"The Premier Interior and Color Consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area"

Whether you want to simply change the color(s) in one room, an area or an entire home, choosing the best color can make all the difference in the final look and feel that is right for you. I can provide THE FOLLOWING SERVICES that can help make your home improvement project complete:

* Color Consultation: Interior or exterior, residential or commercial. This isn't JUST about paint but also the entire finished look of any area. Fees are subject to geography and depth involved to select options for the best results. Call or email me to get a quote for your particular project. Although I'm based in the bay area of California, I can fly anywhere and provide a good 'eye' over internet exchanges as well. (SEE TESTIMONIALS IN MY MENU)

* Selection of elements: Online and/or physical investigation for finding the right lighting, furniture, plumbing fixtures, flooring, appliances, counters, cabinetry, window treatments and more.

* Provide Referrals: People who specialize in specific projects like kitchen remodels, fence building, gate fabrication, plumbing, cement pouring, electrical installation, etc. I have developed trusted relationships with skilled people in your area that can help finalize your specific projects.

HOW A COLOR CONSULTATION WORKS:

Taking the following careful steps in the process will lead you to a beautiful, pleasing result and help you to avoid costly errors.

1. Establish a visual reference. Send me digital photos OR
In the Greater SF Bay Area, I'm available for in-person consultation OR I can travel to you (time and travel expenses charged) This will lead to a conversation about your project once I have a better idea about the lighting and layout of your room or area. I come in with a fresh eye and an open mind. I will ask lots of questions and...

2. Assess your needs and desires. Realize what is already there (color, furniture, lighting, artwork) I might suggest possible changes, which could include electrical, plumbing, artwork, fixtures, window and floor coverings,furniture - all of these things and others which affect lighting. This helps avoid regret and disappointment that often occurs when people make premature color decisions. I help to identify and negotiate options between essential parties who use the room or area. Once the elements and changes that already exist are identified, you can...

3. Narrow the color options I feel it is so important to listen to what you want. What colors appeal to you? Do you think any of them would work in the room or area we are considering? What is the feeling you want to achieve in this room or area? Is it already satisfying but you know some change could make it even better? Is there something that has bothered you and you don't quite know what to do about it? Maybe it's even difficult to describe exactly what doesn't work. How does this room or area relate to the rest of the environment? What is the culture of your home or office or commercial space? Are there children or animals using the space? How is the room or space actually used? Remember, color affects mood. For example, in a therapy office, there are fewer color options than in a kitchen. (You wouldn't want to be sitting in therapy with lime green or shocking pink walls staring at you, right?!)

4. Utility vs. Aesthetic There are several considerations regarding wall surfaces and texture you may not have thought about that affects the actual finish in your project.
* the inherent texture of your walls,
* whether or not you have acoustic ceilings,
* type of stipple on the wall, or
* if the surface is dead smooth.

The above can affect your decision about having a surface painted in a solid color vs. faux finish, and bolder colors vs. more muted hues. Another factor is whether a flat, eggshell, or semi-gloss finish will serve the utility of the room. How washable does the wall need to be? How will sheen affect the final result you are striving for?

5. Color Selection. I come prepared with not only a fan deck (that little flip-out book of colors where the paint chips are as small as a quarter!), but the larger architectural books of Benjamin Moore colors.These are large enough to actually inform you almost immediately as to the direction of color to go in, if not allow you to select the right color right on-the-spot.
If you're interested in looking at how a glazed (or faux) look would be in the area, I have over 40 3' x 3' faux sample boards to choose from. I also can produce custom boards for a fee.

If you were having an important suit or dress made, and you paid for fabric based on a 1 cm square sample, the chancse are you'd be disappointed with the result. You would get a much better idea about whether the color and texture are suitable if you stood in different lights with a large expanse of the cloth draped over you. Surely a room that you spend so much important time in should be decorated with the same thoughtfulness and careful color selection... --Dr. Susan Wilde, psychologist and satisfied client

6. Developing a game plan At this point you are ready to plan the project. I also do paint work and many of her color consultations lead to my doing the actual painting. Sometimes for a variety of reasons you may be utilizing the services of another painter, and I'm willing to facilitate your project, whatever arrangements you may make for the actual painting effort. In planning the project, I work with you to select the exact paint to be used, and you may find that selecting a color for one room can often lead to thinking about making changes in other rooms! At the end of your color consultation, you'll have clarity and feel resolved about taking the next step to improve your environment.
This is when taking baby steps and testing color change can make all the difference between costly experimentation or thoughtful planning.