The Professional Color Consultant

A professional architectural color consultant should have a refined sense of color earned from years of experience, yet refrains from imposing her own personal color choices upon the client. Although she is aware of current color trends, she does not follow them.

She concerns herself not only with decoration, but the psychological and physiological aspects of color as well. Her ultimate concern is the end user’s well being.

A pamphlet from the color store may show some fine color combinations, but a good consultant knows how to balance them: in placement, quantity, lightness and darkness, coolness and warmth and saturation. She knows where to start a line and where to stop it. She knows how to move the colors through the space.

A professional color consultant qualifies each and every job through profiling the customer’s needs. How do they want to feel in the space? What image do they want to convey? How will the space be used?

She has received thorough training in all aspects of color through an organization such as the International Association of Color Consultants, North America (iaccna.org), an organization that merges the art and science of color. Design schools prepare architects and interior designers to design, but little attention is given to the study of color and its effect on the end user.

A great consultant loves color and finds inspiration everywhere. Beautiful and useful color palettes can be derived from observing nature’s subtleties. A clam shell or an alder twig, for instance, yield beautiful color combinations all displayed in proper proportion. Perhaps a work by Picasso, Rothco or any other master could be a point of departure.

Just as you would look for a certified accountant to do your taxes or a licensed contractor to build your deck, take some time to find a qualified color consultant that is the right fit for you.