Working with Colour: Library of 400 Combinations by Katrin Trautwein gives architects and interior designers a structured, ready-to-use reference of 400 colour combinations, each built on a white foundation and calibrated across the full range of contrast values.
About This Book
Colour decisions are among the most consequential and least systematic in architectural and interior design practice. This compact volume addresses that gap with a library of 400 curated colour combinations, each anchored by a clean white and developed through a progression from light greys and anthracites through to wood and concrete tones, then into warm and cool, barely chromatic and more saturated pairings. Trautwein structures the combinations to cover a wide contrast range, making the book a genuine decision-making tool rather than a mood board. Sized for the desk or site bag, it is a working resource for colour specifying in both interior and exterior contexts, relevant to every contemporary design register.
Key Features
- 504 pages of curated colour combination swatches spanning a full range of contrast values
- Author: Katrin Trautwein
- Published by Birkhauser Verlag, ISBN: 9783035629521
What You'll Discover
- 400 colour combinations structured from a white base through neutrals, earth tones, and into chromatic pairings
- How contrast value — from barely perceptible to pronounced — shapes spatial atmosphere in interior and exterior applications
- A systematic approach to colour specifying that bridges aesthetic preference and functional performance
- Combinations calibrated to suit every contemporary design style, from restrained minimalism to more expressive palettes
About the Author
Katrin Trautwein is a colour expert whose work bridges the technical and perceptual dimensions of colour in architecture and design. This volume reflects her focus on making colour knowledge accessible and directly applicable to practitioners across architecture, interior design, and related disciplines.
Specifications
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 504
- Dimensions: 14.5 x 14.5 cm
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9783035629521
- Publisher: Birkhauser Verlag
- Publication Date: [Details available upon request]
Perfect For: Architects, interior designers, and design students who specify colour for interior and exterior projects and need a structured, contrast-calibrated reference tool.