20 Jun 19

Ban the Beige Colour Workshop revealed

Last week I hosted my very special Colour workshop which I’ve aptly named ‘Ban the beige’ after my Instagram hashtag of the same name. This is, without doubt, the highlight in my calendar. It’s my very own tailor-made day to share everything I love about interiors, colour and creativity with a group of people who feel the same way. Through this blog and over on Instagram I’ve connected with an amazing community of interior design fantastic’s but there is something very magical that happens when we all get together in the same room! here is the big reveal!

Sixteen colour thirsty interior design enthusiasts came together from around the globe (even as far as Japan- how cool!) for a one-day workshop that I’ve created especially for people who want to be more colour confident and creative with their room schemes. Having worked with colour for over twenty years I’m aware of how stopped people can be when it comes to committing in their own home. So many of you want to create a home that beats with soul and truly expresses who you are, and I know just how essential it is that you tap into your own sense of style and creativity in order to achieve that.

Somewhat surprisingly, my intention isn’t that I just simply teach how to get ‘my look’, which is particularly colour soaked. No copycat interiors here, the workshop is designed to help you create your own colour palette, find what really resonates with you and ultimately nail own your own unique style. I take you through the tools on how to make this work within an interior design scheme and share the fascinating framework of Colour Psychology to unlock the secret on how to pull together colour palettes with ease. We get through a lot in a short day, but set within an inspiring venue with plenty of delicious food and drink to keep us fuelled the day was a blast!

So my intentions for this day are a bit like the ultimate spa day for colour lovers. A day with me means a mouth-watering venue, inspiring content and of course a delicious lunch. All spent in the best company. There is something quite magical about bringing together 16 strangers and see how well the energy and conversation flows all day. And the workshop always attracts such a mix of people from interior design professionals to students to home renovators. I even had one guest who is currently renting but came to design her future dream pad. Literally anything goes!

For this workshop, the Regency Townhouse supplied the backdrop. Set in the fabulous seafront Regency square in Brighton it’s a restoration project run by volunteers, and the proceeds of any event hire go towards restoring this splendid house to its 19th-century grandeur. Most houses in the square have since been carved up into flats, so it’s really very special to see this house restored to what was intended. I personally love seeing the restoration in action all around but in order to bring the colour and glamour, I called in the fabulous skills of local florist Kate Langdale who filled the room with the most perfect floral creations, to really give my guests the wow when they walked into the room.

What I love most about the workshop is discovering that people just need a nudge in the right direction. I purposefully keep my workshops small, limited to just 16 guests to allow for one-on-one consultations, but my real aim to teach some tools that people can use and then just fly with it! For me, the day just swims along so fast. It’s peppered with short power point presentations of drool-worthy interiors but the magic happens with the practical tasks. Realising how colour, shape and style comes to life in the mood boarding sessions that we complete is really where the magic happens.

It’s an opportunity for everyone to step away from their screens and get the paper glue and scissors out! It’s an old fashioned way to teach design but for me, it’s the most creative and tactile. I also share a valuable design process so people can see that design isn’t just plucked from thin air, and some people just ‘get it’ and others don’t. There is a process to follow and our understanding of how a colour scheme is going to work and more importantly how it’s going to make us feel is developed throughout. This is always a game-changing element of the day when people learn to think of how you want the room to feel before jumping for the paint chart. We’ve all walked into a space and it’s felt just ‘right’, so how to create this effect for you or your clients is pivotal to great interior design.

I enjoyed last week’s workshop so much I’ve decided to add another date to 2019. On October the 10^th I’ll be hosting another colour workshop for just 16 lucky people! These always sell out well in advance, so if you think you fancy treating yourself I can promise an inspiring, informative and really memorable day. And you’ll make some great connections.

a mouthwatering colourful feast supplied by Elizabeth Caton

A mouthwatering and colour soaked feast was served up by Elizabeth Caton

Like all my courses you get access to my closed VIP facebook page, where we can continue to share the colour love and support one another on our interior design journeys. And if the workshop is too much of a stretch, don’t forget you can join me in the virtual world. My online interior design course ‘Be Your Own Interior Designer’ is on promotional offer until the end of June, so you can nab yourself £50 off and better still get started right away!

The colour workshop is a deep dive into colour scheming and totally different content to the online course, so the two compliment each other perfectly. You can book onto the Colour workshop here and find out more about the online course here.

Either way, I hope to see you soon, sign up and come and join the exclusive Colour Lovers tribe!