Color Consultants

 

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Paint Color/Landscape help for Craftsman home

Aug 2014

Seeking someone to help choose exterior paint colors for our Craftsman home in Alameda. Our vision is a serene, restful scheme that allows the landscaping to really pop (think green shrubs, bamboo...) We are leaning towards darker house color(s) and prefer a Japanese garden aesthetic, but could use some guidance narrowing down the multitude of choices of schemes and landscape design options. Person does not have to be a 'colorist' per se. A thoughtful landscaper, designer etc, who knows what colors look great as a landscape backdrop. We are interested in replacing the now brown front lawn with a Japanese/asian style garden featuring drought tolerant plants. many thanks~ seeking zen space

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Roz Wyatt was extremely helpful in thinking about color for exterior house painting. It was a pleasure to work with her and her team was terrific. I am happy to recommend her company, Green Plum Design. http://www.greenplumdesign.com Elizabeth

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Victor Cohen-Stuart is exactly who you need! He is a color consultant (as well as a talented fine artist) and he bring's his artist's eye to help you choose the perfect colors to bring out the best in your home. He has helped me close colors for the interior and exterior of my Oakland craftsman and I could not be happier. Best money I ever spent on my house. He is the master! Easy to work with, well-priced, and a great sense of humor, too. He has many years of experience and it shows. I've referred him to several friends and family, and everyone has enjoyed the process and the result. I used the painters he recommended, Royal Painting, and they did an excellent job at a very reasonable price. You can reach Victor at 510-654-2965/ 693-2124. My house looks great, thanks to Victor!

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Reliable Paint Matching

Jan 2014

Looking for a place that can match two colors of wall paint in our house. It's been on the walls for 12+ years and badly needs touching up. Unfortunately there's no record of where the paint was originally purchased. We rent, so we'd like to buy only enough to paint over cracks and chips. I took a chip to Home Depot about 4 years ago and came home with a can of specially mixed paint that ended up not matching at all. Has anyone had better luck somewhere else? Thanks. Chipped and Gouged

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Sorry you had bad luck w HD. I loved their paint dept at Emeryville. In the course of selling one home and buying a fixer-upper, I bought almost 30 gallons of paint in a 3 month period. Several were matched to existing old paint (interior and exterior) with excellent results. Their staff really knew how to do it. I know it's not cool to love a big box store, but when the paint guy gave me a perfect mix at 6pm on NYE as the store was closing, I yelped. (A couple of the independent paint stores on Telegraph in Temescal refused to do custom mixes...or maybe they just didn't like DIY'rs.) Wherever you go, it helps to take in a good sized chip. Done With Painting

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I had a good experience with EcoHome on San Pablo near Dwight. We bought our house 10 years ago and I also had touch-up to do. The previous homeowners had left cans of paint in the basement, but it, of course, was unusable by now. I brought in the lid of of one of the cans that had the dried up paint still on it. They meticulously altered the color, adding a bit to change it here and there and letting it dry then doing another pass. After about 7 tries, they showed me and asked for my approval. It looked perfect to me. When I actually put it on my wall, I realized the sample I had brought them was actually darker than what was on my wall. I was able to add some white myself and get a perfect match. I feel that was not their fault at all. The only thing I would caution you is that it may take a while because they are doing it manually. Good luck. DeAnna

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My husband and I have a wonderful painter who we use all the time. Esbin of Esbin and K Painting is terrific. We have an Oakland 1923 house that Esbin has worked on over the years. We first worked with Esbin's group when we bought the house and needed the interior painted. The job called for repairing interior walls and plaster, removing sconces and patching the holes, sanding, priming and painting tons of interior dated and worn beechwood doors, windows and hutches, and then painting a complex interior, including barrel coved ceilings. Esbin did a great job. We've subsequently used him to paint the exterior of the house, including removing old paint from windows which needed patching and priming before painting. Esbin also needed to paint a large stucco wall the surrounds the property. I thought he had done a great job when the job was finished, but Esbin returned and insisted on doing a 3rd coat on an area where the stucco had been extensively repaired. Though I couldn't see it, Esbin wasn't happy that the paint blended well enough, and he insisted that he not be paid for the 3rd coat of paint! Esbin and his brother Aldo are terrific painters and people, delightful to have around as they work quickly and unobtrusively, and I am happy to recommend him and his firm for simple to complex painting jobs. Esbin himself, a former sign painter also does excellent sheet rock and plaster work. You can reach him at Esbin and K Painting, phone 925-382-3440 or by email esbinqualitypainter [at] hotmail.com Larry
 

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Looking for Color Consultant/House Painter

Feb 2011

Has anyone on this list worked with a color consultant who also does specialty paint finishes, is creative and can help me with some on-going re-design projects in my home? Thank you anon

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We recently hired Angelisse Karol Color and Design to help us with colors for the Exterior and the full Interior of our 3 + bed room home. We wanted to do some interesting finishes beyond simple paint. She had a lot of interesting ideas on all sorts of decorative finishes.

In the end we choose a combo of some opaque color in some rooms and faux glazes in others, a venetian plaster in our Kitchen and a golden metallic plaster finish in our dining room ceiling which is fantastic and shimmery like candle light! My wife loves this to no end! We also did some gilding on a few small pieces to really tie it together. I know its sounds kind of Vegas but believe me it's NOT, we have eclectic taste in furnishings but our house is a grand arts and crafts bungelow and there is nothing gaudy about Angelisse's design skills. In fact she is very skilled at getting things to be balanced and not look over done, but still pushing it right to that point where it all works with with our colorful stuff.

She does not actually apply finishes anymore, but does have skilled people she works with and refers you to who do. She is very good at creating receipes of color and mixes for most finishes. Far more than a previous decorative painter we tried who was eager but had no real understanding of the complexity of mixing color. All her ideas looked cheesy once sampled.

