So, when I headed off to college I decided to study clothing and graphic design. Color plays a huge role in both industries after all! Upon graduating, with a degree in apparel design, I realized heading off to NY and the fashion industry was definitely not for me. I was a small town girl who was head over heels in love with her high school sweetheart. So we had a June-Week wedding at the Naval Academy, and we began our life together, moving  all over the country. Seven moves in six years allowed me a ton of practice decorating and coloring our homes plus I experienced different communities, landscapes and cultures! While moving about, I worked in an upscale clothing boutique in Corpus Christi, TX, for an interior designer in the historic seaport of Mystic, CT, and as a visual merchandiser in bustling San Diego, CA. Eventually I earned an interior design certification, had two amazing children, colored on their walls to create whimsical murals, took on volunteer roles in my community, all while continuing to color- through art, graphic design, event planning, costume design and home décor. 

In 2011 I ventured abroad for the first time in my life. For almost a month, we traveled about Europe, experiencing all that we could. I was astounded by the sites, the history, the art and the different cultures. I saw colors in a new light, used in new ways. And I began to think more seriously about how color could play a role in my life. I knew I had a deep love for colors, their meanings and applications, and I had a gift for choosing just the right colors... But what could I do with that?! An internet search in 2013 led me to Leatrice Eiseman, Director of the Pantone Color Institute, who happened to live locally on Bainbridge Island.

I signed up for her color intensive program and my career as a color consultant was born! 

I had my business, Leslie Kelley COLOR for 6 years, coloring my way through my community of Duvall and Seattle’s EastSide. I worked with real estate agents to help ready homes for quicker sales. I helped new home owners create color-perfect interiors and welcoming exteriors. I worked with web and graphic designers to choose logo and branding colors. And I worked with businesses to liven up their spaces to attract more customers. I traveled to more European countries and continued to be wowed by color and the important role it plays! It was a very fun ride! But in 2019, I desperately needed a break from coloring to pursue other goals and to ready our own home for sale and prepare for a move to Whidbey Island. 

I definitely got that break in 2020 with an abundance of quiet time to pursue my other goals! But this past fall, coloring started calling to me again. So I challenged myself to dive in deeper this time. I began studying with Maria Killam and Audra Stinkley, both amazing color consultants and designers.

I am now proud to say that I am a certified color expert!

I’m thrilled to once again offer my color consulting services to real estate agents and their clients, business owners, home owners, and residential developers. Helping people create color-perfect spaces and places is my gift and I look forward to meeting you and helping you with your color needs!