🇨🇦 Two In-Person Dates 🇺🇸
🧑💻 One Virtual Event 👩💻
Hi, I’m Maria Killam, the best selling author, creator of the Killam Colour System, and inventor of the Understanding Undertones Neutral Colour Wheel.
I send about 350,000 emails every month. Naturally, people will reply to my emails with colour and design questions. Over the last 15 years, I’ve read countless messages from readers like you.
As you can probably guess, I have seen it all and heard it all. It is interesting how personal people will be when replying to my emails. One email would be about a couple in the middle of a divorce…
…and the next email would be from someone thanking me for saving them from a $25,000 renovation mistake.
It feels like I had a tiny window into the personal lives of thousands of people. Lots of people were facing tough renovation issues — but some people seemed to react totally differently than others.
And I became obsessed in studying what makes a successful renovation… while other readers just get stuck.
Oh, the dreaded “getting stuck.” This is one of the biggest hurdles when renovating a home. You know people like this, trapped with too many options, paralyzed with what to do. I know people who’ve been spinning their wheels on the same renovation for years.
I could tell you why this happens…
But I’d rather just show you.
No one wants to make a colour or design decision worth tens of thousands of dollars based on a hazy “feeling that this is the right choice”.
Instead, you need a practical and reliable SYSTEM to choose the right colour every time, no matter the situation.
Speaking of “getting stuck,” let’s get personal (like the people in my emails).
When has this happened to you?
No need to be shy.
Let me let you in on a little secret…
…the reason you get stuck, or are currently stuck is because you need a system.
At the top of this page I mentioned that I was the creator of the Killam Colour System. After years of developing this system, it is now my passion to teach it to other budding designers, home owners, and colour enthusiasts.
Have you ever looked around a room and you just KNOW something is missing.
Every Designer and Decorator Needs
the Killam Colour System
Is anyone else surprised by the lack of practical information available on choosing colours?
I hear from experienced designers all the time who say, “Maria, I understand all elements of interior design, but I still can’t confidently choose colour.”
Maybe you’re here because you may have great colour instincts, but at the end of the day, you’re still basically guessing.
Trust me, there is a better way.
Or, maybe you’re here because you discovered that this is the ONLY place with a useful approach for choosing the perfect colours for your real-life decorating projects.
And you’re ready to learn even more.
That’s because you already know that every choice you make for your project is a COLOUR CHOICE FIRST.
You already know that mistakes are expensive.
In just two days, you’ll learn how to save money by making better colour decisions.
Discover the key to confidently selecting anything for your home, without the stress of second-guessing.
Gain confidence with a reliable strategy to solve colour and design problems.
Imagine having a process that efficiently compares and narrows down thousands of paint colours, instantly eliminating overwhelm.
And nothing makes client interactions go more smoothly than when you have clear WHYs for your recommendations. Because smooth client interactions foster trust and lead to excellent referrals.
Maybe you’re here because although you have professional design training, you realize that the colour theory you learned doesn’t actually give you any tools at all for choosing colour in real life situations.
Twenty years ago, a local design college asked me to teach a colour course that would actually help their students learn how to work with colour in real world design environments.
They asked me to do this because basic colour theory tells you absolutely NOTHING about HOW to coordinate neutral finishes or HOW to create a cohesive colour palette with the existing elements in your home.
Still, basic colour theory is the only colour education most designers learn. It’s funny how interesting it seems and how useless it really is.
Maybe you’ve spent countless hours trying to learn about colour online. But you didn’t find any useful advice beyond celebrity go-to colours, confusing misconceptions and unreliable advice.
Someone else’s favourite colour doesn’t mean it will work in your home.
Not only is this misleading, but it can be so frustrating if you’ve tried choosing one of these colours for your home.
Here’s the thing, colour isn’t a mystery. And I can show you how it can even be somewhat “predictable.”
No one else teaches a practical and useful system for choosing colour like I do.
I’ve been doing this for 25 years. I’ve been in thousands of homes.
So I’ve learned how to approach a broad range of colour and decorating problems over the years – including how to create perfect colour flow throughout your home with real-life examples.
