--- title: "Amy Wax — Interior Designers & Decorators | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/amy-wax-pfvwus-pf~939923627 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~939923627.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Amy Wax" category: ["Interior Designers & Decorators"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/c6c3598d01bbadea_4450-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "Montclair, New Jersey USA, New Jersey 07042, United States" phone: "(973) 509-2304" website: http://www.AmyWax.com rating: 5 review_count: 83 best_of_houzz_awards: 9 followers: 183 last_updated: 2026-11-05 --- # Amy Wax Original Houzz profile: [Amy Wax](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/amy-wax-pfvwus-pf~939923627) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Interior Designers & Decorators - **Location:** Montclair, New Jersey USA, NJ - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (83 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 9 awards (2015–2025), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 10 Ideabook Saves Professional color consulting from award winning, experienced color consultant, author of 2 best selling books on color, creator of the Color 911 app for instant help with color, and Past President of the International Association of Color Consultants of North America. ### Services Provided - Color Consulting ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Amy Wax | | Address | Montclair, New Jersey USA, New Jersey 07042, United States | | Phone | (973) 509-2304 | | Website | http://www.AmyWax.com | | Followers on Houzz | 183 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/Color911app - X (Twitter) — https://twitter.com/color911 - LinkedIn — http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=35008092&trk=nav\_responsive\_tab\_profile\_pic - Blog — www.amywax.com ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Amy Wax](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/amy-wax-pfvwus-pf~939923627) - **Website:** http://www.AmyWax.com - **Phone:** (973) 509-2304 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - HUE award from Benjamin Moore for expertise in the application of color in the Residential Exteriors category/ - Author of two best selling books on color. - Best of Essex Interior Design category nomination. - **Best of Houzz:** 9 awards (2015–2025), for Service. ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 83 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 5.0 - Communication: 5.0 - Value: 5.0 ### Reviews **★★★★★ — Taylor, Oct. 2024** > We hired Amy to help select a new exterior palette for our home and she completely transformed our house in to a brighter, more inviting home. She was so detail orientated and took her time to discuss with us not only our personal preferences, but also our goals for the house. I appreciated Amy coming over to look at all of the details of our house and the surrounding homes in our neighborhood. Exterior painting is such a big job but Amy really helped us feel confident in the paint choices and we love the way it all came out. She really found colors that brought out all the unique details in our house and what worked with our style. **★★★★★ — HU-826551418, Oct. 2021** > We loved working with Amy on selecting exterior colors for our home! She is incredibly thoughtful and very detail oriented. We had a general idea of what we wanted but were very nervous to make a selection given the overall investment involved in painting the exterior of your home. The color selection process was very smooth and started with an interview on our likes/dislikes and a tour of our home. Amy returned and presented a few options for us to select from which I really appreciated. We have an old Victorian so there was a lot of detail involved and Amy didn’t miss a thing. Amy was even able to suggest a new color scheme for our roof when we mentioned we were going to have it done in the next few years. We would 100% work with Amy again. **★★★★★ — HU-491823345, April 2021** > I have been a Realtor for 40+ years in West Essex NJ. Formally an art teacher, i wanted every room to be perfect. There is no finer consultant anywhere better than Amy Wax from Color Source!! Dont drive yourself crazy; shes absolutely the BEST! Judy Hirshburg, KW Suburban Livingston, realtorjudyh@juno.com, 201-321-5735 **★★★★★ — chelseashow, Jan. 2021** > We were ready to repaint our house and saw local recommendations for Amy. It was a great experience! We met with her (socially distanced in the front yard) and told her about our style, how we felt about the house and neighborhood, and colors that were no-go for us. Then she came back with a beautiful color palette that somehow stands out and yet blends in. Maybe the design oriented folks really notice it and everyone else just thinks, "Hey, that's a nice house." It's mainly light green, with blue, white, and grey accents. We've received a lot of compliments. > > She provided an illustration that was really easy for our painter to follow. > > I would definitely work with Amy again! **★★★★★ — M H, Oct. 2020** > Amy helped me tremendously when I was picking a color for a new roof. I had picked many different samples