How to Use Colour to Zhuzh your Midlife with Guest Hazel Turner

What colours epitomise your Midlife? How do they make you feel? I don't just mean the tones and hues you wear, I mean those you immerse yourself in... in your home... your business.

If you feel like you're living in black and white, while yearning for technicolour, then this episode is for you as I'm joined by designer and brand strategist and founder and creative director at Well Designed UK Hazel Turner.

We delve into the psychology of colour and emotional coding, and Hazel shares insights and inspiration for evolving our Midlife colour palette so that it resonates with this new chapter of our lives.

Connect with Hazel

https://www.welldesigned.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/well.designed.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hazel-turner-9655a735
 
Book an Emotion Insight Check

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/well-designed-emotioninsight
 

Transcript

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SPEAKER_02 0:00

Welcome to Midlife Unlimited, the podcast for women who want more. I'm your host, Kate Porter, the Midlife Metamorphosis Coach, and I know what it's like to feel stuck navigating the midlife maze. I've looked in the mirror and thought, who is that woman? So Midlife Unlimited is here to let you know you are not alone. You don't have to put on a brave face and put up with it. You don't have to play it safe. Midlife Unlimited is all about ripping off the mask and telling it like it really is. Nothing is off limits because together there's no limit to what we can achieve. So welcome to today's episode. What colours epitomize your midlife? And how do they make you feel? I don't just mean the tones and hues you wear, I mean the colours you immerse yourself in, in your home, in your business. If you feel like you're living in black and white while yearning for technicolor, then this episode is for you. Because I'm calling in the expert, and I'm delighted to be joined by my guest today, Hazel Turner, designer and brand strategist and founder and creative director at Welldesigned UK to talk about how to use colour to zhuzh your midlife. So welcome, Hazel. It's fabulous to have you here.

SPEAKER_00 1:30

Thank you so much, Kay. I love your energy, it's infectious.

SPEAKER_02 1:35

Well, this is going to be rather exciting because I love a bit of science, I love a bit of colour, I love a bit of dopamine, and you you kind of are a wonderful amalgamation of them all. So obviously, we're not I hope we're not going to be blinding us with science, but psychology of colour is something you are passionate about, isn't it? Because it really does impact how we feel, doesn't it? The colours that we surround ourselves with.

SPEAKER_00 2:02

Yeah, yeah, completely. Colour is so powerful. And you know, I think most people know that visuals, you know, the the way that we respond as humans, visuals are so much more powerful than words. So apologies to any copywriters out there. You do an amazing job, but you know, visually, that's what we take in the quick the fastest. So yeah, the brain actually recognises colour in I think it's 13 milliseconds. I'm not great at remembering numbers, that's definitely not my strength, but I think I'm right. But you know, it is literally like lightning fast. So it has real impact. And in terms of the way we feel, that really impacts us with the decisions that we make as well. So it's really, really important. Whether you're a business owner yourself and you're thinking about how your ideal clients react to you and you know the content you put out there, or you're just somebody who yeah, wants to feel a certain way, that your you know, colour can really help with that.

SPEAKER_02 3:01

Oh, absolutely. And I love that you're gonna be sharing your top tips that apply, as you say, to business, to personal, the colours we wear, the colours we surround ourselves with, interior design, all we're gonna be delving into so many different things. But before we go into, I mean, beige, I've got nothing against it. I've got nothing against beige. In fact, you'd be amazed, I'm actually incorporating more beige again into my personal style and my home to a certain extent, because there's a place for it. But by adding in other colours as well, each of which has got, well, obviously, a different meaning and in in a sense of you know, green being calming or whatever, and obviously green is my brand colour, but that was born from the fact that I blink and love the colour green. It was a natural progression. And I think in terms of let's use branding, for example, just as a springboard, it is good, I feel, to find colours that you have a natural affinity with that actually feel right for you rather than just randomly grabbing colours off the colour wheel. Because it just feels right, doesn't it? I mean, I know the word authentic's overused sadly. But you know, and and in terms of having our colours done, it all comes down to how they make us feel, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_00 4:25

Yeah, yeah, completely. That's why I use psychology so much in the work that I do, and also that's really, really important because the majority of the decisions we make are based on emotions. I talk about this quite a lot. You know, we might think that there's logic behind a decision we've made, but the initial factor over 90% of the time is actually to do with emotion. So you can use colours really effectively to create a specific desired emotion. Um, yeah, again, whether it's in your business or whether it's to do with your personal life or your interiors. So, yeah, there is such power there that um, yeah, I'm assuming a lot of people might not know about or might not have fully embraced it and tapped into that potential.

SPEAKER_02 5:07

Well, that's what that's what I'd love to do. If we could backtrack a bit, because how did you get involved with this? How did you think, yes, this is the route? Because it's it's it's it's not overly specific, but it's just the passion that you bring to decisions that we make in terms of what colour to bring into our lives. I love it. I absolutely love the energy behind it. You said you like mine, I love yours. So, how did the psychology of colour become so important to you in your life?