Angelisse seems to down play and does not seem to advertise on her web site or elsewhere her lengthy diverse background of skills and influences. I found out thru my OCD pestering that she comes from 3 generations of highly skilled Fine Art painters - her great grandmother studied with John Singer Sargent in Boston. Both her parents are artists and she grew up surrounded by Architects, Sculptors, Film makers, Photographers, Painters and old school Craftsmen and seems to have a lot of knowledge and vocabulary about all fields and ways of seeing. She studied decorative arts back in the old european school of hand mixed finishes from powder pigments, bronze powders and such along with spending years doing historic restoration while in Art school. She used to custom design and mix colors for all her clients back east which is how she first became known for having an eye and talent for such things. I think she also did decorative furniture for years and designed hand painted dinnerware, tile and fabrics for a time. Her intuitive sense for color and design composition seem to come naturally from growing up in a family of intense verbal dialog of all things visual in all aspects of art, hearth and home. This also makes her really quick to be able to verbalize all the reasons for all her design and thinking and its pros and cons ... which I love and my wife Liz could care squat about. But the end result was she engaged us both and we had a lot of fun and got really excited about refreshing our whole house and redesigning it all with what we had plus new paint and finishes. It turned out stunning! A completely new environment for the better! But not too trendy so it will be blah in 2 years! Extra extra big bonus was my wife and I stopped fighting after we hired her and we both felt like we both got represented well! It made for a better valentines day I will tell you! Andrew ( and liz)

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I would highly recommend Angelisse Karol for anything to do with paint color or interior or exterior design. She saved us from a mediocre contractor and architect. We also wanted some alternative paint finishes and she explained a variety of them to use and showed us samples and explained what would be the most impact with things we had already in our space and what would end up looking silly and out of place. She developed an antique wash for us to use to soften a side board and our faux stone fireplace to make it more inclusive. She noticed all sorts of things we would have never seen and make little recommendations that cleaned up the whole space in a way i would have NEVER EVER figured out. She is a great resource for many things. Her web site is www.angelissekarolcolor.com and office is 510-658-2500

Pretty cool results we are all still impressed. Best money we have spent to date on our house by far! PS her finished carpenter ( sweet heart) fixed a buch of trim with missing parts. Looks so much better now. Marcy

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I used a color consultant and a house painter. It depends if you painting outside or inside. Outside you want the best painter b/c it takes a long time to paint. We chose O'Brien Painted to Last. His crew was amazing! quiet clean and very thorough. It took them 15 days to paint our house, because they had to remove the previous paint first. I am extraordinarily happy with the entire experience. Their reputation is stellar in the industry.

I know this because I hired three different color consultants (all three knew of O'Brien). The first two are often recommended on Berkeley Parents. I thought they were both fine, but not particularly talented. I was still unhappy, when I found a house in the neighborhood that I loved. They gave me Victor Cohen Stuart's name. He was a professor of art, but has also spent many years as a house painter. He knows house paint colors better than anyone I have met. He also has an the most elegant eye. His prices are comparable to both other colorists I tried, but his service is much more extensive! He came by two times to talk with me about the house colors. I would use him for either indoor or outdoor projects. http://www.victorcohenstuart.com/ Good luck

Editor Note: reviews were also received for Painters

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2009 - 2010 Reviews

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Practical, Can-Do Interior Decorator/Color Consultant

Sept 2010

Hi BPNers, I am looking for current recommendations for an interior decorator, paint color consultant and/or window treatment person to help me with my master bedroom, in the Oakland Hills. The bedroom is a large room with non- standard size windows (which rules out getting regular pottery barn-type curtains) and high ceilings (around 12+ feet high). The room has a challenging configuration and gets too much light, esp. at night - the current paint color and wood shutters make the room too bright and not soothing to sleep in, which is a big concern with a baby on the way. I'm looking for an interior decorator/other skilled professional to help with at least the first phase of making this room into a calming space - effective window treatments for blocking out light, removal of shutters, and changing the paint color. I need someone practical, who can get things done, and has good local tradespeople at the ready (like painters, installation people, etc). I have plenty of ideas so don't want just general concepts and ideas; I need someone who will narrow down paint colors and a palette for the room, get actual samples, organize timely painting and curtain/blind installation, and create a workable floorplan for the space. Expectant Mom Wishing for Calming Bedroom Retreat

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I recently contacted a woman named Angelisse Karol Color to come out and her time was beyond helpful! She had a ton of great ideas on color, room arrangement and flooring that I would have never came up with on my own. We made tons of decisions in a very short time and referred me to people she works with to make it all happen. It took a lot less time than I had expected. Such a relief to have her clarity and explanation of all the specifics. Her web site is www.angelissekarolcolor.com - Money well spent! Eliyse

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We used Angelisse Karol, she does just the kind of thing you are looking for. She has a bevy of local trustworthy contractors, painters, window treatment resources, you name it. She was fantastic with color and space flow, my wife and I were at the end of our color picking rope and she totally saved us from ourselves. She helped us make definitive choices on color, furniture and art placement. We worked with her window guy terry for blinds and one of her co designers for some custom curtains. In a time where your focus may need to be on the bigger picture, I would definitely recommend bringing her in to solve the problem for you. We found her on http://baylist.sfgate.com/angelisse-karol-color-and-design/biz/337480 Best of luck! Sam

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I can highly recommend Laura Martin Bovard of LMB Interiors who is an amazing interior designer with a wonderful sense of color and creating unique and calming interior environments. Please check out her website at http://lmbinteriors.com/ Laura can also assist you with resourcing the work that needs to be done and will help you feel calm and taken care of in the process. Please feel free to call Laura directly at 510.531.8438 or email her at laura [at] lmbinteriors.com Best of luck to you with your project! Rebecca

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We had heard of Angelisse Karol Color & Design through our architects who knew we were having problems finalizing colors and counter selection in our remodel. Then after the remodel Angelisse swooped in and helped us tie everything together with all our furnishings, wall decor and window treatment guy in a way that just made sense. That help was invaluable and I am LOVE with the out come! She took all the anxiety out of the process, I say go with her. Her email is info [at] angelissekarolcolor.com. We love to recommend her. betzonit

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If you are looking for someone to help you with colors and windows and general bedroom makeover I would recommend Angelisse Karol Color & Design. Her eye for color is truly a talent, and she will help you pick them for the room and coordinate with your window fabrics, and then refer you to someone who can turn the concept into a reality. We were completely thrilled with the results of our consultation. I imagine she could do the same for you. Her office number is 510-658-2599 - we found her on Yelp. Congrats! Rachel

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We recently found consultant Cass Morris on Angies's List and hired her to help us choose colors and solve some problems. We decided to replace the carpet with wood and make the windows farther apart so we could fit in our tv cabinet. You can see the before and after photos on her website under El Sobrante interior. We are very happy with the results. You can call her at 510-524-1726 or email her at color [at] cassmorris.com. happy in el sobrante

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Color and design consultant Cass Morris recently redesigned my master bedroom when she helped me with my paint colors. She suggested building bookcases around the big window and making a window seat with storage underneath. She sketched it out and recommended a custom woodworker to build it. She also recommended window shades you might like - the blackout cell kind that also insulate. Now I spend more time reading there in the daytime and sleep better at night with no light waking me up. She was extremely helpful and I did use the window person and the painter she recommended. Cass can be reached on her website cassmorris.com or at 510- 524-1726. very happy with the results

