Wigan businessman helps bring perfect colours into your homes

Philip Parkinson created Parkinson Decorators in 2010 when he was just 21 and his apprenticeship came to an end due to the recession.

As he painted homes around the borough, he noticed that people sometimes struggled to pick the best colours and thought he could help.

So four years ago he set up Philip Martyn Design, a colour and art consultancy which supports customers to create their dream homes.

Philip, who was brought up in Shevington Moor and now lives in Orrell, said: “Over the years I have figured out there are a lot of people who approach a decorator and start panicking about what colours to have.

“They end up going for white, magnolia or cream because it’s the easiest choice, or they pick a colour and take a risk but it doesn’t look how they expected.

“I set up Philip Martyn Design to help people pick colours.

“We do colour consultancy. It’s a bigger business in America, it’s quite niche over here. We help people choose their colour schemes.

“So far it’s going quite well. Every customer has loved the service so far. We had a customer in Westminster who was renting a £14m apartment. We have also done work in Washington in America, in Scotland, Ireland, all over the UK. We have done a recent job in Wigan too.”

Philip oversees a team of four colour consultants in the UK and USA, who help people to find the perfect colour schemes for their homes.

They provide consultations either in the property or online and gather all the information they can before making their recommendations.

Philip, 31, said: “We go into a property and find out about the client.

“For example if you book an interior designer, I know them and can probably go round and tell you who has done it, because it’s their design in your property and you live with it.

“With the colour consultancy, we learn about the client and what they like, we look at what’s in the house, the artwork, the carpets. We even look at the clothes they are wearing. We assess the client and then we do a colour scheme for them.

“Every time we do a job, you won’t know Philip Martyn Design has done it because we have done it for the client.”

The advice provided can be vital for people unsure about what would look best in their property.

Philip said: “A lot of people already know what they want, but they are not confident or don’t know how to put it together. We are there to hold their hand through the process and guide them in the right direction.”

Colour consultancy is not the only thing the business does - the team can also help residents to choose the artwork, photographs, mirrors or other items to display in their homes.

An art consultant can work with home owners to identify the type of artwork they might like, suggest artists and even provide links with galleries around the world.

Philip Martyn Design is also the exclusive UK dealer for renowned Miami-based custom pool/billiard table-makers Billiards By Brandt.

Artist Dan Brandt has sent a £16,000 pool table to Philip, which is on display in a showroom. He has previously sold pool tables to former US vice-president Al Gore and TV Show Ballers, as well as supplying one for the Rolling Stones to use back-stage while performing in Miami.

Philip said: “He’s big business in America and has done a lot of cool things.”

It is certainly a busy time for Philip, as he runs both businesses and looks for new ways to grow them. He said: “Moving forward I want to grow the colour consultancy and the art consultancy and get awareness around these pool tables being in the UK.”

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