SPEAKER_00 5:38

Um, I think I've really I was really lucky with my parents. So, my mum's um got a creative background. We have we have a joke in our family because me and my mum and my brother are all very creative. My dad doesn't want to be left out of the gang. So there's this pivotal moment, probably within the last 10 or 15 years, where I'm sure it was at Christmas as well. Maybe we're playing picturey or something. Um, my dad was making out that he's super creative too. Um we all remember the drawing of the squirrel. He decided to prove his creative talents to us by drawing a squirrel. I don't know why he chose a squirrel, but anyway, so that is kind of like you know, goes goes down one of the legendary stories. So dad is creative, he can draw a squirrel. Yes, but yeah, I was lucky that both my parents encouraged me and they encouraged me to go with the subjects I enjoyed. So I was never forced to study maths or science, which was just not my jam at school, you know, it didn't light me up. But I've always been, yeah, I'd always loved being creative, always doodling. That was just my thing. And and also I didn't even, you know, realize that it's funny how you look back on these moments in childhood and you're like, oh yeah, I was a bit weird doing that. And then it's like, no, actually, maybe that weirdness and what made me different to other people is actually like a superpower. You know, there might be people listening who are like, oh yeah, I remember I used to do that, and actually that perfectly applies to what I do now for my work, you know, the talents or or powers that you have. So one thing that I used to do was style the food on my plate, just like, oh, that'd look better there, and those textures look nice and those colours, you know. And I had no idea that there was such a job as being a food stylist. Of course. I think I was always a very, very inquisitive kid, very observant, um, loved being creative, and then I'm highly um empathetic as well. So I've always been really finely tuned into people's emotions, whether it's individual emotions, or you know, they talk about like reading a room, like you can sense different emotions in different rooms as well. And then so yeah, I just followed what I enjoyed doing, chose creative subjects and languages, um, went to art school to study visual communication, and it really just brought everything together. Ah, yeah. I did study psychology, I did a GCSE in psychology when you know how they tinker around with the curriculum every few years, they're like, let's have a little bit of a play. Um, they did that when I was doing my A levels. So instead of doing general studies, we chose another um GCSE. So I actually had the opportunity to study uh psychology.

SPEAKER_02 8:15

You got an ology. I haven't got an ology. I've always I've always I've always had ology envy. If I don't know if you'll remember, there was a one there was a wonderful Maureen Litwin TV advert when I was young about O-level results and how her grandson had got an ology. And no, I I have not got an ology. That's the only one I've got.

SPEAKER_00 8:34

I don't think I'll ever have another one.

SPEAKER_02 8:40

I mean it is, isn't it? And you and I are both, I mean, obviously I'm a journalist by trade, obviously now a coach, but you mentioned words, and yeah, I love the power of words, but as you said, the in all well almost instant perceptible changes that a colour, I whether it's seeing it or wearing it, can have on our emotions. It's immense, isn't it? It really can change how we feel in in lots of ways as well. I would have thought perhaps red, if you're feeling, I mean, is it is it am I just going too traditional? Does red fire up passion and maybe anger even? Because these are traditional emotions that we have been brought up in in our culture to link to the colour red, but obviously from different cultures, different colours, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 9:31

Yeah, yeah, you're right. Yeah, so red is um yeah, traditionally seen as quite a powerful colour, it's very stimulating as well. Um, so it depends, yeah, how you sort of you know react to that if you're in small doses.

SPEAKER_02 9:45

Yeah, I would the red lipstick might give that away.

SPEAKER_00 9:49

Yeah, yeah, I do see it as a very positive, uplifting colour, but then you know, there's we talk about the spectrum, and then you know, there's so many shades of red as well. So, you know, a very like a sort of burgundy or a more of a bluer brown, a darker red is obviously going to feel very different to uh sort of brighter, more joyful, fun tomato red, you know. So even within the colour itself, there's still different meanings within it. But yeah, I did um some work for a client a few years ago, and they do a lot of work out in China. So we actually kept away from red because in China, I think I'm right in saying that red has connotations of money and wealth. Um, around the world, things can land slightly differently depending on the connotations there. But yeah, it's interesting that you know, you straight away like I associate red with this. I think quite a lot of people will, but actually that is different depending on where you are in the world.

SPEAKER_02 10:50

No, but these are very important things to bear in mind. I say obviously Midlife Unlimited is not a business podcast, but in terms of brand colours, or if we're going out, and most of us do in some way to a networking event or talking on stages. I know a lot of us are thinking, yeah, we'd like to, we'd like to be more vocal, we'd like to be more visible, more seen. And I talk a lot about visibility. Um, the colours we wear will, or the colours of our our branding, whatever, will communicate something about us, won't they? And I mean, I don't know if subliminal is the right word, but it will give those viewing us a feeling of what we're all about to a certain extent.

SPEAKER_00 11:34

Yeah, yeah, true. I guess it's all part of our sort of personal style, isn't it? And with regards to how the how we come across and whether you, you know, you're interested or not, people will judge you. And I don't mean judge in a judgy way, you know what I mean, but literally people will probably have an opinion of you, whether they're aware of it or not, based on how you show up. And yeah, the colours that you wear is of course a very important part of that.

