Meet AJ Forster, Dunn-Edwards In-Home Color Advisor

AJ Forster, Dunn-Edwards In-Home Color Advisor, brings color confidence to San Diego. His journey has been filled with curiosity, passion, and a lot of color.

Born and raised in San Diego, AJ knew when he graduated high school in 2018 that he was interested in design, so he began classes at the Design Institute of San Diego. During school, AJ worked at GG Tile & Design, gaining real-world experience in interiors. But AJ’s design skills and color exposure didn’t start there. Before college, he spent three years as the floral department manager at a grocery store, which sparked his passion for both florals and design.

After earning his BFA in Interior Design in 2022, AJ wanted to combine his passions, so he went back to school for floral design. He earned three associates degrees from Cuyamaca College—Floral Design, Sustainable Urban Landscape Design, and Nursery Technology—and graduated in May 2024. “From there, I thought, ‘I want to do both interior and exterior. I can pretty much do a whole house—front, back, landscape, the full works,’” AJ says.

AJ joined Dunn-Edwards in September 2023 as a full-time Professional Color Advisor. After six months, he transitioned into a hybrid role, splitting his time between in-store consultations and in-home visits.

AJ leads client conversations, both in-store and in-home, with questions to understand the vision. From how often a home office door stays open to whether a paint color holds sentimental value, AJ finds value in understanding both the practical and emotional reasons behind a client’s vision. He takes this opportunity to educate the client on the colors at hand and always works with the client’s final picks. “When there’s a big reason why someone loves a color, I always work with it,” AJ shares.

One of AJ’s favorite projects to look back on was for a couple’s home repaint. The couple was having trouble landing on their perfect hue. “It was trial and error until we happened to stumble upon one shade that caught the wife’s eye,” AJ recalls. “They sampled it and loved it. The wife even came back with ‘after’ photos to show me how happy she was!” One of the most rewarding parts of AJ’s work is knowing that his clients—like this couple—will enjoy these colors in their homes for the next 20 years.

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After

AJ likes to spend his free time hiking local trails and enjoying the views. When it comes to his favorite Dunn-Edwards hue, AJ’s top pick is Mother Earth (DE5718).

For homeowners in the San Diego area ready to choose colors with confidence, book an appointment with AJ to get started.