You’ll even learn the best way to freshen up your home when you can’t replace everything. You’ll know how to move forward with the right colour decisions NOW so that you have a long term plan for updating your home LATER.
We all know when colour is done badly. We can see it. We can FEEL it.
Maybe the neutral undertones clash or there are simply too many, or maybe the accent colours are out of balance… IT JUST FEELS OFF.
Now, imagine if you had the right language for colour & the confidence to know WHY the room feels off & the exact steps to take to fix it.
That’s what you’ll learn in two days with me.
Here’s what someone in my last class said, “By using your system, I can significantly narrow down the colour options, which eliminates the overwhelm and restores the fun in selecting colour!”
Make design FUN again. Make colour EASIER.
What sets THIS colour and design training apart?
- Real-time colour training led by the #1 colour expert on the planet
- Colour and design resources mailed directly to you before your event date
- A simple and organized system for describing and choosing colour that works for ANY project
- Timeless design principles that give you more freedom to express yourself through decorating
- Which home updates to start with when you can’t replace everything at once
- Hands-on activities with real room exercises to help train your eye
- Guidance for making decisions in new builds and renovation projects
- A process for creating colour palettes and solving decorating challenges
It's Your Turn To Become The Expert
Learn About Colour
Colour is not easy. This is why you see a ton of black and white houses popping up all over the place. You’ll discover how to use colour properly so your home brings you joy.
Learn About Undertones
If you think colour is hard then you probably think undertones are harder. Luckily, you will uncover my system on how to identify, compare and choose the right neutrals for any home.
Learn About Design
It is one thing to understand colour and neutrals. It is another thing to use them correctly in a space. You’ll get to see many in-home scenarios that will reveal how the experts design.
- Why colour is more timeless than neutrals
- Hands on exercises to learn my exclusive Comparative Colour Method™
- The three most powerful and effective ways to compare and describe colour
- How to navigate a fan deck (most colours in any fan deck are NOT useful)
- Just enough colour theory to be useful
- Colour made easy™ a simple process for choosing colour in real life situations
- Which elements are most important to consider when choosing colour
- How to coordinate the colour of anything from tile to soft furnishings
- How and where to take the leap from neutrals to colour
- Colour Balancing Method™ how much colour a room needs
- The best place to start to create perfect colour palettes for decorating
- Create perfect flow with colour from room to room throughout the house
- Make the best of less than ideal situations with colour
- Distract from mistakes with beautiful decorating and styling
- My effective language for the 9 most useful undertones of neutrals
- Develop your ability to see undertones with my Comparative Colour Method™
- Each trend cycle is defined by a specific range of neutrals
- Why it’s important to be aware of the trends to create timeless spaces
- Why getting neutral undertones right is more important than lighting
- Create versatile backdrops to express yourself with decorating and styling
- Learn how to limit the different undertones in a room
- Determine which finishes matter when you have multiple undertones
- Discover which neutral undertones work together and which don’t
- How to transition neutral undertones from room to room
- Which finishes need to be chosen first
- Coordinate finishes for timeless bathrooms and kitchens
- Why white doesn’t have to be complicated
- The best whites organized into 4 most useful gradations from cool to warm
- Why managing contrast is the key to great design
- Solutions to a wide variety of real life decorating challenges
Day 1 is all about Learning a New Language for Colour:
- The three most powerful and effective ways to compare and describe colour, including neutrals, whites and saturated colours.
- My System for Understanding Undertones™. Walk away from confusion about the nuances of neutrals forever by learning my specific and effective new language for the 9 most common and useful undertones of neutrals.
- Why white doesn’t have to be complicated. My system reduces the overwhelming world of whites to the 4 most useful gradations of the best whites you will ever need
- You’ll also discover some colour and design history, aka, “What does knowing about past colour trends have to do with me in 2022?” A LOT actually. To work well with colour, you need to have an understanding of where we’ve been and where we are going.
- Finally, I will share my perspective as a designer. I believe that the best spaces are simple and TIMELESS so you can get off the renovation cycle and express yourself through styling and decorating.
- And YES! I will share my best tips for developing your decorating and styling skills. Because that’s where the MAGIC IS!
