312
Part 4 The Inside Story
Color Designer
If you share some of the following interests, you
may want to consider a career as a color designer.
Talents and Skills: Do you like to experiment with
the colors of your clothing and accessories? Do you
realize that color plays an important role by having
a positive or negative impact on emotions? Do you
enjoy being in spaces where the colors give you a
sense of peace? Have you found enjoyment working
with colors and paint throughout your education?
Skill requirements for a color specialist include: an
excellent eye for color; thorough understanding of
color psychology, the color wheel, and how to use
different color harmonies; and the ability to organize
details and research information. In addition, excellent
speaking, writing, and listening skills are needed to
communicate with a client.
Career Snapshot: Color designers work with manufacturers and interior designers.
They provide many different design services as well as marketing. A color designer
must have a strong combination of the two. They consult manufacturers about colors
that will work best for trends in new furniture, paint, wall coverings, fabrics, rugs, and
other accessories. For example, a color designer may work for a textile fi rm and may
recommend yarn colors that will be the most popular and marketable. Color designers
must be able to recognize very subtle differences in colors. They must stay current in
their research to predicting color trends.
Education/Training: A bachelor’s or a master’s degree is preferred. Courses include
color theory, psychology of color, art, art history, interior design, and computer programs.
Licensing/Examinations: No license required.
Professional Associations: The Color Marketing Group (CMG)
(www.colormarketing.org/), The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
(www.asid.org), the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) (www.iida.org), the
Inter-Society Color Council (ISCC) (www.iscc.org)
Job Outlook: The many career possibilities for a color designer in interior design will
grow faster than average through 2018. Color designers may work for a large firm fi
that specializes in color design, an interior designer specializing in color design, or an
individual company as a consultant. Some choose freelance work for projects of interest.
CAREER FOCUS
Photography Courtesy of the
Color Marketing Group