A recent participant in Fiona de Lys's Delysian Colour System workshop has found a new perspective on colour selection, moving beyond purely aesthetic choices to embrace intuition and personal narrative. The student, who previously relied on "calming" pastel palettes without fully understanding the reasoning, realised the importance of "feeling" colour combinations and having a story behind each choice.
Focusing on her own bedroom as a project, the designer aimed to bring colour to her white walls in a way that represented her evolving identity. The workshop, held at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), taught how to translate emotions and intentions into "heart-led colour choosing." Participants used tactile fabrics, papers, and natural elements to create mood boards, leading to a clearer vision for personal spaces.
The experience highlighted that colour should be more than just paint or swatches. The student reflected on her past projects on the BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design course, where colour choices were often based on what simply "matched or looked ‘right’." The Aesthetic Narrative workshop provided a tactile, conversational, and reflective environment that encouraged self-reflection and connection with like-minded individuals.
The workshop also reinforced a natural aversion to design trends and "colour of the year" pronouncements, favouring instead the "layering of the personal touch." This approach differentiates a space from a showroom by incorporating real-life personal mementos with a narrative, a stance the student now feels more confident in articulating.
Collaboration, a key element of the IAD course, was experienced uniquely during the workshop. As the youngest participant, the student benefited from conversations with working professionals, finding their passion infectious. This experience, particularly in her final year, has solidified her career aspirations.
The day concluded with grounding food, valuable knowledge, meaningful connections, and a clearer set of ideas. The immersive, tactile nature of the event provided a strong sense of human connection and education, a welcome contrast to the digital age.
Having previously not experienced such networking or workshop events within her course, the student found that starting her final year with a clearer intention made it easier to seek out and learn from expert sources. Her understanding and appreciation of colour have grown, encouraging her to explore more tactile experiences the professional world offers.
