Paint and Colour in Decoration

Book excerpt: A fascinating journey through 400 years of paint and colour from Farrow & Ball, longtime masters of professional paint-making, Paint and Colour in Decoration celebrates the work of some of the greatest names in interior design and reveals the techniques and materials they pioneered. Paint explores the paint-making process and the varying effects produced by different formulations, finishes, and painting methods, and examines the ways by which these evolved. Through a wealth of illustrations and indepth analysis, the book provides a history of colour in painted decoration, revealing how the generally muted colours of the 17th and early 18th centuries gave way to the lighter, brighter palette of the late 18th century, the strong intense shades of the Regency period, the rich polychrome of the Victorian era, and the unprecedented diversity and eclecticism of the twentieth century, culminating in the explosion of interest in historic or traditional colours today. A source of inspiration for professional and amateur decorators and interior designers alike, Paint contains a wealth of ideas and practical.