Color in Decoration

This book is a must for anyone who enjoys home decoration. There are over 185 pages with photographs of color combinations used in all types of interiors: from modern to traditional. I like the fact that the authors do not discriminate against any color simply because it may be out of fashion. This book was written in 1990, but you would never know it is almost 13 years old because each color is shown in its many variations. For example, the chapter on "Red" is 32 pages long and covers everything from brown-red to violet, with orange-red, scarlet, crimson, and pink falling in between. Add to that the requisite information on the color wheel, color mixing, and sample color palettes and you have a most necessary reference work for anyone contemplating decorating color choices. Little, Brown please reprint this book!!!

I am studying interior design and found this book helpful in understanding how to use color in home decoration. The book takes color analysis beyond the standard color wheel. For example, before I read the book, I had no clear understanding of what burnt umber was or looked like or why it was called burnt umber. The authors explain differences between pigments such as raw and burnt umber and give the history of their origins and use. As a beginning design student, I did not know these things. The color plates at the back of the book show the various pigments and how to combine them to create variations in hue or to create other colors. This increased my understanding of color. I also liked the classification of the pigments into various palettes, such as Victorian, earth colors etc. This gave me a clearer understanding of what a Victorian color scheme would be, or a tropical color scheme would be. When I finished reading the book, I had an overall understanding of color and its history. I knew the sources from which we originally obtained pigments, and how the range of pigments expanded throughout history. The pictures of interiors showed how specific colors such as pale yellow, or orange-yellow, etc. can be used in decorating. I also learned how several colors can be combined in decorating if they have the same tonal value. This book is out of print and hard to find. I strongly recommend the publisher reprint it. Andrienne Goggin Clark