A day in the life of a colour specialist

Toni Snyder, who works at at Benjamin Moore, on her great love for learning - and how it's reflecting in every sphere of her world

What is your best childhood memory?
Spending time with my grandmothers, for sure. They had so much patience and time. and so much skill. I was really close to one of my grandmothers, who lived to be 98 years old. We shared the same birthday and were so similar! She taught me gardening and we read a lot together. I became a very advanced reader in school and developed a strong interest in horticulture. Another taught me to sew at a very young age, and took me along to wallpaper and fabric stores, as she was constantly redecorating her home. And I lived with a third grandmother for several years. She was a savvy shopper, a classy dresser, and raised 11 children. I saw time management at its best, and loved digging through her makeup drawer. They are all responsible for who I am today, and I'm so grateful for the time I spent with them.

If you could move to any place in the world, where would it be?
Since I'm from the West and have been in the Middle East for so long, why not keep moving East? Probably Japan. I'm so fascinated by Asian culture but it's an entire region I haven't taken on yet. I also don't think it's a region you can thoroughly understand by just visiting. It's so vast, cultural, and colourful that it needs immersion. I would love that!

The biggest learning point or experience in your life?
Becoming a mother. I have learned so much from my amazing little boy and he constantly inspires me, especially with his very strong interest in science and nature. He has me learning about minerals and crystals right now, and how they get their colours. Weather patterns, cloud formations, natural miracles and animal behaviour are just some of the typical conversations in our home. His youthful energy constantly reignites my ambition and it's so constant.

What is the one skill you'd love to learn, and why?
I'm studying Chi and Vastu in my free time, but wish I had more of it (free time, that is). The more I learn about unseen energy flow, the more I realise that I have already developed many similar ideals throughout my career. It's not a set of enforced rules for jumbling up your stuff, but lessons in how to live a smoother, more productive life, with good flow. I would love to master both so that I can help others apply them and live in better harmony. I'm working on it.

What advice would you give your younger self, if you could?
I know it sounds a bit clichéd to 'follow your passion', but really, indulge in anything enriching that interests you. Everything you learn or try becomes experience in ways you never expected. I have always been really energetic and curious, so I love to learn. I have done so many unusual things and they have made me a broader, more interesting person. No regrets, but I wish I had done even more.

If you could go back to any era in time or witness any major event in history, which one would it be, and why?
I'm a bit of a rebel so I'm flipping this question, because I'm far more keen on the future than the past. I have always been more of a 'look ahead' kind of person and I have a really big interest in technology, robots and science, so I'd like to go into the future to see how we learn to utilise our human potential far more than we currently do. How exciting would that be!

Your greatest fear.
I have very few fears in life, but. snakes. I'm just really afraid of snakes!

If you could trade lives with one person for an entire day, who would it be and why?
I would love to trade lives with a really fearless LA designer, so probably someone like Kelly Wearstler. She is a real-life super designer/mom who is always heavily exploring colour and various materials. Her style is powerful and confident, reflecting her personality. I would love to walk in her shoes for a day. And speaking of shoes, she always wears fabulous ones too, so I'd love to run through my day in those.

Favourite movie character of all time.
Leeloo (played by Milla Jovovich) from my all-time favourite 1997 sci-fi action movie, The Fifth Element. She portrayed an alien who helps save the planet in a minimalist costume designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier. As I mentioned, I have a great interest in future technology, but what's really fascinating is that she mastered a 400-word fictional language just for the role. Impressive. Ultimately, the movie became known for its impressive visual style, which is probably what I love most about it.

If you were President of your country, what is the first thing you'd do?
Oh, I would love to be President! I'm probably one of very few people who admit they love politics without thinking negatively, and I'm American too. Watching times change with every presidential election is so intriguing to me. If I became President of the United States, I would definitely take climate change more seriously and evolve an aggressive plan of action.
- Staff reporter