Design notes

Magazine Antiques, Feb, 2005 by Allison Eckardt Ledes

Historic paints

The restoration of williamsburg, the capital of colonial Virginia, started in the early 1920s. It gained considerable momentum when John D. Rockefeller Jr. agreed to underwrite the endeavor in 1927, and seven years later Franklin D. Roosevelt presided over the opening ceremonies of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. The restoration was meticulous because Rockefeller wanted everyone involved to get it right, or in his words: "No scholar must ever be able to come to us and say we have made a mistake." This was a noble goal, but it preceded some of the more recent research tools that enhance our understanding of objects made in earlier times. Paint analysis, for example, enables us today to determine the exact shade used in houses centuries old. An example is the parlor bedchamber of the Warner House in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (described on pages 66-71 of this issue).

Williamsburg was not only one of the earliest museums of its kind in this country, it was also in the vanguard in 1936, when it launched a program to "provide authentic reproductions of antique furnishing and accessories" to those interested in the styles of earlier times. One offering was paint, and over the years many of the colors were so widely used that they came to be preceded by the Williamsburg name. The curatorial staff at Williamsburg has inaugurated extensive scientific research into the original paint colors used on and in the buildings there, and, as is the case elsewhere in this country, they have found that some surprisingly bold colors were used in daring combinations in the eighteenth century.

In collaboration with Pratt and Lambert Paints, the Williamsburg Color Collection line has been expanded from 144 to 184 colors, and many of these are in lighter tones including cream, beige, soft blue, and rose. According to Willie Graham, the curator of architecture at Colonial Williamsburg, the line "is a thoroughly documented, exceptionally accurate collection of color."

There is a great variety of color visible on the exteriors of the more than five hundred buildings that comprise the historic district of Colonial Williamsburg. The expanded line includes both interior and exterior paint. Both are available in Pratt and Lambert's unique Twist and Pour containers, which have an integrated handle and pouring spout as well as a twist-off resealable lid. For information and to locate retail outlets where the Williamsburg Color Collection may be purchased, contact Pratt and Lambert at 800-289-7728 or consult their Web site (www.prattandlambert.com).

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