Blue was a favorite paint color in Colonial times.
American Colonial homes were usually painted, rather than papered, since wallpapers were too expensive for the majority of homeowners. Wooden trim was finished in a darker or lighter paint color, according to the Home Decorating Ideas website.
Paint Colors
Colonial interior paint colors could reflect the status of the homeowners. Pigment, particularly blue, was costly, meaning that only the rich could afford brilliant hues of paint. To save money, people might use bright paint on the woodwork, doors and trim only. Less affluent homes made use of earth-toned pigments that could be achieved with plants and seeds.
Paint Ingredients
Colonial people kept recipes for paint colors, just as they did for favorite foods. Because paint pigments had to be imported from Europe, they might make their own paints, using ingredients such as blue vitriol, coffee, eggs, milk and rice.
Colors at Mount Vernon
Restoration specialists at George Washington's home at Mount Vernon made some surprising discoveries regarding paint colors. The home's walls featured rich colors, such as bright shades of green, crimson red and robin's-egg blue, as well as an intense cobalt.
Reproducing the Style
You can reproduce the Colonial style by painting walls in a flat color and adding a chair or dado rail painted in a second color. If you live in a historic property, you might be able to find evidence of the original paint colors by chipping away plaster in an inconspicuous spot.
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