You've finally purchased the dollhouse kit of your dreams. Now comes the hard part -choosing the correct colors. Color can make or break a project, especially if it's a house with a historical look to it. The goal in choosing colors should be to create a harmonious look inside and out, while still allowing the individual characteristics of each room to be explored. So, how do you develop a color pallete that does right by the history of the house, creates a pleasant overall appearance, and also works well with the room in which the house will eventually be displayed?
For most dollhouses, a stop at Painted Ladies is in order. These books are filled with color photos of beautifully restored houses that translate well into miniature. Taking a cyber-tour of restored homes such as the Reitz Home Museum, the Meux Family Home, and the Grier Musser Museum can yield valuable information about both interior and exterior color pallettes. Victorian Station has a nice pictorial overview of victorian architecture, plus a collection of exterior photos sorted by west coast homes, east coast homes, and many other topics. Need some expert input? Paint consultants who specialize in restoring victorians often have their portfolios posted online. Robert Schweitzer and Bob Buckter both have useful collections of photos on their sites.
One of the best ways to choose a pleasing color pallette is to use a printed wallpaper or fabric as your jumping off point. Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpapers has a lovely web site full of color photos, plus an extensive catalog of historical wallpapers available for order. Seamans Wallpaper has a well organized catalog of wallpapers and borders that offer interesting color combinations. Victoria Farrow's site on Augustus Pugin offers reproduction textile and wallpapers, as well as some beautiful archtectural images. J.R. Burrows & Company features arts and crafts fabrics, wallpapers, and carpets, including those of William Morris. Lee Jofa offers historically based textile patterns that are compatible with many contemporary decorating schemes. Color by Design offers an online showroom of fabrics, and it looks as though they will be adding wallpaper soon. The colors can be used in infinite combinations throught your project, providing a unique look for each room, while creating a harmonious look overall.
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