Organised methodology and advance planning of colours can lead to successful use of colours. Pile, J. (1997) argues that just as one would not start construction of a building without construction drawings and plans, one should not start working on colours in interior spaces without careful planning.
When planning the colour palette of a room it is important to establish what the room is going to be used for, who will be using the room and where the room is situated within the property. The what, who and where combined will help to form the basis of what colours should be chosen.
To start the planning the orientation of the room should be determined, a north facing room will get little direct sunlight so warm colours may be better suited, a south facing aspect will suit most colours, an east facing aspect will also get mostly morning sun so cool colours can work well, and west facing aspects get afternoon sunlight where subtle colours works best. A scale drawing should be done of the room so you can easily refer to the size and shape of the room throughout the design process.
Once the orientation of the room has been established and what the room is going to be used for has been determined the next step is to collect a series of colour charts. These can be used to create colour layouts and help to figure out which colours compliment the elements of the interior space like floors, architectural features, etc. By speaking to the client about their vision for the room and figuring out what type of furniture they have already or what they are intending on purchasing will help to form an overall view of what the finished room will look like. Colour has different meanings for different people, “It is stimulating, calming, expressive, disturbing, impressionable, cultural, exuberant, and symbolic. It pervades every aspect of our lives, embellishes the ordinary, and gives beauty and drama to everyday objects”. Holtzschue, 2002.This needs to be taken into account when working through the clients brief.
When these factors have been agreed the process of sourcing samples can begin. Practical testing of the colours either by painting the colours onto cards or if the client is in agreement directly on to the walls. When the sample colours are applied they may sometimes appear very different from the way they look on the colour