The other day, during a family dinner with all my kids and grandkids, I was yakking it up as much as I dared about color and paint and how people have such a strong desire to have their houses be lovely and be a true reflection of themselves.
My handsome grandson, who is 11,in a major growth spurt and is no slouch when it come to color, as you can see in this photo, had his elbows on the table and his head in his hands, and asked, with just the slightest tone of disgust, “Why do people care so much about decorating their houses?”
Well! I will tell you why, Young Man!
It may seem that choosing a colors for a home is a frivolous desire for prettiness. But what it really happening when I’m on an in-home color consult is me midwifing for my clients as they transform themselves, their marriages and/or their lives.
I have noticed the painting thing begins when:
1. Someone has had a big change happen: Customer Joanie lost a son 18 months ago and was now ready to use his bedroom as a studio space for herself. She has taken up watercolor painting and will do yoga and painting in the room. She chose a lovely shade of pale, muted lavender.
2. Someone is in the middle a big life change: moving into a new place or in the middle of a forced renovation. The house of Megan and Jack was utterly crushed when a storm brought one of their gigantic trees down. The tree crashed through the roof to the floor during the 15 minutes that dat when they were each out on errands. We start talking colors for the new construction after the first of the year.
3. OR a life change is about to happen and they just don’t know it yet, they are just painting their house because they are tired of the current colors, or It’s time to freshen things up.Because color has a powerful effect on us, Life will freshen up, too.
4. All of the above.
So, paint away, People! Color is transformative. Beauty is essential.
Paint and Color 