Schools
Art Room Colour Palette for Schools
Choose colour against the surfaces that will stay. Test it on a large sample at the room's brightest and darkest points.
Explore the ideas
Compare the options
- Set the brief
- Collect samples of permanent finishes, upholstery and hardware before picking a paint or laminate.
- Compare
- Assign a background colour, one wayfinding or feature colour, and contrast where people need to distinguish edges.
- Before buying
- Check painted or laminated samples vertically beside the same light source the finished room will use.
Worked example
Imagine a learning nook with colorful wall paint and shelves where labels blend into the background, making supplies harder to sort independently.
Test a calmer background behind the shelves and use clear contrast on label areas and drawer fronts. Ask the learner to find and return common supplies under the room's usual light before finalizing colors.
How to test it
Compare the samples in daylight and artificial light, and check that handles and door edges remain easy to distinguish.
Apply it to this space
- Layout
- Place sinks and messy work together, with drying and display surfaces away from splash zones.
- Detail
- Use washable finishes, task lighting with good color clarity, and accessible drying racks.
- Trade-off
- More sink and cleanup capacity uses space for making and display.
- Trace a project from setup through cleanup
- Check drying work does not obstruct exits or sightlines
The Elixir portfolio
Details worth a closer look
