June’s slate of webinars is not a black-and-white issue. By Dianne M. Pogoda

 

Are you in a blue mood? Green with envy? Having a gray day? Red with rage? Or looking at the world through rose-colored glasses?

Color plays a big role impacting energy levels and emotional outlook, and can make or break a room, a design or a mood.

As part of NKBA’s free webinar series, June’s theme is Color in Design. Three classes will help designers understand how color triggers certain feelings and how to use color in the design scheme.

NKBA webinars are one hour, providing 0.1 Continuing Education Unit toward earning or maintaining certification and professional development. Attendees must participate in at least 80 percent of the session to receive credit. Registration closes two hours prior to the start of the classes.

Visit www.nkba.org for more information or click on the links below to register for the classes.

First up, at 3 p.m. (Eastern Time) on June 5, join Maria Killam for The 5 Color Mistakes You’re Making Right Now with Your Clients. Color specialist Killam is the founder and chief executive officer of Understanding Undertones, a system for specifying color. She will discuss the best ways to achieve a beautiful result by focusing on classic and timeless design — and the five biggest mistakes designers make when choosing colors for hard surface finishes as well as walls.

Learn where to place samples to accurately determine how the color will look in the space. Learn the nine primary undertones in neutrals through Killam’s system, and how to assert expertise and assess the client’s space through a process of elimination. Apply the best practices for selecting patterns when specifying for hard finishes within the same space, and recognize and recommend specific neutral undertones (beiges, grays and taupes) to create an effective, accurate installation for tiles and surfaces.

The second session, at 12 noon (Eastern Time) on June 21, is A Practical Guide to Color for Designers, taught by Liza Riguerra, owner and principal designer of Riguerra Design.

In this webinar, Riguerra will present a practical approach to thinking about and incorporating color into a kitchen and bath design. Her approach is based on color theory fundamentals, but her lessons are presented in an approachable and practical way.

She will describe the essential characteristics of color, seven practical tips for thinking about color in design, including common missteps and how to avoid them, for example, how a color is affected by the tones around it; using black effectively, and how colors change in low-light situations. She will demonstrate how to incorporate color into a range of kitchen and bath designs, from traditional to contemporary and neutral to bold, and how to introduce color in materials (counters, cabinets, tile), appliances, and unexpected places like the ceiling, inside shelving or even toe kicks.

Finally, at 12 noon (Eastern Time) on June 25, Elizabeth C. Johnston, CfYH, owner of E-J Designs, will present Keep the Big Picture in Mind When Choosing Colors.

Kitchens and bathrooms are no longer just utility spaces, and their design should reflect their evolution. Kitchens are often the entertainment destination room of the home, and as such, should have personality, she says. Choosing the color palette for flooring, cabinets, walls, fabrics and artwork is more important than ever, to create the right mood for whatever functions the space serves. Similarly, bathrooms are a “private” space that can often include unique and unexpected design elements — especially since the door is most often closed.

Johnston will explain how to develop and use peripheral vision when choosing color in kitchen or bath designs; identify colors that are “flexible,” or chameleon-like, when trends change, and discover how to showcase distinct pieces of artwork in kitchen and bathroom spaces.