As what you call a "newbie", let me tell you my colour coordination, if you can call it that;
Case; THX, slate-grey/silver.
Monitor; 15" Relisys TFT, metallic blue grey.
Printer; Epson, light grey.
Scanner; Packard Bell 1200, metallic blue.
Speakers; an "indeterminate" grey.
Other items, main TV [Panasonic],Sky digibox, & VCR [Toshiba], all silver, they just happened to match.
Guess you can guess I'm a Brit, by the modest sized monitor?
Maurice