Photographs by Jane Beleis
Left: The designer added color to large-scale objects, then used opposing colors for accent pieces.
Right: Rather than a focal point, color keeps the eye moving in the room.
Kids own the market when it comes to bright, daring colors. Given a magic wand, most would add a rainbow of cheerful colors all over their bedrooms—or, at least, avoid gray and cream—even if parents may want to have a say in all that enthusiasm.
“Color is the best thing ever created,” says Jody Myers-Fierz, a certified and licensed interior designer and current ASID CT Chapter president. “It’s a form of expression.” Specializing in color theory and concept development—hence the name of her design firm, Color Concept Theory—Jody spends much of the day thinking about color.
As a designer, she creates spaces that reflect the personality of the client, so for kid-friendly spaces, that usually means getting out the peppy blues, tangerines and everything in between.
For the project above, a full renovation, Jody used a brisk splash of aqua on the walls. “The client wanted a sanctuary for her daughter—a place for her to have her own personal space that brought out her creativity,” she says. “She wanted neutral tones, but her daughter wanted color. Battle! I was the mediator. I told her that paint colors are so easy to change, but memories are forever. Kids are only kids once, and one day that color will be hard to change—she’ll wish her daughter was eight again. That spoke volumes to her, and so her daughter’s sanctuary began.”
5 WAYS TO LOVE COLOR
JODY MYERS-FIERZ ON ADDING COLOR TO CHILD-FRIENDLY SPACES
1 THINK BIG
“Don’t mix too many primary colors on large-scale objects in one room. Choosing colors as well as the scale it’s being applied on is what makes colors work.”
2 SMALL STEPS
“If you’re unsure, then pick a main color you love and want to feel in the space you’re applying it to. Accent it with colors within the same family, or monochromatic scheme.”
3 LAYER, SLOWLY
“Pull the paint card from your local paint store to see what else works in that specific family for your accent pieces. Once you get comfortable with color, then add on.”
4 GO BOLD
“Take a chance with color. Designs I see that utilize color end up being a statement piece.”
5 CURRENT FAVES
“Hands down, soft blush and purple tones.”