Introduction
You have selected a colour from a small sample card, placed it against the wall and thought it was a good colour. The paint then rises up and it is not what you expected. This is an occurrence that Melbourne property owners experience frequently and is one of the primary motives for seeking expert assistance.
A colour specialist is usually involved in the choice and coordination of colours for a particular property, whereas a colour consultant can provide more general guidance for the colour direction of a property. These two roles can overlap, and this article will help you understand what they do, how they relate to colours and what to look for in a professional to hire for your home.
What Does a Colour Specialist Actually Do?
You will use this role to consider the property, lighting, existing finishes and desired finish to make the best colour choice, not a favourite colour from a chart.
- This type of colour service usually considers:
- The existing home and architectural style
- Throughout the day, natural and artificial lighting.
- Existing floor coverings, cabinetry, benchtops and furniture.
- The way a colour appears when it is applied to a large surface.The appearance of a coloured reading once it has been translated from a small sample to a full wall.
- The colors used on the interior and exterior walls.
It isn’t just about picking a colour, it’s about having someone determine the colour’s behavior in your home. A north facing living room with a lot of afternoon sunlight will look much different than a shaded room at the back of the house, and that’s precisely why a proper consultation is a great time to find out.
Colour Specialist vs Colour Consultant: What Is the Difference?
The latter two are sometimes interchanged on the market, and often homeowners in Melbourne don’t know what they should choose of these.
The Role of a Colour Specialist
Typically, a paint colour specialist works with you to choose, harmonise and perfect paint colors for application. This comprises decisions like:
- Colors for walls, ceiling and trim in each room.
- Feature colours for a single wall or piece of joinery
- Exterior colour combinations
- The relationship of colours between adjacent rooms, e.g. open kitchen and living room.
This role often goes hand-in-hand with painting and paint colour advice plays a more practical than decorative role when considering the surface, finish and use of the room in which you are painting.
The Role of a Colour Consultant
Colour consulting falls under the umbrella of the advisory side. A consultant will take into account the general colour scheme, interior design, furniture etc, the relationship between the rooms, and the atmosphere you are looking for.
This can be expanded to a broad design consultation, especially if color is being used in a larger renovation project than just a repaint. Professionals may differ on what is or isn’t included, so make sure to get a clear understanding of what you will receive before you get your booking.
Colour Specialist or Colour Consultant: Which One Should You Choose?
There’s no hard rule, but there are many professionals who provide the same services. The general guide is provided below.
| If you need help with… | Consider |
| Selecting paint colours | Specialist |
| Coordinating colours throughout your home | Specialist or consultant |
| Creating a wider colour direction | Consultant |
| Matching colours with existing finishes | Specialist |
| Planning colour as part of a wider renovation | Consultant |
| Understanding practical paint choices | Specialist |
If your project is predominantly selecting and using paint, you are most likely best served by a colour specialist. With a more extensive renovation, there can be more decisions to consult on colours.
How Colour Psychology Affects Your Paint Choices
Colour psychology is a concept that colours can shape a room’s atmosphere and is a tangible factor in everyday painting choices.
Warm neutrals have a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere that are great to use with cream cabinetry for a kitchen. Cooler colours make for a more clean, or calmer look, but may also be cooler than anticipated in a room that has less natural light. Dark colours might create more of a closed-in or dramatic effect in a room, depending on the specific application in the hallway. Lighter shades are great to make a small room appear larger, and bold colors can be utilized as accents rather than painting all four walls.
Colour perception relies on light, size, furnishings and personal preference as well. The colour can be a pale grey from a shop sample, which may look cool and a little bit blue in a south-facing room, but become much warmer once the light from the north starts striking it in the afternoon. This is a typical occurrence in older homes in Melbourne where rooms are oriented in various directions, which a professional would expect to see.
What Happens During a Professional Colour Consultation?
Reviewing Your Home and Existing Finishes
Once the property has been walked and thoroughly discussed, the property owner is ready for the next step in a proper consultation: natural light, existing flooring, cabinetry, benchtops, furniture, curtains, exterior brickwork, roofing, exterior window colours and door and trims.
