William Anderson is a design consultant in Ontario, Canada, who specializes in color selection. He says it’s always important to begin with the client, paying close attention to their self-expression.

“How are they currently using color? How will they react to change? What is their level of enthusiasm and curiosity? What is the role of color in their project — to convey image, to establish comfort, to emphasize architecture?” says Anderson.

Then the client’s desires must be set against the demands of the space itself : sightlines, the purposes of the space, the traffic patterns and the lighting sources — both artificial and natural.

“Once you have an outline of the architectural features of the space, you can break it up into blocks of color. You can determine where there should be a change of color; what to emphasize and what to neutralize…,” he notes. “Try to be open about the rationale for your color direction.”

"I usually do my own color testing and arrive armed with trays, rollers, brushes and test paint, white, tints and containers.  I might also bring samples of other project materials, such as wood, metals, fabric and carpet.  The client is welcome to attend and comment.  They observe the colors of wet paint compared to dry and how colors affect each other.  It raises their awareness. Actually putting paint on the walls keeps me connected to the choices we are making."

Each color should have a job to do, because the goal, says Anderson, is to achieve a balanced result. “It’s the balance in the space and how the colors work together that determine the success of a project. Balance is achieved by practice and observation ."