Day 2 is all about Making the RIGHT Colour and Design Choices:
In Day 1 we established a firm foundation for comparing and describing colour. Equally important is learning the process for choosing colour in real life situations. Which elements are most important. What comes first? How to coordinate the colour of anything from tile to soft furnishings.
To create spaces that fill you with joy, you do need strategy.
- Learn to create beautifully coordinated combinations of finishes for timeless bathrooms and kitchens that are a delight to style and decorate. If you get it right, you’ll never have to renovate again because of a trendy choice with an expiry date.
- Learn the huge potential of these gorgeously simple and versatile, TIMELESS backdrops I’m teaching you to create for expressing yourself (or your client’s unique personality) with decorating and styling.
- Learn the best place to start to create perfect colour palettes for decorating any room.
- Learn how to make the best of less than ideal design situations with the most flattering colour choices. Often, you’ll get much more out of decorating and styling a room well than by fixing expensive colour mistakes.
- There are endless decorating challenges and colour problems to be solved. It all takes practice and experience! But in Day 2, you will gain invaluable insight into my own experiences and process for solving colour puzzles and decorating challenges of all kinds.
What My Graduates Are Saying
”Maria, I felt quite emotional at the end of class yesterday. It was fantastic and you’ve nailed it and created something no one else has figured out. We’re designing our house and will be using your eDesign services. I bought the boards and Business package (worth every penny!) I have the Exterior Masterclass and Shop Online with Confidence too. Best to you and Terreeia, you make a great team. xo
BrenStudent
What My Graduates Are Saying
”Maria, I felt quite emotional at the end of class yesterday. It was fantastic and you’ve nailed it and created something no one else has figured out. We’re designing our house and will be using your eDesign services. I bought the boards and Business package (worth every penny!) I have the Exterior Masterclass and Shop Online with Confidence too. Best to you and Terreeia, you make a great team. xo
BrenStudent
Here Are Some Video Testimonials
This Is What You'll Get When You Take My Expert Colour & Design Training
Each bundle comes with different bonuses and are OPEN to all homeowners, design professionals, or enthusiasts! Choose the one that fits your needs best. And remember, if you want access to the VIP reception with Maria, choose the VIP Bundle!
SOLD OUT! Virtual
$ 1,697
Let's meet in person instead!LIMITED AVAILABILITY – Enrollment ends soon!- Event Access (via Zoom)
- White Is Complicated (eBook)
- How To Choose Paint Colours (eBook)
- Digital Workbook
- Understanding Undertones Neutral Colour Wheel
- 10% Off eDesign Coupon (delivered after class)
- Facebook Group Membership
- True Colour Expert Badge
Pro / Enthusiast Bundle
$ 1,697
Still a few seats left!- Available Only for Dallas
- Event Access (in person)
- Catered Lunch
- White Is Complicated (eBook)
- How To Choose Paint Colours (eBook)
- Workbook
- Understanding Undertones Neutral Colour Wheel
- 15% Off eDesign Coupon (delivered after class)
- Facebook Group Membership
- True Colour Expert Badge
VIP Event BundleBest Value
$ 1,997
Still a few seats left!- Available for Dallas or Vancouver
- Event Access (in person)
- Catered Lunch
- White Is Complicated (eBook)
- How To Choose Paint Colours (eBook)
- Workbook
- Understanding Undertones Neutral Colour Wheel
- 15% Off eDesign Coupon (delivered after class)
- VIP Reception ✨ with Maria
- Facebook Group Membership
- True Colour Expert Badge
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this live virtual training work?
Unlike Maria’s Exterior Colour Selection Masterclass, this is not pre-recorded. THIS IS A FULLY-IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE. Maria will lead the course live from her studio office and you can expect her to be just as high energy on your computer screen as she is in person 😉
You will be invited to a private Zoom meeting and will receive a link for the two-day online course. All you need to join is desktop or laptop computer with reliable internet access, a webcam, and speakers with good volume. The interactive experience just isn’t the same via a cell phone.
Maria loves to connect personally with her students and that means she needs to see your lovely face – so it will be MANDATORY to turn on your camera during the virtual workshop. There will also be time to interact with your fellow classmates during some of the exercises. We promise this makes it more fun!