These details are important as a colour that appears very attractive on its own may not work so well next to an existing benchtop or roof colour when used. That’s the reason why it’s important that the design consultation be done properly—without jumping straight to the swatches..
Testing Colours Before You Commit
A small printed colour card does not demonstrate the way a colour will respond to a range of light conditions on a wall. Colors change as a function of the colors of the adjacent floor, adjacent room colors, and the area the color covers.
Many homeowners get a neutral shade of paint on a sample and are surprised to see a blue or green undertone when the paint is applied to a full wall. Before you purchase paint, test a few samples of paint on the actual wall at various times of the day.
How to Find the Right Colour Specialist Near Me
Before booking a colour specialist near me, there are a couple of things to look at.
- Show examples of homes that have been done in colour in the past.
- Knowledge of Melbourne property and light.
- A procedure that is very clearly explained, and what it involves/contains.
- A portfolio and authentic client feedback.
- Whether interior and exterior advice is both available and embraced.
Avoid hiring anyone just because the price of the consultation is lowest. If the colours don’t work after they are applied it is a waste of money if it’s just a simple consultation. .
Is Professional Colour Advice Worth It?
The information on paint colour is most helpful when repainting multiple rooms simultaneously, not sure of undertones, facing rooms which have vastly different light characteristics and/or coordinating a paint scheme with finishes that are not easy to match. Also look for it when topping up an existing colour scheme or decorating an older home containing multiple materials that present challenges.
Consider the expense of a consultation with the expense of purchasing an incorrect colour of paint, cost of labour and repainting if it is found that a different colour would be more suitable. There is no definite thing and the actual worth relies on the size and intricacy of your project.
FAQs
What does a colour specialist do?
A colour specialist works with homeowners to select and match colour in their homes, taking into account factors like lighting, existing finishes, space size, furniture and the general style of the home, instead of just a favourite colour.
What is the difference between a colour specialist and a colour consultant?
Colour specialists tend to be more involved in selecting the colours for a project, whereas colour consultants can give more comprehensive colour and/or design guidance. Depending on the professional, the roles could overlap.
How much does a colour consultation cost in Melbourne?
The fees differ from one property to another and depend on the number of rooms, the size of the property, the duration of the consultation, as well as whether samples are provided or subsequent advice.
Why does the same paint colour look different in different rooms?
It’s possible for a paint color to appear different in different rooms because the direction of natural light, artificial light, surrounding colors, flooring, and size of the room all affect the way the color will look.
How does colour psychology affect interior design?
The use of warm, cool, light and dark colours to affect the mood and character of a space is part of colour psychology, but lighting and taste also have a part to play.
Is professional paint colour advice worth it?
It comes in handy for multi-room projects, challenging lighting, renovations or homes with multiple existing finishes to coordinate, as it can save on more expensive repainting later.
Can a colour specialist help with an existing colour scheme?
Yes, a colour specialist can tweak an existing colour palette, find out what colours don’t go with each other, and add new hues to any colour scheme without having to change the overall colour scheme of the house
What is included in a colour service?
A colour service may include a discussion about colours, a visit to the property, an evaluation of current finishes, colour suggestions and colour swatch comparisons prior to making the final decision.
How do I find a colour specialist near me?
Review portfolios, authentic reviews, real experience with local homes, what is covered in the consultation, and how well the process is communicated prior to booking.
Do I need a design consultation before choosing paint colours?
For larger renovation or whole home projects, a design consultation may be beneficial, and for a smaller repaint, focused paint colour advice will suffice.
Conclusion
A colour specialist will usually be concerned with supplying you with colour and colour matching for your property, whereas a colour consultant will look at colour and design for a much larger project. Each professional may have different terms, be sure to check what each includes before booking. As it can get more complicated, that can be seen from room flow, existing finishes, and personal preference, professional guidance is really helpful.
Whether you require more focused paint colour advice or more extensive colour consulting, Samsimon Painters can provide you with the right colour service for your painting project. If you are considering repainting, please contact us so we can set up a consultation prior to purchase of paint.
