Choosing the Right Undertone for Paint Color - Benjamin Moore Rich Cream

As a color consultant, I am innately aware of the visual world around me, everyday and everywhere.
During a visit to a stone showroom with a client to pick out stone, I was stopped in my tracks.

Color Clash!

My eye was immediately drawn to a color blunder. (I'm sure it was temporary due to their makeover)

I always tell my clients, colors are like people.   Some colors get along beautifully, some get along okay, and others scream and fight with each other.

Benjamin Moore RICH CREAM 2153-60 Color Board

I immediately thought of Benjamin Moore's  Rich Cream and ran to my car to get my large color board.  This was a great opportunity to show my client the importance of color relations.

You can clearly see the light yellow on the top does not get along beautifully with the stone.

But the Rich Cream is a match made in heaven.  Ahhhh.

Why?  Because the existing yellow paint color leans towards green undertones, while the Rich Cream color leans towards orange undertones.   And there are orange undertones prevalent in the stone.

I do a lot of virtual consultations (in addition to onsite work) and I tell my clients to FEEL what they are seeing, to pay attention to how the color and materials interact with each other, with themselves, and with the space.

Color & design is all about the experience, as I write in my The Art of Seeing post:

Thinking in action is what the art of seeing is all about.  Visually experience it first.  Open your eyes wide.  Your body, your senses, and your mind will react naturally, as your eyes take in all in. 

If you want to read more of my The Art of Seeing post - click on link below.
http://www.colorforte.com/2009/07/art-of-seeing.html

Happy coloring!  And if you need a color consult, do not hesitate to contact me.