Back when I was color-shy, I hired one...best $50 I ever spent. Got me over my fear of color...and now I pick my own colors.

You could easily spend $100 in paint samples before you even realize. The BenM consultant should be able to narrow the color choice field a lot faster - zero in on the good choices, nix the bad ones quickly. And be able to explain why some choices are better than others. Also give you suggestions to ponder that you'd likely never coulda, woulda thought of on your own. You need to end up understanding what's going on with color in your space better than you did before as well as make decisions on colors.

One of my own statistics is that consumers spend between $100 and $250 on paint samples alone before they call for color help.

When considering that not all colors come in the $5 sizes and some have to be purchased in quarts, it's easy to see how the samples can add up before ya know it. I've found many of the quarts purchased are "this is the color and I just wanna be sure" quarts. Everyone thinks it's the last sample they're going to have to buy and it will actually count towards the needed quantity of paint to paint the room. Ends up not working out that way.

To be honest $100 is cheap to average. Remember they are selling paint for Ben Moore so their suggestions will be limited to BenM. Luckily, BenM has a great palette. $50 is way, way too low. Even the newbiest consultants that I know with one portfolio picture to their name (usually their own house) start out at $75 an hour. Location would matter too I s'pose. East coast $100 would be a real bargain for a consultation, other areas maybe $50 is all the market can bear -- dunno.

Not sayin' it's the case with our friend's two examples above, but really low per hour rates would make me wonder if they are selling something in addition. Like drapery, rugs, accessories, etc. and are not arriving at your home strictly to consult on color. Or wonder about ability. The get what you pay for mantra usually applies to everything.

So, there's my two cents. Do it and have some fun! Definitely expect her/him to provide the large chips of any colors you are serious about. Those should be included no charge.

Thank you so much guys that really helps and I like the bigger sample sizes that they bring-That will help alot!

I just wish we had Fun-C up HERE to consult for US!!

Paint would be rollin' out the door by the PALLET!

C'mon Fun-C...what is it...our "cool" weather or what??!?!
;-)

Faron

To be fair about the cost...my color consult was YEARS ago. And my consultant was a newbie. Nowadays I'd expect to pay $100.

How does one become a color consultant, anyway?

Nowadays, ya just don't know, mj. $50 could be totally in line in some areas for someone really great! I don't know for sure.

How does one become a color consultant. I get several emails about that on a regular basis. I think it helps a lot to start with some background that revolved around color. Some experience where either your soul or your paycheck - or both - was involved.

Every consultant that I know that's impressed me has a backstory heavily weighted with color experience in some form. Color hasn't been cursory, secondary, on the fringes. It's been front and center for them for a long time and their color point of view has been honed by their own eye and hands and is not predictable or textbook-like in mentality; the basics come as natural assumptions and their overall color visions and understanding are bigger, fuller, more robust, and inclusive.

That's not to say you have to have decades worth of experience with color. Color expertise and confidence can be built. Made. Done. I had a lot to learn switching dimensions of color - off the page to three dimensional environment. I did it. I'm not done. Don't think I'll ever be done.

Most of the emails I get start the same way. Some stupid reference to crayons when they were a kid or how everyone tells them how good they are with color 'cuz their own house rocks. As I get to know them a little this is what I tell them: Do not to put any of that in their "about me" part on their website. Just don't do it. It's a red flag. Like people who talk about black in definite terms as being the presence of all color and light bulbs that can toss brown light. Just don't do that either. It outs them as wanna be's and not the real deal to those who know. If you have to hark all the way back to being 12 in order to justify your ability with color, maybe color shouldn't be what you're doing. Figure out something else to say, to reference besides your box of crayons from 1975 or your own house if you want to be taken seriously by the serious color folk. Figure out how to get something done that's relevant and current with color. Doesn't have to be huge, doesn't have to be a lot. Just relevant and current.

The IACC, International Association of Color Consultants is one option to look into. Leatrice Eiseman has a few programs that she heads up that addresses advanced forms of color work. Any color oriented class from a university is likely going to be worthwhile. Tap the architectural courses, lighting courses, design courses to see what they're doing. All relevant and current, each has positives and negatives to weigh. There's not much regarding color theory that I haven't already lived so to supplement my back-in-the-day experience, I've done the IACC and am a big fan of the lighting courses offered thru the IEEE.

Beware of everything else. There's a lot of really expensive, "we'll make you a color expert in a week" type stuff out there being taught by people who start out their "about me" pages with some permutation of the lame crayon story or my other favorites rearranging furniture for their parents and painting their room as a kid. (rolling eyes)

There's some whackadoodle stuff out there too. I can go pretty darn far with the metaphysical and holistic slant when it comes to color, but geeze louise, some of the stuff goes too far -- even for me.

That is everything I know about it -- I think -- and in not so much of a nutshell. Sorry if it's too long.

Not too long at all. Thanks!

OK guys I met with her and she was Fabuolous!!!! I mean worth every bit of the 100.00. My main concern was the basement but whe was able to help me think past that into the next level up regarding the trim color. She suggested Acadia white for my home. I also went with Spice Gold and Scarecrow for the basment. It really highlighted my stone fireplace. I acutally was so impressed with her that I will contnue with her. She suggested a cork typle flooring for my exercise room and I was not expecting that. She also suggested all the colors from the walls would be easy to find a carpet to match. I am just so relieved about it all. I can't wait to meet her again!

That's wonderful; very happy that worked out for you.
Did your consultant give you any color advice that would be pertinent to the rest of us getting ready to paint?

I checked in my local phonebook and on-line to see if there were any color consultants in my area--no such luck.
I guess I'm too rural or it just isn't done in Southern Idaho much. The closest one I could find is several hours away.

Teryl