Services

 

I work one-on-one with manufacturers and brands to develop cohesive color and material systems across product, showroom, sample, and digital presentation.

With a background spanning interiors and product, I approach CMF holistically, considering not only what is specified, but how materials are presented and experienced across every touchpoint of a brand. The goal is clarity, cohesion, and continuity across product, space, and representation.

 

Design Direction & CMF Strategy

  • Palette structure, hierarchy, and range

  • Color and material systems across products and collections

  • Alignment between product architecture and brand direction

  • Coordination across new and existing product lines

  • Development of licensed and collaborative product collections

Product, Showroom & Presentation

  • Material and finish application across products

  • Showroom and display direction

  • Sample systems and user experience

  • Photography and digital presentation

  • Consistency across physical and digital touchpoints

 
 

Materials Development & Sustainability

  • Material sourcing and evaluation

  • Custom material development with suppliers

  • Curated material and specification programs

  • Collaboration between material suppliers and manufacturing partners

  • Natural, recycled, bio-based, and post-industrial materials

Strategic Partnerships & Advising

  • Early-stage concept development

  • Long-term product and material direction

  • Collaboration across design, marketing, and manufacturing

  • Support through development and launch

  • Alignment between product, brand, and user experience

 

Process

My process combines hands-on material exploration with research across hospitality, contract, and residential interiors. I often begin through drawing, painting, and working directly with materials as a way to study how color behaves across surface, texture, translucency, light, and scale. These explorations inform palettes and material relationships that feel layered, adaptable, and responsive rather than fixed.

With a background spanning interiors and product, I tend to approach CMF holistically, considering how color and materials relate across products, within a space, and how they are ultimately experienced. I’m interested in developing approaches that can evolve over time and remain relevant across changing applications, environments, and market shifts.

I’m especially interested in the relationship between physical materials and how they are presented, from product application to showrooms, samples, and digital representation.

Sustainability is an ongoing consideration throughout my work, particularly in developing material systems that balance performance, longevity, adaptability, and responsible use. This often includes working with natural, recycled, bio-based, and post-industrial materials.

Contact

My design studio is based in Boston, Massachusetts, where I work with a limited number of companies and collaborators worldwide each year.

For project inquiries or collaborations, please get in touch via email: info (@) kellyharrissmith.com or fill out the form below.