and could not seem to coordinate them with my red brick house. It seemed simple, but every time I had a sample placed on the roof, nothing matched. Amy was first able to narrow my choices. Then she explained which color would work best and why. I am very happy with my new roof. I wish I would have contacted her earlier. I could have avoided buying samples and struggling with choices that just didn't work. **★★★★★ — Pat Adams, Nov. 2019** > I found Amy online searching for an exterior color consultant and later realized I had a copy of one of her books in our home library. Amy was affordable and professional. She called me and asked questions regarding my style, personality and color goals. I sent her photos of our home and within a few weeks we received a portfolio with two color scheme choices including details for us and the painter as to where each color went on the home. She made herself available to answer questions along the way and even when there were last minute home reno color changes she settled my doubts. I highly recommend Amy Wax. **★★★★★ — Matthew Quinn, Sept. 2019** > Working with Amy was a pleasure. She has a great eye for colors and developed a scheme that was perfect for our home. She helped us through the entire process, including recommending painters and researching options for how to treat a cooper roof on our bay window. I highly recommend Amy to anyone looking for help in choosing colors for their home. **★★★★★ — Harper, Sept. 2019** > I reached out to Amy (NJ) to consult on some exterior materials and colors for our remodel in SC. I wasn’t sure if she even did long distance consults, but given everything I had read about her, I figured it was worth a try. I emailed her and received a response the same day. We connected the following Monday. Although I had already made many of the selections, she alleviated my fears and cleared up some items on which I was still undecided. We are still in process so I will be following up if I forgot anything and will be sending pictures once complete. > > She was a joy to speak to with a calm and confident demeanor. I pleasure to speak with for sure. I will be reaching out again. > > Thank you Amy! > Allison (SC) **★★★★★ — Lisa Green, Jan. 2019** > This is looong overdue, but I wanted to thank Amy for helping us choose colors for our living and dining rooms. When we moved into our home 3+ years ago all the walls were covered in an awful beige (with pink undertones) that made every room look very drab and dark. We knew we wanted something brighter, without it being stark white or a completely overwhelming color scheme, but were really having trouble making a final decision. Since our rooms have a very connected flow, Amy helped us pick colors that would complement each other and did a great job. This review was a long time coming because we were working on changing out our existing furniture - the "after" photos wouldn't have done Amy's selections justice with our old furniture still in place. Thanks, Amy! **★★★★★ — Abigail Rizk, Dec. 2018** > Amy provided color consultation for the exterior of our house, a 1951 ranch that needed a major make-over! She listened to our style preferences and picked colors that were just what we were looking for but couldn't quite come up with them ourselves. **★★★★★ — Martha Leonardi, July 2018** > I engaged Amy to put together a color palette for the exterior of our home. I could not be more pleased with the colors she chose. We had a telephone consultation and she nailed it! The report she generated was clear and detailed. It made it so easy to interview painting contractors. I will never try to do my own color selections again! A real professional! **★★★★★ — Julie Vanderzeeuw, July 2018** > Amy gave the most excellent advice regarding the paint color for our house. We were at sixes and sevens but she gave us a simple solution that we love. Absolutely gifted color specialist! ## Selected projects - [Exterior house color samples - Amy Wax](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/exterior-house-color-samples-amy-wax-pj-vj~486705) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 1 [See all 1 project](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/amy-wax-pfvwus-pf~939923627) ## Ideabooks - [Home featured in Design NJ - Amy Wax](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/23350642/list/home-featured-in-design-nj-amy-wax) — 9 ideas [See all 1 ideabook](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/amywax) ## Community Q&A **Q: Basement paint color** *(in Paint)* We have a small basement playroom with orangey-coral walls; we'll be having an egress window installed on the wall shown, and I'd like to redo the paint. The bottom beadboard/wainscoting is a cream (and I don't want to repaint that). I love dark paints, so lean that way. It is a playroom (daughters), but I don't want it too cute. Some ideas here but would love opinions. A: Hey Louisa! That looks like an awesome space. You and the kids are lucky! As for the playroom colors, I think you could really benefit from my latest blog post on the topic. You can find that here on my color expert blog :) To give a quick overview of my thoughts on playroom colors, I think it's so much better to let the toys and the items within the room provide much of the bright colors while keeping paint, walls, and furniture bright but still a bit neutral. Kids (and adults!) can easily be overstimulated when rooms are too bright or busy, so I like that you're keeping the walls one color. That beautiful greenish teal color looks great, and some evidence shows that green is great for concentration and creativity, which is perfect for a playroom. Hopefully you'll post your final choice when you decide; I'd love to see! **Q: Paint interior trim and doors white or learn to love grey?