Category Archives: Design

6 Beautiful Whites that Cover all the Bases

Amy Krane Color
White is like any paint color. There is no one best. It’s all about context and your design goals.  Best depends on best for what. There are thousands of white paint colors available. White is considered the ultimate neutral. White paint colors have relatively little hue so some think that makes them easy to choose. They’re not. Neutral whites without pronounced undertones are few and not necessarily the best choice for every application. What do you want your white to do, brighten and lighten? Its success is based on how much natural light is in the room. White walls in an area with no natural light can look dingy if not chosen well.… Continue reading...

Autumn Colors for your Home

brown bedroomAmy Krane Color
If you have a hankering to do some permanent redecorating this time of year, consider some toastier autumn colors for your walls. As a color expert I suggest brown, plum, mustard, taupe and burnt orange to conjure up feelings of coziness, perfect for the colder months. We all know switching out a summer wardrobe for a winter one is as easy as taking our sweaters out of storage and packing the sandals away. The white pants get a final cleaning then move to the rear of the closet and our deep dark tones come to the forefront. It’s a little more complicated with home decor but that doesn’t mean you can’t accessorize differently for the colder months.… Continue reading...

Dark Paint Colors for House Exteriors

Peter Pennoyer's Adirondack House
Dark houses are dramatic! The juxtaposition of a dark house color with the lighter sky makes for serious contrast. Of course dark houses blend in less with the environment than lighter or mid tone houses. But that’s a design choice. Dark blue, dark green, dark grey, brown and black are all great choices. A very modern approach is not to use any contrasting trim colors at all, but the success of that is very much based on the architectural style of the house. As an exterior paint color specialist I help my clients choose dark paint colors for exteriors when they want to go that direction.… Continue reading...

Barn Red : A Survey of Red Barns

barn redPhoto: Amy Krane
I spend a lot time driving around Columbia County NY where I live, admiring the red barns. There are so many beautiful ones, both vintage and new. Many people choose a classic barn red for their home as well. Like all colors, the light greatly affects the appearance of the red. The same red will look completely different on a sunny versus cloudy day, front, back or side lit, facing north or south. There are numerous fables about the origin of the red used on barns in the U.S. One story relates that iron oxide or rust was added to linseed oil and painted on the wood siding to protect the structure from fungus and mold.… Continue reading...

Talking to Elle Decor about Color

Elle Decor
Amy Krane Color in Elle Decor When one of my favorite shelter magazines, Elle Decor, called and asked me to weigh in about colors which are often maligned, I jumped at the opportunity. Read the article about 6 colors people love to hate, but shouldn’t. In the end it’s more about how colors combine with one another than your thoughts about any one color because they’re never used in isolation. A case can be made for any color if the setting is right for it. Think about your architecture, lighting, other colors in the room and the mood you want to set.… Continue reading...

Black & White Paint in and on Houses

Black Modern Farmhouse
There is no combination more graphic than black and white. Using polar opposites creates maximum contrast which translates into drama. Whether dealing with an interior or exterior, the absence of another hue puts emphasis on pattern and that creates focus on form. The addition of another color changes the whole equation. Three colors bring a different kind of balance to a space and more possibilities for complex color relationships. Black house exteriors have come into vogue and for good reason. They make a very big, grand statement. Black and white interiors are tricky to pull off well. Bathrooms and kitchens seem to lend themselves to this choice.… Continue reading...

Creating Punch… Mixing Warm and Cool Colors .

soothing cool colored bedroomBerdorf chalet bedroom
As an interior color specialist I recommend that if you are looking to create a soothing, peaceful space there are a number of ways to go about it. You can choose all muted tones, ones which are “knocked down” by the addition of black or grey. You can use pale pastels, which are desaturated by the addition of white. Or you can choose analogous colors from the cool side of the color wheel. See the photo above. These hues sit right next to one another on the cool side of color wheel. They include blue, green and violet and those colors in between.… Continue reading...