Light and Colour with Mr Hogg.

One of very own favourites, Terry Hogg, Colour Consultant / Lighting Designer from Sydney and Melbourne’s LICK Light + Colour, took time out of his creative day to answer a few of our questions.

H1: Hello and welcome Terry. We're very excited to be hearing your thoughts after having followed your work for 7.5 years! You’ve been recognised as one of Australia’s best; winning the 2013 Resene Colour Awards for Residential Interior, as well as transforming many a space with a high-level of design mastery, offering the ever-sought after - WOW factor; and most recently, five of your projects have been featured in fellow Colour Specialist, Judith Brigg’s very cool ‘coffee-table’ book – Bye Bye Bland. You never cease to amaze and impress us - and it's always exciting to see what else you have planned.

First things first…as a Colour Consultant, we’d really like to know, what are the key colour trends for Spring/Summer 2015/16?

Terry: I don’t believe in following colour trends; every individual has their own response to colour, firstly, space and form should be considered, then, how the client reacts to certain colours.

H1: You definitely have a knack around dynamic colour combos whilst creating flow where space and form are concerned. How about themes/eras/inspiration?

Terry: The colours I'm working with at the moment are really ‘washed-out’ or greyed-off pastels. I like colours when they have a dirtiness to them because it gives colour more depth, and in turn, are much easier to live with.

H1: Ah yes, ‘dirty pastels’ – ties in nicely with my 5 year old’s earth-coated fashion sense too!

Okay, so in an outdated bedroom, what’s the first thing you’d change for an instant KAPOW!



Terry: Funnily enough I would look at using wallpaper. There are so many great wallpapers around these days, and something for every individual’s taste.

H1: We certainly love wallpaper!

Your designs reflect either contrasting, bold colours, quirky yet majestic themes, or well thought-out muted tones which still very much include LICK’S edgy, Avant-Garde styling. As a Colour Consultant, how do you know where to draw the line with so many great colour palettes on hand?

Terry: It’s really about getting a good understanding of my clients and how far they’re willing to be pushed outside of their comfort zones. I'm not afraid to push as they always contact me at a later date to tell me how much they love the result. It’s all about having fun, confidence and trust.

H1: Yes indeed - creative risks lead to very exciting outcomes.

We tend to believe that homes really do have an ‘energy’ about them. How do you find Lighting can influence a ‘mood’ or ‘feel’ of a home….and have you any feedback from clients who have changed from standard, to more stylised lighting, so we know what to expect and to look forward to should a person be ready for the switch? (Pardon the pun!)

Terry: Good lighting is everything! Without light there is no colour!

People are already starting to switch. Some of that is due to reality TV shows. Once people see something being used, they then find the courage to try something they normally wouldn’t – feeling more confident having seen it already being executed successfully. I use many different types of light fittings within one space: Indirect / Wall Washers / Strip lighting, etc. I certainly steer my clients away from using a thousand downlights though – but that’s another conversation! And sure, feedback is often related to a change in atmosphere and harmony within a space overall.

H1: Can you share one of your favourite ‘rules of thumb’ when it comes to updating a space on a budget?

Terry: Definitely, painting. It’s the cheapest and easiest, whilst providing the most impact.

H1: Great! We know who to call for the best in style and design. Thank you then Mr. Hogg – until next time.




For more information re Terry’s work, simply click on the link below or, pick up the phone to speak to the man himself - just be prepared to step outside of your comfort zone : )