SPEAKER_02 11:59

I suppose to a certain extent as well, I mean, I mentioned the word subliminal then, but in terms of if it's a chemical reaction almost in our brain to a colour, I don't know if that's how it works with the psychology of colour, but it's almost something that's beyond our, you know, it's a biological thing as opposed to a judgmental, like you said, it's not them thinking, oh, I don't like the look of her. It happens before they even have registered the thought of I don't like the look of her or the old who does she think she is. It literally is so powerful, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 12:31

Yeah, yeah, that's right. And yeah, I'm not an expert in neuroscience at all. But after hearing Ruby Wright speak at Ideas Fest in September, I've I've downloaded one of her audio books. So yeah, I think that's my next thing to get obsessed about. Um, so I'm not exactly sure, you know, I know a certain amount about how the brain works, but yeah, I'm not sure there. But we definitely like we can all accept that, you know, I think a lot of us would recognize that yeah, we do respond a certain way to certain colours. Um, but yeah, we might not be consciously aware of it, you know, in the moment.

SPEAKER_02 13:03

No, absolutely. And and and I love when we were chatting, because I always say, you know, we always have a little pre-chat before we actually record our episode. And we were both talking about having our colours done because obviously this episode isn't limited to having your colours done, although that can be a really good springboard. And I'm not advocating a specific, there are so many companies that do it now. Loads of stylists work with colours in different ways to come up with your personal palette, whether that be to wear or to use in your home. I'm guessing in some ways, like Feng Shui might embrace colour to a certain extent, or how you know how colours make you feel when you're looking at them as opposed to wearing them. But one thing with me, I think I say, I didn't like them. Now that's a bit of a bummer, isn't it? When you when you're told the colours that are really great for your paler skin and you know, naturally grey hair, and I've got kind of green eyes. No, made me feel damn and I didn't even get as far as trying them on. But dowdy dowdy is a word that came to mind. What colours? Do you mind me asking what colours they recommended? Oh, well, it was navy, uh dove grey, a kind of a yeah, a kind of a it wasn't even a teal blue, it was like a sky blue, and it was just no very cold colours, yeah, and just not me. I mean, I love oranges, I love greens. I'm actually getting back in, I I dicked the black completely because I thought, no, I so many years hiding away in black, black, baggy clothes. No, I'm gonna go colour, colour, colour. And then I thought, well, actually, I look a bit too jolly now. I've almost gone down, I've been I've almost become a caricature, I've almost become a caricature of myself. And everyone seemed to be dressing head to toe in bright colour, and I'm like, no, I wanna, I wanna go a bit more sassy, a bit more sophisticated, but still with some bright colours as well. So I have started embracing beige, yeah, love it, camel, black, but with little zhuzzy bits. Um I love I couldn't help but use the word zhuz in the title of our episode. I had to Google how to spell it because I was like I've done that before. Yeah, you know, and it's like then you had to type it. I started with a J. I'm like, no, okay, no. Anyway, I'm going down my own, I knew I would, going down my own little rabbit hole. But I know you've had some nice realizations in terms of the colours that you could you started wearing that you perhaps thought not shying away from them, but you thought, are they right for your colouring? Because obviously a beautiful Titian hair. And they're greeny blue eyes, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:50

My yeah, the green, greeny, bluey, grey bit of everything.

SPEAKER_02 15:55

Which again, though, they change. I find mine do my I've got an orange splodge on one of mine, and if I wear kind of tans and oranges, it really stands out and makes my eyes look more hazel-as if I wear green, green, I've got some photos where without any touching up my eyes, are literally, I look like I'm possessed.

SPEAKER_00 16:17

Beware. I've had that when I was younger. I had a green duffel coat. When duffel coats were in, I had a green one, but it was quite a pale, like I wouldn't probably wear it now, kind of a sort of minty green. Um, but yeah, everybody were like, That's exactly the same colour as your eyes. And then I would wear like a denim shirt or something, a pale denim shirt. And then people would say, That's exactly the same colour of your eyes. So, yeah, there is a study in that, isn't there? Is it irid iridology or something, maybe?

SPEAKER_02 16:42

Oh, is that what it's called? That they literally must be must be something to do with refraction or reflection.

SPEAKER_00 16:48

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:50

Listen to me trying to try to sound what I know what I'm talking about. I do, I do.

SPEAKER_00 16:55

But this is where my mind boggles. Do you know what I mean? Like the way nature works, and it just makes me think, you know, if God exists, God must be a woman, right? Just those finer details, you know. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 17:06

But what what always is this completely off-subject now? Well, no, not really. But I've always been fascinated, and they probably have proved it now. That do we all see the same? This is gonna sound really bizarre. The colour blue, when I see blue and you see blue, is it the same colour? I'm guessing it is because of the colour spectrum. Is that is that a bit of a weird?

