then came ARTS & CRAFTS
The Arts & Crafts Movement (roughly 1860–1900 in England, 1890–1925 in the U.S.) was famously a reaction against Victorian excess—of clutter and even in pigments. The Craftsman palette was inspired by nature, softer and earthier, never too bright or vibrant, meant to complement or embrace, never to compete, with furnishings. The period’s fumed oak furniture and green and amber pottery set the tone. Brass and copper, burlap and linen provided calm accents.
But don’t make the mistake of thinking that bungalow-era interiors were dull. Nature’s colors can be strong or saturated, including the era’s popular aubergine (dark eggplant purple), Hubbard squash (yellow-orange), and zucchini (unapologetic green). Soothing natural colors were used over the broadest expanses. Think of the colors of feldspar, slate, river rock, wheat and straw, of terra cotta and the vibrant yet dusky hues of fallen leaves in autumn. Dark colors and tones were reserved for woodwork, most often finished in clear oil or varnish and thus the color of the wood: Douglas fir, oak, chestnut. Light-painted trim was common in bedrooms and service areas.
Stronger colors were used as accents, whether a pillow with embroidered poppies or a pattern stenciled in the frieze or on ceiling beams. Decoration was varied and included stylized landscapes, Art Nouveau thistles, Mackintosh roses, and even inspiring words handpainted on walls. Stencil colors included sealingwax red, Indian yellow, and indigo blue (all used in moderation).
By now, rooms were better lit and corners had been decluttered. Heavy drapery was replaced by muslin curtains and roller shades. The palette evolved for interiors now bathed in steady electric light, albeit at much lower wattage than we’re used to today. Wall paints were soft and chalky, never shiny or glossy.
A common decorating tip is to “start with the carpet” when selecting colors. Bungalows and Craftsman houses generally had finished wood floors softened with area rugs, not the wallto-wall carpeting used in finer Victorian parlors. Rugs ranged from traditional Turkish, Persian, and oriental designs to Morris’s hand-woven wool Hammersmith and Donegal carpets, and to Native American rugs. It’s not necessary (or even advisable) to exactly match a color in the rug. Rather look for a complementary tone that, when seen against the rug, is harmonious.
color and combinations are to be used successfully. Much of the advice that follows comes from color historian Dr. Kelly Wright. THE HUES Early-19th-century interiors featured bright chromatic colors of red, green, yellow, and blue along with their lighter tints. By the mid-Victorian period, the two most prominent interior colors were green and red, in varying tone, shade, and saturation. The Late Victorians preferred large fields of deep, tertiary hues, perhaps softened with grey or cream grounds. These colors include rich walnut and mahogany browns, strong Indian reds, midnight
blue, and black, complemented with secondary colors such as teal, plum, mustard-yellow and gold, burgundy, green (usually sage or olive), and such dusty hues as ashes-of-rose and mauve, the subdued purple prepared from an aniline dye dating to 1856.
Paints were often “bronzed” with metallic powders to sparkle in the lamplight. A palette of brighter colors was always available; however, these were more likely used on surfaces in private rooms and to articulate exterior details. THE ACCENTS An important application of polychroming was on individual architectural or ornamental elements as a way to bring attention to their details. Interior mouldings and trim, chair rails, fireplace mantels, and even such ironwork as hall trees and stair railings had elements “picked out” in color. It’s an art to do this without creating visual clutter that spoils the integrity of the assemblage. Paneled doors were polychrome-painted to enhance the room. (The back was often different from the front.) THE MODELS For inspiration today, Dr. Wright suggests a trip to the library, to look at period books that often contained color plates. (Dr. Wright frequents the Smithsonian National
Museum of American History and the Athenaeum in Philadelphia.) Also, look for vintage, chromolithographed trade cards—you’ll find plenty on eBay. On an old card, one advertiser most helpfully suggested this scheme for a porte-coche`re: the soffit in blue to mimic the sky; pediment details in carnation pink; porch columns in grass green.
Advice from the past is a place to start, but an understanding of color makes it work.