Spotlight on Staff | Lily Martinez, Principal

WHA welcomes back Lily Lee Martinez as a Principal in the Architectural Color Design studio based in our San Ramon office. For those who don’t know Lily, she was with our firm from 1999 to 2009 and is the sister of Robert Lee, Senior Principal, Community Planning. We are excited about Lily’s return to team WHA in our San Ramon office.

1.) Tell us about the journey that brought you to WHA.

My 17-year journey into the architectural world really started at age 6. As a family, our weekends were filled with touring new home model complexes. I recall being fascinated by it all. I knew at a very young age that color would be a big part of my life. My initial thought was to go into interior design but the program was cut from my school shortly after I enrolled. I was forced to switch majors but found one that integrated color theory, counseling

children with developmental challenges by using color to determine their moods and feelings. All career paths led me to back to where I should have started from the beginning, interior/exterior colors for new home developments

2.) What inspires you?

I am inspired by my travels around the world, other cultures and their traditions which play an important role in how I select colors for a community. It’s important to work closely with marketing departments to determine demographics. Incorporating this information into a palette that pleases potential buyers is what I call success.

3.) Please explain your role in the WHA Color Studio. How does the WHA Color Studio differ from other color consulting services?

My role as Principal, Architectural Color Design in our San Ramon office is to extend integrated color services to our northern California clients. As architecture is constantly evolving, color palettes play an integral role in how a community is going to feel. It is the first thing you see when you’re pulling up to a community and it sets the mood on what to expect inside. The WHA Color Studio is a natural extension of the architectural design allowing the buyer to form an instantaneous emotion towards their future home.

4.) Where do you see architecture and color design headed?

I think we will continue to see more modern, clean-line architecture with natural materials such as wood or limestone. Color design will continue to fluctuate

depending on trends and what people are exposed to in our society.

5.) Please tell us a little more about yourself. What do you like to do in your spare time?

I moved from southern California in 1998 excited to explore the Bay Area and that excitement continues. I enjoy hiking through San Francisco or wine and beer tasting in all the great regions such as Sonoma, Napa and Lodi. A weekend excursion can take me skiing in Lake Tahoe, camping in Gualala or kayaking in Monterey. These activities arm me with a fresh perspective on the landscape of the Greater Bay Area, allowing me a point of reference to communicate with our clients while we determine what will work best for their architectural color design.