(soft grayed blues, yellows and greens)

For the last year or so I have been creating color boards for client consultations.  I got the idea from Maria Killam and her website Color Me Happy.  Maria sells color boards as a set and they are her chosen colors that she recommends and stands behind from her years of color consulting.   I’m sure Maria’s are wonderful but when I started out I wasn’t ready to invest in them and I wanted to pick and choose colors that I was considering specific to each job.

At first I used large foam core boards but they turned out to be too thick and hard to transport.  I recently cut them down to about 12 x 18″ and switched to some thin plastic boards they sell at my local Benjamin Moore store.

I like that I am acquiring a color story that reflects my general preferences and aesthetic and they really are so useful at client meetings.  It helps everyone see better how a color will work in a space and helps me feel confident about my recommendations.

Here are some neutrals:

I just add labels to the back.  As you can see some of the boards are a bit sloppy and someday I might buy Maria’s but for now they are getting the job done.

For any other interior designers or color consultants out there, what are some of your color tools and tricks?  Any you don’t mind sharing?

Have a great weekend!