Five years ago, I shared through social media a simple idea: six colours that could capture the character of a place – Birmingham.
The design has barely changed since. Every Colour Palette follows the same principles as the first one, with six carefully chosen swatches arranged in a familiar format. Whether it’s Birmingham, Exeter, Sheffield or Liverpool, the framework stays exactly the same.
People sometimes ask whether I’ve ever been tempted to change it. The answer has always been no.
Over the years, I’ve come to realise that consistency is part of the design. When someone sees a Colour Palette, they recognise it immediately. That familiarity gives each new location the freedom to tell its own story through colour.
What I never expected was how many stories other people would bring to it.
I’ve stood beside palettes while someone pointed to a single swatch and began talking about a grandparent, a first date, the street where they grew up or a football match they’d almost forgotten about. I’ve received emails explaining why one colour means far more to them than the one I thought everyone would notice.
Those conversations have become one of my favourite parts of this project. They remind me that places are deeply personal. Two people can stand in the same square, walk the same street or visit the same museum and carry away completely different memories.
When I designed the first Colour Palette, I was thinking about typography, proportion, colour and composition. I wanted the design to be restrained enough to let each place speak for itself. Looking back, I realise it also left room for people to add their own experiences, and that has become just as important as the colours themselves.
Five years on, I still get excited whenever I see a new palette hanging in a museum, gallery or public space. I still enjoy the research, the walks, the photography and the challenge of finding six colours that feel right. I also know that, sooner or later, someone will tell me I’ve forgotten their favourite landmark.
I’m always pleased when they do, because it usually ends with another story.
The design never changes. The stories around it do.