IN HER SHOES: Colour me Happy
If you don’t have Colour me Happy as one of your daily reads then I urge you to run over there and catch up! Maria is a design professional from our neighbors up north. She started her career in design as a paint/colour specialist which then lead her to start her own residential design firm. She also shares her vast knowledge of colour by teaching a class on color theory at a local college. Lucky for us she also shares her knowledge on her blog. You start looking at colour a bit differently when you read her words of wisdom. It really helps you see the world through different color glasses. I’m constantly looking through her old posts and seeing what her colour pics are for the perfect shade of white, etc.
I was honored that she took part out of her busy day to share a day in her life. So sit back, relax and enjoy!
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It's 6:30 am (I'm a morning person) and I'm having an americano with my laptop (enjoying the amazing view from my house) checking comments from yesterdays post (only 4) and responding to emails.
7:35 am time to go to the gym. This is a local community center that desperately needs an overhaul with the colours. I mean, how inspiring is this to stare at gray/green walls when you are working out? And what is with the fresh blue right next to the serious burgundy?
Here we have 6 colours (if you include the white) that do not relate to each other in the slightest! North Vancouver Rec Center? If you are reading this, call me.
9:30 am - My first appointment of the day. This couple could not agree on what to do with the garage door, but they told me they would go with my opinion. The issue here was that it was trying to be a carriage door but without the windows at the top, so I recommended they paint it out the same colour as the house (but leave the trim around the garage door white).
Usually if a garage door is the first thing you see when you drive up to your house, I like to paint it out because then it stops being the focal point. Here this entry was definitely the focal point but it didn't make sense to leave the 'white' trim on the door painted the trim colour.
10:45 am: A designer working on a huge renovation called me to take a look at the colours she was testing--in her view, every single colour was going orange/peach (and she hates that colour) I confirmed that "Putnum Ivory" was not going to be peach in this house, but the edges were indeed looking peachy; lesson here: don't paint these kinds of samples in your house, a colour requires 2 full coats (not one thick one with the edges all frayed like this one:
11:30 am; Drop in to Benjamin Moore for some colour samples:
To create a colour chart, this way it makes it easier when I'm sourcing fabrics for each client. Sometimes I'll even bring my bigger colour samples into the showroom.
11:50 am Lunch in the car - on my way to Maxwell Fabrics
12:30 pm, I just get to Robert Allen and a client calls, she only has the keys for the afternoon (for her new place) and needs a consultation ASAP. I spend 45 minutes at Maxwell and then drive over to her new place:
1:45 pm The biggest conversation in this call is the kitchen. Do we take out the tile? They are on a budget and will need new furniture as well so what to do? What about the very orange cabinets? She doesn't think she can live with them.
After trying out a few colours (to paint the cabinets) I've determined that the tile also has an orange undertone--see how comparing whites to the whitest white (in this case the existing trim colour)--makes it easy to see what is happening and what works?
We decide the floor definitely has to go. Right now the orangy/peachy tile looks creamy next to the 'very orange' cabinets, but as soon as they are painted white (the floor will look peach) if we paint the cabinets a colour that matches the floor, unless we choose a strong dramatic colour which will effectively create the 'illusion' of creamy cabinets and tile--any other colour will still have the kitchen look peachy.
4:40 pm (It ended up being a long consultation, many other decisions to make) I arrive at Colin Campbell where they are having a designer event: I love this carpet showroom, it's just beautiful.
5:30pm - I have to go as I'm teaching Colour Theory tonight.
6:10 pm- My copying done (for the hand-outs) I pick up a peppermint tea (it's always the same) and go up to class.
6:45: class in progress and they all knew I was taking the picture (how can you tell)
I have all kinds of opinions about the colour of this classroom, *sigh* I'll keep them to myself.
One of my lovely and enthusiastic students Debra Thompson agreed to pose for a photo! Class goes until 9:30 pm, and since this was the first evening where we are painting 6 charts [clean/dirty, light/dark, warm/cool] it's very busy as everyone has a lot of questions.
I was tired tonight when I got home and definitely had to put my feet up! With my fabric sourcing plans thwarted today (by a lovely client I might add) I'll have to schedule it in for another day next week!
This was fun, thanks Camila!
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I totally decided I love writing Colour this way and not our normal US way. It just looks fancier! A big thank you to Maria for participating. As always let me know if there is anyone you are dying to see featured on IN HER SHOES. I aim to please.
xoxo,
Camila
Labels: In her shoes
30 Comments:
great post! love to see people at work.
giveaway on my blog today, have a great weekend.
Wow. That was a jam-packed day! Enlightening as always. Thanks ladies!
What a great post! And what an inspiring lady! thanks!
I very much enjoyed this installment! Thanks for introducing me to this amazing designer!
Camila, you are a doll, I love it!! Absolutely perfect! Thank you so much for featuring me, I'm honoured to be on your blog!
xo
Maria
Great post! I love Maria's blog, and it was great to see more of her day.
oh just love maria!!!! really packed schedule all in heels!!!! go girl!!!!
camila- this is just my favorite series!!! wish i could see yout his weekend!!!
xoxoxo
I wish she could teach a class down here- that looks like the best class ever!!
Love this series Camila!
oh my goodness, that purple rug!
This segment is always one of my favorite parts of your blog-so personal & so candid! Thanks again for another great designer story!
PS Get the TOMS, they do fit true to size and are actually very comfortable...
Great post!
- Danielle
Oh, I love Colour Me Happy! I feel like I learn something every time I read her blog! Great In Her Shoes, Camila! What fun :-)
Oh man, I loved this post. And her shoes!!! And I really want to take a color theory class now :)
I am a fan of Maria and happy to visit your blog for the first time. A very enjoyable post!
I have a confession, I had black heels that were lower on that day but they didn't photograph well which is why those are in the photo! I could NEVER have done that day in those heels :)
I love Maria's blog, this was fun to see her whole day's work.
This was so much fun to read, but I was worried about Maria at the end because she did not have dinner! Maybe she had some snacks at the designer event. I sound like her mother!
Love the shoes too...
Wow, I'm exhausted just reading about Maria's day!
I am a huge fan, so I really enjoyed getting to see what Maria's life is like. Thank you to you and Maria for this!
xo
Brooke
What a brilliant idea!! Love your look at Maria's day- and love your blog as well!
I love Colour Me Happy-have learned a lot from her blog! Now I have a new blog to add to my readin glist!
I adore Maria, she is wonderful, and her posts are always informative, with a sense of humor as well!
Thanks for having our favorite "colour" expert on your fabulous blog. Maria is always one of my first reads of the day and it was great fun to follow in her shoes today. Great shoes to follow in too, I might add!
~ Victoria in Texas
Thanks for featuring Maria! I lovelovelove her blog, and, now I have found a new fun blog-- yours! By the way, I think I am going to go with a cork floor, one of Maria's suggestions, and repaint the whole kitchen. We're not done yet in picking out colours and finding solutions, but that afternoon consultation helped me get clear about so many things for our new home.
First time I get to 'see' what my own sister gets up to in a day !
Thoroughly enjoyed this post. Maria exhausts me. But she is so inspiring!!!
Thanks for featuring her.
Jane (artfully graced)
busy but rewarding day for everyone. life is beautiful... and colourful too :)
great post.
How does she do it all? I am a big fan of Maria's blog and I love those shoes!!! Thanks for a peek into her day.
Maria is fabulous!!
great post...that Maria is a energy bunny!
Love to see a post (in her shoes) with Ronda from all the best!
pve
Loved seeing Maria's class in action.
She does one of my favorite blogs!
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