SPEAKER_00: 0:10

If you are interested about colour, this is the episode for you. Listen up. I've got Sam here from The Wild Bird. If you've missed the episodes we've done before, scroll through and search for Sam from Wild Bird. She is our in-house interior designer, guest speaker. Hello, Sam.

SPEAKER_01: 0:27

Hello, sorry, I just finished my cup of tea.

SPEAKER_00: 0:29

I love it. I should probably renamed the program into spill the tea.

SPEAKER_01: 0:32

Yeah, spill the tea. That's a good one, actually.

SPEAKER_00: 0:34

Awesome. So you and I will love colour. Yes. Yes, we do love colour. And you always turn up looking amazing at school. Oh thanks. Looking like a million-dollar butt lady.

SPEAKER_01: 0:44

But it's not a million-dollar outfit, if you know what I mean. It's how you pull it together.

SPEAKER_00: 0:49

Yeah, and this is why we decided to do this episode, right? For those listeners that are struggling, that are on a budget, that are thinking about how to make themselves look good, feel good. This is this is for them. They should really listen up. Definitely.

SPEAKER_01: 1:02

And also look good and feel good in your home too, with how to pull the colours in your home together too. Yeah, not only for your outfit, but also that's something I specialise in. Obviously, being an interior designer, I use a lot of colour. But then I've also started a new Instagram page where I'm like encouraging women to feel more confident with colour in their outfits too, and their home. So yeah, a bit of a they sort of cross over with each other, really.

SPEAKER_00: 1:28

I loved it because you know you can't just really look amazing and then come back to a home that you're not fully happy in. You want to have a happy house and a happy you.

SPEAKER_01: 1:39

Yes, definitely. It's sort of encouraging women to almost reach their full potential when it comes to feeling good in the right colours, but also encouraging women and men, anyone that's got a home as well, to, you know, think about what colours make them feel good in their home and how to elevate their environment, you know, as much as they can within their budget as well. So yeah. I loved it. All right, well, hit me with it. Okay, so I suppose this all came about. As I said, I'm an interior designer, so I love colour. I love using like all those earthy tones, that kind of thing. And then recently, end of last year, I actually got my personal colours done, like for my myself, which seems like I feel like it's a little vain, but it just really I wanted to strategize a lot more with my wardrobe. I didn't want to, you know, keep buying things that just looked okay, but then they didn't feel right. So I went and got my personal colours done by a lady in Wellington and she gave me a colour swatch. And so whenever I go out shopping now, I have this colour swatch, and I know if I'm shopping online or in the shops, I have direction, I guess. Because same with your home, if you haven't had your colours done for your home with either an interior designer or doing it yourself, just narrowing down the colours that suit your home or your wardrobe, I feel like we're kind of you know, it's almost like a needle in a haysadack. Like, how do you work it out yourself? Sort of thing. And it's saving me money, it's saving me time, stress, energy. Like we both run businesses, we both have young kids, same ages. I don't have time to be thinking too much about what to buy and what to wear. So it's quite a strategic approach to yeah, feeling a lot better about myself and my wardrobe looks so much better for it.

SPEAKER_00: 3:18

I love it. So that was tip number one, really. Yeah, it was really. Yeah, yeah, definitely. So try to seek out someone that knows what they're doing and help you out with your colours, whether it's for you or for your home. Because to be honest, sometimes you come across certain listings of houses that are being sold. Yeah. And some of them can even be new builds. And you're like, what were you guys thinking? What did you do there?

SPEAKER_01: 3:41

Yes, yes. And actually, that's a really good point you've just made because I also encourage clients, for example, with interior design, if they love a colour and they want to have that as a feature wall in their home or you know, drench a room in that colour, let's say it's baby pink, like if you're gonna stay in that house for 10, 20 years, do it. But if you're gonna do up that room if and you're gonna sell it in six months' time, keep it quite neutral, make sure it's a lot more tasteful for buyers, sort of thing. So when I say, you know, encouraging people to to decorate their home in the right colours or their outfits, whatever it might be, it's there's a strategy behind it too, is what I'm trying to say.

SPEAKER_00: 4:21

There's also a purpose, right? Yeah, like you can't dress up in a night gown outfit to go to a school pickup.

SPEAKER_01: 4:28

100%. I probably would. No, I'm kidding. I'm like, sometimes I do that. I've seen you in Glitter.

SPEAKER_00: 4:34

But sometimes, like, you've got to you've got to understand your purpose. You've got to understand why you're doing and what you're doing. Yes. And as you say, I love that word that you use, direction. It's nice to have a direction and understand, you know, what's the purpose behind it. If you're gonna stay in the house forever, awesome, you know, go wild. Yeah, go and decorate that bathroom and crazy Monstera type wallpaper.

