A former newspaper Editor is going global with his passion for showcasing ‘local colours’ after winning his first overseas commission.

Stacey Barnfield has created a bespoke colour palette for the world-renowned Corning Museum of Glass in New York State, marking a major milestone in the Birmingham-based creative design studio’s journey.

The founder of The Colour Palette Company, who has already delivered successful collaborations with Birmingham Museums Trust, the Museum of Liverpool and York Museums, is now using his eye for telling the story of local tradition through colour to reflect the vibrant history and artistry of glass.

Loetz Tango (named after the Argentinian dance), Carder Mandarin (inspired by Chinese porcelain from the Ming Dynasty) and Tiffany Mazarine (branded after the sapphire blue butterfly native to England) are three of the six colours chosen for the Corning Museum of Glass palette that are being sold on mugs, posters and tote bags.

“We’re excited to partner with The Corning Museum of Glass on a project that brings a fresh perspective to the collection through the universal language of colour,” explained Stacey Barnfield.

“This bespoke palette captures the essence of the museum - from historic glassmaking techniques to contemporary art - and offers visitors a beautiful, tangible way to remember their experience.”

He continued: “I know our colour palettes were proving popular, and we have had interest from overseas – then out of nowhere the museum reached out after seeing some of our work on social media. It’s a huge honour to collaborate with such a prestigious institution and to bring our colour storytelling to an international institution for the first time.”

Stacey founded The Colour Palette Company during lockdown when a casual ‘Google’ image search for an old West Midlands bus created an emotional trip down memory lane.

The former Editor of the Birmingham Post quickly remembered the rich navy blue and cream livery that trigged a warm, familiar feeling and memories of his childhood.

“I remembered standing at the bus stop as a kid, clutching my travelcard and school bag.” He went on to add: “I remembered trips into town, peeking out from behind the top deck window. That bus wasn’t just a bus. It was a part of my story and those colours, now so vivid again, were woven into it.

“And then it hit me: every city, every town, every person really, has colours that mean something to them. Colours that evoke memory and emotion, like the number 11 bus, or a trip to Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, the Bull Ring or Rackham’s. Why shouldn’t those colours be celebrated? That single thought became the seed of the idea.”

From here, The Colour Palette Company has worked with a host of leading cultural organisations, city destinations and design-led retailers.

Known for distilling the essence of places and institutions into beautifully designed colour palettes large and small, the company’s work has gained a loyal following for its ability to tell powerful visual stories through colour.

There have been large-format public art installations in towns and cities such as Ipswich, Leamington Spa, Redditch, Rugby, Solihull and Wolverhampton, whilst Birmingham City FC used it as a cover art for a matchday programme and Brummie comedian Joe Lycett has used a Birmingham Colour Palette tea towel as headwear on his hit Sky TV show ‘The United States of Birmingham’.

Stacey concluded: “It has been quite a journey so far and one that I’m really enjoying. The Corning Museum of Glass feels like a milestone moment for our venture, especially seeing it’s one of the largest museum gift shops in the United States. Who would have thought colour would help to rebuild UK/US trade relations?”

For further information, please visit: thecolourpalettecompany.com