House Decoration

By Paul Hasluck

Publication date 2001

176 Pages

Developments in the use of paint analysis techniques for researching the painted interiors and exteriors of our most prestigious historic structures while they are being conserved. It has given a broader dimension to architectural study, in many cases by showing how particular buildings and rooms were used, and also offering a better apreciation of the nature and constituents of historic paint.

Paul Hasluck's usefull little book, first published in 1897, will provide the conservation practitioner with a valuble background to the types of paints employed at the time; how they were mixed and applied as well as the composition and orgin of the pigments that were used. Whilst ready mixed paint was availbale, it was often made up by the painter, so the techniques and constituents required for mixing paint form a useful section in this book, paticulary where a colour match for exitsting paint may be required.

The book offeres interesting background information on the decoration of all types of rooms and their architectural details. It also describes the orgins of distemper and extols its virtues particulary for use in bedrooms, due to its cleanliness and healthy qualities.

Contents:

On colours and paints*Pigments*Oils, driers, varnishes, etc*Tools used by painters*How to mix oil paints*Distemper or tempera painting*Whitewashing and decorating a ceiling*Painting a room*Pampering a room*Embellishment of walls and ceilings.

About the Author:

Paul Hasluck was editor of both Building World, and Work, two weekly titles published by Cassell & Co. at the end of the nineteenth centuary. The bulk of experienced craftsmen. In the preface to this particular work, House Decoration, he specifically acknowledged the contribution of a 'well-known London decorator'.

From the Reviews:

.....this small book is a masterpiece of decorating knowledge considensed into a small space.

Salvo

The book will be most useful as guidance for anyone wanting to create historic interiors since the advice it gives is clearly as close to the 'horses mouth' as possible.

The Victorian

The book comes into its own for those members of the building profession who need to understand the techniques used in the context of interiors. ........for art historians and others, the books would be useful background reading when researching the decoration of interiors for historic and vernacular buidings.

Building Engineer