SPEAKER_01: 5:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 5:00

But if you are going to sell that house, that may not appeal to other people. And when people see those things, I mean, I deal with a lot of buyers, right? So when they see that, they go, that's gonna cost me money. And people don't want to really spend much money if they're stretched already to the limits, if they already only have 10% deposit, if you know, mum and dad are helping them to buy that house. They don't want to go back and spend more money redoing the house or living in a house and hating a certain room.

SPEAKER_01: 5:30

Yes, and that's I think we both come across that quite often. Yeah. I have a lot of clients that say to me, Oh, we brought the house six months ago, but we hate this and hate that, and wish we didn't people didn't do that. I'm like, well, those people did that for a reason for them, most likely, and they loved it. I'm g I'm assuming in some cases.

SPEAKER_00: 5:47

Unless it was a revenge.

SPEAKER_01: 5:49

Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. But yeah, it's about it's about working out what colours suit you. So I highly encourage people to get especially their colours done for themselves, especially women. I'm trying to educate women over the age of 35 to because I feel now that I'm in my late 30s, I feel like I lost myself the last couple of years in terms of colour. And so I've really made an effort to find the right colours that suit me and lift me up because I'm not a person that likes to wear black all the time. Black is the easier colour they say to wear because you can just throw it on and you know, you sort of blend in as such. I I don't mind standing out either.

SPEAKER_00: 6:22

But also, you know, we as you said, we had children, right? There are a lot of mums out there that have young kids, and it's so much easier to wear black because if the kids are dirty, muddy, you know, sticky fingers, whatever, black can handle that. And sometimes you just think, oh well, I'll just throw that. But then what happens is people end up in the habit. So even if the kids already have grown up and gone to school, you're still wearing the same sweatshirts and the same sweatpants. So it's how do you get yourself out of that? And a lot of those women as well, they start to prepare for returning back to their work careers. So again, they're feeling lost because what was fashionable 10 years ago is may not be fashionable now.

SPEAKER_01: 7:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 7:04

So how do you find yourself in a current fashion environment? Yes, and that's true to you, that's authentic to you, that you're not trying to be someone else and not trying to dress up like someone else. Yes, but something that will resonate with you, with your body, with your values. Yeah, I think that's very important mission, Sam.

SPEAKER_01: 7:22

I I agree. And um, yeah, that's the sort of mission I'm trying to get across is like just try and embrace the colours that look good on you or feel good in your home. But really good point that you just made about what was the point that you just made, sorry. The I've had a mind blank. I think that's terrimenopausal, let's be honest. Maybe we touch on that too. Authentic, you know, be authentic to you then. That's it about trends and things like that. Yeah. Because that's one thing I have said to, because a lot of people have messaged me asking where I got my colours done and you know, a lot of questions around it. And I have said to people, because they've sort of said, Oh, I hate following trends and trends come and go. And I said, I don't follow any trends. Like, okay, I've got trackset pants on now that are a bit trendy at the moment, but they're bloody comfy too. Yeah. Especially when I'm going to site visits or when I'm doing school sports, as you know, I want to be trendy but comfy. So I the message I'm trying to get across is you don't have to follow trends. You don't have to be the beige mum if you don't want to be. Like, wear what you want to wear. Like, I'm still rockin' blazers. Don't know if they're that trendy as such, you know, but I don't care. I'm also like just wear what feels good on you.

SPEAKER_00: 8:25

You know what I love when I see other women wear colour is we all have down days, right? And like I'll turn up to school and I'm feeling down because whatever the crisis is happening out there that I'm dealing with right now. So in my head, I'm like, oh, you know, it's been such a hard day. And then I see you, for instance. I'm just I'm just gonna use you as an example. And then I see you, and you just oh, you look amazing, you know. You just shining. And I'm like, yes.

SPEAKER_01: 8:50

I'm just rocking the colour, I don't care what people think. Yeah, and that lifts my spirit. Oh, good. See, I feel the same when I see people, yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 8:56

So it's not just lifting your spirit, it's actually lifting my spirit as well. Yes. So I think people underestimate what they do for themselves and how their energy affects others. Yes. So when you dressed up awesome, it's not just for you, it's for those around you. Yeah. And but also remember, we've touched on our children and how it affects our kids. Because if kids see us making an effort, see us dressing up, then naturally they will also grow up wanting to look good and present themselves.

SPEAKER_01: 9:26

Yes, like you said about your daughter before this podcast started. You said about how you your daughter asked you, um, have you got a meeting today, Mum? And she picked out your outfit. And if you don't have a meeting, Mum, wear this, and here's some jewelry. Like, I just think that's amazing that she's interested in dressing up.