SPEAKER_00 17:32

I don't know. I mean, what what knowledge I do have on this subject is that I know that um men are more likely to be colour blind than women, but obviously not all men. Um, but yeah, my acupuncturist, he's actually colour blind. So when I worked on his branding for him, he was he was like, you choose. He was like, I'm not gonna have a clue, you choose. And he's um what do you call it? Is it a aphantismic where the where he can't visualize either? You know, some like some some can't. Um so yeah, people people definitely do see colours differently. Um, but yeah, I actually went over to my parents yesterday. My brother um made a comment about the colour of something, and I I was like, I was like, yeah, that's what I'd call it too. And he said, Oh, good to know I'm not colourblind then.

SPEAKER_02 18:21

Whereas well, no, me and my other half, we we have topical debates. I'll I'll use that phrase over whether something is say purple or blue. I mean, it's normally kind of quite a fine line between, but no, these are things that don't don't keep me up at night, but they do I do I do like to ponder. But in terms of not I won't say meaning trends, I'm I'm all for shaking up the rules, but I it is lovely to see that in terms of interior design we are being encouraged to actually experiment more, aren't we? The days of all the white ceilings and just white gloss paint, playing it safe. And if midlife, if we can't, as I say in the intro, we don't have to play it safe. And you're a bit of a fan of painting your ceilings, aren't you?

SPEAKER_00 19:13

Yeah, so where I'm living now, this is my seventh renovation. I've done quite a few. Yeah, so my mum, her background is she wanted to be an art teacher, but um never made it to art school because her dad worked on the line, end of the line at Vauxhall. He was basically quality control for all the cars. Her mum obviously thought she was like Marilyn Monroe or something and would spend all the money that he made on fur coats and things, you know. So my mum did not have a savings account. So I was lucky because she always made sure that me and my brother had that in place. So I was able to go to art school, but she ended up getting a job as a tracer for the um local authority in Luton in the architects department. So, like a human photocopier, she would physically create copies of the architectural drawings, and the chief architect saw that she had an interest and ability, and yeah, she was trained up, and then she did um day release, which makes it sound like she was in prison, but was I think it's a great idea, you know.

SPEAKER_02 20:13

I I I know I know the concept. Yeah, basically it means you could do studying as well as exactly.

SPEAKER_00 20:19

Yeah, there are probably some schemes where they do that still these days. I hope there are anyway, but I don't think there are that many. So, yeah, she did day release to do her surveying qualification. So that's given me the confidence and a lot of practical skill and knowledge to take on places. Um, and also, like when my had a big breakup just over four years ago, and I was looking to move, and where I live, um in Biggleswade in Bedfordshire, there are a lot of new built houses. I think because it's on the A1 and there are fast uh train links into London, so it's a place where they've really focused on you know building as much as they can, sort of towards Cambridge. Um, so I was looking around at properties and I was like, I don't want a box with I don't like those shiny white floor tiles, and I don't want that. And and my my mum is always like, don't touch new builds because she doesn't think the properties are built, you know, then they're not sort of very good quality builds these days, you know, thrown up really quickly. Um so yeah, and I also like this the sense of reinvention, I think that it brings. I think because I can visualize like my mum. Um, I mean, don't get me wrong, there have always been tears, you know, you get halfway through a project and think, oh my god, what have I done? Effectively slamping in your own home, you know. Yes, oh we've been there, we've been there.

SPEAKER_02 21:38

Yeah, I'm slightly envious because I've got the you did remind me of the name, I couldn't remember the RTEx ceiling, and I just don't know in like a 1960s property what the RTEX, how that will actually carry the colour. But I might even have to get my little skimmer out because I do love experimenting.

SPEAKER_00 21:56

I think you just want to use like a fat, chunky brush, really, or

SPEAKER_02 22:00

like a you know a fluffy fluffy roller you probably want to use an exterior roller to be honest that would do it wouldn't it because they're bigger and fluffier see we can turn into a DIY geek now oh well no but I love it I mean I love pre-loved I love pre-loved and I love experimenting whether that's with clothes whether that's with interiors and there there is this this is relevant bear with me because experimenting with colour because we talked about zhugging zhugging your midlife with a bit of colour adding some colour in it doesn't have to be a huge investment and you can experiment by going pre-loved for example oh there are so many stores now that do fantastic interior design ranges and clothing ranges at really really affordable prices you can afford to have a bit of fun and think right what do I fancy now and particularly with so many of us I mean I've been through it recently the whole empty nesting thing thinking let's have a bit of a redesign we're not necessarily moving house we're not necessarily downsizing or upscaling or moving to the seaside or overseas but there's nothing stopping us from thinking well I've always quite fancied a really fluffy throw in orange and I'm going to add a hot pink cushion to that and I'm gonna because you haven't got a moody teen sorry Finney darling you were never a moody teenager that's a but you know you haven't got the moody teenager going well what are you doing that for or perhaps you're branching out on your own you've you've come to the end of a relationship that's either ended well badly whatever this is your time to think what do I want to do now as you say the whole idea of a blank canvas and when it comes to choosing colours are you an advocate of getting all the little sample I mean I've never actually done that I must admit I've never gone down to wherever and picked up various shades I've just gone for it I've just gone I like the look of that and just slapped it on. Do you do that or are you like right I'm gonna get five different variations of the colour that I like and and live with them on the wall for a bit no I do more I cut I start with a Pinterest board.

