05/20/2025
Archives in the Classroom! Semester wrap-up
For their final assignment this Spring, students in Randi Halpern’s Colors for Interiors class were tasked with a color matching assignment that used archival wallpaper samples from NYSID Archives’ Joann Nelsen Collection.
This collaboration has been years in the making and is an excellent case study for using interior design archives in studio classes, integrating design history into studio classes, as well as presenting students with the particular challenge of mixing colors to match historical colorways.
Students were challenged to synthesize what they had learned throughout the semester and demonstrate an understanding of different color theories and systems, the interaction of color and light, as well as how to mix, neutralize, correct, and match colors in the form of paint (pigment in a vehicle).
Check out the slideshow for photos of the class in progress and some final results, and check the link in bio to learn more about Joann Nelsen and the collection.
