Opaque Wood Finishes
While this chapter has emphasized the transparent finish for wood treatment, as a method best fitted for woods with a distinct grain, it is realized that oil painting of wood surfaces has a distinct and important part to play in the interior decorative scheme of a room. This latter method is adapted to soft woods without a strongly marked grained surface. The warm hued rectangle of the spectrum: red, orange, and yellow with their associated hues, which are so intimately connected with the natural wood colors and their stains, no longer stand as a limiting factor in controlling the color of the wood or the side walls. The opaque nature of oil paints allows us to disregard the color of the wood, and thus select any hue of oil paint which harmonizes with the walls and decorative scheme of the room. The rules stated herein are equally applicable to opaque colors. It may be necessary to reduce oil paints in chroma beyond the point indicated in Rule 12h.
While it is not within the scope of this chapter to enter into a complete discussion of the subject of interior decoration, the following suggestions are considered as applying to our subject: viz., the surface enrichment of large areas. Complete color harmony in interior decoration generally demands the presence of the three so-called primary hues: red, yellow, and blue, in some form in the wall color scheme. While this is not always possible, two may be introduced as follows.
Northern Exposure
The light from the north, northeast, or northwest is cold blue, supplying blue in the decorative scheme of three primary colors: blue, red, and yellow. The wall tints should then be composed of combinations of red and yellow, the remaining primaries. These may be applied to the walls by means of tints of yellow and orange reduced in chroma, or shades of orange and orange-red. No greens or blues should be used.
Southern Exposure
The light from the south, southeast, and southwest supplies plenty of yellow. It is, then, necessary to add the remaining primaries or at least one of them in the form of gray-blue, orange, or orange-yellow, reduced to one-fourth chroma and practically to neutrality or grayish-reds and greens, well reduced in chroma. Any hue strongly yellow should be avoided.
Effects of Hue upon Apparent Size
Certain hues materially affect the apparent size of a room. If the room is small certain values and hues will make it appear much smaller. Dark values, as a rule, make the room look smaller by seemingly drawing the walls closer together. Red contracts the apparent size of a room, while yellow and blue expand it. Green and shades of yellow and red-orange, if not too dark, have little effect upon the apparent size of a room.
SUMMARY OF DESIGN STEPS
(a) Determine, by its exposure, the kind of light the room receives.
(b) Choose a hue for the walls embodying one or both of the primary hues not represented by this daylight.
(c) Select a value and chroma for this hue in accordance with Rules 12b and 12i.
(d) Select a hue, value, and chroma for the ceiling in accordance with Rules 12g, 12e, and 12j.
(e) Select the correct hue, value, and chroma for paint or stain for the wood work in accordance with Rules 12f, 12a, and 12h.
SUGGESTED PROBLEMS
Develop the color scheme for the walls, ceiling, and wood work of a room with a northern exposure; southern exposure. Mix the stain for a piece of oak to harmonize with the wood work and walls of the living room of your home.
Determine the wall tints to harmonize with dark weathered oak. Mix them from dry colors.
SUMMARY OF RULES
Rule 12a. An average wood stain is to be retained between the values middle and low dark.
Rule 12b. An average wall hue is to be retained between the values light and middle.
Rule 12c. An average ceiling hue is to be retained between the values white (minus) and light.
Rule 12d. The relation between the side walls and furniture, trim, etc., should be retained within the range of four values or less, as low light and dark.
Rule 12e. The relation between the side walls and ceiling should be within the range of three values or less, as high light and low light.
Rule 12f. Color schemes for wood work and side walls should preferably be selected from one of the following groupings: analogous, contrasted, or dominant arrangements of hues. Analogous grouping is preferable where variety of hue is desirable.
Rule 12g. Ceilings should be colored by a lighter tint of the side walls or by a lighter tint of an analogous hue.
Rule 12h. Stains are usually not reduced to below three-fourths chromatic intensity. Nearly gray side walls, however, call for a reduction to one-fourth intensity.
Rule 12i. Wall colors are usually reduced to three-fourths chroma to a minimum reduction of slightly less than one-fourth chroma.
Rule 12j. Ceilings should usually be reduced in chroma to three-fourths intensity, with slightly less than one-fourth chroma as a minimum reduction.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What should we have in mind when staining furniture for the home?
2. Why are the side walls important when considering the color scheme of a room?
3. Give the value range for the average wood stains, side walls, and ceiling.
4. State the value range to include wood work, furniture, trim, and side walls.
5. State the value range that includes side walls and ceilings.
6. Give the hue range for wood work and side walls.
7. Explain the analogous, contrasted, and dominant groupings of hues and name two examples of each.
8. Give the hue range for side walls and ceilings. Name several good combinations.
9. Give range of chroma for wood work, side walls, and ceiling. Explain the reasons for each change of chroma.
10. What experience have you had in mixing calcimine for wall decoration?
11. Discuss opaque finishes for wood.
12. Give the hues for rooms with northern and southern exposures. Why?
13. State the effect of hues upon the apparent size of a room.