Finding the Perfect Palette: An Interview with Colour Consultant Charlotte Cropper

To celebrate International Colour Day on March 21st, we’re delighted to speak with Charlotte Cropper, a British colour consultant for interiors based in Milan. Charlotte’s expertise lies in helping homeowners, interior designers and brands navigate the often-daunting world of colour selection. With a background in illustration and a deep passion for how colour shapes our spaces and wellbeing, Charlotte shares her invaluable tips, insights into colour psychology, and the influence of travel on her work, plus recommendations for Milan Design Week! 

Can you tell us a little bit about your background and the work you do today?

I am a colour consultant for interiors, which essentially means I spend all day helping people choose the perfect paint colours for their home! I also work with interior designers to help master colour within their work and homeware brands to curate colour schemes or palettes for their product lines. A dream job! I actually started out in Illustration and my work quickly developed from paper onto furniture and fabric, which led me into the world of interiors. I am fascinated by colour, its power to elevate the everyday and its role in our homes to improve our wellbeing and the way we live.

Many people find the process of picking colours for their home overwhelming. With so much choice, what are your top tips to overcome this and how can a colour consultation help?

Choosing colour is so overwhelming not only because of the endless paints colours, brands and finishes to choose from, but also the overload of interior inspiration and picture perfect imagery online. I think it’s important to recognise that choosing colour is hard and we all see colour differently.

My top tips are:

• Consider the colours and materials in your space holistically and as an overall colour scheme. We never see colour in isolation, so it’s important to think about how your paint colours work with your furniture, flooring and home decor, not as an individual element.
  

• Instead of starting with colour, start instead with understanding the space itself. How do you use (or want to use) your home? What’s the function of the room? How do you want to feel in the space? Are you working with existing pieces or are you starting from scratch? Dig a little deeper and you’ll find that these answers will help you narrow your colours down.
  

A colour consultation is a great way to get expert advice and an objective perspective on your space. Colour consultants understand how lighting, architecture, and colour pairings work together, as well as the science and psychology behind colour choices. We don’t just recommend what colours will look best (and where to put them)—we also take the time to understand you and your home, ensuring that every suggestion feels personal.

A consultation can help simplify the big and often overwhelming decisions while still giving you the flexibility to DIY or design as you like. It’s a budget-friendly way to gain confidence in your choices and can save you time and money in the long run!

What if you’re not sure what you like, how do you discover your interior style?

This is more common than not, and I believe that finding your style takes time…it’s something that develops slowly and is a discovery of what you love (and what you don’t). Start by taking note of the colours, patterns, materials, textures and types of furniture that you are drawn to. Write these down or create a mood board / Pinterest to see your favourite colours and materials in one place. This way you can take a step back and see your unique style come together.

Most importantly, don’t worry too much about labelling yourself as one specific style (scandi, modern, boho etc…) or fitting in with what’s trending. A style should be an expression of who you are and what you love. Perhaps think less ‘what’s my style’ and more ‘what’s my story’?

I recently explored this topic on Substack. If you’re looking for practical tips on how to discover your style, head over here.

What role does colour psychology play in our homes?

Colour psychology is the study of how colour impacts our emotions and behaviour, offering a helpful guideline for how different hues might affect the way we feel and therefore what colours we could choose for each room. While this is a valuable tool, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. We also respond to colour on a deeply personal level—through ‘personal colour association’ and cultural influences. This means we naturally gravitate towards certain colours based on positive memories, experiences and even the culture we live in or are exposed to.

I think there is a place for the psychology of colour when decorating our homes, it’s powerful and can be transformative. But I think it’s equally important not to design your home based on strict theories. Instead use them as tools, allow them to inspire or guide you but never lose sight of what truly works for you and the way you live.

Do you have particular colour palettes that you are naturally drawn to, or does it all depend on context?

I definitely have colour palettes I'm drawn to. Of course the architecture, history and even location of a property can define or influence a colour scheme, but colour is personal. I have a selection of colours that I find myself coming back to time and time again…plaster pinks, terracottas, varying greens, fresh neutrals, denim blues…I might not use them all the time and they may not be right for a project or even my own home, but they are always there in the back of my mind.

How does travel inform your work?

Oh gosh, where to begin! Travel is literally everything to me, both personally and professionally. Every time I go away, I’m like a sponge, absorbing all the colours, shapes and sounds around me. But perhaps one of the biggest ways that travel informs my work, is the way in which I approach jobs and the ideas I bring to the table.

Travelling forces us to see things differently; we are more open to new experiences, from daily routines and cultural experiences, to the discovery of new materials and innovative crafts. When travelling, I am constantly finding new colour combinations to play with, different ways to create colour and learning what colour means in different cultures. I also have an obsession with traditional craft and love discovering local artisans. You’ll often find me trying to squeeze ceramics or fabrics into my suitcase at the end of a trip…much to my partner’s dismay! 

You recently went to India for the first time. What were the highlights of your trip?

The people were the biggest highlight. We learnt some Hindi from our local friends and this transformed our experience not only with the locals, but even in the restaurants and hotels. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly. I truly believe that travel has a way of giving back what you put into it.

The food was another highlight - I’m a big foodie and being coeliac means that Indian cuisine made traveling a breeze (and I don’t say that lightly!)

Jaipur - the place, the people, the atmosphere….I think I could live there. The golden temple in Amritsar at sunset - again the atmosphere was out of this world. There was a peace and sense of mutual respect, no matter who you are, what you look like or where you come from. And of course, the colour. India is a colour lover’s dream.  

Finally, as a designer based in Milan we have to ask if you have any tips for Design Week? What are your favourite spots in the city?

Against popular belief, the best part of Milan Design Week in my opinion isn't the main exhibition centre (Salone), but instead the smaller exhibitions scattered throughout the city (FuoriSalone). This is where you'll find the good stuff.

My favourite spots and exhibitions that return year after year are the Elle Decor Italia exhibition (great for getting a good idea of what’s happening in the interior world as a whole), Alcova (a wonderful exploration of innovative designers and brands) and the Rossana Orlandi gallery, a famous Milanese gallery space that comes alive with new talent and up and coming designers during Design Week.

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Thank you, Charlotte!

For more of Charlotte's work visit: www.charlottecropper.com, subscribe to her Substack: https://charlottecropperdesign.substack.com and follow her on instagram @charlottecropperdesign

Photo credits: Dario Di Maggio