A history of colour in the home - part 3

A History of Colour in the Home - Part 3

The way we use colour and paint in our homes has always been somewhat governed by architectural fashions, and it's useful to examine the nuance in this relationship throughout history.

Colour and Architecture

Throughout history, the way buildings are built and what they are built from is largely governed by the availability and affordability of the materials. Just like colour, this means architecture also became representative of social status, with marble and stone used in only the most expensive properties. Wattle and daub was a more widespread method of building walls, with the use of timber and concrete coming later.

Panelling became a popular way to create the interior of a room, and disguise the outer structure - particularly if it was unsightly. The practice of painting the panelling with lead white was predominantly a means of protecting the wood it was made from, and also gave rise to the preference of its aesthetic.

As we progressed out of the panelling period - largely due to the expense of wood - lime plaster renders began to be used much more widely in the 18th century and provided a smooth surface on which to decorate. Interestingly, we continued to use timber but on a much smaller scale. It was applied in areas that were susceptible to wear and tear, and as a result, skirting boards and chair rails were introduced.

Plaster render was a much easier surface to apply paint, and although pigments were still expensive, pale and mid-toned colour began to creep slowly into interiors in the mid-18th century. Strong colour was largely introduced through textiles and wallpaper, and only really seen in the most affluent of houses.