Will I receive True Colour Expert™ certification?
Yes! Whether you attend the virtual or in-person Expert Colour & Design Training, you’ll be certified as a True Colour Expert™ after two days. This also includes a digital badge for your website and social media accounts as well as a printable certificate.
What is the "on-demand video review" offered to Pro and VIP bundles?
Maria is always asked if her live trainings will be recorded to watch later.
Maria’s intellectual property, including her unique teaching methods, techniques, and materials, is one of her most valuable assets that she has developed over years of experience. This is why we choose not to share the entire recording of her live Expert Colour and Design Training workshops.
By protecting Maria’s intellectual property, we ensure that her colour expertise remains exclusive to her trainings and maintains its value.
But, we have good news! Maria has recorded an additional training that provides a complete overview to the Understanding Colour™ and Understanding Undertones™ lessons you receive in the Expert Colour and Design Training.
This video training also covers her exclusive Comparative Colour Method™ and Colour Balancing Method™. The overview is just over two hours in length and will be available to watch on-demand, with lifetime access after you complete the live training.
What is the evening with Maria?
For the first time ever! If you enroll in the full VIP package (highly recommended!), you’re invited to spend an evening with Maria and unwind after two absolutely packed days in class.
Continue the conversation over a wide variety of delicious snacks, beverages and great company.
For those of you attending the Vancouver workshop, you’ll get an exclusive in person tour of her own gorgeously decorated home!
Her place is a bit of a long commute from Dallas though! So she’ll be hosting you at a lovely nearby venue.
I'm just a homeowner (not a designer). Is this training for me?
The answer is YES!
But Maria, I’m not a professional. I’m just a regular person who wants a more beautiful home. My house is so basic and my budget is tight. I never know where to start and worry that I’ll just mess it up. Should I still enroll in Expert Colour & Design Training?
Here’s a blog post that helps answer this question too!
Can you relate?
Rest easy. This course is usually made up of 50% design professionals (or those exploring a new career in design) and 50% homeowners who want to learn how to make the endless colour choices that come with owning a home – insights you can use forever.
And let me just add this. If you want a beautiful home you’ll love forever – THIS WORKSHOP is for you!
Colour mistakes cost money.
Whether you are a homeowner or a professional, knowing how to AVOID and FIX mistakes will SAVE you money, time and time again. In fact, fixing just one colour mistake likely saves you enough money to pay for this course.
And hey, that’s good money that you can use to buy more lamps, I might add! Ha!
I’m a brand new designer. Will I feel out of place at this training?
Definitely NOT! 🙌🏻
Your instincts are good, but your client still needs to know the “why.” And communicating this can be a challenge for both the new designer and the seasoned one.
In just two days, you’re going to know how to tell a client what’s missing or what’s wrong, and what they need to do to make it better. This is the confidence you need to communicate more directly with your clients – no matter where you are in your design career.
Let’s face it, a color consultation goes beyond choosing paint colors for a wall. Typically you’re also advising on the colors for furniture and decor in order to create a cohesive color scheme that flows throughout. You’ll learn how to harmonize both.
And when you apply my timeless design principles to your bathrooms and kitchens, you’ll have more freedom to express yourself through decorating and create a portfolio that’s truly everlasting.
But you may still be wondering if this investment really worth it?
I’ll walk you through the EXACT steps for making colour and design decisions from start to finish, for ANY project. Imagine what this kind of insight can do for your home? Your design business? Your new build?
Need Interior Design CEUs?
You will earn 14 IDCEC Accredited CEUs (7 for each day)
💰 And, finally here’s how my two-day workshop pays for itself.
First, it’s the cost of one mistake. That’s easy math. For most it has a dollar amount. You never forget what it cost to replace that _________. Believe me, I’ve been there. There’s also an emotional cost – delays, frustration, OVERTHINKING. Been there too.
Second, being able to decorate around a finish you inherited (that you’re not in love with). Often, you’ll get much more out of decorating and styling a room WELL than by fixing expensive colour mistakes.