** *(in Paint)* Hey y’all! I am purchasing a 3000 sq. Foot one story home that currently has grey interior doors and trim. I am trying to figure out the cost/difficulty of painting from grey to white. The house has crown molding in living room, kitchen, and master bedroom. There are 16 total interiors doors that would need to be painted as well. Is this something you would consider painting yourself or hire a professional? If so, any estimates of what that may cost? A: Trim and trim color is definitely a big deal! It might not seem like it, but your trim can really set the tone (no pun intended) for an entire room. In fact, an entire room makeover could be done by simply switching various colors and even by just switching the trim! In fact, I just went over how options like dark trim can be perfect for a complete master bedroom makeover on my blog. So my answer is: choose a trim that you love! It's your house after all. If you aren' loving grey, adjusting this color to something lighter or even just a different neutral color can completely change your feel of the space! **Q: Wall Street Journal Design Trends 2020** *(in Home Decorating)* The continuing prediction of the demise of gray :-) Wall Street Journal "polled" 100 designers regarding trends for 2020 https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-top-6-interior-design-trends-for-2020-11577460357 The Top 6 Interior-Design Trends for 2020 Oval furniture is making sharp angles seem passe. The reign of white Carrara is giving way to many-colored marble. We canvassed over 100 décor pros to bring you the design trends that are winning—and waning By Catherine Romano Dec. 27, 2019 10:25 am ET Even if chain-retailer prices are tolerable, it’s become less appealing to buy a bed or dresser thinking you’ll replace it in a few years. “Longevity is in, throwaway culture is out,” said Shea Soucie, co-founder of Soucie Horner, a design and architecture firm in Chicago. The toll that disposable furniture takes on the environment has people looking at revitalizing old pieces, noted Richmond, Va., designer Sara Hillery, “especially those with meaning.” Said Rome-based designer Achille Salvagni, “No one wants to inherit that IKEA coffee table.” IN: Pieces Worth Keeping Discerning Americans are turning to furniture with soul, like this Custom Rift Sawn Oak Dresser made for Sunday Shop by New Orleans workshop Doorman. “There is a palpable shift toward collecting fewer but better things that represent shared experiences through real craftsmanship,” said Nicola Coropulis, CEO of Italian brand Poltrona Frau. Also gaining value: the history inherent in antiques and hand-me-downs. Said Elizabeth Lowrey, of Boston’s Elkus Manfredi Architects, “If it’s meaningful, find a place for it.” OUT: Bleached and Whitewashed Floors Blanched wood surfaces, a hallmark of Scandinavian and Modern Farmhouse styles, are fading. “Clients worry that it will be too identifiable as ‘a look’ from this period and not stand the test of time,” said San Francisco designer Kendall Wilkinson. Also taking a powder: the flooring materials that were part of the gray wave of the past five years. “Gray woods have been reigning supreme for years, but we’re seeing a shift to warmer palettes,” said Glencoe, Ill., designer Andrea Goldman. IN: Warm Woods Underfoot People want rooms that are a bit more cozy, with richer, darker colors, noted Jenna Rochon, co-founder of Transition State design in Los Angeles. On the floor, that translates to walnut, mahogany and dark oak. New York designer Young Huh also noted a tendency toward “finishes with old-world charm.” Honey-toned species like oak and maple contribute to a casual vibe, said Ms. Goldman, “but since they pair nicely with warmer hues, the final look is not as faded out” as that of bleached wood. OUT: Gray...Again! Yes, we confidently reported last year that the ubiquitous gray that charcoaled homes inside and out in 2018 was past its prime. Designers had tired of the sooty shade, but apparently the public hadn’t. “As we close out the decade, the ‘cool gray everything’ style is finally (and thankfully) out for good,” ventured Laura Muller, owner and principal designer of Four Point Design Build. Designer and artist Barry Lantz in Carmel, Ind., despaired of gray, “It’s like a gloomy winter day all year.” IN: Earth Tones Four of the 16 colors in Farrow & Ball’s new Colour by Nature line are green. Home Depot’s Behr paint declared its Back to Nature green (right, bottom) their 2020 color of the year. Joa Studholme, color curator at Farrow & Ball, credits the verdant trend to environmental awareness, while many of the polled designers mentioned olive green as part of an