A surprising number of people imagine that choosing colors for a home is a simple, one-time decision: pick a palette, paint the walls, and move on. But anyone who has invited a color consultant into their home knows the truth: color is never static, and neither are the people who live with color in their lives!
A color expert’s work is ongoing, evolving, and personal because every client’s life, taste, and needs shift with time. And that’s what makes the work so rewarding.
For me, every project begins long before the first brushstroke. It starts with an interview, an honest conversation about what a client wants their home to feel like; this is not about focusing on which colors they like, but rather on how they want to experience their space emotionally.
I must figure out why my clients are leaning one way or the other. Are they craving a warmer, cozier atmosphere? Something brighter, more colorful, more energetic? Or are they drawn to a particular style such as Art Deco chic, Victorian richness, minimalist simplicity, or coastal ease? Every answer tells a story, and that story becomes the foundation for the palette we create together.
One homeowner may want her office to feel introspective and calm, a place where she can think clearly. Another family might want their kitchen to be bright, vibrant, and full of life, a place where kids can snack, play, and create. A third client may be renovating a Victorian home and wants to honor its architectural roots with historically influenced shades.
No two days look the same, because no two clients ever want the same thing.
Homes are living environments and constantly shifting with the rhythms of their owners’ lives; a color consultant’s role is to keep pace with that evolution.
For some years, a client might want deeper tones for warmth and grounding; the next, they may crave lightness and airiness after a big life change. My job is to listen closely and translate those emotional cues into color choices.
For interiors, the questions are usually:
For example, a home office might call for muted shades that encourage focus, while a playroom may benefit from a cheerful palette that sparks creativity. Even the smallest tweak can transform the way someone lives their daily life.
I love working on exterior colors because it tells a story about those who live inside. When it comes to a home’s exterior, my initial interview goes down a completely different path. Now it’s not just about what feels good, but about giving your home a voice. What story do you want your home to tell? Do we let it whisper history through colors that honor architectural roots, or do we have it reflect the style and personality of the neighborhood that surrounds it?
Whether a home stands out and makes a statement or steps back with an elegant, understated ambiance, it can all be accomplished by choosing colors that convey ideas or get a message across. Who the homeowners are and what their goals are for the home’s exterior are concepts I must consider before I begin creating the color palette.
What I love most about color consulting is that it’s never truly finished. Once a palette is chosen and applied, life continues to change, and with it, the home’s needs. A baby grows into a teenager, a guest room becomes an office, and a kitchen becomes a gathering space instead of a functional one. Color isn’t permanent; it’s adaptive. Your home can change as your needs change, and choosing the right colors for each stage in your life can be so rewarding!
Although exteriors are painted far less frequently, if you are in a new home that reflects the previous owner’s style, have modified a window or put on a new addition, you want to freshen it up to complement the landscaping, or find that your home looks tired, it may be time to paint the exterior. There are many reasons to take a second look at the outside of your home. We all live inside our homes, but the exterior is the side of your home that your neighbors live with every day!
My role is to ensure the story comes through clearly and with intention. Whether a client dreams of warmth, brightness, history, or modernity, there is always a way to express it through color.
Whatever message they want their home to send, I can bring it to life with a fresh, thoughtful palette. And that’s why a color consultant’s work is never done, because as people evolve, their homes should evolve right alongside them!
