Surrendering to Beauty
08/20/2006 09:45 PM by Gretchen Schauffler
I once had a woman call me seven times after she had a color consultation. Yes, seven. When I got there for her initial consultation, her colors were having a cold war. The colors were civil, polite, and absolutly opposed to each other’s presence. They were giving each other the silent treatment. Indifferent, cold, and boring together.
Before I left her house, I gave her color conflict resolution orders. Then the first call came in. “Is there another color I can do in the kitchen besides red?” “Well, yes,” I said. “You can use the main color we chose from your palette, which glues all the other colors together.” But she didn’t want that color in the kitchen. She wanted something different. So we reviewed the palette again.
My color consulting focuses on color balance. It is balance that makes the big difference in how you feel colors when they are together. Let me put it this way, you can instantly feel when they are off-balance. With my art you can look at how color relationships and balance work together in different combinations.
It was obvious that green or purple wouldn’t work, and blue was out of the question. It had to be either red or the main color, a neutral shade of yellow. She seemed somewhat comforted that I was standing firm in the faith of the palette. Five phone calls later, she sounded more annoyed at my inflexibility. By the sixth call, she had painted the kitchen red and called to thank me.
I asked her why she had finally taken the plunge. She said that her husband told her they had paid me too much money to not take the advice. It made sense to her.
I thought about her this weekend when my husband said, “Go ahead, follow your own advice, get painting.” “But what if it’s a mistake?” I worried.
There I was with a roller in hand, now petrified about what I was going to do. I had created a new palette for my home and what I fashioned was so stunning it terrified me. So bold, it was unlike anything I had lived with before.
The balance between the white and other colors was monotonous. The white overpowered the space, but it seemed safe!
Afterwards, the balance between Devine Truffle and the other colors became harmonious and it defined the whole space. You can focus on the beautiful white beams, the white-washed wood, the coral chairs.
When we moved into our house over a year ago, I chose a beautiful, simple color palette. Since I spend a lot of time creating for others, when it comes to me, I go with what’s easy. Easy is what you do when you have so many things on your plate. Between writing my newly-published book, personally training every color consultant for our growing national staff, and designing a new line of window apparel, easy just sounded perfect. And the palette was serene, subtle, and casual.
Now I wanted a change and I selected colors that I actually personally loved, but I was afraid to do. Why? Because I had never gone this bold, this strong, like a banner that said “THIS IS HOT!” Ah, to be faced with what you love. So I chose love, with a kick in the ass from my husband.
This was full of thrilling possibilities….....
I kept looking at the palette and thinking, “I DO love them together and they DO make magic.” Yet to imagine them spread across the house was almost like a yell that I was trying to hold back. It is the same yell I get out of my clients, the reaction that makes them go “Ahhhhh, I love it!” I tell them so boldly, “We are not making color decisions based on fear. Unless your life is threatened, we make color decisions based on personal expression and undisputable beauty.”
I started rolling paint on the walls and, before my eyes, the rooms transformed into three-dimensional pictures where light and dark created a fabulous composition. As an artist, I have always been attracted to bold contrast, yet I had never lived it.
Now was the time.
I asked myself, “Am I this bold?” Surrendering to who you are sometimes is a hard thing to accept. However, once the kitchen is red, or your walls get kicked up ten notches, you receive the gift of affirmation. May you accept and enjoy your colors, too.
Gretchen Schauffler
Artist and Founder of Devine Color®
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I’m so interested in what you are doing. I live in New Orleans, have been a realtor for only a few years, but an “artist” for many more. I constantly think about color and have lately been toying with the idea of becoming a color specialist. I have been looking at your palettes and have to say, honestly, that I would be more comfortable putting together my own. At any rate, congratulations on transforming your own home and I would love to see pictures.
PS: If you have any tips or advice on becoming a color consultant, I’d appreciate it.
— Sharon Katz 08/22/2006 04:44 PM #
Sharon:
Thanks for your email. I will have to say that color is an amazing field to play in! I have a 4 year degree and majored in graphic design so I believe that education is power. I also have a personal philosophy that drives me and my business. We do have color consulting training for if you are interested to align your self with our company. It is an application process.
The palette and the paint line deliver colors that turn into personal palettes and that is were the reward lies.
I encourage to to follow your journey
— Gretchen Schauffler 08/23/2006 12:49 PM #
Wow. I agree personal attachments, much like capes, can get in the way of things and keep us from being who we are, or doing what we love—always remember no capes.
— edna 08/23/2006 12:49 PM #
Hello Gretchen-
I dont know if you remember me…..My father is Ray derby with Blazer Development. Its so funny cause you stopped by ex husbands house the other day with your daughter. I use to design and run the jobs for my fathers busines. As of recently ive been interested in getting back into the business…but also want to be home for my children. My older son has Autisim, so it is very important that I can have a job that allows me to be home for both my children…after school. I was curious about your consulting business…and im very interested and eager to learn more about it. Ive used your colors in several of my homes…and also with my clients for several years. I want to say you have really done a wonderful job…You shared a little bit of your past with me several years back and im so proud of what you have done! Its absolutely amazing! Your palettes are beautiful! Please contact me at your earliest convienence.
Thank you
Sincerly,
carrie Koranda
— carrie Koranda 08/01/2007 12:01 PM #