REFLECTIONS ON COLOR
REFLECTIONS ON COLOR
Don't be misled. You're a painting contractor, not an interior decorator. But a little color knowledge can help keep customers happy
BY JOHN SANGER
You probably don't have all that many customers ask you to recommend colors. Most know - or think they know - what they want. On large jobs, the specifications are set out for you. All you do is comply with them.
Occasionally, however, you'll be standing in a homeowner's den, mentally calculating how much paint and labor will be required to do the job, when he or she says, "I can't decide between cinnamon and nutmeg for this room. What do you think would look best?"
Now what do you do? The honest answer - "Well, you have to live here, so it's entirely your decision" - isn't always an option. So you probe a bit to find out which way the customer is leaning. If they seem to have a slight preference for cinnamon, that's what you suggest. You reinforce their decision.
What if they truly are straddling the proverbial fence? Or, what if you suspect - or even know - that the color they've selected just isn't going to "work" in the room? Either way, they stay on the fence while you climb between the rock and the hard place. If you suggest a color and it doesn't make the room look like they thought it would, or if you go ahead and approve the incorrect choice, they'll accept full responsibility, right? Sure. In real life, chances are good that you'll be blamed for the less-than-expected results and you'll be donating another coat.
These situations occur most frequently in residential jobs. However, you might find yourself in a similar situation when talking with an accountant's office manager or the owner of a small retail store.
That's why Roy G. Biv, owner of Rainbow Painting in Brush, CO, makes it a point to understand the basics of color and how perceptions of color affect his work - and his customers' expectations. "You don't have to be an expert in color, but knowing the basics lets me help customers make the right choices," he said.
Once upon a myth: Separating color myths from reality sometimes can be a challenge. For example, it generally is true that light colors make a room look larger and dark colors make it look smaller. It's also true that wet samples generally dry a little darker, since the sheen reflects more light.
Further than that, though, you'd better not go. "When you're asked for an opinion, you have to get some information from your customer before you can give it. You need to know what he expects the result to be, of course, but you need to find out his likes and dislikes - as well as how the room is going to be used," Biv said.
Different colors have different effects on people. Scientific studies about the psychology of color have been going on for decades (see sidebar). Although nothing absolutely definitive has come from them, there is enough evidence from which to draw general conclusions, however. Blues and greens are supposed to have calming effects, for example, while reds evoke dynamic responses in people.
"That's true to a degree," said Linda Trent, director of color and design marketing for The Sherwin-Williams Co. "But if for some reason you don't like blue, it isn't going effect calmness. You can make some general statements about the psychology of color, but you have to look at each individual as just that, an individual with individual preferences."
For example, yellow is an interesting - and confusing - color. "More light is reflected by bright colors. Therefore, yellow - such as a bright lemon yellow - can be an eye irritant. It's also a cheerful color and the most visible color in the spectrum; the first one the human eye notices," said J.L. Morton, color professor at the University of Hawaii's School of Architecture and an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers.
With that in mind, you might want to limit the use of bright yellow to service as an accent color. If you'll be working with a large area, such as kitchen walls, stick to the pastel shades.
For years, painters have said, "Yellow won't cover anything, even yellow." That used to be frequently true. How well yellow covered another paint depended on what color was being covered, of course. But beyond that, the chemical composition of yellow paint used to affect its coverage characteristics.
That's not true any more, at least not to the extent that it has been. Improved paint technology now brings yellow up with its sibling colors and its coverage characteristics are very good, Trent said.
Seeing the light: As you might expect, light plays a significant role in how colors look. Incandescent lights are warm, rich in the colors in the yellow-orange segment of the color spectrum; fluorescent lights are cooler, emitting more blues and greens. Natural light - daylight - also is cool. Therefore, when you look at a color chip, look at it in the same environment where it will be used.
"When you talk about painting, go to the area that's to be painted," Roy Biv said. "When I talk to customers about exterior painting, we go outside. That's where we look at the paint chips. If the conversation switches to interior painting, I lead the way and take the customer inside. There's no point in showing him paint chips for his dining room when we're standing in the backyard. The chips aren't going to look the same."
A room's lighting doesn't stay the same, of course. It may be bathed in natural light during the day and illuminated by incandescent light at night. That means the colors in a room will appear different during different times of the day. "There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, color changes can enhance a room's look," Linda Trent said. Just be sure that you're aware of the changes and that they create the look your customer seeks.
The contrast difference between large areas of black and white creates excessive muscular activity and fatigues your eyes - such as reading white papers on a black or dark desk. Carry this theory into a corporate conference room. Many times you find dark surfaces, often highly lacquered. Although it gives the room a high-tech corporate look, it may not be conducive to a good working atmosphere, Prof. Morton said.
Contrast isn't bad. It simply has to be controlled. White surfaces reflect about 80 percent of light and black reflect 5 percent - which is a 16:1 light reflectance ratio. The Illuminating Engineering Society recommends a maximum ratio of 3:1 for a visual task and its adjacent surroundings.
There's a good side to controlled contrast. "Contrast is important. If there's no contrast in a room and it's a dark color, it can be oppressive. In those cases, you need to paint the trim - or something - contrasting colors," Trent said.
