Architectural color designers can make any building look appealing, regardless
of where it's situated or what it's used for. They can take color and make
a statement, create a feeling or set a mood.
These designers can make homes feel comfortable, make employees more productive
and even increase sales at work. Any way you look at it, choosing the correct
color is a valuable skill and an interesting profession.
Architectural color designers can make any kind of building look good through
the use of color. By designing color schemes, architectural designers can
change the face, or the interior, of a building.
They use color palettes (which they sometimes create on their own) to give
buildings a new "feel." Architectural color designers work closely with their
clients to ensure they get the color schemes that are right for them. It's
about using color to get the results you want.
Architectural color designers work on homes, apartment blocks, shopping
centers, hotels, restaurants and any other building that needs a change of
face. Although they rarely do the painting themselves, they do visit each
individual job site to ensure the results are what they expected.
Many architectural color designers are self-employed. But a few may work
in large architectural designing firms. Their work is generally not affected
by changes in the climate. However, warmer seasons may mean they're busier
with exterior work.
Most established designers have made a name for themselves. They often
have a set clientele and as much work as they can handle.
Because many architectural color designers are self-employed, they set
their own hours. However, the nature of the business also means they can be
extremely busy some weeks and less busy in others.
"You could work two or three hours a day, or you could work an 18-hour
day," says Frances Kerr. She is a self-employed color consultant in Pennsylvania.
She also says that many color designers work part time and supplement their
earnings with a similar type of job, such as interior design.
An architectural color designer's job isn't necessarily physically strenuous.
But it can require a great deal of travel between sites and sometimes at odd
hours. The job tends to be more mentally demanding than physically demanding.
It requires a great deal of organization as well as good communication skills
with all kinds of people.
As long as you have a good eye for color and building design, a physical
disability shouldn't hamper your ability to work in this field.