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We used Cass Morris Color and Design. We had never hired a designer or colorist before but she really saved us a lot of time and grief. Cass is practical, knowledgeable, and easy to communicate with. We thought we could make all our remodeling decisions ourselves but just got overwhelmed. We had put up so many paint colors we didn't like and couldn't make decisions on materials. (OK, we had differing opinions.) We called her in a total paint panic because they wanted to paint before the cabinets and floors were installed. Cass created a complete color scheme and helped us make all the final decisions. She recommended several people for detail work and in one room she suggested the new metallic Venetian plaster - it is really a WOW factor. She's very good at what she does. CassMorris.com on the web. Teri

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Color consultant for my new house

May 2010

We just bought a house in Moraga and re-doing a lot of things inside before we move in. I need to find someone who can recommend colors for the interior walls/ceilings to tie the house together. The last recommendations for color consultants in BPN were in 2008 so I wanted to get some more recent recommendations. The names that came up in the last post were Angelisse Karol Color & Design and Cass Morris, among others. Has anyone had recent experiences with these outfits? Yuki

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We recently had Angelisse out to consult on the exterior and interior of our home and she was great. We went through all the rooms and picked colors, she was very good about finding a balance between the colors that we liked, and ones that actually worked with the space. She also was able to refer us to a couple of different painters and contractors to help us put everything together past the idea phase. I highly recommend her! Hope this helps you in your search!! J

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We have worked with Karol (I am a GC)on a few jobs and think she does a good job of moving the project along. You need to meet her to make sure it's a good personality fit. I'm not sure if she still works at the East Bay Paint Center on San Pablo on Saturdays (a free color consulting). I would also recommend calling this store to see if they have consultants on Saturday that you can meet with under no obligation. CB

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We would highly recommend Angelisse Karol Color & Design. We hired her about 6 months ago to come fix a bunch of icky colors we had suffered living with for a few years after a previous unsuccessful consult with another color person. We had met her at some remodeling event and had gotten to talk to her. We were impressed at her ability in explaining why the colors in our home were not working based on two photographs. But more importantly she had some great ideas on how to fix it all. We went thru the whole house in about 2 hrs and she left us with color choices for every surface. It has taken us a few months complete everything but we are so very happy with the changes! It feels right at last, like night and day? a tremendous worthwhile investment! We had no idea how much we had been cringing living with the previous colors till they were gone. Congrats on the new house! Sam

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I am a big fan of Angelisse Karol as a color (and design) consultant. She helped us several times and she has helped our friends more recently. karen

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My husband, a general contractor, has worked with designer Beverly Wilson. Many agree she is a color genius. She's also easy to work with and good at listening to clients rather than enforcing her own taste. Everyone we have recommended her to has been happy. Her number: 524-0990. cindy

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We had a great experience with Rachel Perls for color consulting. We sought her advice for our interior wall colors (bedrooms, living, dining, entry, hall). She has a really good eye for color and was responsive to what our tastes and preferences are. She took our ideas into account as well as the existing furnishings and natural light in the rooms to make initial recommendations. Then, she honed those choices based on what we liked and didn't like. We ended up with colors that we love in the house. She was fun to work with, knowledgeable, and extremely patient. Contact Rachel at info [at] hueconsulting.com or by phone 510-316-4310. You could also check out her blog hueconsulting.blogspot.com -Lauren

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I highly recommend Cass Morris as a color and design consultant. She put an end to our vicious paint cycle! Her keen eye and vision for what would work for our home was extremely valuable. She had a process, and being walked through different potential colors helped tremendously in making decisions that we know will work. After all our trials and errors, the cost in terms of money, time, and headaches, Cass was a miracle worker. Our only regret was waiting so long to hire her! Cass's phone number is 510-524-1726 and her website is www.cassmorris.com. You really should get in touch with her! lisa

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We recommend design and color consultant Cass Morris. The time we spent with her choosing our paint color palette was invaluable. We went from having a bland house to one that's vibrant, alive, and fresh. We never thought we would have a house this artistic! Cass was great at sensing our taste and encouraging us to think in new ways. She also made good suggestions about furniture and art placement that resulted in far more pleasing and natural arrangements. Not only was the collaboration eye-opening and helpful, it was great fun, and really great to walk away with detailed directions for our painter. The painting has just been completed, and we love love love all the colors. Everywhere we look colors are interacting, changing with the light. It really feels like our house now thanks to her guidance, knowledge, and inspiration. Her portfolio is on her website, cassmorris.com. and her phone number is 510-524-1726 jeri

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Call Cass Morris! She is a fabulous expert in color and design. We just completed our remodel and consulted with Cass several times about different issues like flooring, new windows, tile, and color. The colors are gorgeous! We LOVE how our home looks now. It's incredible how color can change the look and vibe of a room - and to think my husband just wanted white. We are thrilled with the results! Her website is cassmorris.com and her phone number is 510-524-1726. Call her ASAP!!! kathleen

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We recently used Cass Morris for color consulting. We met her at the El Cerrito Home Improvement Show, admired her portfolios, and hired her to consult at the house we just bought that had not been updated in 30 years. We were impressed by all her ideas for changes. She put together a great color palette, then came back to look at the painted samples and help us choose countertops, cabinets and flooring. We enjoyed working with her very much and also liked her recommendations for a roofer, painter, deck builder and landscape architect. Her number is 524-1726 and you can see her portfolio online at cassmorris.com. jane

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I recommend Cass Morris for consultation services. She does color, furniture placement and art placement consulting, all for a reasonable hourly fee. I?ve used them all and get many compliments. I know others who?ve used her color consulting services and the colors were perfect the first time. Cass does not sell products so you are only getting pure design services, which is a relief. Her number is 510 524 1726 and her email is color [at] cassmorris.com. heather

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Color consultant Cass Morris has been working with our church remodeling committee for the past few months. We meet once a month to decide on a particular part of our project like green Brazilian slate for the entry, tiles for the bathrooms, carpet, sound baffles & speaker fabric. She is efficient, informative, and easy to work with. Cass chose great colors for the inside and outside of the church and did color renderings for us and our architect of the exterior which were very useful. She was recommended by our painter, and in turn recommended a lighting designer we used. We really couldn't have done this without her consulting services. You can contact her at 510-524-1726. Theresa

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I recommend Cass Morris Color & Design consulting. As a divorced Dad raising two boys and working full time, I have neither the skills nor the time for decorating. But my Mom turned me on to consultant Cass Morris by giving me a gift certificate for a consultation (and a new couch). Cass did a makeover on my place I can hardly believe. She picked the new colors, hired the painters, monitored the job, & rearranged the furniture. Now it feels like a home again. My Mom was right, I needed some help! Call Cass at 524-1726 or contact her on her website: http://cassmorris.com. Dave

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We always recommend Cass Morris Color & Design Consulting. My husband owns a real estate property management firm and has used Cass for several projects- two he sold, one he built, one he remodeled. She also consulted on our home and we just gave our daughter a gift certificate for her house. Cindy

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I had Cass Morris come to work with us. She was very knowledgeable and professional and worked with us with patience (god knows we are demanding!). She stayed with us for longer than she expected and recommended colors for all rooms of the house. In addition she recommended floor materials and made suggestions for office ceiling. We got so much more than just the colors. We haven't painted yet but looking forward to having it done. Highly recommend Cass. satisfied

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We needed help with a kitchen and bath remodel and Angelisse was able to help us transform our whole space. We are in love with the design ideas she came up with, and some great surprise elements and ideas that made it unique and more useful. The spaces look amazing! Plus we were able to get everything done on a budget and in a tight time-frame. She also got us some great discounts on paint and tile! What more could anyone ask for! Scott H.

