How I Can Help You Overcome Your Fear of Color


I talk a lot about the fear of color. I believe it is the single most important issue we all must battle when selecting colors for our homes. Even I find myself coming up against fears in my own home design, and many of these fears are the exact same as my clients. Will the color be too strong? Will I make the space feel too dark? What will the neighbors think? Fortunately, I can usually talk myself out of these fears. It's not always easy, but it's well worth the extra time, effort and struggle.

Awhile back I was interviewed by Better Homes and Gardens about this very topic. I'm sharing my answer with you here because I think it's important stuff!

Q: How do you help homeowners overcome any fear of using color or pattern they may have?

A: I guide them towards what they truly love. Or, I try. Trusting yourself and your own color preferences is an integral part of the color selection process. However, fear is very, very powerful. Sometimes I have full-on counseling sessions with my clients! I try to help them see that in the world of color, there is no right and wrong. Because there really isn’t. We don’t select colors in a vacuum. Color is always relative, and, in the home, it is very personal. If I can help them see that their color selections are really about what THEY like as opposed to what’s right or wrong, then I know I’m guiding them out of their fear.

If you are struggling with color selections maybe all you need is to realize that you are not alone. Or maybe you need a little help. It's important to now that you can get help. It's out there. You just have to admit you need it and then call or email me. ;) I promise - I can help you overcome your fear.

Don't Be Ruled by Fear! 7 Color Myths You Need to Know About Right Now



Myth #1 “Dark” colors make a room look smaller. “Light” colors make a room look bigger.

Not necessarily true! Sometimes a darker color can actually make a room feel larger by giving the space greater visual weight. And even if a “darker” color does make a room feel smaller, so what? Why is that a bad thing? Sometime smaller equals cozier. A room isn't all about its size.



Myth #2 Pale colors are soothing and relaxing.

This also is not necessarily true. Light colors can often be under-stimulating, therefore creating anxiety and restlessness. Not everyone responds to all colors in the same way.


Myth #3 A neutral color has to be white, off-white or beige.

Actually, a neutral color is just a background color that works with many other colors. Neutrals can come in the form of blues, pinks, yellows, greens - really anything!


Myth #4 Ceilings and trim should always be painted white.

Definitely not! Trim can really be any color you want it to be. White is popular because it’s an easy solution. But stark white can often times be too harsh. And, remember, there isn’t just one white anyway. There are thousands of different whites, and if you pick the wrong one it can have an undesirable effect.


Myth #5 I’m supposed to match my paint color with my furniture and accessories, right?

No - you don’t need to be matchy-matchy! The most beautiful environments have a certain amount of contrast, much of that created by color.


Myth #6 If I paint a “color” on my walls, won’t it go out of style?

Not if it’s a color you love. Color trends are fun, but they come and go. Stick to your own palette and it won’t go out of style.


Myth #7 Beige is the best color to use in a home because it goes with everything.

Not all beiges are the same. Some are warm, some are cool. It is essential that the undertones of the beige you select works with the undertones of the overall space. Just because you select a “beige” paint color, it won’t necessarily go with everything.

Need help selecting the colors for your home or business? Give me a call at 650.867.3896 or send me an email to kelly@storyandspace.com. 

Marin Home Magazine: Color: The Essential Element of a Great Space

Once again, I'm honored to be part of Marin Home Magazine. The latest issue is online ready for your viewing pleasure. And, guess what I'm talking about?!? Color!

A little teaser:

The color of your walls is the most critical component of your room’s color scheme. Wall color will almost single-handedly determine the mood of a space. Therefore, a good place to start when selecting color is to ask yourself what mood you want to create. How do you want your space to feel? Masculine and intellectual? Lean towards smoky blues and grays. Flirty and feminine? Pinks and pale turquoise might do the trick. It may take a little practice matching moods with colors, but if you get stuck you can always enlist the services of a color consultant. 

Head on over to

Marin Home Magazine

to learn more about how to use color to create a great space! And if you need help with your colors, you know who to call. ;) Number? 650.867.3896. There. I made it easy. I also like email. kelly@storyandspace.com

How To Shop Flea Markets and Estate Sales: My Tips Featured in Vintage Style Magazine!


Have you seen the new Vintage Style Magazine? It's a good one, and I'm not just being biased because I'm in it. I swear. Ok, well maybe just a little. But it really is a cool publication. 

For the Spring 2013 issue (yes, it's Spring already on newstands. how did that happen?) I was asked to share my insider tips on shopping vintage for the "Tag Sale Gold" article. It's a great guide, with contributions not just from me but from interior designer Elaine Griffin, Jason Nixon & John Loecke of Madcap Cottage, and Mary Carol Garrity of Nell Hill's. 

