Bernay Laity

 

“Both rooms had become tired, they are now full of life, with colours that create a calm and relaxing atmosphere.  Staff and families are all delighted with the result.”

Pat Keown, house manager at Rainbow House.

To discuss a speaking event or writing commission with Bernay please call the in:colour consultancy on 01483 414316 or email

about in:colour

in:colour consultancy was founded in 2004 by interior designer and colour psychologist Bernay Laity. The company has worked with a wide variety of charities, individuals and businesses ranging from sole traders to large corporate firms.

She shares her journey from living with colour to launching the in:colour consultancy.

“I grew up living very close to beautiful down lands and my dear Dad, being a gardener and keen outdoors enthusiast, would take my brother and me for long walks most weekends. Whilst not being the most active kid, I did enjoy how Dad would encourage us to notice what was happening in the natural world around us and I became fascinated with the changes in shapes, colours and textures of nature as each season passed from one to the next.

At school, art was one of my favourite subjects and I remember a school report once commenting on ‘my particular use of colour’. After spending time at college on a foundation course in art studies I left to explore the world of work and largely spent time in careers related to the fashion and cosmetics industries. But it wasn’t until I started practising as an interior designer that I began to become curious about why clients picked the colours that they did. This was something beyond interior fashion;

I began to notice that colour could have a profound effect on a person’s wellbeing.

Most of us understand that softer colours can be relaxing, and that bold, vibrant colours energising. But I couldn’t help thinking that there was more to it than that. And so I began some further intensive research and undertook quite an extensive self-study programme.

During this time I worked on a lengthy project for the Surrey Probation Service and also for the Rainbow Trust; both were clients that expressed interest in the idea of harnessing the effects of colour within their environments.

This led me on to the work of world-renowned colour psychologist Angela Wright, I knew that I had found the answers I was looking for and signed up to her course in colour psychology.

Whilst studying with Angela one project that stood out for me in particular and which really clarified for me the effect that colour could have on a person’s surroundings was an interior design project for the National Autistic Society. I was invited to be part of a project on the study of the effects of colour psychology as applied to the interior of this children’s boarding house attached to a school for autistic children. The brief was to select colours to be used in the entire redecoration of the building, the purpose to create a calm and unified space and also to encourage or support a specific behaviour.

The effect was astounding. Staff reported that the children seemed to have responded well to the changes in the colour scheme to the extent that

behaviour in the dining room became a lot less disruptive.

The positive effects of that being more of the children were encouraged to eat. The blue and green colour palettes chosen for some bedrooms of children that would not otherwise settle easily seemed to have enhanced their ability to sleep in these rooms reasonably well. Equally as important for me was the improved morale of the staff of this home for we improved the colours used in staff and common areas too.

Following my studies with Angela I continued with some CPD and went on to study colour specification at the NCS Colour Centre UK. I had already been teaching Interior Design for Adult Learning courses and wanted to share my passion and enthusiasm for colour so I developed my first successful ‘Colour For Interiors’ workshop, which came to be featured in Real Homes magazine.

I founded in:colour consultancy in 2004 to offer colour consultancy services and develop training courses and workshops for others who wanted to share this unique and fascinating study of colour with me. “

Bernay now teaches and offers training in integrated colour psychology and analysis for consultants and designers of all disciplines and anyone who wishes to study for further personal development. 

As an experienced speaker on the subject of colour psychology in the U.K. and abroad, Bernay also gives talks and leads seminars for many business groups and private clients including McCarthy & Stone, Surrey W.I. Grayshott Hall Spa, Nutfield Priory Spa and Fagerhult Moscow.

In addition Bernay is a regular in the media as a guest commenting on colour psychology for UKTV Style BBC Radio Berkshire and BBC Southern Counties Radio. She has also written and contributed to articles on colour for newspapers and leading magazines including Real Homes, Womenswear Daily in the UK and France, IDFX magazine and Designer magazine.

>> find out more about in:colour workshops and training