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Color911 – Color in Design
First check out Part 1 of our Interview with Amy: Color Consultant – Amy Wax
Technology helps with us with so much these days, and that includes Understanding & Using Color. Renowned Color Consultant Amy Wax develop the Color911 App to help homeowners and Interior Designers learn how to use color. This week we continue our interview with artist and Color Specialist Amy Wax to discuss her brilliant Color911 App and talk interior design.
As Amy explains, most folks go with safe choices because they don’t know how to integrate colors into a space. Want to warm up a space but your don’t know exactly how that works? Maybe you need to come up with a color palette that matches a favorite piece of furniture or art. Color911 gives you tons of creative options to choose from.
Communicating in Color
You know, sometimes people say, I wanted to have a coastal vibe, but I don’t know what that means. Like, like, what does that mean? So and frequently I’ll ask people, do you like warm colors or cool colors? And we assume people know, but they don’t. So this gives you a tool to be able to show them what that means.
And it’s funny, I even had one guy that photographed his favorite ties and then went to the store and could match them and see what colors he could wear with his ties. I mean, people find a million uses for it, and I have to say some of them are somewhat amusing, but it’s because we use color as a part of every single thing we do.
We use color even if we’re, you know, we’re cooking for dinner, we want food. The cause goes together is just it’s almost silly how it’s a part of everything we do. Yeah. And then I don’t really think about it when you start breaking it down in how we use them. You’re like, Wow, it really is a part of everyday life.
Learning to Apply Color in Interior Design
And what’s interesting is in places that we have tasks like let’s say in bathroom design, you want your counters to not be a color that’s too strong because you want to be a place that’s somewhat calming or in the kitchen. You don’t want your counters to be colors that are too strong. But where else can you use that color? If you have a color palette you’re working with, it gives you a guide, it gives you a structure, and then you can apply those colors elsewhere in the room. So it’s very helpful in a lot of different a lot of different ways.
What is something you think is important for homeowners to understand about color before they start a project?
I think color is the backbone of any successful design. I think there’s spatial spatial needs in a space. There’s what time of day you’re going to use the space. There’s so many things to consider. But I think you need to have a color plan in addition to a design. So because if you’re going to work on a design and then you have no idea where to go in terms of color, you’re starting again from scratch. And that makes it so much more difficult. I think what you really need to do is to hand-in-hand think like, okay, what’s my primary color?
What is my primary color that I’m going to have throughout the space and how is that going to work? And then you can look through and see what kind of color themes give you other options for accents. So it becomes kind of a hand in hand process. But I think that to design an entire space with no thought to color whatsoever is not making it the best it could possibly be.
Color and Function
I’ll have clients bring me into a project they have. And, you know, the will maybe have a design in mind, but no idea on the color. It’s usually the design is first and then they think about colors for the environment. And it’s not uncommon for people to bring me into a new build or a new construction project.
And they have sheetrock walls and white trim, and they have no idea what they’re doing. From there, it’s kind of like, okay, let’s sit down. First thing I say is, how do you want your house to feel? How do you you know, what do you want your house to say? Do you want it to be, you know, bright and colorful and bold?
You want to feel like it’s ethnic? Do you want to feel like it’s a part of your background? Like our spaces represent who we are, so the colors are so important. It’s really important to give it the time to get it right. So if you had your way, would you recommend someone start with color first before design? Or do you think you just I think going in, I think they really have to go hand in hand.
Yeah. Because if you start and say, okay, I’m going to do it, I’m going to create a kitchen and I’m going to use copper everywhere, doesn’t really help me with the design. Understandable to completely design the kitchen and said, okay, while we’re doing this, let’s give this some thought where we could add those accents. Then it kind of, as I said, they work together to create the better products, the better outcome, I should say.
Color911 Helps to Understand Color
Like if someone comes in, they want to design a kitchen and they want it to be. Clean Slate is one of the palettes in the Color 911 app and Clean Slate is very contemporary. It feels like it’s very calm, but it has very slight blues slate colors, basically of all the different kinds. But they’re all calm, they’re all quiet. If someone comes to you and says, This is the feel I want for my kitchen, you guys would be off and running.
You’d know exactly what they you know what feel you want the space to have. But they’re going to come back to you with a color palette or some colors in mind that are outrageously intense. You might do something very different in terms of the design. But if they start with the they start with the app and look through the color palettes, look for color themes, and they say, okay, this is this is what feels good to me. You’re halfway there. Yeah, yeah. I would be very helpful. And I actually meet with clients and when I’m working on exterior colors, most often, but also happens with interiors and I’ll say, just go comb through the app.
