Orange Victorian on Housekaboodle
Help Stamp Out Beige
Help Stamp Out Beige was the tagline in a paint manufacture’s advertisement in the ’70s, touting a new line of vibrant colors. I guess that’s what’s put me on this kick to be bold with color.
Victorian dollhouse and miniatures are one of the most popular styles. So when it comes to color, be like the Atlanta residents in the 1870s. For those that could afford it, spectacular Victorian homes rose from the ashes of the Civil War. By the 1880s, when the Queen Anne style became popular, synthetic pigments allowed for vivid blues, greens, purples, and yellows. Also common were multi-hue schemes that accentuated the style’s diverse architectural details, such as turned porch spindles and fish-scale shingles under the eaves.
A Wacky Tradition
Victorian dollhouse kit no longer available
Victorian homes also have a long and illustrious tradition of whacky color. Different colors helped to highlight the incredible details on these homes. Multicolored palettes can still be found in beautifully detailed homes today.
You really can’t go too far with your next Victorian dollhouse or one that needs a remodel. The Victorians believed that if one detail would do, two was better. Better yet was to paint them a different color, not necessarily compatible. They loved repetition, like putting enlarged porch spindles on the front gables.
Paint schemes with several colors and sharp contrasts play up these architectural features. The more detail, the bolder you can be. Extremely ornate corbels can have a sharp contrast between light and dark colors, while the less detailed panels can be painted in two dark colors.
Victorian Painted Lady in Brookline, Massachusetts
Painted Ladies
Why not a red dollhouse, or one patterned after the wondrous orange Victorian above, decorated by Sue Pekaric. And for inspiration, you can’t beat the Painted Ladies in San Francisco or some New England towns, like the beauty pictured here.
So fear not! Be as lavash as you want with color. Some might question your taste, but no one can accuse you of not being authentic.
What do you think? Can a Victorian dollhouse be too garish?
Susan Downing, with Patrick Owens
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I invite you to visit my Etsy Shop where I offer many accessories and pieces of furniture in 1:12 scale.
