I think we often think of white as being just that…white. The introduction of many different tones in interiors was pioneered in the 16th century using the chiaroscuro technique to enhance mouldings and carvings or painting in such a way as to trick one into thinking that you might have such features. In the mid 20th century renowned designer John Fowler often used this technique (and some say shocking) by painting Sudbury Hall’s oak staircase and plaster ceiling in different whites. The Farrow and Ball paint company, started in 1946 by a chemist Farrow and an engineer Ball were originally tasked to reproduce historically accurate paint colours for the National Trust, and their original ‘whites’ are still wonderful. Likewise, world renowned paint historian Patrick Baty, who founded The Paint and Paper Library in 1997, has written extensively on paint history and analysis. The P and P library has some ravishing neutral hues and an entire paint card devoted to monochrome. Since then, many paint companies have explored the complexities of ‘white’. One of the most innovative being The Little Greene Company, whose records date back to the late 18c and have produced a comprehensive whites-only colour chart.
There are many good paint specialists who produce excellent whites, including Edward Bulmer who has a great blog and his paints are naturally plastic free. See also Zoffany’s paint range, their white hues are available in four different intensities.
My attention was drawn to the power of white many years ago, whilst working for Bath City Council and their refurbishment of the Famous Pump Rooms. I worked with Dr Ian Bristow, a ground-breaking architect who had extensively studied the science and use of historic paint colours in the home. The Bath Pump Rooms which were constructed around 1790 and stand over the Roman Baths were the mineral waters bubble out of the ground at near boiling point. The main room had and still has, a fountain where visitors could ‘take the waters’. The waters are said to have restorative powers, and the 18c visitors were charged handsomely to imbibe. The Pump Room was a place for the fashionable to be seen in all their finery as they promenaded up and down the room. Originally, there were no blinds at the windows (curtains had not been invented), thus commoners could gaze in through the windows enviously. By the way, if you have ever tasted the water, you will know it tastes disgusting!
At the time of the refurbishment, this handsome room was decorated in what was commonly called ‘Wedgwood’ Blue with elaborate gold leaf adorning the mouldings on the Corinthian columns. This was popular in the sixties and thought to be genuinely ‘Georgian’.
Ian Bristow carried out paint scraps, now common to those who watch restoration programs on TV. By placing these under microscope, he could see every colour the room had been painted in its 200-year-old history. It looked a bit like a Lasagne! Curiously, there appears to be no record of the original colour scheme.
When the members of the Bath Spa committee asked Ian what was the original colour; the reply came ‘White!’ There was a look of shock until it was explained that many shades of white were used.
However, looking at other references, it would appear that this was unusual, as it was an extravagant room. House painting in the 18c was expensive, so owners were left to their own devises without employing a tradesman. The master of the house would engage his servants to grind the components of the paint and may have used a handbook such as Vanherman. Every owner appears to have had his own house painter or ‘colour man’ according to a DIY manual published in 1829. Consequently, we see that the entire house may have been painted in stone, and different whites such as lime white as the basis of all paints then was white lead and lime. Highly dangerous! These neutral white colours were known as drab or common colours and it is only well into the 19c that bright colours were used, if the budget allowed. So those gorgeous range of restful grey/ neutrals that we revere today were originally used for the sake of economy!
Of cause, most of us don’t live with glorious architectural features in our rooms! However, we can ‘play’ with the shape of our rooms by using several whites/greys and neutrals together. To make your room look taller, start with darker tone on the skirting move to a lighter tone on the walls and light on the ceiling.
If you are lucky enough to live in a Victorian or Edwardian house, you may well have picture rails, and high ceilings in which case you can visually trick the eye into not knowing where the ceiling begins and ends. People are shocked when darker ceilings are suggested. Heavens! Surely they should be white along with the radiators and paintwork?
