One of my favourite parts of running The Colour Palette Company is visiting a museum or gallery and spotting our designs in the gift shop.
I started the business with an idea that came to me during lockdown. Could I tell the story of Birmingham through six colours?
Five years later, those six-colour designs are stocked in museums, galleries and visitor attractions across the UK, with more than 70 locations represented in the collection, and I’m keen to keep growing.
A souvenir that means something
I’ve always enjoyed museum and gallery shops. They’re wonderful places to discover interesting books, prints, stationery and gifts that have been carefully chosen to reflect the venue and its visitors.
That’s exactly where I think our Colour Palettes belong. Every design features six colours, each with a name inspired by something connected to a particular place.
It might be a landmark, a famous building, a local delicacy, an industrial heritage reference or something that makes somebody smile because they recognise it immediately.
Our Birmingham Colour Palette, for example, includes Mr Egg Yellow, Jewellery Quarter Gold and Sabbath Black.
Some references are obvious. Others are a little more personal to the people who know the city. Together, they create a colourful portrait of a place that works across a range of gifts.
Working with some wonderful UK museums and galleries
We’re fortunate to have built relationships with some brilliant cultural organisations.
Our Colour Palettes have found homes in the Museum of Liverpool, Millennium Gallery Sheffield, RAMM Exeter, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, The New Art Gallery Walsall and the King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester, among others.
Each partnership means a great deal to me.
As an independent designer, there’s something especially rewarding about seeing your work stocked alongside collections of art, history and design.
And every new partnership gives us another opportunity to introduce the Colour Palettes to people who might never have come across them online.
Wholesale gifts for shops of all sizes
Our range includes porcelain mugs, coasters, tote bags, tea towels, fridge magnets, sketchbooks, pencil cases, prints and other colourful gifts.
We deliberately keep minimum order quantities low because I know that introducing a new supplier involves a degree of risk.
I’d much rather a retail manager ordered a sensible selection, discovered which products appealed to their customers and came back when they needed more. Many of our partners do exactly that.
With a typical turnaround of 7–9 working days, we can also respond to repeat orders without leaving shops waiting weeks for stock.
Could your museum or gallery be next?
We’re always interested in meeting retail managers, buyers and independent shop owners who would like to stock something distinctive.
Perhaps we already have a Colour Palette celebrating your town or city. Perhaps you’d like to adapt an existing design to include something particularly relevant to your venue.
Or perhaps you have an idea for an entirely new Colour Palette. I’m always happy to have that conversation.
The Colour Palette Company is a small Birmingham business with a growing collection of designs and some ambitious plans for the years ahead.
If you manage a museum shop, gallery store, heritage attraction or independent gift shop anywhere in the UK, I’d love to hear from you.
Explore our wholesale range and partnership opportunities, or get in touch to request our latest trade information. Email: stacey@thecolourpalettecompany.com
Stacey Barnfield
Founder, The Colour Palette Company
