Color

My condominium apartment has lots of glass, white-painted walls and off-white carpeting. All this, plus my pale-colored sofa and chairs, makes the living room look just like the North Pole -- only less interesting. As you can probably tell, choosing colors is not my forte, so I wind up buying off-white everything.Take comfort, first of all, in the knowledge that your predicament is not unique. Plenty of people blanch when presented with the need to select something less safe than plain old off-white.

I have just been appointed chief concierge of an exclusive office building in Manhattan. The good news, apart from a salary increase, is that I no longer have to wear their dumb gray uniform.Since women have not traditionally been in this job, I'm a bit short of role models.My boss suggests I wear all black. This is ideal because I use black as the basis of my wardrobe.How can I add glamour to it when I go out after work on cold winter nights? I know I'll meet many more people and get invitations to business dinners.

Mike Royko is on vacation. During his absence, we are reprinting some of his favorite columns. This column was originally published on Dec. 20, 1976.It can be infuriating the way minor government officials take their power and flaunt it.For example, my driver's license expired, so the other day I went to the secretary of state's office on Elston Avenue in Chicago to get it renewed.A little lady behind the counter was filling out the application form. Height . . . weight . . ."Color of eyes?"

Q: The summer place we're renting at the lake is so dreary we asked the owner's permission to do a little fix-up work (I couldn't bear the thought of spending three months there the way it was).Since we don't want to spend a lot of time working and much money, I'm writing to see if you have any quick-and-easy decorating ideas.A: Yes, and they can be summed up in one word: color, color, color. Well, maybe one other word: imagination.Paint obviously is the quickest and cheapest way to freshen up any room, if the walls are in good condition.

Q: I want to buy a dress for a dance my boss' wife is giving in August. My mother says I should be conservative and wear black or at least a neutral. I feel that, as it's a dance and not a board meeting, I should wear something bright and happy. What do you think?A: I agree with you. Dress to have fun. Your hostess would not be having a dance if she wanted to see the serious side of you.Carolina Herrera, the New York designer who does some of the prettiest party dresses each season, also agrees:"I think we have all overplayed our hands with black.

Q:My husband and I are going to Paris in February with another couple. We want to really do the town, see the museums and eat at fine restaurants. I have plenty of clothes for evening but don't have anything really dressy for day. What should I look for?A: According to Paris designer Sonia Rykiel, one way to loodressed up for day is to wear an outfit in one color. It's richer, more formal and more luxurious.She says, "Paris can be very cold and gray in the early spring, so a pretty color that flatters you and gives you energy is a good idea."

In "Lucy Sleeps With Master Muford," the eighth cut on their new compact disc, singer Aleta Greene and guitarist Wall Matthews conjure a smoky ghost from a fire stoked in the seven previous songs. This ghost is a woman-child -- innocent, abused, weepy, weary -- and hers is the voice of midnight. She is Lucy, a slave somewhere in America somewhere in time. She comes to life as Greene sings and Matthews plays, a collaboration for which all people interested in interesting music should be grateful.

Joyce Wellman's recent, color-saturated abstract paintings at New Door Creative Gallery on Howard Street combine motifs of maps, architectural plans and aerial photographs as well as cryptic inscriptions and numerological symbols that suggest spiritual rites of passage. The Washington-area artist grew up during the 1950s in New York, where her earliest memories include her mother's devotion to the local numbers game -- the informal neighborhood lotteries that promise instant riches for a nickel or dime wager to people with few other prospects for advancement.

If you have a hard time casting off old furniture, don't feel guilty. Take a good look at your extra pieces and find a way to transform them into something you'll find useful. Glidden Paint suggests that a fresh coat of paint can do wonders for a stained or scratched dresser or even help you put your own mark on a table that never quite fit with the rest of your things. When you've chosen your piece, lightly wash it in a mild solution of soap and water. Apply an undercoat of paint in a neutral color such as white and allow it to dry before applying a second coat.

New York -- Fashion Week came to a close last week just as a snowstorm approached to blanket the city. The chilly weather was a fitting end to the eight-day extravaganza of top designers' picks for fall and next winter, which showed us how to go out and brave the cold in style. Here are some of the looks for next season: Coats and wraps From the beautifully embroidered coats at Bill Blass, to the fur-drenched wraps at Zang Toi, to the artfully loose and unstructured numbers at Marc Jacobs, women will have myriad choices as to how to cover up. "You just felt this sense of warmth and coziness and luxury with all the coats," says Dannielle Romano, editor-at-large of DailyCandy.