Once, I was on vacation, I think in North Carolina, and getting my hair cut. The woman cutting my hair was friendly, and as it tends to do – the conversation goes to the fact that I do interior design.  As people tend to do, she asks me about her home, and described a modest home somewhere nearby, but I was from out of town. 

In any case, she quickly described what she was planning to do, and almost always I listen but half-listen as my new found acquaintance really wants a designer to hear and affirm what they are planning to do.  It’s not intentional, but I’ve learned that starting to make suggestions to someone I do not know, for a place I’ve never (or will never) seen, it’s best to listen and keep the conversation going as much as I can keep it in generalities.   Unfortunately, she shares the colour of yellow she plans to paint the walls, and asks what I think.  

Now, if you have read any of my earlier posts about colour, then you are ahead of the game here, but in quick terms, the colour of light in your space is the single most important “choice” to make when you want to paint the walls.   If you have big leafy green trees outside, we know you will have a green tint in the summer.  Does your room have northern light or southern light?  

Then there are easier colours to work with; Benjamin Moore’s “Revere Pewter” is an almost always perfect grey to use, and softly changes colour a bit with the day’s changing light.   Benjamin Moore’s “Calm” is another great grey.   Also, BM “Chantilly Lace” can be a great brighter white that is not cold, and well, you get the idea.  

Then there are colours that are fussier.  Yellows especially.  Yellow would be why you really want to hire someone who is good with colour to come over and help.  Most people love that warm, butter yellow that you can cuddle up to, but still get a bit of energy from.   I have never met another colour that is more finicky about the source and colour of light it is going to play with.  Yellow can quickly go to a bright, too primary colour of yellow – or worse a “Chrome” yellow.  On the other side, it can quickly go to a duller yellow getting into the beiges somewhat. I don’t know of a “safe” yellow to suggest here, as I feel it is, in fact, that dependent on the light.  

So, I’m sitting in the chair, with her scissors flying, trying to explain all of this and clearly, this was not working. She really wanted me to suggest a colour, I think to the point of wanting me to write down a named colour - and this I cannot do. I recall thinking how much I just wanted a haircut, and here I was working pretty hard trying not to sound too knowledgeable or too forward with a woman holding sharp scissors wanting an answer! I bet if she had asked me over for a drink, I would have dropped by and given some specific advice as thanks for my haircut, but I was on vacation, so there was that.