The color poets - Raw Color in conversation

If you had to explain what Raw Color does in just one sentence, what would it be?
We are a duo and design studio with a team, working in the fields of product, textile and graphic design and exploring the relationship between color, form and material.

What is your story?
We studied at the interdisciplinary Design Academy Eindhoven. This approach then became established in our practice. Our business cards deliberately do not say "designer". We think our name "Raw Color" conveys very nicely what we are all about.

Should we make our living environment more colorful?
Studies show that people are often unhappier in grey, urban spaces with lots of glass and concrete than in the forest, for example. It's strange that minimalist and white interiors are considered good and modern. They have neither purpose nor soul. It is interesting to note that things were different just over a century ago: back then, people lived with lots of colors, materials and patterns. Multi-stimulating environments are good for the brain

How much color do you live with?
We live in Eindhoven. An old Philips factory has been our home, studio and laboratory for a good ten years. We let the place develop slowly and work very materially honestly. We like to use wood, metal or colored marble. Against the industrial backdrop with its metal constructions, our living spaces look like a collage of colors, materials, our own designs, found objects and our children's things.

That sounds like slow design and a total work of art. What is your stance on trends?
When we find the right place for something or a suitable color in our private lives, it's usually a final decision. As color specialists, we are often commissioned to conduct trend research, which is also an exciting field. Which color is currently in vogue has socio-political significance, as it reflects social developments. Trends are less important for our work. We look at a room or an object in its context—and the supposedly “most beautiful” color choice is not always the most interesting.

Everyone brings their very own feeling for colors. How do you come to joint decisions? Especially not in pairs. We also have three other designers in the team. We sometimes have long discussions. It's not just about colors, but also about textures, shapes and materials. The color effect is significantly influenced by whether I have a square, sharp-edged silhouette or an organic shape, whether the surface is high-gloss or ultra-matt and light-absorbing. Color never stands alone

RAL, a German institute for color standards, will be 100 years old in 2025 - and you have designed an exclusive edition of color fans for the anniversary. What was special about this task for you?
When we were on site at RAL, we were able to visit the archives and learned a lot about why which color was included in the fan. Many shades have a long history. They include the creamy white of German cabs, the traffic blue we know from highway signs, the green of emergency exit lights or a pink used in communications technology for cable jackets. These are all colors that are firmly anchored in our environment. We have chosen five of these iconic colors for the sides of the fan boxes, which are being produced in a special limited edition.

So color also has a lot to do with history and culture?
Absolutely. Because of their use, colors are charged with messages. Post is always yellow in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, but each country uses its own RAL shade. In Germany, orange is often used as a distinguishing color for public elements in urban areas - for example, trash cans. In the Netherlands, it is the national color and reserved for soccer and public holidays. Associations and emotions can be shaped very differently by visual habits.

Images: Raw Color