# 186 | Struggling With Paint Colors? Understanding Undertones With Maria Killam

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/design-curious-interior-design-career-and-business-podcast-5636334/186-struggling-with-paint-colors-understanding-undertones-with-maria-killam
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/design-curious-interior-design-career-and-business-podcast-5636334/186-struggling-with-paint-colors-understanding-undertones-with-maria-killam.md
Podcast: [Design Curious | Interior Design Career and Business Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/design-curious-interior-design-career-and-business-podcast-5636334)
Published: 2026-04-13T12:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/designcurious/episodes/186--Struggling-With-Paint-Colors--Understanding-Undertones-With-Maria-Killam-e3gcmoi
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/ab7989ec/podcast/play/116857042/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-2-13%2F9fbc20e1-3714-95aa-b13b-a61930091898.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1679

## Resource

Have you ever stood in front of dozens of paint swatches wondering why two “neutral” colors look completely different on the wall? Understanding undertones is one of the most challenging aspects of interior design—even for experienced designers. Many homes today are filled with gray furniture, gray walls, and gray finishes, yet they still feel flat, cold, or unfinished. The missing piece? A deeper understanding of color theory, undertones, and how to layer color intentionally. In this episode, I sit down with internationally recognized color expert Maria Killam to talk about how interior designers and homeowners can finally make sense of undertones and neutral colors. Maria has spent decades helping people avoid costly renovation mistakes by learning how color actually works in real homes—not just in theory. Her system for understanding undertones helps designers create timeless spaces filled with personality, warmth, and cohesion. If you’re an interior designer who struggles with choosing the right neutral paint colors, selecting finishes that flow from room to room, or bringing life back into a gray room, this conversation will help you see color in a completely new way. Featured Guest Maria Killam is an internationally recognized color expert, design educator, and author known for her groundbreaking system for understanding undertones. Through her blog Color Me Happy , her True Colour Expert Training program, and her design consultations, Maria has taught thousands of designers and homeowners how to choose paint colors, finishes, and materials with confidence. Her mission is to help people avoid costly renovation mistakes and create timeless, joyful homes filled with personality and color. What You’ll Learn in This Episode ✳️ How undertones determine the success of…

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