A little help from your friends

Driven to distraction by paint charts? A colour consultant could be the answer for anyone befuddled by choosing the right hue

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THE infinite nuances of a paint chart never fail to trigger a shudder deep within my solar plexus. Add a couple of charts from other brands and the anxiety dial cranks up a notch or two on the Richter scale. Cuisse de Nymphe or Setting Plaster? Calke Green or Hopper? Dead Salmon or Old Trout? Help! Then there's the stress that choosing paint puts on relationships already left a little threadbare by a stressful building project. Although consultants come at a cost (Farrow & Ball charges from $140 an hour for a virtual consultation), it's less than hiring an interior designer or, indeed, a divorce lawyer. You're also less likely to run the risk of making a mistake that will undermine a project.