House of a different color: You wear a light-colored shirt when golfing in July because you learned in your high school science class that light colors reflect light (and therefore heat) and dark colors absorb it. This reflective-absorptive principle also makes the choice of exterior colors significant. Light-colored, reflective coatings are like a white shirt for a house. They can help cut cooling costs.
Light colors used inside a home or office also can help save energy costs. The EPA reports that electric lighting accounts for almost one-fourth of the electricity used in this country. Because dark walls absorb more and reflect less light, more lighting is required for dark rooms to achieve a desired light level.
Paint manufacturers can tell you the light reflectance value (LRV) of paint, so if you want to know what it is, just ask. The higher the LRV number of a paint color, the less artificial light you need.
"I don't usually try to talk customers out of colors they have chosen, but sometimes it's necessary. Many times they've seen colors they like and think will work well - in an office, for example. They might work fine, actually. But they usually haven't stopped to consider what effect the color is going to have on the overall light level in the room. After I explain it to them, they often change to a lighter shade of the same color," Biv said.
Don't go overboard with light colors, however. Very light-colored walls combined with high lighting levels can cause glare, which can lead to eye irritation. As with almost everything, balance is needed.
Colors also affect your perception of temperature. Rooms painted in cool colors tend to be perceived - physically - as six to 10 degrees cooler than they actually are. The reverse is true for rooms painted with warm colors.
That's not the only trick colors play on your brain. The human brain requires a sense of order or it may reject information. When applied to color, this means that too many colors confuse your brain and it rejects the image. (Keep this in mind when designing your business cards as well as when you're recommending colors for a festive game room in a customer's basement.) Conversely, if not enough colors are used, boredom may result.
Moreover, the right color combinations are as important as individual colors. Fortunately, you, as a painting contractor, don't have to be an artist to know what colors go together. You also don't have to figure out everything on your own.
Most of the major paint suppliers can help. For example, Sherwin-Williams's color designers have created packages with complementary and contrasting colors. Large color cards are available, so you can get a good idea of how the colors look together. So the next time you're asked to ponder what colors to recommend for exterior walls, trim, and facias, pull out the cards.
If you want to brush up on the basics of color, Trent recommends visiting your local library or bookstore. "There are a lot of books available that have good information. Not all of them are highly technical, so you won't have difficulty getting some good, basic information," she said, adding that some of her favorites are published by Better Homes and Gardens.
"I'm not an interior designer," Roy Biv said. "That's not my job. But when a customer needs help, I want to be able to provide that help and that means I should know the basics of color."
You probably should, too.
Don't be misled. You're a painting contractor, not an interior decorator. But a little color knowledge can help keep customers happy
BY JOHN SANGER
You probably don't have all that many customers ask you to recommend colors. Most know - or think they know - what they want. On large jobs, the specifications are set out for you. All you do is comply with them.
Occasionally, however, you'll be standing in a homeowner's den, mentally calculating how much paint and labor will be required to do the job, when he or she says, "I can't decide between cinnamon and nutmeg for this room. What do you think would look best?"
Now what do you do? The honest answer - "Well, you have to live here, so it's entirely your decision" - isn't always an option. So you probe a bit to find out which way the customer is leaning. If they seem to have a slight preference for cinnamon, that's what you suggest. You reinforce their decision.
What if they truly are straddling the proverbial fence? Or, what if you suspect - or even know - that the color they've selected just isn't going to "work" in the room? Either way, they stay on the fence while you climb between the rock and the hard place. If you suggest a color and it doesn't make the room look like they thought it would, or if you go ahead and approve the incorrect choice, they'll accept full responsibility, right? Sure. In real life, chances are good that you'll be blamed for the less-than-expected results and you'll be donating another coat.
These situations occur most frequently in residential jobs. However, you might find yourself in a similar situation when talking with an accountant's office manager or the owner of a small retail store.
That's why Roy G. Biv, owner of Rainbow Painting in Brush, CO, makes it a point to understand the basics of color and how perceptions of color affect his work - and his customers' expectations. "You don't have to be an expert in color, but knowing the basics lets me help customers make the right choices," he said.
Once upon a myth: Separating color myths from reality sometimes can be a challenge. For example, it generally is true that light colors make a room look larger and dark colors make it look smaller. It's also true that wet samples generally dry a little darker, since the sheen reflects more light.
Further than that, though, you'd better not go. "When you're asked for an opinion, you have to get some information from your customer before you can give it. You need to know what he expects the result to be, of course, but you need to find out his likes and dislikes - as well as how the room is going to be used," Biv said.
Different colors have different effects on people. Scientific studies about the psychology of color have been going on for decades (see sidebar). Although nothing absolutely definitive has come from them, there is enough evidence from which to draw general conclusions, however. Blues and greens are supposed to have calming effects, for example, while reds evoke dynamic responses in people.
"That's true to a degree," said Linda Trent, director of color and design marketing for The Sherwin-Williams Co. "But if for some reason you don't like blue, it isn't going effect calmness. You can make some general statements about the psychology of color, but you have to look at each individual as just that, an individual with individual preferences."