Tell me, what are your favorite you know, one of your favorite color themes? Just give me an idea and I find that they’re they come back with colors that are very consistent and they they educate themselves on the process because they’re seeing, oh, my gosh, I’m finding that I’m leaning towards things that are varying based on neutrals that I didn’t realize I wanted that, but now I’m seeing that that’s what I’m drawn to.
Or if they say I like things that are really heavy and dark, they are learning by seeing what they’re drawn to. So it becomes kind of an educational tool where we teach ourselves more about what we’re drawn to in terms of what colors we feel most comfortable with. You know, what’s interesting is if you take even just paint colors, this is not counting product colors, but just the perimeter of the room. There’s over 4000 paint colors in any given paint company. So it’s so it’s not like anyone goes, I want that one. They’re like, Where do I start? So that’s that’s what this is to help you with, knowing where to start.
Interior Design Trends – Tones and Statements
I’m surprised how long the love of white has gone on, because I think the white by definition, is purity. It’s in a sense. And I think that people think of it as being calming because it is so, so clean. But I feel like then they add colors to it that make it a high contrast and very stark. So it loses that sense of being calming. So I feel like if they really looked at what am I trying to accomplish with my colors, they could choose colors that might succeed better.
And, you know, creating that kind of quiet feel. Whereas I feel like they could start with white, which has lasted a little too long, and then they add black and they add dark blue and they add and suddenly you don’t have a calming space anymore. So I feel like it’s kind of started with a great idea and it really is beautiful in a lot of designs.
I don’t dislike it, but I feel like it has taken away the what the people or people really should be doing is thinking about what are you trying to accomplish with the colors of your home? You know, that is something that’s still going to have a trendy sort of feel. And he often gravitates more towards white because that has lasted so long. And, you know, and it’s with good reason. But I feel like I feel like it gets it doesn’t get old, but it just isn’t satisfying after a while. I think it feels great because it feels clean and fresh. But then what happens after that? Really agree with you on that?
Absolutely. And I think that what the design incorporates the sense of individuality stays exactly right. There’s no personal statement in white.
But, it’s a funny thing because there are some kitchens that are just stunning and white and there are some, I think, kitchens more than other rooms in the house. And I feel like there’s many ways where it can be done just beautifully. But at the same time, you could add even small amounts of color to adjust to soften it a little bit. I think that that’s one thing people are afraid of because they just want to be safe and white is is a very safe choice, very understandable. And that’s a good way to put it, is, you know, people just gravitate towards it because it looks nice. Like you said, it’s clean, safe choice. Good for resale.
Yeah, exactly. And often people think, you know, most people aren’t worth buying their forever home, you know, so.
Right. We’re no longer we’re not buying our last home. We’re buying a home that is in somehow in the course of our lifetime.
Textures & Hues of Wood - Modern Design Trends
Is there anything that you’re waiting to see, catch, match on? And design trends, trends, anything that you would like to see?
I would like to see more use of Woods, which is coming back. But I feel like the old craftsmanship is a little bit on the back burner. And I would love to see, you know, what is what is furniture? Wooden makes you feel like you’re in a cozy space. You’re being embraced by the warmth of of the wood around you. But I feel like if we’re in an environment where everything is stark white or if everything is material that’s painted, I think we’re losing that warmth a little bit. And I’d love to see that come back. It is coming back. I love seeing come back in a bigger way.
Yeah, I totally agree. I think that like you’re kind of making wood, mostly working in kitchens where it’s, you know, they’ll do one section of cabinets in wood and another in white, which is great.
Which is great because as long as you’ve got a little wood in there to make it feel like it’s it’s a personal space, if there’s furniture in the room, I think it makes a world of difference now. I think I think that’s really softens the room, makes it gives it a warmer feel. And I like that. That’s a trend that we’ve been seeing a lot more people doing.
Home Design – Hope in Shades and Temperature
You know, we use apps for everything from travel to weather to, you know, what time it is. I mean, we use it for everything. And if we’re using color all day long, we you know, there’s no reason not to somehow incorporate that when we need it, when we need it. That’s all. And, you know, I didn’t even think about that until you mentioned, you know, how it really is a part of everyday life, not just designing, but just making, you know, everyday choices of things.
I have a fashion designer who reached out to me and he said he’s designing I think he gave a pink jacket, was the example. And then he’ll like look through and see what colors can people wear with pink. It’s just, you know, we use it for so many things if we get used to it. It gave you an idea of not being scared of color, right?
It’s not scary at all what you see, what you can do with it. Because each color theme, there’s a selection of colors that all go well together. And then there’s palettes to show you. If you only want to use a couple, the color theme, you know, colors in that theme, you know, that’s how this is how to do it. So it gives you lots of options. And it’s not nearly as scary when you see what you can do and you could use it as your guide. You find something to like and then you stick with it and use it as your guide throughout the whole process.
Produced by Todd Zimmerman