SPEAKER_00 24:25

I love a bit of Pinterest. That you know I've I do fancy getting into that because I've not yeah it's great. So that's where I got the idea to paint my um hall ceiling. So yeah that's quite a bright green um so when I used to work in magazines there'd be sales so the women's magazines you get amazing beauty sales you could get some fantastic like serums and and things for like two pounds and stuff. And then the homes magazines would sell off gorgeous fabric uh maybe paint maybe wallpaper so from that I had access to some you know really gorgeous designs and colour combinations um and actually the cushions that I've still got in my living room I think so 2004 I bought a flat in London and a couple of the cushions are ones that I made back then and they still look great you know wash them every so often they look great. So I was lucky there in terms of having the inspiration and my mum blesser made me a couple of blinds one for my landing window and one for downstairs in my hall and I picked out a colour in that so the green has come from there. Oh yeah and it's quite a nice uplifting colour but through a Pinterest board I saw a picture and it was a like a hallway. It looked like a more of an apartment um you know whether that be in Europe or New York or something and the green ceiling and I just thought it actually feels really like cozy and inviting. And also where I was before with my ex, the house was bigger you know now I'm on my own it's still you know I've still got plenty of space um but it's smaller. And I wanted when people come into the house I wanted it to feel sort of quite intimate and then for you to go through to the kitchen diner which is quite bright and white with accents of colour and then to that all of a sudden feel like a bigger more expansive space. So it was kind of playing with the colour to create sort of different moods in the house.

SPEAKER_02 26:21

Oh I love that I love that we were saying about creating moods as well and another thing I love and you did allude to it just now with the blinds is the use of pattern as well because a pattern can say not so much in our brand design although there's always room for a bit of pattern isn't there or a bit of something a bit of check a stripe even but in terms of dressing ourselves draping ourselves in colour and and draping our home in colour the fabrics and again it doesn't have to be a huge financial investment because you can pick up remnants you can go around sales you can repurpose you know if you it just takes a little bit of imagination doesn't it yeah and I did pick up um a gorgeous I think it was actually a duvet cover in a charity shop in London years ago which was sort of blue stripes with like thin like red lines through it as well um and I bought that to make a garden cushion from you know so you don't yeah you can find things and repurpose you don't have to spend lots of money and there are like when I first lived in London I'm not sure if it's still there but there was this amazing big kind of fabric warehouse in um in there are some near me yeah there are some near me. Yeah no and some markets have some people selling fabric as well so yeah you don't have to spend lots of and again even if you're not a a whiz with a sewing machine there are so many contraptions nowadays and the iron up tape and all sorts so if you want to have have a go just getting creative getting creative well I think we'd like to delve a bit more then into your your top tips your advice for someone thinking right midlife I'm gonna zhuzh this up I'm sick of feeling nothing against beige it's like vanilla I love a bit of vanilla but it's got its place. I'm gonna inject a bit of colour into my life where I want to feel more I want to express myself more what what tips would you give for a wonderful woman who's listening now thinking right I don't know where to start there are no rules basically or are there are there some well there are you know common sort of associations with colour so whereas obviously if you think of like the golds yellows oranges they are all seen as being quite happy cheerful colours which is generally the case so you know if you want a bit of a mood lift fantastic um it sounds as though from what you said Kate you're thinking of more being energized and vibrant rather than feeling calm and chilled out. Well it might be they might be thinking I want to have a room for like a oh I can't think serenity I'm trying to you know kind of tranquil perhaps turn their bedroom into a sanctuary to actually escape now now they've actually got a bit of peace and you know I'm all about me time we talk a lot about self-care don't we it's not all bubble baths it is just taking some time so perhaps using textures and colours to create a little sanctuary where it's just us and our book or our podcasts somewhere to go and listen to Midlife Unlimited.

SPEAKER_00 29:25

Yeah that should always be a priority absolutely but we're we're creating a little a little some a sumptuous sanctuary yeah yeah so yeah so yeah you mentioned vanilla and beige but yeah you know the neutral neutral colours are quite restful and then if you wanted it you could always add in like a nice sort of toffee or like a rusty red colour if you want to add a bit of extra warmth which would be a bit of vibrancy and a bit more energy but still quite sort of soothing and gentle you know rather than going for bright primary colours I've actually got bright colours in my office here which was kind of inspired by some curtains I know this is audio but I'll just give you a sneak peek case please plants off my desk.

SPEAKER_02 30:13

But yeah this was some You hear any loud crashes oh it's almost like a Union Jack design or is it a Union Jack design?

SPEAKER_00 30:21

Well yeah there is there are other sort of crosses in there but yeah I just loved the mixture of the colours I do and I really loved this um sort of corally red colour.