For example, yellow is an interesting - and confusing - color. "More light is reflected by bright colors. Therefore, yellow - such as a bright lemon yellow - can be an eye irritant. It's also a cheerful color and the most visible color in the spectrum; the first one the human eye notices," said J.L. Morton, color professor at the University of Hawaii's School of Architecture and an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers.
With that in mind, you might want to limit the use of bright yellow to service as an accent color. If you'll be working with a large area, such as kitchen walls, stick to the pastel shades.
For years, painters have said, "Yellow won't cover anything, even yellow." That used to be frequently true. How well yellow covered another paint depended on what color was being covered, of course. But beyond that, the chemical composition of yellow paint used to affect its coverage characteristics.
That's not true any more, at least not to the extent that it has been. Improved paint technology now brings yellow up with its sibling colors and its coverage characteristics are very good, Trent said.
Seeing the light: As you might expect, light plays a significant role in how colors look. Incandescent lights are warm, rich in the colors in the yellow-orange segment of the color spectrum; fluorescent lights are cooler, emitting more blues and greens. Natural light - daylight - also is cool. Therefore, when you look at a color chip, look at it in the same environment where it will be used.
"When you talk about painting, go to the area that's to be painted," Roy Biv said. "When I talk to customers about exterior painting, we go outside. That's where we look at the paint chips. If the conversation switches to interior painting, I lead the way and take the customer inside. There's no point in showing him paint chips for his dining room when we're standing in the backyard. The chips aren't going to look the same."
A room's lighting doesn't stay the same, of course. It may be bathed in natural light during the day and illuminated by incandescent light at night. That means the colors in a room will appear different during different times of the day. "There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, color changes can enhance a room's look," Linda Trent said. Just be sure that you're aware of the changes and that they create the look your customer seeks.
The contrast difference between large areas of black and white creates excessive muscular activity and fatigues your eyes - such as reading white papers on a black or dark desk. Carry this theory into a corporate conference room. Many times you find dark surfaces, often highly lacquered. Although it gives the room a high-tech corporate look, it may not be conducive to a good working atmosphere, Prof. Morton said.
Contrast isn't bad. It simply has to be controlled. White surfaces reflect about 80 percent of light and black reflect 5 percent - which is a 16:1 light reflectance ratio. The Illuminating Engineering Society recommends a maximum ratio of 3:1 for a visual task and its adjacent surroundings.
There's a good side to controlled contrast. "Contrast is important. If there's no contrast in a room and it's a dark color, it can be oppressive. In those cases, you need to paint the trim - or something - contrasting colors," Trent said.
House of a different color: You wear a light-colored shirt when golfing in July because you learned in your high school science class that light colors reflect light (and therefore heat) and dark colors absorb it. This reflective-absorptive principle also makes the choice of exterior colors significant. Light-colored, reflective coatings are like a white shirt for a house. They can help cut cooling costs.
Light colors used inside a home or office also can help save energy costs. The EPA reports that electric lighting accounts for almost one-fourth of the electricity used in this country. Because dark walls absorb more and reflect less light, more lighting is required for dark rooms to achieve a desired light level.
Paint manufacturers can tell you the light reflectance value (LRV) of paint, so if you want to know what it is, just ask. The higher the LRV number of a paint color, the less artificial light you need.
"I don't usually try to talk customers out of colors they have chosen, but sometimes it's necessary. Many times they've seen colors they like and think will work well - in an office, for example. They might work fine, actually. But they usually haven't stopped to consider what effect the color is going to have on the overall light level in the room. After I explain it to them, they often change to a lighter shade of the same color," Biv said.
Don't go overboard with light colors, however. Very light-colored walls combined with high lighting levels can cause glare, which can lead to eye irritation. As with almost everything, balance is needed.
Colors also affect your perception of temperature. Rooms painted in cool colors tend to be perceived - physically - as six to 10 degrees cooler than they actually are. The reverse is true for rooms painted with warm colors.
That's not the only trick colors play on your brain. The human brain requires a sense of order or it may reject information. When applied to color, this means that too many colors confuse your brain and it rejects the image. (Keep this in mind when designing your business cards as well as when you're recommending colors for a festive game room in a customer's basement.) Conversely, if not enough colors are used, boredom may result.
Moreover, the right color combinations are as important as individual colors. Fortunately, you, as a painting contractor, don't have to be an artist to know what colors go together. You also don't have to figure out everything on your own.
Most of the major paint suppliers can help. For example, Sherwin-Williams's color designers have created packages with complementary and contrasting colors. Large color cards are available, so you can get a good idea of how the colors look together. So the next time you're asked to ponder what colors to recommend for exterior walls, trim, and facias, pull out the cards.
If you want to brush up on the basics of color, Trent recommends visiting your local library or bookstore. "There are a lot of books available that have good information. Not all of them are highly technical, so you won't have difficulty getting some good, basic information," she said, adding that some of her favorites are published by Better Homes and Gardens.
"I'm not an interior designer," Roy Biv said. "That's not my job. But when a customer needs help, I want to be able to provide that help and that means I should know the basics of color."
You probably should, too.
posted by painting business guy at 8:27 PM
1 Comments:
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