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2007 - 2008 Reviews

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Do I Need a Color Consultant or Interior Designer?

Nov 2008

I am tired of living in a bland, unfinished, undecorated house. I want to make it a home. I've made some regrettable mistakes in trying to do things on my own and on the cheap. So, now I want to get help and direction. I want help in picking colors to coordinate my entire house and window coverings. I want someone who can also paint and install what is decided on. Am I looking for an interior designer or a color consultant? Does anyone know of someone who can help me with these things? Color deficient

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I recommend Carrie Yoshida. She does interior redesign by rearranging your own furniture with amazing results. She is also highly skilled at color consulting and can help with window coverings. As for the labor, she doesn't do the actual painting, but works with reputable people who do. Her website at www.visual-harmony.net has lots of before & after photos. Her phone is 510-527-7770. Sue

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It depends. If you're planning on buying furniture and floor coverings and window coverings, you may need a designer. If you have furniture and rugs and art you want to keep, and it's mainly wall colors/treatments and window coverings you need, a color consultant will work out fine.

The thing I love about choosing colors for and decorating my own house is that I express myself through my choices. People come in and get pleasure from looking around and inspecting the place. Even if you don't feel able to do the selecting by yourself, I'm sure you want your home to express something about yourself. To find a designer to work with who can decipher your style may not be easy. You'll need to look at examples of their work to see if you'll be comfortable in their particular version of what your home should look like.

No matter which you decide to opt for, color consultant or interior designer, I suggest that you look through some home decor magazines to see what appeals to you. Metropolitan Home, for one, has lots of layouts that seem livable for regular people. And there are lots of books on home color design too. You'll get there a lot faster if you start out with some idea of what you like. Go to Amazon.com and look at the home color design books. stephani

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You should hire Angelisse Karol Color & Design who we used for color and design and transformed our home into a wonderful lively comfortable space! She has lots of people she collaborates with to coordinate a full service yet innovative team to redecorate/redesign on a budget. She will help you hire the people you need so you won't be 'overbuying services' from curtains to a painter, electrician. Angelisse helped us reuse some furniture and decor items and edit out things and replace them with priority items that made a huge difference. She was great at explaining her thinking as she went so we could participate in the process with her and now feel empowered to continue adding and adjusting as our lives evolve. The hour we spent placing art & pictures after the painting was done was the most fun and exciting! Our stuff look completely different! She's extremely talented and a supportive resource. Her phone is 510-658-2599 and you can get her email on her web site www.angelissekarolcolor.com. Jona

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We used Angelisse Karol actually more than once! We kind of have her on the payroll. Just kidding! What I mean is I call her for an hour consult every few months to give me homework and direction and I do a lot of the footwork to save tons of money. Its worked great as she has really helped me with where to start and what each next steps are in an order that makes sense and saves time and money. I like it because there are no surprises and big unknown invoices, in fact some creative solutions that saved used thousands of dollars which we spent on a great rug instead! Her knack for space flow and color is astounding. We have a new home which we now use all of and really enjoy! Her phone is 658-2599 and email is info [at] angelissekarolcolor.com Good luck and have FUN! I did! Alexandra

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Angelisse Karol Color and Design(AngelisseKarolColor.com; 510.658.2599 (o), info [at] angelissekarolcolor.com) sound like a perfect fit for your needs. Since the Fall of 2007, I have been tapping into Angelisse for interior, exterior paint colors, and design elements for a massive renovation of a mid- century 3000 sq ft house. I continue to call upon her for our needs as we continue our renovation. Angelisse is trained in color and design, she is an artist, she painted houses, and has managed painters before parlaying her skills as a designer and color consultant so she knows what can be achieved by painters. Angelisse will visit your house for a consult, carefully listen to your likes and dislikes, quickly pull out samples from her van and provide you with paint color options, window treatments, etc. She can also help you with general layout and flow of any room, with general tile design, emcompassing hard and soft finishes. She is detail driven, very professional, quick in making design options available to you and has many resource lists for lighting, plumbing fixtures, etc to help you make your choices. She is also willing to shop for you at a price. She can point you to a cadre of painting companies from which you chose directly. It's such a pleasure to work with her! Her input and guidance has saved me hours of time and money I would have other spent trying to ferret out color and design choices myself. She is an investment well worth making into creating a beautiful home you'll be happy with for years to come. Kelly K

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I would highly recommend Jeanette Sayre, who is primarily a color consultant but also assists people with interior design and can do interior prep/painting as well. She has an amazing sense of how to help you bring out your own taste and is very good at making big aesthetic changes on a shoestring by being creative. For instance, she helped us rearrange our existing furniture to completely improve the look, feel and useability of our rooms. I know she has helped other clients with window covering selection and installation as well as take them on flea market and consignment store ''shopping trips'' to find unique and inexpensive furnishings.

As for her color sense, she is amazing at translating your vague descriptions of colors you like into a real paint color, and patiently mixes up sample after sample until it looks like what you want. I know she has also been very successful working with people like you, who know they want a change but are not sure beyond that. She has incredible patience, insight and sometimes, I think a bit of E.S.P. We get many compliments on our daughter's room, which is Sweet Pear, a bright and cheerful, yet slightly muted yellow. We never would have come up with this color without Jeanette's help.

Jeanette can be reached at jsayre [at] jps.net or 510.451.7046. Her website is http://www.iliumart.com. ColorizedCarla

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It seems like you are looking for 3 different services: first a color consultant to choose colors & coordinate window covering choices. Second, a painter. Third a window- covering company to measure and stall their product. cass m

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A color consultant or an interior designer? Since you're not shopping for furniture, a color consultant is what you need. They can create an overall color palette, pull everything together personally for you, and always have great contacts for any other job you might have.