SPEAKER_00: 9:40

Yes, I totally think she's got my mother's jean. I think that skipped me in a way. They both love shopping, they both love fashion. And I was very, very fortunate that my mum was always into colours and into, you know, wanting to not stand out, but wear something comfortable, but something a little bit different, a little bit that will make people go, oh wow, this is kind of cool, you know. And my mom has always had this beautiful eye for detail and sizing. Oh my god, she's amazing with sizing. I give up on shopping, but she knows, like, okay, your kid needs this size, your other child needs this size, and she's done all the shopping for me over the years. Great tool to have on the box. Honestly, she can guess people's sizes really, really well. Awesome. And I think my daughter maybe got that from my mum because as I say, she's only five, and she walks into my wardrobe and she goes, Right, mum, what do you have today? And then she picks out all those different outfits for me. For Valentine's Day, she made me wear this red dress. Oh, she's like, It's Valentine's, you've got to wear a red dress, Mum. I'm like, okay.

SPEAKER_01: 10:40

What did what did mum want to wear though?

SPEAKER_00: 10:42

Well, I was just gonna wear what I'm wearing right now, you know. But um, and you know, it's really interesting with pink. I never had pink in my wardrobe until I had my daughter. It was always very blue, black, very blue, white, maybe here and there, but because I have boys, it was very boy mom vibe. And then I had my daughter, and all this parcels were arriving with pink in it, and I was like, Oh, what's all this pink color? I'm not used to this. And then over the years, I you know, the pink grew on me. It lights you up, yeah. Yeah, and I didn't go baby pink, I went what's the colour for this pink? It's like a not crazy pink, yeah. I can't even think of it.

SPEAKER_01: 11:18

I think it was what's the name for it? A fuchsia? Yeah, I was gonna say fluorescent, but I was like, it's not fluorescent, but yeah, fuchsia, yeah. Fuchsia? Yeah, yeah, lovely.

SPEAKER_00: 11:25

I love that, and apparently it's my wow colour, you know? Yeah, exactly. So it's it's kind of cool to see this in our children and how it affects our kids and then their personalities going forward. And it's not about being, you know, out the gate, it's about being tasteful.

SPEAKER_01: 11:42

Yes, 100%.

SPEAKER_00: 11:43

And about, you know, embracing the colour.

SPEAKER_01: 11:46

Exactly. And it's the same as I have a lot of clients that say to me, we just want to do a white kitchen, which is perfectly fine. They're beautiful and timeless, don't get me wrong. Black and white. Yeah, but it's timeless, right? Like it's it it's gonna stand the test of time, which is what we're trying to achieve when it comes to designing homes. Recently I did a pink kitchen, which is trust me, it's not everyone's cup of tea, but people that have seen the pick pink kitchen that we have just completed, they go, Oh, it's such a calming pink, like it's a lovely, it's not that colour pink. It's a lovely baby. I would never do a kitchen in that colour, but because that's quite out there. Whereas this is a lovely calming pink, and this client came to us wanting to just replace her cabinet fronts and just replace them as white. But the more we we were diving a bit deeper with the reasons why she wanted to replace her cabinet fronts, it's because the kitchen didn't function and the bench top had to kind of be extended, so therefore that's another cost, and it just kind of snowballed. And as I dove a bit deeper, it's like she loves pink. I'm gonna propose a pink kitchen to her, and she just loved it straight away. So it's finding, yeah, not only colours for yourself, but also for your home as well, knowing that she loves pink. It's like put it in your as your kitchen then. It's a beautiful, soft pink, as I said, but she's also gonna live there for a while. She's not gonna sell it next year, so do what you want, and it's it suits the home being a villa as well. So yeah, clients that come to us for like a white kitchen, it's like encouraging encouraging them to kind of step outside their comfort zone a little bit as well, and that's where we come in to push them a little bit within reason. Not gonna force them to do a navy blue kitchen if it's not their cup of tea, but yeah, it's just diving a bit deeper too. Like, why do you wear black? Is it because you don't want to be seen, or is it just because it's easy, you know, and same with in your home. Are you just wanting a kitchen, a white kitchen because it's easy? Or, you know, it's yeah, it is easier just to do a white kitchen. I'm not gonna lie. The minute you start bringing in colour, you've got to be very strategic on about all the selections you have. So yeah, it's just diving a little bit deeper into the psychology. I love that colour. Yeah, not that I know much about the psychology of colour, but I do know how much it affects people's moods and the way they turn up. It gives you a lot more confidence when you wear the right colours or have the right colours in your home. So I love that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 14:02

Awesome, Sam. Thank you so much. Any other tips for this episode before we dive into the next episode?

SPEAKER_01: 14:07

Oh, another episode. Oh, you're gonna have me on my toes today. No, I uh probably just yeah, I think I just want people to think more about colour, how it affects them. Next tomorrow morning when, you know, all of you that are listening, when you wake up, if you go for the black normally, let's say you work in an office, if you normally wear a black blazer with black pants, just maybe put a blue blazer on instead and just see how you feel, or your favourite colour blazer and just see how you feel. Just swap something out or put on a little bit more makeup that day, whatever it might be. Yeah, that's what I'm trying to encourage people to do. Yeah. I loved it. Bit of a colour movement.

SPEAKER_00: 14:41

I'm trying to colour movement. Project. All right. I loved it. Thank you so much, Sam. Thank you so much for having me.