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THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[January, 



interrupted. In a climate like that of any part of Great Britain, we should 

 never dream of covering large surfaces with black or even with very dark 

 blue, or purple, and scarcely with very deep crimson, unless under peculiar 

 circumstances. During three-fifths of the year, the light in our country is 

 subject to constant obscuration. We therefore say, as a general rule, let the 

 colouring be light. We do not mean to exclude the judicious use of any 

 positive strong colours, or even of black itself, which may be employed 

 most successfully in details, but we content! that the first general impression 

 of rooms in England should be light rather than dark. As our climate also 

 inclines rather to cold than warmth throughout the year, the general rule 

 should be to have warm colouring in preference to cold, though our present 

 practice tends more in a contrary direction. 



It may not, perhaps, be unnecessary to put, in an untechnical form, a 

 meaning of the terms warm and cold colouring, which may be at once un- 

 derstood. Some colours are called primary, some secondary, some tertiary. 

 Every reader, we assume, knows a blue from a red, red from green, yellow 

 from purple, and the most obvious and common distinctions of colouring. 

 Without entering into any theory on the subject, we say that blue, red, and 

 yellow are primitive colours — that is, that they are self-created colours, be- 

 cause the compounding together of no other colours will produce them. 

 Green, orange, and purple are secondary colours, and result from the admix- 

 ture of the three primitive colours. The tertiary mixtures, such as olive, 

 brown, slate, are formed by the union of the secondary colours themselves, 

 or the colours which make them, in the same proportions. The two colours 

 which represent the extremes of heat and cold are red and blue. Yellow 

 stands midway between them, and by itself is neither positively warm nor 

 cold, though it rather more inclines to warmth than coldness, as we see illus- 

 trated in the green colours. As greens contain blue, they are cold looking, 

 as yellow warm. Mixed colours, in proportion as they contain red, incline 

 to warmth — as they contain blue, to coldness. It is true, we may have the 

 effects of both warmth and coldness, and strong effects too, without using 

 any positive colour at all ; but this requires a peculiar treatment. We pur- 

 posely avoid entering upon the effects which an artistic knowledge of con- 

 trasts may realize. We are writing rather for those who are ignorant of re- 

 finements, and our object is to deal with the most general principles rather 

 than any exception of them. Our first canon, therefore, for all general 

 purposes in internal decoration in this country is, that the general colouring 

 be both light and warm ; leaden and cold neutral tints should be altogether 

 eschewed, if our aim he to banish gloom and chilliness from our houses, and 

 to have cheerfulness and warmth instead. We are far less liable to error by 

 leaning to warm rather than to cold colouring. 



We have now to show what are the circumstances modifying the applica- 

 tion of this general rule. The first and most important considerations, as 

 we have already said, are those arising out of astect. Bearing in mind the 

 general necessity for the employment rather of warm and light colours than 

 of cold and dark ones, the circumstances of the aspect of the room to be 

 decorated should regulate the inclination to the use of one or the other. 

 You are going to decorate your drawing-room or dining-room both with 

 furniture and colouring. Before you speak to your upholsterer or house 

 painter, have a perfect understanding and recognition of what is the aspect 

 of the room. Let no circumstances make you regardless of this fundamental 

 consideration. No cost will remedy the forgetfulness. Spend what you 

 will, you will always repent having a cold colour in a room lighted from the 

 north, or a very hot colour in a room lighted from the south. If the aspect 

 be north, north-cast, north-west, or due-east, the general tone of colouring 

 should be positively warm. Blues, greens, and all shaded colours which in- 

 volve any predominant use of blue, must be avoided. There is a drawing- 

 room in the Reform Club, looking north, which may convince any one of the 

 mistake of forgetting aspect. The walls and curtains are blue ; with all its 

 elegance — and its ceiling and cornice are beautiful — the effect of this room 

 by daylight is always chilly. It would be just the reverse if it looked upon 

 Carlton Gardens. There is also a room in Windsor Castle, looking on the 

 North Terrace, called Queen Adelaide's room, which is decorated with blue 

 and silver — a most frigid looking room even in the midst of summer. In 

 such aspects the choice should tend towards reds, and all their various com- 

 binations with yellow. As the aspect approaches east and west, so the co- 

 lours should verge towards yellow rather than red tints. In an eastern as- 

 pect, tints of light yellows, lemon colours, &c. are always effective and 

 cheerful. If the aspect of the room be south, south-west, and west, and 

 open to the direct rays of the sun, then we may venture on the use of cooler 

 colours — even on positive blue, should our taste lead us in that direction. 



Shall the colour chosen be used in tones dart or light— full or faint .' 

 The supply of light, the size of the room, and its purpose, appear to be 

 the chief circumstance which ought to regulate the strength or depth of the 

 colours to be used. Where the light is strong, unohscurcd, and plentiful, 

 the tone of the colouring may be full ; on the other hand, where the supply 

 of light is small, the tone of colouring should be light. In the houses of 

 the ancients the strongest and darkest colours — even blacks, as we have al- 

 ready observed — were used on large surfaces, when the apartment received 

 a direct and full light from above. Under a strong and abundant light, full- 

 toned colours preserve their brightness and distinctive character, but when 

 the light is feeble, and the supply of it limited, they become dull and gloomy. 