It gives me the greatest of pleasure to recommend Cass Morris, with whom I worked on the remodel of my home. We painted every inch of the interior and exterior and I found the experience of working with her to be exhilarating, rewarding - and fun! Cass combines a wide-ranging artistic imagination with extraordinary sensitivity for her client\xe2\x80\x99s taste and personality. She knows how to listen, and to elicit responses from her clients that produce inspired color designs.

The comments I have received have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. I\xe2\x80\x99m often asked about the concept, which is an echo of my girlhood on the New England seacoast. Now when I walk through my front door, I experience \xe2\x80\x9ccoming home\xe2\x80\x9d in a special and deeply moving way. It is thanks to Cass\xe2\x80\x99s exceptional sensitivity and eye for the most subtle variants in color, shade and tone that we were able to accomplish this.

She is a true professional -- prompt, accommodating and a joy to work with on every level. I found the work to be a tremendous value for the money. She can be contacted at 510- 524-1726 and on her website http://www.cassmorris.com/ Susan

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You probably need someone who can do both. We called all the consultants listed on BPN and after two different fiasco's with consultants we hired, one who completely didn't ''get us'' and the second one missed by picking colors that made our tile, stone and stuff look dull, we were disappointed and lost. After many phone calls to a friends and a few architects, Angelisse Karol's name kept coming up. We hadn't hired her initially I think because she may have cost a bit more and was booked, plus the BPN reviews for her were several years old. She came in and reviewed our situation, listened to us and noticed things about our preferences and belongings we weren't even aware of. Her use of color and space design has made an incredible difference to the aliveness and vitality of our home. Angelisse's sensitivity to space and understanding of color and its effects made it all possible. She saved us from our mish mash mess! She is a GEM and wonderful to work with. I only wish we had started with her, as she was far more effective and efficient than others we worked with. ~ Jess Her office is 510-658-2599 and www.angelissekarolcolor.com Happy Home!

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You need someone who can do both. Recently I hired a color consultant to come and help me with my remodel. She was overbearing, very impatient with me and said we needed to make decisions quickly because she had other appointments to go to. She was expensive and also charged me extra for travel time, which she had not mentioned. When she left, I was very disappointed and unhappy with the experience, I only actually used one color she suggested, and thought I would never hire another consultant. But a friend recommended Cass Morris and I thought she had an interesting website so I took a chance.

Cass came to my home and helped me finalize everything about the remodel and make all those decisions that had become overwhelming for me. Together we coordinated flooring, granite, cabinets and paint colors for all the interior and also exterior. She listened to what I had to say and had wonderful new ideas including changing the material on the fireplace, deciding what to hang above it, and using the sink cut out for the back splash with a border around it for over the stove.

i was very happy with the results, so I met with Cass again at the tile shop where she chose flooring, shower tiles and decorative pieces for all three bathrooms and the laundry. We had to wait around while they checked the stock, since we found some discontinued tiles on sale, so Cass gave me a half hour free.

I found the design consultations with Cass Morris Color and Design to be very satisfying, enjoyable, and definitely worth the money. We covered a lot of territory in a relatively short time, but I never felt rushed or worried something was being overlooked. I highly recommend her. Her phone number is 510-524-1726 and her website is cassmorris.com. Happy Home Owner

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We would like to recommend Angelisse Karol Color & Design. We found her through a project at our school where she had donated her services for a makeover project that turned out great. She helped us come up with color selections for both the interior and exterior of our house. She is multi talented and guided us with a lot of interior design recommendations before finalizing or colors. We were impressed with her approach and felt like she was able to vocalize a lot of information that left us feeling informed and excited. It was a fantastic change when it was all done! You can find her at www.angelissekarolcolor.com. Best- Maryl

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Need a Interior Designer/Color Guru

May 2008

Help! We just moved into a new home, and we need a professional to help with interior design (with existing and maybe some new furniture), color, window treatments, future bathroom and kitchen remodels. The works! We're on a bit of a budget. Anyone know of a great designer with a great personality that knows how to stick with the integrity/style of the house but add a splash of fun? Thank you! Beige Walls are Everywhere!

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Try Michelle Wenzel. She is particularly good with color. Her website is www.michellewenzeldesigns.com and she can be reached at michellewenzeldesigns [at] yahoo.com or 510-847-3114. Andi

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I strongly recommend Alycia Freeman. She does redesign work (she worked for a big design firm, but then after having her kids opened up her own consulting business). She is fantastic at many things, but where she really stands out is with color. We have used Alycia for choosing paints for inside and outside our house, as well as fabrics, furniture, etc. She honestly is one of the most talented people I have ever met when it comes to working with potential color schemes -- she finds combinations that are interesting, unique, rich, beautiful, wonderful. Her website is http://fixredesign.com/about.html. She also was recently written up very favorably in the Wall Street Journal re her redesign work (don't let that scare you -- her prices are very reasonable). We love Alycia! Color happy!

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I'd like to strongly recommend KC Hatcher at kc [at] lgsdigital.com. We bought a downstairs unit 2 years ago with a distinctly basementy vibe. We asked KC to help us pick out colors that would be bright and cheerful. She did a great job, and offered ideas that I would never have come up with on my own. We regularly get compliments on the colors in our place, and I always feel peaceful and happy there. PLUS she was very, very affordable and pleasant to work with. - Happy Colors

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We have worked with Laura Stetson for color consultation and interior design and redesign. I can't say enough good things about her! She knows how to take a home with kids and make it cozy and inviting and pulled together without being stuffy or overly formal. I was really clear that I didn't want to worry about the house or what might get wrecked from the kids, so we did a very low key style, but everyone now raves about the house. Mostly we used things we already had, but we did go shopping together a few times and it was very fun and helpful to do that together. Laura is really fun to work with, has a very positive outlook, and never made us feel bad about the state of our house! Laura Stetson ljs [at] witty.com 510/219-9771 Good luck Happy with a new look at home

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More Recommendations

July 2007

We were referred to Dave Davis Design through a reputable design person, and it turned out to be a perfect match! I thought I would post my thoughts if you are looking for these kinds of services. Since moving to Albany with our two sons, we have had several paint and design people work on our home. It was not until we met Dave that all those elements came together for one design. Dave helped us create color schemes that complemented our pre- existing dHcor, did all the prep and paint work on our project, and was very organized and efficient. He paid attention to every detail, including window treatments, light fixtures, space utilization, and furniture selection and placement. In the end, we love our home looks and feels. We would be happy to recommend Dave Davis for his craftsman style paint work, as well as all the design elements he brings to the job. Dave can be reached at 510.425.2591. Louise and Bruno

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April 2007

Jane Orebic (Beyond Beige) helped me find the colors that uplift me every time I look at my remodeled bathroom. On impulse, I had bought a beautiful sink. I knew that a color mistake on the tile could be costly. Jane helped me find the perfect colors for my floor tile and countertop. Although I did all the shopping and bargain-hunting (my joy in life!) myself, Jane helped me narrow down my color choices. She listens deeply, and did not impose her own preferences on me. I am not the type of person who would ever hire a decorator, but I appreciated the support that Jane gave me in making my own color choices. P.S. Jane also gave me the confidence to buy dishes in a nontraditional color (which my ex-husband disapproved), and, seven years later, I am still very happy with them! Contact information: Jane Orebic (Beyond Beige) (510) 332-3300 RB

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February 2007

I would like to recommend Jeanette Sayre of Ilium Arts as a color consultant. She chose the colors for the exterior of my historic shingle craftsman home and when it was done, it became the showpiece of the neighborhood.

