The first part of the title was the tagline from an ad for a paint manufacturer in the 1970s, promoting a new line of vibrant colors. “You don’t have to settle for ‘pale paints’ anymore,” was the punch line.

I got to thinking about that ad while leafing through a stack of old Better Homes & Gardens at a garage sale. Which led to the question why so many miniaturists are a bit color-shy, almost as fearful as some of my interior design clients. Which led to thinking about Victorian dollhouses. How about that for a stream of consciousness?

The Victorians certainly weren’t afraid of color. The CCC rule – compatible color combinations – was rarely observed. Do the following Internet image search: “Victorian Painted Ladies San Francisco.” Prepare to be amazed at the wacky color combinations that emerge.

Or take a cue from Atlanta residents in the 1870s. The Civil War left the city in ashes. Those who could afford to rebuild their spectacular early Victorian homes did so with the flourish of a defeated people refusing to be conquered. If you’re visiting Atlanta, take a history tour to see some well-maintained masterpieces.

The Queen Anne style of Victorian houses became popular in the 1880s, which coincided with the development of synthetic pigments. Bright blues, greens, purples, and yellows were now possible. Multicolored schemes accentuated the corbels and columns, or the fish-scale shingles under the eaves. Ornate friezes painted in light and dark colors stood out in stark contrast to the darker-toned backgrounds.

Technology created other new materials and production methods, and the cost of ornamental items dropped. Architects and builders applied decoration liberally to houses, creating styles that no one had seen before, combining features from different eras with their own embellishments.

Already excited about making a Victorian dollhouse your next project? If so, you first have to decide: What Victorian style?

The era lasted from roughly 1840 to 1900, and historians more or less agree that the following individual styles evolved:

Italian

British arts and crafts movement

gothic revival

Italian

jacobetan

neoclassicism

gothic revival

painted ladies

queen anne

popular-victorian

renaissance revival

Romanesque Revival (Richardsonian)

Second Empire (Mansard Style)

Octagon style

stick eastlake

industrial architecture

Research these styles and choose one that speaks to you. Don’t forget about the interiors. The owners of a twenty-room mansion could enjoy twenty different styles. Or mix and match within the same room. To quote Cole Porter, “Anything goes!”

Now you have a general color decision: do you want your project to look as shiny and new as the day the painters packed up and left? Or you want to put a little “age” in the dollhouse, giving it the look of faded doppelganger. Both are genuine; it is a personal choice.

So fear not! If your next project is Victorian, you can go as subdued (but not all the way to beige, please). or as lavash with any color you like. Some may question its taste, but no one can accuse it of being historically inaccurate.