earthy, organic palette that includes chocolate brown, camel, deep reds, ocher and burnt orange. Ms. Huh told us that hard, cold, “all-masculine spaces” are tired. Mr. Salvagni believes 2020 is the year to shake, “the tyranny of the straight line,” as seen in this particularly tyrannical acrylic desk. Sara Hillery observed that the rise of linearity coincided with the flourishing of Facebook and Instagram. “Images of stark, modern rooms flooded social media, and furniture followed suit with the rise of track arms and square frames,” said the Richmond, Va., designer. IN: Softer Living “Moving away from the geometric shapes of the recent past, there was a strong emergence of softened corners, round legs, curved backs,” said Denise Morrison, a designer in Newport Beach, Calif., who reports that many vendors have introduced oval tables. She points to the Skate Oval Dining Table by Tracey Boyd, Four Hands Collection, above. The trend can also be seen as a backlash to oppressive masculinity. “We’re embracing the feminine touches and a soupçon of the romantic,” said Ms. Huh. OUT: Colorless Stone You know Carrara and Calacatta marble. They’re frequently mispronounced—even by people who can afford whole kitchen islands of them—as “Carrera” and “Calcutta.” Chicago designer Kate Taylor identified it as “veiny white marble” when she opined that it had reached its peak of popularity. “White and gray marble had a very long and full life, but with oversaturation comes monotony,” agreed fellow-Chicagoan Donna Mondi. “It can still have a part in your story, just don’t count on it to be the lead.” IN: Multicolored Marble Taking uneventful white stone’s place? Ms. Taylor points to multicolored geological wonders like the marble at right, which New York’s ABC Stone calls Opera D’Arte. Also crowding out Carrara and Calacatta are man-made materials, said Ms. Goldman. “We’re seeing clients select porcelain and techno quartz over natural stone, even in high-end homes, thanks to the practicality and durability of it.” Said Miami architect Kobi Karp of engineered stone, “It can mimic high-end materials at an attainable price.” OUT: White Slipcovers “For a long time, \[washable\] cotton slipcovers were our best bet for white upholstery, so that it would not be destroyed by stains,” said Caitie Smithe, a designer with Chicago’s Walter E. Smithe. New York’s Vicente Wolf enumerated their shortcomings: “Cotton slipcovers are super high maintenance. They shrink, fade, stain and need to be pressed.” Added Four Point Design Build’s Ms. Muller, “Slipcovers also typically have a loose, casual—almost sloppy—fit, which over time and several washings, become a ‘misfit.’” IN: White Sofas Ms. Smithe predicts that in 2020, the gray-upholstery trend will be replaced by white upholstery, driven by advances in performance fabric. “The technology has created options that are as soft and stylish as a ‘regular’ non-performance fabric without a difference in price,” she said, “and they repel stains better than ever.” Said designer Jenny Madden, of Hoboken, N.J., “Now that performance fabrics…include textures as soft as chenille, why do upholstery any other way?” A: I also predicted that earth tones and more natural materials would be some of the top colors for 2020 as a result of the increased popularity of biophilic design and younger generations reliance of nature and minimalism. However, it will be interesting to see how the trends develop since another "trend" I've been noticing is that people are more likely to do whatever they want instead of following every trend that pops up! **Q: indoor sunroom ideas** *(in Porches & Decks)* More ideas to make my indoor sunroom super comfy? A: Colors make a huge difference to how you feel in your sunroom, along with design. Check out this blog on Enclosed patio ideas & designs on my site! **Q: creating 2 spaces in one room; small home "office" and gym** *(in Design Dilemma)* We have a room which is 12 x 14. We would like to create a small desk/office area and then possibly create a "home gym" space which would have a bike trainer and a Peleton, some space for yoga, a mirror and barre and some free weights, maybe a bench. A: Hi Laura! - This sounds like a great idea. One thing I would keep in mind when designing is your home gym color schemes. Some colors work better than others in various settings of course. Best of luck as you try and figure out the design (and colors)! \- Amy **Q: needing suggestions for warm, peaceful color palette** *(in Paint)* Transforming a small bedroom into a sitting room with built in bookcases & window seat. We have a historic home so hoping to keep that vibe in this room. Need paint color suggestions for bookcases, window seat, trim, and walls. Only things in here so far are an earthy green cushion for the window seat, red oak floors, and a dark walnut dresser. I’ve tried so many samples and still have come up with nothing I love. Please help! A: It's so important to feel peaceful and truly at home in your space. Did you know there are specific colors that promote peaceful feelings and can help reduce daily stress? Check out my latest blog on stress relieving colors and how they can improve your life! --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-11-05.*