SPEAKER_02 30:32

Yes you got that on that wall just there I got I had it colour match matches your lipstick as well similar I love I do love the idea of colour matching as well yeah because I wanted something that was I wanted sort of bright inspiration in here so that's what I've got in terms of the prints on the wall and I've got bits and bobscards that people have given me vision boards calendars that kind of thing but yeah they're not at all my brand colours but it was what I I wanted to feel inspired while I was working you know and what I do is very creative so that was important as well and then yeah other rooms do have a you know a different feeling my bedroom's much calmer but also you were talking just now you know about the the neutrals which I say I love because they can as you say instill a sense of calm but what I love as well is mixing and matching and I know fabrics aren't necessarily part of colour psychology but in terms of the tactile and the way it feels that to me is I mean I love velvet and the faux fur and chanels like really rich luxury again they don't have to be big spends but they can really change your mood can't they they can although not not necessarily the colour of them and I've gone slightly off track but it's all part of creating a mood isn't it and using interiors and colour to do that.

SPEAKER_00 31:58

Yeah it's that sensory experience I guess isn't it but yeah I'm very much the same as you I'm very tactile I have to be careful I was um at an event on Friday and I saw somebody wearing cordroy I was like oh oh do I do I have consent because I'll just anybody like you know velvet trousers or something I have to make sure I check that it's over when when we meet you're gonna be all over me like a rash because I love I love velvet I love core I've got a fabulous I think you'd like it it's the colour brand that you're wearing now sorry I know listeners you can't see but and it's a jumpsuit 70s 70s esque caudroy jumpsuit need I say more that sounds delicious but but before before we leave your tips it it would be rude listeners I think you'll agree with me not to delve a bit more into your expertise when it does come to our branding because it can seem like a massive task and I know I I had a little joke when we had the lovely Alban on a couple of episodes ago because obviously you're and I'm looking for we're going to be going live to actually talk more and show more of her rebrand but obviously we could talk for hours about it and not necessarily purely our ban because that was you know a private you know thing between the two of you but when it comes to not getting overwhelmed obviously work with someone like yourself who knows what they're talking about. But are there any advice or tips that you could say to someone who's thinking I don't know where to start I've no idea yeah so everything we've been talking about is to do with how we feel ourselves you know generally in terms of what we wear in terms of our interiors you know dopamine dressing how yeah feeling whether we want to feel calm or energized or inspired but when it comes to branding I always say to people whether you're a personal brand or your you know service or product based business but it's a lot larger company I think the the way I approach things I talk about psychology led design so it's thinking about how do you want people to react so you know some people will be will be like well I went with blue because I love the colour blue it's like yeah but you're not selling to yourself.

SPEAKER_02 34:17

It's the wrong way yeah you're coming at it from the wrong angle.

SPEAKER_00 34:20

Yeah yeah so I think that's my background in terms of having studied visual communication and having worked in a variety of places whether it's been um you know for a magazine so then we're thinking about the readers and obviously the readers of a specific you know a homes magazine that's specifically for women's sort of 40s to 60s is going to be very different to say like I've worked at Glamour magazine you know that's obviously very so you're always thinking about who the end user is um and so that's how I approached all of the design work I do right we're trying to communicate something here I never studied fine art and I wasn't lucky enough to be discovered by Charles Saarchi you know so I can't just pay tents or whatever make things out of blood and get paid that just that that's not how my life has turned out there's still time there's still time you never know but yeah the work I do is much more commercial you know we're we're all if if it is to do with your business it's all about attracting clients in because you don't sell to yourself. So I think you need to get really clear based on where your business is at now and also the future direction like right who are the kind of people that you want to attract in who are the kind of people who really need help like what can you offer um you know a specific sector of people where they will get the most benefit from and then how do we want to make those people feel as I said the majority of the decisions we make are based on emotion rather than logic so yeah obviously it all comes together you know with your messaging and everything else that needs to be on point but in terms of a starting point that's where you can really use colour for your own benefit if you're communicating the right sort of mood feelings emotions to attract those relevant people who are going to be interested and really benefit from what you do.

SPEAKER_02 36:05

So how did you decide on your own brand colours then did you have a palette that you thought oh no this is this is my this is an absolute no-brainer this is what I'm going for or were you like I don't know do do I do I mix in a bit did you shake things up a bit um I don't think that my the colour palette I've used it isn't it isn't daring to be perfectly honest with you but you know that's intentional um when thinking about when you when you do something visual you're also thinking about when you showcase examples of your work you don't want it you know showcasing other people's branding you don't want that to clash with what no that's a really good point yeah so I think quite a few designers actually it might sound counterintuitive but sometimes they actually shy away from colour and go quite monochrome so then the work they're creating for other people actually stands out.

