Hi, I’m Maria Killam. I am THE True Colour Expert – what I teach you won’t find anywhere else in the world of design. I help homeowners and design professionals create beautifully decorated homes, by showing them how to use colour – the right way.
Imagine never second-guessing a color decision again. Imagine walking into any room in your home and feeling that deep sense of satisfaction because everything just works together beautifully. That’s what I’m here to help you achieve.
Whether you’re a homeowner dreaming of a magazine-worthy space, or a design professional ready to take your expertise to the next level, I’m here to share everything I’ve learned from decades of transforming homes. Because everyone deserves to live in a space that brings them joy every single day.
The best part? Once you understand my approach to colour, you’ll never look at your home the same way again. You’ll have the confidence to make decisions that not only look beautiful today but will stand the test of time.
I can help you create the beautiful, timeless spaces you’ve always wanted–often without the waste and expense of ripping everything out. My system helps you identify which elements can stay, which need to go, and how to make it all work together beautifully.
Because life’s too short to live in a home you don’t love, and it’s too costly to start from scratch when you don’t have to.
How did I become a decorator, stylist, and a leading authority on colour?
The year was 1999.
In my twenties, I spent my days decorating friends’ and family’s homes while working a corporate job, knowing deep down I had a gift for colour and design. But it wasn’t until I turned 30 that I made the bold decision that would change everything – I had to be creative or die.
With no safety net and only my passion to guide me, I quit my day job to launch my own redesign business. Some called it brave, others called it foolish.
That leap of faith led me to San Francisco, where I completed an intensive 5-day colour course at DayStudio. It was there that my love affair with colour truly began, igniting my dream. I came home and immediately hung a post-it note on my mirror that I would one day become an internationally recognized colour consultant.
After starting my redesign business, I still needed to pay the bills in between clients. So, I landed a position in the design department at major paint retailer. Working as a colour consultant with clients both in-store and in their homes, I spent countless hours helping people choose paint colours. It was during these consultations day after day, that I began to notice something fascinating about beige – the most popular neutral at the time.
I made a breakthrough discovery that would define my career – beige had three distinct undertones: pink, yellow, and green. This insight became the foundation of what is now known as the Killam Colour System.
My colour wheel started out looking like this:
Then it morphed into this:
And then this:
And now it looks like this:
For 20+ years, I’ve helped thousands of decorators, just like you, make more informed colour decisions to create beautiful, timeless homes.
That discovery of undertones was just the beginning. As I worked with more clients, I became obsessed with creating spaces that would stand the test of time. I wasn’t interested in just making rooms look good for today – I wanted them to remain beautiful for years to come. That’s how I developed my signature timeless and classic design aesthetic.
In 2007, I began sharing my knowledge by teaching colour theory to interior design students at a local community college. By 2010, something remarkable happened – half of my students were enrolling simply because they followed my blog, Colour Me Happy, and wanted to learn more about my Killam Colour System.
That same year, I launched my first True Colour Expert workshop in Vancouver. Twelve brave students traveled from across the US to attend. Today, there are over 2,000 True Colour Experts worldwide.
What makes me proudest is how my system resonates with both professionals and homeowners alike. My students are a beautiful mix of industry professionals (decorators, stagers, interior designers, real estate agents, and architects) and homeowners determined to make confident colour decisions for their own home projects.
As one designer in my course memorably said, “Throughout my entire career, I’ve been telling my clients ‘It’s only paint, we can always repaint’ and I’m tired of saying that, and that’s why I’m here.”
My bestselling ebooks, “How to Choose Paint Colours: It’s All in the Undertones” and “White is Complicated: A Decorator’s Guide to Choosing the Right White,” have helped countless readers navigate the complexities of choosing colour for finishes, paint and decor.
My Homes
In 2012, we bought this house to be closer to my family. Not only did we completely renovate the inside, we took out the front and backyard and created a blank slate for the most beautiful garden! And I shared every project, step-by-step on my blog, Colour Me Happy.
Then, in 2024, we purchased our dream home. It’s still a work in progress but you can take a tour of what we’ve done so far here.
We all want designer results.
Right? Because the spaces we decorate are important to us. We want to love them for a long time, which means getting them right the first time. But that is very hard to do. It certainly doesn’t happen by accident or by picking the things you love, closing your eyes and declaring it will all work out.
So...then why do some homes look amazing and others... not so much?
Colour. It’s one of our most powerful decorating assets. But, sadly, often misunderstood and misused.
I saw this a lot when I was a decorator and colour consultant with Benjamin Moore. I also wondered why some spaces had great flow and beauty while others did not. That, combined with seeing too many people needlessly ripping out entire kitchens and bathrooms, I knew there was a problem.
It was colour. We all needed to understand it better. Because every decor decision rests on colour – every single one. Get it wrong, and everything is wrong.
That's why I created the Killam Colour System
I wanted to help homeowners and design professionals create beautiful, timeless spaces by better understanding colour – saturated, neutrals and whites – with one useful system. Not every space needs overhauling. My system can help you identify which elements need to go, which can stay and a lot more. It’s a bit to master at first, but once you get the hang of it, your decorating life will never be the same.
I'm here for you
What began with my blog, Colour Me Happy, has blossomed into something far more meaningful: a thriving community of colour enthusiasts and design professionals who support each other in creating beautiful spaces.
From simple paint decisions to complete renovations, we’re here to help you navigate every step of your decorating journey, with resources and guidance available wherever and whenever you need them.