As a budding designer who had no clue how to choose colours the right way, concluding projects with a pastel palette I thought was "calming", I knew I couldn't quite blame myself.
Art class at school simply taught us hues, shades, how to mix them, how famous artists before us used them. And it was useful but it wasn't until I spent the day with Fiona de Lys learning her Delysian Colour System that I realised the importance of intuition in choosing colours, understanding how feeling the colour combinations and having narrative behind each choice is the most effective way to select a personal palette that means something more than its aesthetic appeal.
I focused on one particular room I had in mind to rejuvenate – my bedroom. I needed to bring colour to the white walls, in a way that represented the woman I am becoming, and have stepped into, rather than just the girl that grew up there. At the age of 21, it is my hope that my bedroom can still show my creative style, with lots of my artworks over the years and models displayed, except with a more intentional feel. Fiona taught us how to translate these emotions and intentions into heart-led colour choosing, and we later reached for tactile fabrics, papers and natural elements to tie in the mood boards we got to take home with us. I now have unexpectedly brilliant clarity on what to do with my bedroom when I get the opportunity to design it!
It was a curious experience in learning that colour should never be just a slap of paint or swatches against a wall. And it was quite an unsettling realisation for me that this is often how I had navigated a colour palette in my projects on BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design (IAD) – just what matched or looked ‘right’. I knew it was an area of design I needed to discover more about.
While I had begun recently to think about what colours I really felt resonated with me and why, The Aesthetic Narrative workshop brought these to life, with its tactile, conversational and reflective day structure. I noticed that I felt comfortable in self-reflection throughout the day, as well as the contrast with communicating with likeminded strangers, all curious about colour. It was a personal win as I realised what I am capable of, whereas in the past it has been quite challenging to look both inwards and outwards in the same space.
Something I delved deeper into through the workshop was my longstanding aversion to trends such as colour of the year, designing personal interiors with what's circulating in the media, or using traditional labels. It resonated with me that I have always avoided this naturally, not often intentionally. Instead, what thoroughly speaks to me in design is the layering of the personal touch. What makes a space so vividly different from a showroom or Pinterest mood board, because of a selection of real-life personal momentos and curated pieces, with narrative behind them (though we will often need all these to work together, too). It was a stance I had held before the workshop, and one that I now have a clearer purpose for after it.
On the IAD course, it's important that collaboration is explored in each project, to strengthen our knowledge through peer reviews as emerging designers. I experienced this in a unique way during Fiona's workshop – I was the youngest, still in university, and benefitted from talking to working professionals amongst me who were either freelancing, or looking to learn something new with great passion in their day-to-day lives. Being around such passion is infectious in the best way, especially for me in my final year, dreaming of a career path that is about to come true.
I walked away at the end of the day glowing from grounding food, humbling knowledge, meaningful connections and a clearer set of ideas on the table for what I would explore next.
That is by far one of my favourite ways to end a productive day! Beyond verbal or written taught skills, I was privileged to be able to experience a tactile and immersive event that enabled me to gain a real connection with everyone present. In an age where most people are accustomed to digital information and short-form content, it's important to get pockets of human connection and education face to face, pen to paper.
Partaking in workshops or networking events within my course was something I had yet to experience before attending the Aesthetic Narrative workshop. But beginning final year with a clearer intention of what I wanted from my degree, made it far easier to find the right source of expertise to learn from.
I am now exploring what other incredible pockets of knowledge I can collect from different tactile experiences the professional world has to offer, now my understanding and appreciation of colour and how to use it has grown. It's a great way to try something new, niche, and especially in my case, a bit brave! It's a satiating feeling I don't intend to neutralise yet.
Where will your curiosity take you- and what could you learn from someone in your field of interest?
