What Role Does Colour Play in Interior Design?

Colour is often one of the first design decisions we make, yet it's frequently treated as the finishing touch. Curated by international colour and design psychology expert Karen Haller, this Design Circle brings together four distinct perspectives to explore the different roles colour can play in how people experience a space. Through discussions spanning colour psychology, paint, accessible design, and the relationship between art and interiors, we'll challenge some familiar assumptions and discover why colour's influence extends far beyond what we see.

How do art and interiors influence one another?

Kuda Mushangi – Art & Architect

As both an architect and artist, Kuda works at the intersection of art, architecture and interiors. You'll explore where those worlds meet, challenge some familiar assumptions, and discover why the relationship between art and interior design might not be as straightforward as it first appears.

How can we design homes through the lens of cognitive and sensory decline?

Jacqui Smith – Interior Designer & Care Design Consultant

As the UK's leading care home designer, Jacqui has extensive experience of creating environments that support people with complex and changing needs. This discussion explores how residential designers can apply that thinking more widely, creating homes that help people remain safe, supported and independent for longer, without compromising on good design.

Beyond Colour: The Secret Life of Paint

Ashley Aspen – Colour Consultant and Interior Decorator

As a painter, decorator and colour consultant, Ashley brings the perspective of someone who works with paint every day. This discussion considers how paint influences an interior beyond colour alone, from the way different finishes catch the light to the atmosphere they create, exploring what we gain, what we give up, and the creative possibilities that emerge when paint is treated as a design material in its own right.

What should guide our colour choices?

Karen Haller – Behavioural Design Consultant

As the leading expert in Applied Colour & Design Psychology, Karen Haller creates environments that positively influence human experience and behaviour.

This discussion considers the different priorities behind our colour choices as designers and what those choices reveal about the spaces we create.