Being a colour stylist, is quite simple, but not easy- Namrata Chandwani

“Open your mind to the magic of Colour” is the motto of Namrata Chandwani, a Mumbai based colour stylist who owns a colour blog, The Color Story. Namrata completed her Advance diploma in Interior Design from L. S. Raheja School of Architecture, Mumbai in 2009. She has is also holds a certification from the International School of colour and design, Sydney and Universal Class Colour and Design.

Picture1Initially, Namrata worked as an Interior Designer with Seema Joneja and later as a set stylist at Paper Sky. Namratas interest in colour styling has now got her to Asian Paints where she is working as colour stylist and colour consultant.

Catching up with Gallopper, Namrata opens a colourful palette as an expert. “The day I saw my first paint chip card, I was sure I found my soul mate” exclaims Namrata. Fresh Air, Floral Whisper, Fancy Chic, Pretty Posh, Soft & Timeless, Citron Breeze, Peach Passion, Baby Kisses, Posh Boutique, Purple Haze, Blue Skies, Lemon Kiss, Mint Magic & Timeless Taupe are a few names that stir her passion. Namrata opines that, “From soft grey to intense fuchsia, colour is my passion and allows me to see the most ordinary things as nothing short of spectacular”.

Namrata feels, “Being a colour stylist, is quite simple, but not easy”. She opines “Colour is the most emotional element to which everyone reacts and hence it is important to choose colours wisely. We are all individuals with personal preferences and colour responses; our colour preferences fluctuate and change with our age, moods, environment, life experiences and energy levels. In short, I, as a colour stylist specialize in the complex effects of colour and create colour solutions for a client’s goals. This includes combining colour psychology, current trends, demographic statistics and colour design theories to come up with a successful and well informed solution.

“People often spend hours looking at colour charts and often end up choosing combinations that don’t feel right. To get a better understanding of someone’s preference for design, one of the most common places to start is by creating a collection of different images, graphics, or examples of styles one enjoys. This is often called a mood board. The best time to make a mood board is in the early stages of the project, when a design style is undefined”.

According to Namrata, the most successful colour scheme is the one that is described by people as a mood rather than a colour. For example, “This room is so fresh and welcoming,” rather than, “This yellow is great!”

Here are a few colour tips recommended by the expert:
• Always use light colours in the majority of the room.
• Blend all colours in a space with furniture and furnishings.
• Colours influence each other when placed close to each other.
• Dark rooms need plenty of light and light colours.
• Accent colours should always be used in small proportions.

Namrata says, “Whether you want to create a calm and neutral colour scheme or a bold decorating statement, choosing colours can sometimes be overwhelming. A typical colour styling client is someone who has already taken ten trips to the paint store, has stacks of paint swatches, has samples painted on the walls and can’t make up their minds what to do. They think they have no idea of what they want or like, but this isn’t true – they only just lack confidence and vision.”

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