning their storage area into a boundary wall, as these smart homeowners have. This neat wooden shelter screens the bins from the road while creating a clean, contemporary-style wall.

Related: More Designer Tips to Boost Curb Appeal

By Victoria Harrison, Houzz