The Skinny on Color Design

What is a color consultation? A trained color professional that is hired to assist a client to find the right colors to fit the personalities and functions in an interior or exterior space. The experienced and educated color professional will help to choose colors not based upon their opinions but their experience and knowledge as well as the information gained from you about the goals needed for the architectural space. Whether it’s to show off the details in the architecture, maximize light or create an ambiance by utilizing a polarity profile and moving towards a design goal. This can be in a residential home, commercial building or developments, retail, hospital, retirement home or manufacturing industry.

Why is it different from an interior designer? A color consultant has formal training in color specified for the aspect of science of choosing color for architectural space. Within that space a color designer can help you to pull together color of flooring as well as fabrics. Interior designers have a broader spectrum of knowledge for all around interior design but may or may not have the technical skills to choose colors. Many color designers work hand and hand with not only interior designers but also architects to ensure the correct colors for projects. 

How many others are out there? There are less than 150 accredited color consultants of the IACC program can be found in the United States. The program for this area of expertise is only taught in Japan, San Diego and Geneva. After attending seminars on lighting, architecture and the psychology and psychosomatics of color an oral examination must be passed on all subjects as well as a thesis written on the particular subject of interest. To learn more about the IACC and its benefits visit www.iaccna.org

Are there limitations of what a color designer can do? A color designer is not always an interior designer but can help clients choose fabrics, flooring and accent décor colors in a space to maintain continuity or meet a design goal. Whether it’s staging a home to get top dollar for a sale or assisting a homeowner or retailer to fit their new space to their personality, needs and functions the color is always the dominant force in a room and the most important.

How much does it cost? Large projects are a set amount depending on the specifications but for residential an hourly charge is usually implemented that includes a personalized color package with actual chips of the colors chosen for the spaces as well as detailed instructions on where the colors lie in the space. This package can be handed directly to the painter or homeowner and be utilized when shopping for new items in a home or for future touch ups. Clients who need exterior consultations have the option of requesting a digital color enhancement package or hand painted sketch rendering so the client can sees what the colors may look like on the building before an expensive paint job has begun. 

Less expensive then an interior designer who usually requires a retainer fee. A color designer can work with you on a one time basis or continually throughout a longer project such as a remodel, business or commercial expansion. Hiring a professional trained in color is less expensive than repainting an entire home or the cost of 10 quarts of the wrong colored paints you’ve already lived with for 6 months.