Category Archives: Home Decor

How to Paint Small Rooms

Domino MagazineDomino Magazine
Domino magazine asked your resident Paint Color Consultant, Amy Krane, how to handle color in small rooms. There is so much contradictory advice out there about how to paint small rooms. This article attempts to sort through the clutter and define some concrete rules. Spoiler alert, two of us were interviewed and even we disagreed sometimes! Nevertheless, find some helpful how-to’s when it comes to small room color. Domino magazine: What you should know about painting a small room. Things to consider? How much natural light is there, when do you use the room, how high are the ceilings, how much time do you spend in the room.… Continue reading...

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...

10 Paint Color Mistakes We’re All Guilty of?

Amy Krane Color in Elle Decor
Well not all of us make color mistakes! Elle Decor reached out to interior paint color expert Amy Krane to find out what common color mistakes people make when choosing paint colors. Find out what they are and how to avoid them here at Elledecor.com. It’s easier and easier to educate yourself about using color in the build world these days. There are so many online advice columns, online magazines and blogs to help you along the way not to mention the millions of photos you can study on Pinterest and Houzz. Paint color mistakes don’t have to happen to you.  Listening to my podcast Let’s Talk (paint) Color you’ll hear tons of color advice to help you on your way.… 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...

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...

Country Kitchen Color: Beyond All White

yellow kitchen blue kitchenYellow and Blue Kitchens
There is no doubt that the all white kitchen is the standard in home design today. Whether housed in a country home or part of a sleek urban apartment, the all white kitchen is endlessly versatile and seemingly universally appealing. It works with every color palette, is always bright and projects its clean persona. While the ultra modern, minimalist version sometimes runs the risk of chilliness with its surfeit of reflective surfaces, the all white country kitchen is more often very warm in temperament. Bright white walls and cabinets, Cararra marble or similar stone and the use of white subway tile is everywhere, albeit with variations.… Continue reading...