Category Archives: Color palettes

11 Interior Design Trends for 2019

2019 Interior Design trendsAmy Krane Color
Updated for 2022. Link here. As an interior color consultant this is my favorite time of year to blog about color and design. It’s a great opportunity to sort through my year of tags, dog eared magazines and photos saved online, gleaning trends from what seems utterly random. Here are 11 interior design trends for 2019. The collection is a combination of ideas that have been percolating for a while with others that are genuinely new. 1. White walls with strong pops of color White walls never go out of style but how such rooms are dressed really determines the ambience.… Continue reading...

How to use blue in your home

Amy Krane Color
How to use the world’s favorite color.  There are many shades and tones of this exquisite color. Ultramarine, Egyptian, Prussian, cerulean, periwinkle, indigo, turquoise; the list goes on. When mixing paint there are 3 primary colors: blue, red and yellow.  Indivisible by no other color, blue is a foundational hue. It is considered by most people to be calming though some unlucky souls find the color melancholy. Here’s how to use blue. Across nations and cultures blue remains the world’s favorite color. It wasn’t always so though. It was not until the twelfth century that it began to be associated with the divine and would start to be used in stained glass windows, depictions of the Virgin Mary and coats of arms.… Continue reading...

How to Choose Paint Colors for your house interior

So, you bought a new home or you’re tossing out everything you own and starting from scratch, all new. Yay! or Yikes? Choosing paint colors for an entire home can be daunting. Chances are you’re on some kind of schedule and can’t dilly dally or procrastinate choosing your paint colors. You need a method to choose the paint colors for your home which is sensible and fool proof. Here it is! How to choose paint colors for your home. Let’s start with some don’ts. Do not rely on a color combination created by a paint company in one of their “helpful” inspirational brochures or on-line.… Continue reading...

How to Choose Paint Colors for Rooms with Wood Trim

Many homes, especially in the country, have wood trim that is stained not painted. The trim can include moldings; baseboard or crown, window jambs and casings, overhead beams or millwork like the fireplace wall in the photo above. Wood trim in a wood stain color adds complexity to the overall palette as the room usually has hardwood floors as well. Here are tips to choose the best paint colors for rooms with wood trim. What to consider when choosing paint colors Rarely are the floors and trim the same color stain. This may make the task of choosing wall colors confusing.… Continue reading...

Creating Accent Walls that Work

Accent wall with TVAccent wall Amy Krane Color
Updated Feb 2022 While painting all four walls of a room creates cohesion and unity sometimes we want to kick it up a notch with a painted accent wall. Hopefully you adore the color chosen for the room but if your heart is set on something more – an accent wall can help. It adds the wow factor. In the photo above, not only does the navy blue accent wall add a note of fun and whimsy, it helps integrate one of the key colors used throughout the room and has the added bonus of “hiding” the TV in plain site.… Continue reading...

Decorating with Variations of the Same Color

How to choose paint colorsAmy Krane Color
As an Architectural Color Consultant I’m often asked how I know which colors “go” together. One particular design direction, decorating with variations of the same color stumps many people. There is the science and art of working with color. The science is established. Colors can be quantified and measured in many ways. The art has more to do with one’s taste and sensibility. It’s personal. ( I don’t mean private). In the end it’s about who you are and what you like. How adventurous are you in your color tastes? When it comes to being liberal or conservative in one’s color proclivities, either goes, and unlike in politics, people who are one or the other have no trouble sharing the Thanksgiving table!… Continue reading...

How to Choose Interior & Exterior Paint Colors For Your Home

how to choose paint colors
Are you about to redecorate, renovate or build? Learn how to choose paint colors. Many people want to make their own color decisions but end up stuck, staring at color chips pasted to their wall for months. Choosing colors is difficult but the right color makes the difference between a home that makes you feel great, reflecting who you are and one which leaves you cold and uninspired. Exterior house color is the number one factor affecting your home’s curb appeal and therefore its value. Learn how to choose paint colors which reflect your individual stye, the ambience you want to create and the decor you have.… Continue reading...

A Look to 2017: 10 Design Trends

Heather Nette kingPhoto: Mike Baker
While it’s been a tumultuous year politically, design trends spotted in 2016 and even before, continue to manifest. Warm metals like copper and brass abound, pinks of all types continue to appear as sophisticated wall color choices and dark tones are showing up everywhere. Live edge wood used in everything from tabletops and shelving to bed frames continues to be featured in shelter magazines and homes alike. Here’s my take as an interior color specialist on what’s coming in interior design. Purple A deep jewel purple, Shadow is Benjamin Moore’s 2017 Color of the Year. Mid-toned violets like PPG’s Violet Verbena and Olympic’s Cloudberry made the top list as well.… Continue reading...