 Full-toned colours lessen the apparent size of the room : light colouring en- 

 larges it. A little attention to the proportion between the space to be co- 

 loured, and the depth of the colouring, becomes, therefore of great import- 



ance. If you wish to make your room appear as large as possible, then ex- 

 clude dark colouring, not only on the large surfaces, but even in the patterns 

 of the paper-hangings, and in the mouldings and ornamental parts. The 

 nature of the use to which the room is applied should also influence the de- 

 cision as to the tone of colouring. If the room is used mostly by artificial 

 light, which, being less pure than daylight, materially modifies the appear, 

 ances of most colours — much or little, according to their strength — then 

 keep the colouring light. If, on the other hand, it is a room for occupation 

 during daylight, then the tone of colouring may be deep. Of the peculiar 

 treatment which should be applied to colours when employed in the several 

 sorts of domestic apartments, we shall speak more in detail hereafter. At 

 present we have been dealing only with general principles, which cannot be 

 recapitulated too often. First select the colours — warm or cold — active or 

 passive, on the plus or minus side, as some writers call them respectively — 

 according to the aspect ; and next, remember that the depth or lightness of 

 the colour ought to be no less subjected to regulation by certain principles. 



The particular choice of colours seems to be the next branch of the sub- 

 ject to be examined, and on this point we would particularly refer the reader 

 to Mr. Hay's work; but lest that work should not be at hand, we shall ex- 

 tract a few of the most practical and useful observations on each colour. la 

 Mr. Eastlake's edition of Goethe's Theory of Colours, we also find many re- 

 marks on the peculiarities, influences, and associations of the principal co- 

 lours, and as these remarks seem to us calculated to be of some use in di- 

 recting the selection of colours, we shall abridge from Goethe's work those 

 portions which appear applicable to the subject under consideration, omitting 

 the more questionable and fanciful theories with which they are sometimes 

 intermingled. 



In respect of White, Mr. Hay snys, that " in Symes' Nomenclature of 

 Colours there are no fewer than eight different tints of white enumerated, 

 and although the terms reddish white. Sic. are rather anomalous, yet there 

 seems to be no other way of denominating the lightest tints of colours. 

 For instance, when the lightest tint of any colour is placed beside the most 

 intense, it will appear to the eye a pure white, hut when placed beside the 

 purest white, the colour will appear with which it is tinged. Still, it should 

 be understood, that if it be a single shSde beyond the first remove or grada- 

 tion from pure white, its name must be altered to a light tint of the colour 

 with which it is tinged." A principle is here suggested, which is important 

 in the treatment of most colours. They may be made to appear light or 

 dark, positive or negative, by contrast. Mr. Hay suggests, that if white be 

 used, the colours brought into contact with it "should be light and cool, 

 amongst which grey and green are the most suitable. Very light yellow, of 

 the tint of the primrose, forms also a pleasing arrangement with pure white. 

 Where white is much used, the colouring of the furniture should be re- 

 latively light, and bamboo and satin wood are the best in respect of appro- 

 priate colour." Some years ago it used to be the fashion to use white and 

 black in direct contrast. Panels painted white, with the headings and 

 mouldings picked out in black — most disagreeable in effect, and a practice 

 that must be entirely avoided. If pure white is used, it suits best with a 

 south aspect; but if a white is wanted in a north aspect, then it should be 

 so far warmed in tone, as to be at least a cream colour. White is often used 

 sparingly to contrast with violent colours in carpets and hangings : in such 

 cases the effect is confused and crude. 



Yellow, says Goethe, is the colour nearest light. In its highest purity it 

 always carries with it the nature of brightness, and has a serene, gay, softly- 

 exciting character. In this state, applied to dress, hangings, carpeting, &c. 

 it is agreeable. " Gold, in its perfectly unmixed state, especially when the 

 effect of polish is superadded, gives us a new and high idea of this colour ; 

 in like manner, a strong yellow, as it appears on satin, has a magnificent and 

 noble effect. We find from experience, again, that yellow excites a warm 

 and agreeable impression. Hence, in painting, it belongs to the illumined 

 and emphatic side. This impression of warmth may be experienced in a 

 very lively manner if we look at a landscape through a yellow glass, parti- 

 cularly on a grey winter's day. The eye is gladdened, the heart expanded 

 and cheered ; a glow seems at once to breathe towards us. The following 

 assertion appears to us rather too broad in its application. There are surely 

 circumstances, when the yellowish brown of the fallen leaf, as it is termed, 

 might be most judiciously employed ; but Goethe's account is rather more 

 poetical than practical. He says, " When a yellow colour is communicated 

 to dull and coarse surfaces, such as common cloth, felt, or the like, on which 

 it does not appear with full energy, the disagreeable effect is apparent. By 

 a slight and scarcely perceptible change, the beautiful impression of fire and 

 gold is transformed into one not undeserving the epithet foul, aud the colour 

 of harmony and joy reversed to that of ignominy and aversion. To this im- 

 pression the yellow hats of bankrupts, and the yellow circles on the mantles 

 of Jews, may have owed their origin. As no colour can be considered as 

 stationary, so we can very easily augment yellow into reddish, by condensing 

 or darkening it. The colour increases in energy, and appears in red-yellow 

 more powerful and splendid. All that we have said of yellow is applicable 

 here in a higher degree. The red-yellow gives an impression of warmth 

 and gladness, since it represents the hue of the intenser glow of fire, and of 

 the milder radiance of the setting sun. Hence it is agreeable around us ; 

 and again, as clothing in greater or less degrees is cheerful and magnificent. 

 A slight tendency to red immediately gives a new character to yellow, and 

 while the English and Germans content themselves with pale yellow colours 

 in leather, the French, as Castel has remarked, prefer a yellow enhanced to 

 red ; indeed, in general, everything in colour is agreeable which belongs to 