Jeanette has an amazing eye and can visualize what colors and paints will look like on a wall in a way that most of us can't. She brought over paint samples, and painted swatches on the wall so we could see it at different times of the day. She chose 4 colors to go with the shingles and then told us where to place each color. The colors highlighted all the architectural details and blended beautifully with our landscaping.

I was so happy with the results, I have her working on the interior now. Jeanette can be reached at 510-451-7046 or www.iliumart.com.
Ann

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January 2007

I would like to recommend Dave Davis, of Dave Davis Designs, for interior painting and color consulting. I initially hired him for painting only. But I soon realized that I also needed his guidance in choosing paint colors in several rooms. He helped me settle on colors that complemented each other and worked well under different lighting conditions. He has an eye for detail and does a meticulous job of painting. On top of that, he was fun to have around and I feel like I made a friend in this process. I would use him again, without hesitation. To reach Dave, call 510-684-0132 (cell) or 510-452-2591 (land line). Please feel free to contact me by email for a reference
barbara

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2005 - 2006 Reviews

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October 2006

Stephani Lesh was an extemely helpful color consultant when I painted the interior of my home recently. Her intelligent guidance and artistic sensibility were invaluable. She works with Benjamin Moore and/or Pratt and Lambert color decks. And she's affordable! Call her at 510 843-9493
Berkeley homeowner

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August 2006

Cass Morris, a color and design consultant, came to work for me recently. I found her on the Berkeley Parents' Network and we really needed her help! We had paint swatches all over the interior and exterior of our house and we could not agree on what to do. Our garage was full of sample quarts of paint. During the consultation, Cass quickly showed us which colors harmonized and which didn't work well together. She managed to bring our family together in agreement on color schemes by tweaking some colors slightly and adding some new colors. We were impressed with her expertise and highly recommend her. She's really good! Check out her website at >> >> http://www.cassmorris.com or call her at 510-524-1726.
Chris H

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May 2006

David van Dommelen is brilliant. He helped us choose the interior and exterior colors for our Oakland bungalow which we just sold, and is now helping us with our new home in N. Berkeley. Very subtle choices, very refined taste, very flexible and engaging professional. david[at]vandommelencolorworks.com
happy new homeowner

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To the person(s) looking for a color/paint consultant: I have worked with a couple of local consultants over the years and am intending to use Jane Orebic (558-1858) on my next project. I've heard from a number of people that she is excellent for both interior and exterior projects. I've seen her work and it's really lovely. Jane has a fine-arts training and background, and understands historic architecture and contemporary design trends. Her most salient quality is reportedly her ability to really listen to and read her clients to determine what suits them as opposed to trying to impose a one-size-fits-all color palette. And her pricing sounds reasonable and flexible. She's certainly been very responsive and accommodating of my inquiries and Imm looking forward to working with her.
KMS

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We have been slowly remodeling our house, recently completing a family room and powder room. While I feel that I am fairly visually oriented myself, in this case, I used the services of a wonderful color consultant, as I had specific items I wanted to complement and a particular mood I wanted to create in the family room. Jane Orebic was a great help! She is analytical about color in a way that is very clear and she is able to describe exactly how or why a particular color choice works or doesn't work. She also gets the nuances between two colors that may be very close but can pinpoint exactly why one works over the other one. In the end, we know that her suggestions led us to the exact color match that we were looking for! I would gladly use her services again... She has a company called Beyond Beige and can be located at (510) 289-9580 in Berkeley.
Wendy

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April 2006

RE Help with exterior paint and curb appeal
We just hired Cass Morris to color consult a second time because we have enjoyed so much the results for the main floor of our home. Cass designed a color scheme to go with our dark furniture, carpets and cherry floors. We plan to use her color advice for a third time when we paint the outside of our house next year. Cass is a great person to work with; she is fun and has lots of creative ideas. We highly recommend her! You can see her website at > > www.cassmorris.com
Karen

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February 2006

We have recently used Nicole Benveniste to help pick exterior house colors, and a friend of mine hired her to help with interior colors and to design a couple of rooms. She has a great aesthetic eye, is very easy to work with, down to earth. We get compliments on the house all the time. She has 10 years experience in the business, and has reasonable rates. Her number is 510-526-6704. Amy

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February 2006

I highly recommend Christina Van Horn if you need help choosing beautiful colors for the interior of your home. We recently sold our Albany home and worked with a WONDERFUL color consultant, Christina Van Horn of Color and Interior Decorating. Her collaborative approach included testing the colors, overseeing the painters, and ensuring that our standards were met, every step of the way. She recommended beautiful, vibrant colors for nearly every room in our house; the house looked fabulous by the time it went on the market and we believe that contributed to how quickly it sold. I highly recommend Christina for color and interior decorating.
Carolie

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July 2005

When I read a recommendation for Cass Morris in the last newsletter, I called her immediately. I was about to paint one room a color we liked and realized we had no idea what color we'd paint any other room - we had no plan whatsoever. Cass is a professional painter, artist, and color consultant, and she guided us in choice of a palette of colors that coordinate. She was so thoughtful and so creative - encouraged us to be less timid with color, suggested that some light fixtures didn't seem appropriate in some rooms, supported our decision to remove the valences over the windows, etc. She gave me tips on choices of paint (grade, sheen) and prep and painting techniques. And we can use her discount at East Bay paint. We'll definitely consult her again when we're ready to paint the outside. She's wonderful. Cass Morris
Maryl [at]cassmorris.com>

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June 2005

We painted the interior of our house ourselves, but hired Cass Morris to color consult. We had some colors we liked, but they didn't seem to go together, and we didn't know where to put them. In a couple of hours with her, we chose a unique and harmonious group of colors that really personalized our home. She also had great advice on furniture placement, and helped us choose from our fabric and tile samples. Cass is a fun, creative person who takes the time to listen, and she has an excellent sense of color! We enjoyed the process very much and highly recommend her as a design and color consultant. With a new baby in the house we will be doing some more updates. We plan on working with her again and look forward to it. Check out her website at http://www.cassmorris.com Melissa

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May 2005

Angelisse Karol, a color & interior design consultant, came to my house a few weeks ago to give us a consulation on colors for the inside and outside of our house, and I wanted to recommend her to anyone tackling a paint job who wants to get the colors right.

