Interior Designers on Their Favorite Colors as Kids (and Now!)

Then: Red, Now: Relaxed Hues

“As a child, my favorite color was red. I was attracted to it because so many good/delicious things come in red: apples which make apple pie; my favorite dress that had pockets! My roller skates were white with red laces, and my banana bike was also red, and I had so many adventures on it! Today, I still love red and satisfy myself by using it to decorate with at Christmas, but I rarely design with a red schematic. It is a saturated hue, and most of my clients are looking for interiors with a laid back, relaxed feel, so mostly I specify hues of blue, yellow, and greens for work.” —Charmaine Wynter, founder of Charmaine Wynter Interiors in Southlake, TX

Then and Now: Pink

“A color I have always loved from the time I was young to today is pink. From pale to hot pink, I truly believe any shade of it can work in any style of room. I use pink whenever and wherever I can through my styling when it comes to my clients’ homes.” —Victoria Bell, founder and principal designer of Victoria Bell Design in Springfield, N.J.

Then and Now: Green

“As a kid, my bedroom walls were almost a highlighter lime green (thanks, Mom, for letting me explore freely), and today, various shades of green are still my favorite. I incorporate them in every space, whether through plants, wall color, furniture, or accessories. I believe every room should have a wood element, and naturally, green goes great with wood!” —Chelsea Evans, founder of Chelsea Evans Designs in Helotes, TX

“As a kid, I was very much influenced by my artist mom, Lucelle Raad, and how she used color to move your eye around a canvas. Mom loved decorating with green, and I fondly remember a green mohair sofa much loved from my youth! Fast forward to 2022 — I’ve inherited my mom’s love of green and her knack of using color to direct your focus in and around a space. Green is both happy and calming and you can find it sprinkled into many of my projects!” —Amal Kapen, founder of Amal Kapen Interiors in Huntington, NY

“Green has always been one of my favorite colors. I love how it’s the perfect non-neutral neutral color that adds warmth. There’s a full spectrum of greens from blue-greens to yellow-greens, and green is quite easy to consistently include even if it’s solely via plant life. I try to make it a practice to include plants as often as possible in design.” —Shamika Lynch, founder of Maximizing Tiny in Jersey City, NJ

“My favorite color has been green since I was a child. I feel drawn to green because I am a nature lover and strive to bring the outside in when possible. Green has been on trend for interiors, but I feel that it’s a timeless color and can act almost as a neutral, working with many other colors. If our clients don’t have green in their interior color palette, we can always mix it in with plants and greenery.” —Mia Rao, design principal at Mia Rao Design in Chicago

Then and Now: Blue

“When I was a kid, my favorite color was light blue because I loved going outside and looking at the clouds. Blue is still my go-to because of its brightness and the calming effect that it gives off in any room. Today, my favorite color is sapphire blue, which looks amazing with any beach-themed decor theme.” —Brianna Hill, founder of Over The Hill Designs in Hampton, VA

“Like a lot of humans, my favorite color has been blue since I can remember. It’s a comforting color that connects us to nature and to our own inner peacefulness.” —Maryline Damour, principal designer at Damour Drake in Kingston, NY

Then and Now: Purple

“My favorite color was purple. Purple is a regal and luxurious color. Unfortunately, I don’t get to have purple in my work, but I take the color’s themes with me to every project. To me, purple represents creativity, independence, and power. ” —Dominique Fluker, founder of DBF Interiors in Los Angeles

“My favorite color growing up was purple in any shade. From the Crayola box, it was periwinkle. Ironically, this still seems to be my favorite color with my paint choice
Sherwin Williams Lavender Wisp. In my home, I do have a guest bath done with a Parisian Gray tile which reads periwinkle.” —Lori Miller, founder of LCG Interior Design on Long Island

Then: Pink, Now: Neutrals

“As a child, my favorite color was pink, so of course my bedroom was in a light rosy palette. I had an impulse moment about seven years ago and had my dining room wallpapered in a hot pink and turquoise floral print. I quickly realized that I after a long day at work, surrounded by intense color and wild pattern, this paper needed to exit stage left out of my home!

I moved and quickly redesigned in blacks, whites, and creams — this was my happy place. I realized that the people in my home (chic friends and busy kiddos) brought the color in their personality and clothing, while the decor was essentially the quiet background. Thankfully, my tastes have held strong and I haven’t had to redecorate again!” —Traci Connell, principal lead designer at Traci Connell Interiors in Dallas, TX

Then and Now: Lake Blue/Gray

“As a child, I grew up with Lake Erie at the bottom of my street in Lakewood, OH. The beautiful shade of lake blue with its grayish undertones is a hue that I always loved as a child and that I continue to use in my work and clients’ homes. This color brings calm yet a beautiful fresh crisp contrast to any home or project.” —Thayer Orelli, principal at Thayer Woods Home + Style on Long Island

Then: Pink, Now: Mint Green

“Growing up, my favorite color was a very bold shade of pink. In high school, I had my entire bedroom painted a shade of pink similar to the old school gum you would get at the grocery store as a kid. That shade of pink was very loud and a bit overwhelming for a bedroom. My favorite color now is a cool and minty fresh green similar to Clare Paints’s “Two Scoops.” Pair it with white, black, and bronze, and it introduces a touch of personality and luxury to any modern bedroom or nursery.” —Anita Williams, principal designer at PLD Design Studio in Richmond, VA.