A client's simple request made me rethink my whole palette approach

I was working on a cafe logo in Seattle last month, and the owner just asked for 'the color of a good cup of coffee with cream'. I spent an hour mixing browns and beiges, but nothing felt right. He pointed to his own mug and said, 'No, it's warmer, like this.' I realized I was using cool, muted tones when he wanted a warm, creamy tan. I mixed a new base with a touch of orange and yellow, and he approved it instantly. Has anyone else had a client describe a color in a way that totally shifted your initial choices?

2 comments

2 Comments

avery36617h ago

Actually, that's a great way to get a specific color. People see color in real things, not Pantone numbers. His mug was the perfect reference point you both could look at. Sometimes the client has the answer right in front of them.

the_jenny1d ago

Ugh, honestly that sounds like a client who doesn't know what they want until they see it. You were doing your job, they just changed their mind.