AbstractIn the twentieth century, interest in color in architecture in Europe has been expressed in several ways. Two periods can be distinguished, characterized by different perceptions of the issue. First, between the 1920s and the outbreak of the Second World War, architects themselves tackled the question of color, either by adopting some sort of polychromy, or on the contrary by excluding it from the design of their buildings. In the second period, in the 1950s, a new form of coloration emerged, this time at the initiative of certain artist‐painters. This was the most significant step in terms of social, even utilitarian, character (but it should not be confused with another phenomenon linked to the manifestation of color, the mural). the new step was taken above all in France, where some artists preferred to apply their sensibility and experience to constructed space—on a different scale from the traditional scale of the painting. Patient experimental attempts and meticulous research by these few forerunners gave rise to a new profession serving architecture, that of the color consultant. It was with the development of industrial architecture and thanks to the way society was evolving that attention turned to the ambiance of the workplace, and the color consultant could come onto the scene. Previously, other professionals had been active for (or against) color in architecture, and prepared the ground for this specialization. A historical overview, marked by certain events in the 20th century architectural movement, illuminates in this discussion the origins and the need for the new profession. In a more detailed way, the working methods and some realizations of the principal French color consultants are addressed—a presentation that is intended to interest researchers or professionals by providing specific information that, despite its importance, seems to be lacking in specialized publications. © 1995 John Wiley&Son