Did you get that? You’ll learn the best way to freshen up your home when you can’t replace everything. You’ll learn to solve a variety of challenges with colours and finishes, so you can move forward – whether you’re working with a budget that’s basic or luxe.
I’ve been helping clients pull together their spaces with both new and inherited finishes for over 20 years. I’ve seen it ALL. So, I know a thing or two about solving decorating challenges of all kinds. And, you’ll learn the exact same process I use in just two days.
The course is typically filled with 50% designers (or people wanting to switch to a design career) and 50% homeowners.
Now’s the time to carve out a niche for yourself as the go-to COLOUR expert in your area.
Soaring real estate costs make colour consulting a necessity. Because when people stop building, they start renovating. If they don’t have the budget to replace cabinets, they paint.
Your colour expertise will be more in demand now than ever before!
This workshop is jam-packed with tangible takeaways and practical techniques that you can use right now in your own home or a client’s home.
I never miss a blog post. What else is there to learn?
If you’ve already consumed all of Maria Killam’s blog posts, books, and online courses, there’s still plenty to be gained. Most importantly, the energy you get from learning directly from Maria!
But also, critically, you’ll get all the teachings in the right order which allows you to gain a much deeper understanding of the content.
Attending Maria Killam’s live workshops either in person or via Zoom offers a unique and energizing learning experience. The content feels different, and the implementation and understanding are enhanced.
Maria has over 20 years of experience helping clients with their spaces, dealing with various finishes and decorating challenges. In just two days, you can learn the exact process she uses to make colour decisions, solve challenging colour situations, create a more styled and beautiful home, make decisions for new builds and renovations, as well as identify and fix issues in any room.
Enrolling in this workshop not only saves you money but also helps you stop overthinking every decision and follow a simple and organized process. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn from Maria Killam directly and transform your home with the benefit of her timeless aesthetic, her years experience and her simple to use colour system.
What sets this training apart?
This is the ONLY colour and design training experience led by the world’s top colour expert, Maria Killam. Her real-time guidance will revolutionize how you SEE and USE colour.
Maria provides exclusive colour resources as well as hands-on exercises with real client examples to enhance your learning journey. She’s trained thousands of homeowners and designers just like you.
That’s because she invented a simple and organized system for choosing colors that works seamlessly for any project.
This isn’t colour theory. It’s a practical and applied system you can use over and over again to effortlessly harmonize colours or solve any design challenge that comes your way.
How is the virtual course different from the in-person one?
The training has been broken down into two days for both the virtual course and the in-person one.
Maria continues to offer her virtual colour training so that you can still participate from the comfort of your own home or office, without the need for travel or hotel expenses.
For the Virtual class, you will need to bring your own Benjamin Moore Colour Preview fan deck and the Collections fan deck (or borrow them) prior to class.
Why is the virtual course cheaper than the in-person event?
To reduce the cost of the virtual course, we will send you an envelope with paint chips and fabrics for the hands-on exercises, as well as a neutral colour wheel.
You’ll receive the rest of your exclusive colour tools and resources, including the workbook, digitally.
If you don’t already have the Benjamin Moore Colour Preview fan deck and the Collections fan deck you will need to purchase them (or borrow them) prior to class.
Should I make this investment if my business is struggling or just getting started?
You know, sometimes we all face challenges when it comes to our businesses, whether they’re struggling or just starting out. But guess what? There’s an amazing opportunity right in front of you, and I don’t want you to miss out on it.
By investing in this two-day training, you will acquire practical knowledge that will enable you to elevate your expertise and expand your service offerings in the realm of color and design. This will give your business a distinct advantage over your competitors, allowing you to carve out a unique niche in the market.
One of the key benefits of this training is the implementation of a reliable comparative color method, which will instill confidence in your abilities. With this newfound confidence, you will be able to attract a larger client base that specifically seeks out your expertise in color.
True Color Experts can attest to the tangible results they have achieved, such as commanding higher rates and working with ideal clients who highly value their advice.
What if I already have the wood flooring guide (or eBooks, Shop Online course, etc.)
Choose the package that is best suited to your needs. The bonus material such as the eBooks and the exclusive Timeless Flooring Guide, or Neutral Colour Wheel for example are not refundable for cash value within any of the packages.