Welcome to Colour me Happy!
I just discovered the world of blogs about six months ago. I was looking for a fabric site and stumbled upon materialgirlsblog and got completely hooked! I’ve learned so much more about decorating, colour and design by reading all my favourite blogs so I thought it was time I jumped in and created one of my own.
The inspiration for the name came from Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman”. Not only do I love Julia, but I even love the name–if I ever had a little baby girl I would have named her Julia, Jules for short! Anyway, one of many great lines in the movie, is when she’s standing in front of the hotel elevator. The doors open and she says “Well colour me happy there’s a sofa in here for two!”.
Photo by James Devaney
And colour just makes me happy! It’s never the same so there’s never a chance to get bored. I love that! With interiors it changes every day with the changing light of the day and night. With fashion, it’s every season to make us run out and buy the latest clothes. And it changes with products, how many times have you bought something new just because you were attracted to the colour – or of course, NOT, because it was in a colour you hated!
Having spent 4 years working at store level with Benjamin Moore Paints I have seen pretty much all the colours (that are frequently used) on the walls in the many hundred’s of homes I have consulted in. One thing I’ve learned, a colour that looks fabulous in one house can look just terrible somewhere else.
That’s why it rarely works to use the same beige you saw in your mother’s house in your own living room. Your house will most likely have different undertones of beige or grey which makes it difficult to copy and achieve the same result.
The field of colour consulting is an exciting industry to be in as a career and as Leatrice Eiseman said, in a course I did with her this summer. . . “There is no-where that you can go and get it [colour knowledge] tied up in a box with a big red bow that you can dip into. . . that box is within you.”
I really believe it’s like that with most creative, entrepreneurial ventures. We all want to follow our passion, whatever that is, and get paid large amounts of money to do it!
But there isn’t a specific school or job that will take you there in the shortest possible time.
It’s almost always a combination of school, studying, training, hands-on-experience, books, mentors and most importantly a high level of commitment that will help you fill up the box of knowledge inside you to become an expert in your field.
Did I mention you pretty much have to live, breathe, eat, sleep your passion as well? That’s what it takes. . . it’s a roller coaster ride – but totally worth it!
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My bonus book of colours is worth the price of the ebook alone but you will also get my system of specifying colour so you can stop making mistakes when sourcing tile, carpet, countertops, etc.
Need help choosing the right white? My White is Complicated: A Decorators Guide to Choosing the Right White eBook will help you get your whites right for your cabinets, trim, ceilings, and walls. This eBook also includes my Bonus book of Whites which will take the guesswork out of your decisions.
You’ll need them both if you have an entire house of whites and neutrals/colours to choose, get them here.
If you would like your home to fill you with happiness every time you walk in, contact us! We would love to help you choose colours, select the right combination of hard finishes or create a plan to pull your room together. You can find our fabulous e-design consultation packages here.
If you would like help creating a beautiful and classic exterior, we have exterior consultation packages available here.
The only way to choose the right colour every time is to combine my system of understanding undertones with the most indispensable colour tool available. You can purchase your own set of my curated large colour board collections here.
If you would like to transform the way you see colour, become a True Colour Expert
Omg, I love Pretty Woman- had no idea that’s where your blog name came from- HOW CUTE! I just finished reading your blog from start to finish! So so good!
Hi Maria,
As a new entrepreneur starting so many things afresh again at the age of 55, your reminder about the combination of elements needed to fill up your "knowledge box" is timely. Thanks!
I’ve got a daughter called “Julia” and she’s called either Lia or Jules for short!!
Interesting how you came up with the name for your blog. Very Nice. You’re amazing.