SPEAKER_00 36:59

I didn't go down that route um I've always been told that I'm quite sort of nurturing so I think my colour palette does have a nurturing feel to it. There's also a bit of authority there with the darker greens I've got a dark brown and um a dark green as well um and I created my colour palette before I actually have my colour analysis done by a stylist. And it falls naturally within some and some yeah I did sort of more instinct to be honest chose colours that were generally quite warm but I think I come across as quite a warm person anyway so it does sort of sue you know and creating that um yeah sort of nurturing space a sense of trust because people have got to have faith in me and what I do you know to produce results for them in terms of them choosing me. But yeah when I had my colour reading done the colours I was told suited me were all quite sort of yellow based colours which makes sense because my skin is quite yellow I always notice that with foundations I have to go for like the palest yellowest shade of concealer basically to match my skin. And then if I wear more blue colour so even though I've got blue and green shades in my eyes the um amazing stylist who did my um session for me she really showed me if I wear like a sort of pale or like a sky blue it really just washes me out. And well that's that's exactly you just that's the word I meant bags under my eyes and I look I look dreadful I look like I haven't slept for two weeks.

SPEAKER_02 38:30

Yes it was that whole dowdy the colours that I supposedly were for me were dowdy is that's my word and I don't want that I want zhuz.

SPEAKER_00 38:41

See I was told I was a vibrant autumn so I was actually encouraged to wear brighter colours quite a few that I had already worn and maybe like I've got a really lovely shirt that I actually wore for my the first uh talk I did first public speaking gig which was over two years ago now because I'd always struggled with confidence in terms of public speaking and I kind of pushed myself to do it and I was like no I'm going to wear that red floral shirt because it makes me feel happy and it makes me feel confident. And I remember trying it on in a changing room and it wasn't a colour that I would ever have picked up because my mum has the same colouring as me. And her mum always told her not to wear orange yellow red you know low if you have red hair you don't wear those colours. So it took a bit of kind of rewiring to be like actually no these colours are good for me. So yeah I'd say going back to my colour palette it's it's kind of half colours that I wear um so there is a bit of crossover. But I do get asked sometimes people sometimes say oh do you base somebody's colour palette on the colours that they wear um so I don't because obviously that would contradict the way I work in terms of thinking about the end user.

SPEAKER_02 39:52

No absolutely but I am definitely more conscious of that since having my colour styling done um and quite often I think a lot of people do quite often wear one or two shades that do actually work do fit with with their business and the emotion they're they're trying to create oh I definitely I definitely do that I incorporate I'm wearing it now I'm wearing my 80s with sequence stars on it green cardigan but I think and I think it it makes sense doesn't it if we're going out networking for example or we're on I know we brought it back around to business but I think it's a good way to finish off our little pre-chat before we go into your questions. And yeah it's all about we talk you know visibility you just spoke about you know speaking on stages getting our brand out there by making ourselves as instantly recognizable as our brand colours by incorporating it it's not going to do any harm really is it no definitely not and I'm all about I talk about the C word consistency you know that that is really important when it comes to recognition brand recognition and it just makes your life easier as well you know like if you've got a a decent colour palette that is working really hard for you on lots and lots of levels you don't have to think you know it's the the hard work's done for you so it makes you know creating content much much easier as well. I think people start to look for you as well if it's like a colour that you a link to or a colour that makes you zing. And that's what it's all about isn't it making us zing whether we're wearing it whether it's on our business cards whether it's on our ceilings on our throes I've loved that I've loved that now obviously there are going to be women and probably some men as well that are listening that would love to get in touch with you and we're going to be sharing all your contact details in a little while and you've got your own guest profile on the Midlife Unlimited podcast website and in the show notes all your links are there too but before we get to that if you're sitting comfortably you're not going to escape zhuzhing aside we have your three questions and I'm gonna start with question one because where else would I start what is your midlife anthem the piece of music or song that when you hear it it zhuzes you oh I found this so difficult because I love I love music um I actually really love like sensory overload you know all the colour all the the senses I love traveling because yeah it's completely isn't it um so yeah I had lots um and I did think I don't know if anybody knows Tony Jones she sort of creates they're almost like sort of manifestation songs in a way they're kind of they they are almost like sort of mantras and anthems in a song so she has one which is called worth ethic rather than work ethic.

SPEAKER_00 42:50

So that's very positive and uplifting so if you feel like you need a a pep talk um but yeah you you need to be sort of uplifted but in a refined way without going too crazy then I would go for that one. But another song that I absolutely love and I mentioned this to Alban and she was like no go for it. I love the Diana Ross song I'm Coming Out written by Nile Rogers like funky soul whether that's you know sort of Motown or um you know soulful vocal housekeeping anything with a great rhythm. So I love that song and it is so positive and uplifting you know and I think a lot of people will go through that whether they run their own business or not you know in terms of how your confidence can kind of fluctuate but hopefully increase more as you go through midlife you know and you sort of feel more at home in yourself and less Fs given and all of that you know absolutely no it's so it's so true. But I didn't realize I actually quickly looked up online because I was like let me just check that I have got the meaning of this song right and I found out it's actually a big gay anthem which I should have thought

SPEAKER_02 44:00

Well I know it was when I thought it might have been adopted as such, because I always thought it it was her bit, you know, literally being like becoming the Phoenix rising from the flames when it you know when it originally came out. But I can I can totally get and let's all share it. I'm all about sharing. I'm all about sharing. So no, you just mentioned as well that you know that what your first piece of music that you chose was very much a kind of a mantra or a motivational. So what is what have you decided on for your actual midlife mantra question two?

