January 26, 2015

“Any Monkey Can Do Color.”

Years ago, I was discussing design issues with a licensed interior designer who happened to be familiar with my career as a decorative artist and architectural color consultant. At one point in the conversation, she uttered, “Any monkey can do color.” She didn’t say it harshly or with malice, but rather, she said it without thinking. Her comment has stuck with me, not because it hurt my feelings, but because I believe that attitude permeates our society. There are many design professionals who think that 1) there is no strategic or business reason for using a particular color, 2) any color palette will do and, therefore, 3) color is easy,…

January 6, 2015

Architectural Color Fallacies

It is interesting how many “experts” – actual professionals – give not-so-expert advice when asked about color schemes for residential interiors. Advice that doesn’t actually focus on what works for the specific architectural space or the client who resides there. All too often, such advice is speculative, presumptuous, and very general, yet it’s received without question, unfortunately, as if it were hard fact. But those who are trying to better their homes, offices, and other architectural spaces deserve better. Formatted, generalized answers are just not good enough, when doing it correctly is so much more effective. Ultimately, of course, it’s the responsibility of the consumer to judge whether the color…