Stumped on What Hue to Paint Your Boring White Walls? You Might Need a Color Consultant

The wall of my stairwell is currently splashed with about a dozen color samples in various shades of blue-gray. Does it really matter if I choose a blue that’s slightly darker than the sample to its right but slightly less green than the one to its left? Will it hasten the arrival of the apocalypse if I choose Slate instead of Citadel Blue or Santorini Blue? Selecting a paint color is not exactly a matter of life or death, but it feels close to it. It’s a big decision! That’s why some people choose to enlist a color consultant. 

Color consultants will help you figure out what’s right for a space, what rules to follow, and which ones don’t matter at all. "The way we use [color] to enhance our homes has drastically changed over the last decade, with the small accent giving way to the bolder statement," Joa Studholme, Farrow & Ball’s color curator, says. "Color is now being used in amazingly imaginative ways. Forget the concept of painting between the baseboard and the molding—or even being constricted by trim. All the rules have been torn up, much to my glee." 

Interior designers will handle a project from start to finish and will do a lot more for you, from designing and concepting to selecting furniture and fixtures to overall execution. The scope of a color specialist is much more limited, just focusing on color selection, although some do offer design services as well. If you do really just need help figuring out what color you need to paint your bedroom, a color specialist might be your move, and many paint companies offer color consultations, both in-home and online. Sherwin Williams offers free virtual consultations, whereas Benjamin Moore’s start at $50. Most processes require that you send pictures of your space ahead of time, followed by either a call or IRL meeting. There are also interior designers and standalone companies that bill themselves as color specialists. 

"Many times, customers have a good sense of where they want to be color-wise, they are just not sure of the nuances between colors that can determine whether a color will work in a room," says Andrea Magno, director of color marketing and design at Benjamin Moore. "Establishing a good understanding of the client’s style, design goals, color preferences—and even dislikes—will help create parameters for the color consultation."

She says she takes cues from the client based on factors like finished rooms in their home and even colors they like to wear. She also tries to explore whether they prefer light or dark colors, if they have a particular mood in mind, and whether they’re open to exploring bold or bright hues. Like many things, how much help the client needs really varies. Some have a distinct vision and some need more help drawing it out.

"Functional aspects of the space to be painted should be explored, which includes questions such as how much light does the room get, and how will the room be used. Moving into specific colors, work through color families that have potential based on the earlier questions. This will also include gauging whether the client is comfortable with only light colors or if they are open to exploring hues that are deep or bold," Magno says.

A lot of color consultation is sort of like home design therapy. It comes down to the consultant’s ability to draw out and interpret the general vibe the client wants to communicate.

"If I am on site with a client, I spend time walking around the spaces noting the light and the architectural features—it may be that they want to make a room look bigger, taller or more intimate—all of this can be achieved with the use of color," Studholme says. "But most importantly I want to find out how each room is used so we can select colors that feel comfortable for the client and result in a home that reflects their personality."

As far as training goes, it runs the gamut. Some specialists have gone to school and studied design or color theory, while others have an innate knack for this kind of work.

"A common thread between these areas of study is a solid understanding of color theory, application and design, which is essential to advising on color," Magno says. "Outside of formal education, a natural talent for deciphering the nuances between colors and the ability to pair colors is also key." Meanwhile, Studholme, who actually both develops and names Farrow & Ball’s colors, earned her bona fides working at the company for more than 25 years. (I’d like to extend my gratitude for the color ‘Breakfast Room Green,’ which adorns the walls of my kitchen and is literally the perfect name and color for a breakfast room.)

So is there any actual science to this? Or are color consultants just going off of vibes?

"There is a huge amount of color theory and science available, which provides a solid foundation for understanding how to use color in combination, how to make colors stand out or recede, as well as the many associations with different colors," Magno says.

Why pick a color consultant as opposed to an interior designer? Or why use a color consultation at all? If you’re managing the project yourself and you really just need help picking colors, save your money and use your paint brand of choice’s service. Independent color consultants have a more robust offering, and many of them function similar to interior designers. So really, it boils down to what you want—and what you need.

Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all color solution. Every person and every home are different. But there is one piece of advice that Magno gives time and time again: don’t forget to sample. "A color that is called out in an image online or in print, may appear differently than the color swatch due to differences in screen calibration or color correcting," she says. "Making it extremely important to test colors in the space prior to making a final decision."

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