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Modern Use of the American Colonial Styles
A modern adaptation of our own early styles would seem to be the most consistent type of decoration that could be used in this country. Art, however, has to a great extent ceased having a national character. With modern means of printed reproductions, facility of travel and transmission of news, the whole world was moving toward a globalization of art and culture in the early twentieth century.
This, however, was no reason for neglecting our own children, so to speak, and in their suitable place they were more pleasing to us than the products of more distant relations. In adapting the colonial styles to modern work they may generally be divided into the informal type and the formal.
The "Early American" represents the first. The "Georgian" type represents the second. The "Empire" style was practically limited to furniture, the "Greek revival" being the style of interior architecture that was in vogue at the time the "Empire" furniture was being made. The Early American type is distinctly suitable for small informal country homes with wood burning fireplaces (http://www.ferche.com), summer bungalows and the like. It would seem inconsistent with city dwellings or apartment house decoration.
This type immediately suggests plank walls and beamed ceiling. The planks may be ordinary cheap wide pine shelving, full of knots, cut with a molding at the tongue and groove to allow for the shrinkage. The planks should be of random widths between 8 inches and 14 inches wide. A yellowish brown stain should be applied before setting in place.
Wax finish will give it an antique appearance. These planks may be combined with rough plaster walls or with a simple type of wallpaper. There are countless good reproductions made today of early American furniture in maple, butternut, pine, and oak, that is serviceable and durable and will harmonize well with a room of this type.
The "Georgian" type of decoration covers both paneled and papered walls. The panels should be properly designed, usually above a low wainscot. Moldings may be applied to a plastered wall with wood corner protectors (http://www.ferche.com). There are many firms who make stock colonial wood mantels of all types which are excellent copies of originals.
A selection of wallpaper is sometimes a matter of some difficulty due to the great profusion on the market. As a rule, imported papers follow more closely the patterns of the papers of Colonial days, many of them being actually made from the same blocks. Pictorial papers are suitable for dining rooms and halls.
Papers with Chinese designs are also excellent. A simple and informal type shows a pattern of farm or marine subjects. Bedroom papers are usually flower or conventional forms in small spots arranged in diagonal lines. Wallpapers should usually receive at least one coat of white shellac after being laid. Tests of shellacking should be made in advance.
Floors may be covered with anything from a rag, hooked or braided rug to an Oriental rug depending upon the formality and pediment required. It is usually essential to keep the hardware and lighting fixtures in character in order to obtain the complete Colonial effect.
Hand-wrought iron, surface hinges, door latches and brass, iron and glass sconces are inexpensive and made by many dealers who advertise their craftwork in a number of publications. Colors are not limited to the cream or ivory that is so common.
Light blues, greens, grays and putty tones are constantly used not only for trim and mantels, but often for complete wall covering. Staffordshire figures, and "old blue" plates, quaint textiles or paintings may be used for color accents.
About the Author
Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in home improvement, interior decorating,
pediment
construction, and installing wood corner protectors. For the best in the hardwood moulding industry, please visit
http://www.ferche.com/
.