Angelisse listened carefully to what we wanted and worked quickly with us to find the colors we envisioned for the exterior and interiors. I'd never hired an interior designer before and I was suprised by how down to earth and focused she was. Angelisse used to work as a contractor and went to art school, so she knows her stuff. She's just got tons of experience with colors and can gauge what will work and what won't before you waste time and money on the wrong gallon of paint!

She charges $100 an hour, she works very quickly and we ended up doing the entire inside and outside of the house in just over 2 hours. I'm happy to talk to anyone more about my experience with her. I really was thrilled with the experience. Her number is 510-658-2599, angelisse AT comcast.net, www.angelissekarolcolor.com Rinat

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Jan 2005

For color consultation, interior design, or re-design using your own stuff, I'd like to recommend Jennifer Thompson, of jthompsondesign[at]comcast.net. Jennifer moved into my rental house in Berkeley after 10 years in West Marin -- some of you may have visited her store in Inverness Park, called Thompson Design. She has totally transformed my sweet but rather plain little house into a really vibrant, charming space, and is looking for work doing more of the same. Her ideas are imaginative without being over the top, her rates are reasonable, and she's very easy to work with. References and pictures available. Phone 510 898 1171 Janet

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We are a French/Belgian family who would like to recommend a wonderful interior designer and color consultant, Jennifer Thompson, of J.Thompson Design. We bought a house in the Oakland Hills that was built after the fire; it had interesting architecture, but very unsatisfactory details, and was cold and unimaginative. Jennifer helped us transform it into a colorful, stylish, unique home, which reflects our personalites and gives us a lot of pleasure. We had no idea how to do home renovation in America, and she handled the whole job for us q found the contractor and the artisans who created unique details for us, and oversaw the job, as we were often in Europe. Not only that, her rates are very reasonable, and we enjoyed working with her. Call her at 510 898 1171 or email at jthompsondesign AT comcast.net. Heddy

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2004 & Earlier

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Nov 2004

My husband and I have tried painting our first floor ourselves and we have hated the colors we used each and every time. I am finally ready to bite the bullet and pay someone to help us choose a color that will go with existing decor, but I have no idea where to start. I am looking for someone inexpensive and willing to work in Alameda. I would love any suggestions. Thanks! Melanie Melanie

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I never thought I would rely on anyone else to pick paint colors - it seemed silly - but when I remodeled my bathroom I decided to try it, and am so glad I did. On the recommendation of a neighbor, I used Victor Cohen Stuart, 654-2965, to help me decide about colors. He is also a painting contractor, but I just used him to choose the paint color, for the walls,ceiling and trim in the new bathroom. He came to my house and in about 20 minutes, he knew exactly what would look perfect in the new bathroom. At first I wasn't sure I was going to go with his recommendations, because the colors didn't seem like they would be quite right - finally I decided to just put myself in his hands and go for it and am so glad I did. The colors look so much better than the ones I was thinking of using. His fee was reasonable; by the hour; only charged me a half hour for my little job. My neighbor has used him for big jobs (exterior painting) and swears by him. anon

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Megan Melton came to my home today to help me select paint colors. She was great, she had a clear understanding of colors and how they would look in different lights. She picked up cues from my furniture and colors in my home, and helped me select colors that would bring out the qualities I most wanted: warmth and elegance. She's the type of person who can work with all sorts of different themes and needs. She helped me pick colors that would look really good from room to room. And listened when some colors just didnt feel quite right to me. She was great. She has experience painting as well, charging very, very reasonable rates. I wish I could have her paint my home, too! Megan Melton's number is 510-655-7866. If you call her, tell her Kirstin referred you. k

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I second the recommendation for Victor Cohen Stuart (510- 654-2965). He helped me with my kitchen and exterior a few years ago and was incredible. Now I work professionally in design, and knowing what I know now I am even more impressed with his talent. He only seems expensive until you work with him -- my husband said it was the best $250 he ever spent on a remodel! Laurie

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I third the recommendation for Victor Cohen Stuart. I hired him after seeing the colors he picked for my friend's house. And she is an artist! The particular shade of blue he chose for her bathroom transformed it. Both us of thought that she needed new tile, because it looked so dingy. After the walls were painted the tile looked great! He is more than worth the money. Painting is expensive and timeconsuming. You don't want to make a mistake, nor do you want to waste your money on something that is too safe. Victor is very fast and he is gifted at what he does. Fran

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RE: Interior Painting & Carpets Hi Ilene, I think I have just the person for you. Her name is Alicia Brite (510-568-3217) and she is primarily a color consultant and specialty painter. She has been a painter for years and also has project management experience. You can check out her website: http://www.thecoloreffect.com/. She has all the lskillsn you need for the specific work but there are two other reasons I am so excited to turn you on to her. It sure seems you could use some help making the space better than just clean and fresh but actually supportive of all the things going on in your lives. This is exactly what she does with color. The second reason is her sensitivity to what her clients really need. I actually think she does what she does to work with families such as yours where her work can have a transformational effect. I wish you the best of luck with your project. Jenny

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Nov 2003

Hello, I'm looking for someone in S.F who is excellent with colors and decorating to help me choose the paint colors for our new home. I would really appreciate a referral for someone who is a professional color consultant-and who of course is really wonderful and creative! Thank you, Cindy

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For wonderful color and design recommendations, contact Rachelle Goodfriend of San Francisco. Her business is Spirited Spaces Design Consultants. Tel: 415/584-4000, Email: design AT spiritedspaces.com
merry

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I am a color consultant. I've been working as a Scenic Artist for SF Opera Co. for over 20 years, but in the last few years that work has thinned out significantly and I have broadened out into color consulting. I have an excellent sense of color, fine tuned by years of scenic work, and I enjoy working with people who are not afraid of color. I can, of course, be conservative as well, if need be. I can provide recommendations and have a portfolio of work. If you'd like to see some samples, I can email image files. 510/843-9493 stephani lesh stefle AT comcast.net

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Oct 2003

I'm looking for someone to help me pick out paint colors for the interior of our house as well as help with decorating ideas/buying and arranging furniture. We live in the Oakland hills near Redwood Rd. Monica

