Shade plants don't always offer a lot of color, but you can certainly lighten up the area by using variegated plants.

The only reliable plant with color that I know of would be impatiens - an annual flower for me that comes in a lot of colors.

For shade, consider Ferns, Hostas, Epimediums, Polygonatum falcatum 'Variegatum' (solomon's seal). There are an increasing amount of variegated shrubs to choose from such as Illicium floridanum 'Shady Lady', Gardenia jasminoides 'Variegata', Aucuba japonica variegata 'Gold Dust' , Hydrangea macrophylla 'Variegata'.

you could try the new encore azaleas, native american azaleas will bloom in summer, pieres japonica, dogwoods, japaneese maples, fothergelia, camelias (sasanqua for fall/winter blooms, japaneese for winter/spring blooms) leatherleaf viburnum will grow in a closet, but all are just splashes of color. I find that combining leaf textures and colors the best way to deal with shade. You could go with contrast like a fine leafed japaneese maple underplanted with large leaved hostas. Florida leuocothe (sp) has a somewhat weeping form that gives a waterfall effect when underplanted with sedges or northern sea oats. Just some ideas, good luck.

Columbines, bleeding heart, astilbe, foam flowers,violets, all offer some color. Even Hosta flower.

For spring color, try forget me nots, which come in blue and pink. They spread quickly, then have a nice thick leaf (depending on the variety) throughout the season. Japanese ferns have great leaf colors. Hellebores also are nice, spring flowering, but nice leafs all summer. Forget the home improvement stores, go to a real nursery for a good selection!

I'm a different zone than you are, but I have a lot of shade too. Some plants I have in shade are:

hydrangea
azalea
dwarf azalea
astilbe
columbine
hellebore
pulmonaria
hakone grass (nice bright color!)
bleeding hearts
monkshood
foxglove
lily of the valley
tiarella
heuchera
viburnum
hostas, hostas, hostas, lol! (lots of beauties out there!)
solomon's seal
geraniums
plumbago
ferns
sweet woodruff
ajuga

Some of the above are in beds that do get some morning sun. Do you get any sun at all? And can you plant spring bulbs that can bloom before the oak trees leaf out?

Shade gardens can be incredibly lush and beautiful, places of peace that refresh. Okay, I know, corny, lol, but I do believe that. You just have to learn what can grow in the shade, accept that these will grow while sun-lovers just won't, and learn to appreciate the beauty of those plants.

:)
Dee

P.S. Agree with the above - go to a real nursery! :)

Forgot toad lilies, primroses, and lobelia also...

:)
Dee