INTRODUCTION

It’s obvious that I love color. But it wasn’t until I lived in a not-so-colorful place that I discovered just how much. Transitioning from the dreamy pastels of San Francisco to the brick tones of Portland, Oregon, shocked my system. It was this change that made me look closer at the world around me.

To cope with the new scenery, I looked for every bit of brightness I could find. Whether a pop of yellow on a car repair shop, an unexpectedly bold trim on a house, or even just the plants blooming in my neighborhood, I was able to find color almost everywhere I looked. As it turns out, you don’t have to live in a colorful place, or have pink hair, to live colorfully—color is always there for those who want to see it.

It’s easy to feel timid about adding color to your home—what if it’s too bold or you end up hating it? I completely understand! I, too, avoided making the color leap for many years. I thought nothing would match unless everything was neutral, so I didn’t take the risk. I worried about spending money on signature pieces only to regret them later. But playing it safe was just no fun! And that’s the greatest thing about color: it’s meant to be fun. You can create your own rules. You can add as much or as little as you wish.

The palettes in Hello Color are my personal favorites, but they’re only suggestions to help you get started on your own color journey. Think of me as your tour guide. I want you to feel free to explore and experiment with the colors that resonate with you. The ones that make you feel happy, peaceful, or calm. The ones that lift you up and put a smile on your face. The ones that just make you feel good.

When it comes to decorating, you don’t have to invest a ton of money or time to get the rainbow-hued look you want. In fact, you can make a lot of decorative and artful home-decor items yourself. In this book you’ll find fun and easy DIY projects for every room in your home. You’ll create artwork that allows you to proudly say “I made it!” when someone asks where it came from, or practical objects that serve a purpose and pack a colorful punch. You can even use the tear-out artwork in the back for decor that’s easy as can be. But you’ll never have to admit that they took less than thirty minutes to do—that’s our little secret.

I hope this book inspires you not only to seek color where you live but also to bring your own vision to the space around you. Once you take the leap and start living colorfully, you might wonder how you ever lived before.