What started as a fun social media post during the covid-19 lockdowns by a former newspaper editor has grown into a fully fledged business.
Now, Stacey Barnfield is hoping to crack America with his Colour Palette Company.
The former journalist, who used to helm our sister title the Birmingham Post, is launching his range of mugs, tea towels and other gifts Stateside after striking a deal with the Corning Museum of Glass in New York State.
Items made by The Colour Palette Company feature a range of colours pertinent to a particular location along with the so-called 'CMYK printing code' needed to create that tone.
Stacey's first ever palette was of his home city Birmingham and featured colours such as Mr Egg yellow and Sabbath Black, respective nods to the city's legendary café and pioneers of heavy metal.
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Since then, he has broadened the range to include a host of º£½ÇÊÓƵ and international locations alongside collaborations with museums, 'specials' including Christmas and shades of tea and public installations in places such as Leamington Spa and New Street stations.
Stacey's team Birmingham City used it as a cover art for a matchday programme and comedian Joe Lycett sported a colour palette tea towel as headwear on his TV show 'The United States of Birmingham'.
But this deal with the museum in Corning, 250 miles north west of New York City, is his first international commission and is hoping to reflect the vibrant history and artistry of glass.
Among the colours featured on the new six-strong palette are 'Loetz Tango', named after the Argentine dance, and 'Carder Mandarin', inspired by Chinese porcelain from the Ming Dynasty.
Stacey said: "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.
"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.
"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 was inspired to start The Colour Palette Company during the covid-19 lockdowns when a search on Google Images for an old West Midlands bus created an emotional trip down memory lane.
He said he remembered the rich navy blue and cream livery that triggered memories of his childhood.
After posting his first Birmingham palette on social media, Stacey was overwhelmed by the positive response and thought there might be a business in it, eventually launching in summer 2021.
He added: "I remembered standing at the bus stop as a kid, clutching my travelcard and school bag. 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 Rackhams.
"Why shouldn't those colours be celebrated? That single thought became the seed of the idea. 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 º£½ÇÊÓƵ/US trade relations?"