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my very good friend angela coon is an amazing colorist and interior designer. she designed grasshopper restaurant in rockridge (on college [at]63rd is you want to check it out), and second edition bookstore on la salle @ mountain in montclair. she's also done a hair salon, two body work/accupuncture spaces, as well as homes.

i know she recently helped a woman who had already gone through over 22 colors in her house and just could not figure out how to achieve the feel and look for the space. angela spent about 4 hours with her and redirected the whole process. the client was skeptical but when she saw the results she was is awe and so happy.

she's also a parent (of two boys and 2 stepchildren) so she's familiar with designing spaces with family in mind.

anyway, she can be reached at ninereasons AT aol.com or at 510.508.7625 make sure you mention my name, corey...good luck! Corey

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You might want to give my friend Linda Livings a call. She's a designer and color consultant who lives in Redwood Heights and works with many residents in the area. Linda helped us finalize the color choices for the exterior of our house and has done beautiful work on other homes in the neighborhood -- both in helping the owners choose exterior and interior color schemes and paint contractors, and in advising them on fabric choices, faux painting options, bathroom design, ''architecturally appropriate'' remodelling, furniture arrangement, landscaping, etc. We used her for just a few hours, but others have had her do much more comprehensive design work for them; she seems open to either. You can reach Linda at 530-8486 or LLivings AT att.net. Happy decorating! Leah

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March 2003

We would like to paint our children's room and a bathroom ourselves, but are looking for someone to help us choose the paint colors. We would like something fun and whimsical in the children's room, but simple. Thank You! Elise

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I know a good paint colorist: Nancy Brown (510) 843-1904. Nancy is a trained artist/painter (Rhode Island School of Design). She is also a house painter by profession--so you get the best of both worlds. Nancy works with her parnter's painting company as a color consultant. She will walk you throught the whole process. Good luck! Linda

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I highly recommend Cathy Farley (forget the name of her firm) at 527-3904. Catherine

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Our friend Corey Hitchcock picked some great lively colors for our daughter's room. I would never have thought of them (sort of a periwinkle blue and two kinds of green) and in fact had doubts at first, but she was right and it's the nicest room in the house. The wonderful mural she did of animals playing music by a pond helps too, of course. She's a painter and now picks colors professionally; I can't recommend her enough. Her business is called Living Color and her number is 524-9575. Kitty

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I'd like to write in about my experience with a color consultant I found in the UCB parents website- Stephanie Lesh. I was looking to paint my whole house and wanted a professional opinion that would factor in utility of a room, existing light etc.

Stephanie came armed with color samples and books on different finishes and we had a 4 hour session. The end result was we had color recommendations all of which we were happy with and some of which we would have never chosen on our own. It remains to be seen how the colors will finally look in our house ( we havent begun painting yet), but we were able to overcome our fear of bold paint thanks to her encouragement. She was knowledgeable about color and can look at the existing elements of a room and pull out colors that work with the decor and light. I was impressed with her knowledge of different finishes and I think that if your project include faux finishes etc, you can very effectively leverage her talent.

I would suggest that you have some documentation of your agreement with her with regards to price and the exact scope of the project. Of course, she has her own biases and if you want a particular color you may need to state that unequivocally. Also she uses Benjamin Moore paint samples, which are high end paints, but as she said herself, they maybe more than what you need for a home. We found it a bit hard to locate shops that have these paints and also found them to be on the expensive side.

All in all we were happy with her recommendations and look forward to seeing our 'new' home after its been painted! A ''Color''-ed opinion

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August 2002

Can anyone recommend a good, but not too expensive, color consultant who can help us with interior paint choices that work with our existing furniture and art? We painted our living room and dining room a perfect color that transformed into an entirely different wrong color in the morning light. We want to avoid more mistakes in other rooms, and see if there is a way to redeem the first paint job short of completely repainting, maybe a sponge technique over it.

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I can recommend Katherine Adams for color consulting. She has an amazing capacity and experience in choosing colors, paint sheen etc. It really is an art, and she is very much a professional. She helped us strictly with color when we remodeled & painted our entire house and I am thrilled with the results. I thought her prices were reasonable too. Her number is: (925) 284-2112. Nancy

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I would recommend Angelisse Karol. She is great. I do not know her current rates but you can call her to find out. Her number is 510-533-8143. If you use her, let her know I recommended her. Thanks. Amanda

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My aunt is a local artist who has been doing color consultation for the past few years. No idea what her rates are, but she has a fantastic eye and aesthetic, and I think would really work with what you have. Her name is Lois Wachner-Solomon and can be reached at 510/658-6335. Lise

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We called a color consultant to help us choose an exterior home color. It was the best $85 bucks we've ever spent. Her name is Angelesse Carole and her number is 510/533-8143. Good luck, -Susan

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May I recommend myself? I am a Scenic Artist with SFOpera Co. with over 20 years experience working with color. I've done wall glazing and color consulting during the Opera's off- times and have a portfolio of my work. And I do have experience altering color with glaze. Since I haven't officially 'put up my shingle' I am willing to work inexpensively. If you'd like to talk about it, give me a call at 510/843-9493. Stephani

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I would like to highly recommend Art Decor to the person, and anyone else, looking for a color consultant. I can not praise them enough. It is absolutely amazing what color can do for your living spaces. These people are fabulous, creating rooms and spaces that really work, rooms that are exceptional. I love the way my rooms/house has been transformed. Upon checking with them, this is what I received: ''Sure, pass our company name (art decor) on for color consultation and interior design services. Color consult starts at $125. hr. Interior Design fees range depending on the service provided. I am not really soliciting faux work but I do incorporate color recipes and instructions in my color consultation services.'' Kathy also does interior design. I have been greatly impressed with the photographs and published articles I have viewed. I know you will enjoy these people and be delighted at what they can do for you. Art Decor 510-527-3904 Heather

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Myriam Haynal (549-3852) does color and design consulting, and I believe she may even use a sliding fee scale. I recently used her to choose paint colors for my entire home and am very happy with the results. She was incredibly patient with my indecisiveness, and had a nice way of making suggestions while always keeping my basic tastes in mind. She's also really enthusiastic about color/design, has fun with it, and was really willing to spend time thinking out lots of different combinations. I know she also does design consulting (tiles, carpets, windows, etc.,) and has done work ''staging'' homes for sale. Alisa

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Try Linda Zabel - she's in Berkeley, listed in the phone book. She is wonderful, and reasonable. Gwyneth

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I want to recommend Brian Thiel (510-841-0368), an artist, who also is both a color consultant and a house painter. He was very helpful to us in selecting colors for our home, and he and his crew did a meticulous job with the painting. Jeffrey