SPEAKER_00 44:33

Oh, I've got two again, Kate. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_02 44:36

No, we're allowed to, we're allowed.

SPEAKER_00 44:38

I'm I'm I'm a very kind person. You've been very generous with I am, I am so I've got it's never too late to become who you were meant to be. Um, because I feel like you know, we we all go through transformations, evolutions throughout our life, and I definitely see that with the people that I work with. Um, you know, a lot of people come to me for um rebrands, brand refresh, you know, what whatever level of sort of change they want. Um, so I think that's really powerful. I, you know, I love I love reinvention, I love trying new things. I'm never scared of sort of starting over. Um, that doesn't worry me. And when I had a big breakup four years ago, a lot of people were like, Oh, but your house is so lovely, are you not going to miss it? Are you not upset? It's like, I'll create something better, you know.

SPEAKER_02 45:27

But also it's it's quite powerful to actually think that is not serving me anymore. I've been there, I've done that. It was a time for me, and now I'm coming out. This is my time now to move on and do the next thing.

SPEAKER_00 45:41

Exactly. Yeah, and on a similar vein, the other one is under new management, because I did a lot of work last year on my mindset when it comes to visibility, when it comes to how I price the work that I do, you know, my general sort of sense of worth, how I show up. Um, and I feel like I've I've done all the things, all some more spiritual, you know, work with Akashic and all sorts of things, having astrological readings done, and then some much more focused in terms of um, yeah, business, business mindset, you know, sales strategy, all the things. And I don't know how interested people are in astrology, but obviously last astrological year was the year of the snake, and my goodness, did I shed and then some, you know. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 46:26

So I really heard so many, and now we're fire horse.

SPEAKER_00 46:30

Yes. So I do feel like I'm under new management and I'm my own manager, you know.

unknown 46:36

I love it.

SPEAKER_02 46:37

I love that. I'm loving this energy, I really am. So, title of your autobiography.

SPEAKER_00 46:44

Wow, I've got two again, so you can let me know which one you prefer.

SPEAKER_02 46:49

Oh, yeah, have a vote.

SPEAKER_00 46:52

Yeah, let's put it to a poll. Put it, let's put it to a poll. Make comments, yeah. I've got designed for more because I feel like I never stop. I've always got and I've got ideas for some sort of sideline businesses. I'm talking to a friend slash future business partner about those. So yeah, always got ideas cooking, designed for more. I think I prefer that to this one, but let me know what you think. The second one is a life well designed.

SPEAKER_02 47:21

I like that, but you know, my favorite word is more. So I'm gonna have to go. This is the podcast for women who want more. My words of the year are more and less, because you need to do less of what you don't want to do to get more. So, no, I'm my vote goes with more. My vote goes with more.

SPEAKER_00 47:38

Design for more, then we don't need a poll.

SPEAKER_02 47:42

But if someone wants to come forward and argue their point for the other, oh, that's fabulous. It's right. I've I've eluded that we're going to share your details. Obviously, they're on the show notes for our episode and on your guest profile on the website. But please share with listeners how they can connect with you. Anything you've got coming up, that'll be wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 48:04

Thank you, Kate. So, yes, you can find me on Instagram, well.designed.uk. My surname is Turner, so Hazel Turner on LinkedIn, and my website is welldesigned.uk. And on there in the resources tab, I have my confident colour guide, which you can purchase. So if you want to find out more about colour and the emotions it creates, and also how to create a colour palette for yourself that works really hard and will help you to attract in your ideal clients, you can purchase that. And I also have on my home page, I think it's right at the top of my page, and also in the footer at the bottom, so you can't miss it. I offer everybody a free emotion insight check. So this is really important because your branding, whatever you are using right now in your business, is communicating some kind of emotion, whether you're aware of it or not. And it was really important to make sure that is aligned with the kind of clients that you want to attract in. So if you want to book an emotion insight check with me, you will get my professional eyes on your current branding and the assets that you're using, and we can see if anything needs realigning there. I think we're gonna have to have a little chat, aren't we?

SPEAKER_02 49:15

Hey, stop using green, stop wearing leopard print. Well, what Hazel and I arranged that. I would love your feedback, listeners, on today's episode. If you anything that's sparked your interest, what are you gonna go and do to your midlife? So leave a review, or you can email or text me via the link in the show notes. Come and join the Midlife Unlimited podcast Facebook group. Again, link in the show notes where you'll find the website link where you'll find details of how you can work with me one-to-one and on my more program. See, I said it's my favourite word, which is my award-winning all-in-one coaching that's got one-to-one and group. Come and find out more. So, uh thank you for joining me, Hazel. It's been an absolute pleasure. Thank you for listening, everyone. I look forward to tuning in next week because don't forget Midlife Unlimited has a new episode every Thursday available wherever you listen to your podcasts. So here's to being fabulous and flourishing together and living midlife unlimited. Thanks, Hazel. It's been absolutely brilliant. Bye bye.