Most of my suggestions were included, but I'm giving you a few extras here on my blog. Because you are special and I appreciate your readership. Well, that and I'd hate to waste good shopping tips!


1) Cabinet and Door Hardware

I’m always hunting for knobs, pulls, hinges, towel racks, and door knobs. Doesn’t matter is they are mismatched or odd sizes, because I don’t necessarily use them in the traditional way. Cabinet and door knobs, for example, make excellent purse hooks when attached directly to the wall.

2) Lighting

Vintage lighting is not always easy to find, but when you see something you love, grab it quickly! I’ve got a few fixtures I’m using now, including a $3 Mad Men-esque lamp from a recent garage sale. If it’s in working condition, great. If not, you can always have a fixture rewired.

3) Vintage Linens

One of my favorites! I don’t look for fancy linens so much as the everyday pieces. Tablecloths in fun colors and patterns quickly liven up a table and you don’t care if one gets stained because it only cost $3. And I never pass on a good set of cloth napkins. They are an excellent “green” alternative to paper napkins, and many times they haven’t even been used.

4) Jewelry

I’m a sucker for vintage jewelry. At least half of the jewelry I own and wear is from estate sales. I love it because it’s completely unique and there is a sense of story behind each piece. It also looks great on display. I actually have created a jewelry art piece that hangs in my bedroom and was inspired by much of the vintage jewelry I own.

5) Ephemera, Wallpaper and Notecards

Ephemera is any printed, paper material that was never intended to be preserved, such as ticket stubs, movie posters and restaurant menus. This is one of the most interesting items to comb through at an estate sale. I found some 1958 SwissAir menus awhile back with the most beautiful bird art. They cost 10 cents a piece and are now framed and hanging in my living room. I’ve also framed old wallpaper, Con-Tact paper, notecards and color charts. Almost anything can be art when you make it art.

6) Furniture

Of course, I always keep my eye out for a good piece of furniture. Some days I’ll have something specific in mind, but most of the time I just look for something to fall in love with. One day I came home from a sale with a $65 pink velvet wingback chair. Definitely not what I had in mind to buy that day, but it has now become a favorite piece in the house. I’ve learned not to edit myself too much when shopping for furniture. Buy what you love and you will find a place for it. At the same token, don’t buy something just because it’s a good deal.

7) Kitchen Utensils

Estate sales are an excellent place to find all sorts of cool kitchen utensils you never knew you needed. I recently picked up a Kitchamajig for 25 cents. It “strains, drains, beats, blends, whips and mixes.” And it’s made in the U.S.A. I’m convinced that these utensils were made better 50 years ago, which is why you can find so many of them. They were built to last. And even if they don’t, I only paid 25 cents for it! 




8) Dishes

I can’t remember the last time I bought a dish anywhere other than an estate sale. I’ll pick up anything from serving platters to mixing bowls to tiny ceramic plates. Some I use for kitchen purposes - colorful Pyrex is so fun to bake with! - and other dishes are used to collect jewelry, hold a bar of soap or organize office supplies. And I’m keeping my eye out for a cool set of china. I haven’t found it yet, but someday...

9) Household Tools

Staplers, tape measures, ladders, hammers...why buy these things new when you don’t have to? I pick up household tools all the time. How can I resist when they cost a quarter? Staplers are one of my favorite finds, especially Swinglines. I have started a mini-collection and have enough staples to get me through 2050, I’m sure. But I do use them. And if one breaks or gets lost, I’ll always have a back-up. And did I mention the colors? Where can you get an avocado green stapler any more?

10) Books

I am a bit of a book hound. Specifically, I hunt for cookbooks and books on design, decoration, color and “keeping house.” I am completely fascinated by the culture of home and domestic arts. These books give me a glimpse into how things used to be and how far we’ve come...or not come. And I always get a good laugh from some of the recipes. Goose Livers in Jelly, anyone?

Do you shop tag sales, flea markets and estate sales? What are some of your favorite finds and strategies? Do share!


Happy New Year! Now Go On and Make Some Mistakes...


I'm not a big New Year's resolution person. I believe in making resolutions when the moment strikes. Change will let you know when it needs to happen. And I've found that Change doesn't care if it's New Year's or any other time of the year. I am, however, a big fan of using New Year's for a good psychic clearing. And for giving yourself the opportunity to have a fresh start.


I came across this quote this morning and immediately adored it. Mistakes usually have a negative connotation. We view them as bad...things we want to avoid at all cost. We think making mistakes means we aren't good enough, smart enough, strong enough, brave enough, etc., etc. But actually, it's quite the opposite. Mistakes are opportunities. 

‎"I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re Doing Something. So that’s my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life. Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, Do it. Make your mistakes, next year and forever." - Neil Gaiman

So, here's to making lots of mistakes. Not just in 2013, but for the rest of our lives.

Happy New Year!