With Halloween around the corner, "spooky" themed blog posts are everywhere. However, what gives us chills is how many well-known paint companies are enlisting the help of interior designer students, without certification or experience, to help guide your paint color choices. We agree that everyone should have a chance to experiment, but do you want them to do so on your house?
Choosing paint colors can be a daunting task. As a result, we have made ourselves available to help make the experience as pain-free as possible from viewing paint swatch books together to answering questions — no matter how "off-the-wall" they are. (They're usually not.)
Unfortunately, interior design students likely don't have the experience to comfortably guide clients through this process. More unfortunate is the likelihood that these clients could be the designer's first clients; the foundation of their portfolio.
In addition, these well-intended students will be choosing colors from the comfort of the store. This means they will be choosing colors under fluorescent lights, which you likely don’t have in your own home. They will not be able to take into consideration your lot placement, flooring, cabinets, countertops and other fixed assets of your home. However, if you choose to take them up on this “complementary service,” we want to make sure you go in with your eyes wide open.
Protect yourself from being a color guinea pig in your own home:
1. Ask what certifications your designer has received.
You will want to hear: “I am a Certified Color Consultant, who has worked in at least 300 homes and commercial dwellings.” If this is the case, you will probably be in safe hands.
2. Ask to see their portfolio of past work.
If they don't have one, back away slowly. This means you are about to become their first entry!
3. Ask some basic questions that you may have for the project.
See how comfortably, or uncomfortably, they answer and if their answers make sense to you. Interior design and choosing colors are two different animals. This is why we work with many talented interior designers.
Other options
Another alternative is to give Color Works a call. We would be glad to help and come highly recommended. See what some of our client's think.
In case you were wondering, not only have we worked in a variety of commercial and residential dwellings, we also have established relationships with a variety of paint companies. This means that rather than being loyal to one paint company and trying to sell their products, we are loyal to you, our customer. We house over 13,000 colors and will use whatever lines it takes to find the best color for your space.
Certifications: We are the only Certified Color Consultants in the state of Arizona.
Please visit our portfolio.
A mix between black and white, gray is gaining popularity as the new neutral. From light dove to dark charcoal, this color looks great on everything from home accents to walls. Gray is the ultimate neutral. It looks good with almost any color and ranges from cool to warm. In this bedroom a classic gray coats the walls. A black four-poster and cream-color shag rug complement the cool wall color. Burnt orange accents, table lamps, and throw pop in this neutral room. A mirrored nightstand and metal-framed mirror above the bed add a touch of glamour.
