Walls & Ceilings
Old House Journal|September 2020
DISCOVER DECORATION you could never dream up! Even early on: It turns out that the murky “colonial” palette of the 1950s–1970s was based on paint samples embedded with dirt and altered by time.
Walls & Ceilings

True colors included brilliant yellow, Prussian blue and turquoise, clear green, blood red, and rich ivories tinted with grey, yellow, or pink. By the 1870s the Victorian tripartite treatment was fashionable: walls divided into dado (or wainscot) below the chair rail, a fill or field section, and a frieze at the top of the wall. By modern standards, even the simplified treatments of the Arts & Crafts period were decorative. Colors were earthier and yet included gold, grass green, and eggplant, while pastels were used in the bedrooms.

Learn about the rich history of the decorated wall— paint techniques and printed papers, embossed surfaces, ornamental plaster, tile—and white walls may come to feel like the absence of finish, or even a reminder of the whitewash once used in stables. History offers options from subtle to fantastic—adaptable today for something unique.

1. W.F. NORMAN CORPORATION wfnorman.com

Founded in 1898, W. F. Norman Corp. has the nation’s most complete collection of quality, hand-pressed ceilings, cornices, mouldings, and ornaments. Call for a catalog or view their products online. (800) 641-4038

2.& 3. J.P. WEAVER jpweaver.com

Designers and manufacturers of European-inspired interior architectural mouldings since 1914. Creators of the intricately carved Petitsin collection of flexible resin interior mouldings for walls and ceilings. Design services available. (818) 500-1740

4. DRIWOOD MOULDING CO. driwood.com

They create architecturally correct, elegant, embossed and plain hardwood mouldings for residential or commercial projects. More than 500 exceptional mouldings in stock to fit any project. View and shop online. (888) 245-9663

Denne historien er fra September 2020-utgaven av Old House Journal.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra September 2020-utgaven av Old House Journal.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA OLD HOUSE JOURNALSe alt
a farmhouse renewed
Old House Journal

a farmhouse renewed

Sensitive renovations and restoration work preserved a house that dates to 1799.

time-read
3 mins  |
September - October 2024
AN OVERVIEW OF METAL ROOFING
Old House Journal

AN OVERVIEW OF METAL ROOFING

METAL ROOFS ARE RESURGENT, FOR GOOD REASONS.

time-read
1 min  |
September - October 2024
ENDURING BEAUTY IN WALLS of STONE
Old House Journal

ENDURING BEAUTY IN WALLS of STONE

Now back in the family who had been here since 1830, the old farmhouse is again ready for generations to come. Additions dating to 1840 and the 1950s were preserved.

time-read
3 mins  |
September - October 2024
ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS COME TO LIFE
Old House Journal

ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS COME TO LIFE

Owners and their designer celebrate the unique features of a 1912 Arts & Crafts Tudor.

time-read
2 mins  |
September - October 2024
For a Wet Basement Wall
Old House Journal

For a Wet Basement Wall

If there's problem common to old houses, it's a wet basement. I'm not talking about occasional flooding, but rather a basement that apparently seeps or leaks after even a rain shower or during snowmelt. Several approaches are available; sustainable solutions will get to the root of the problem.

time-read
1 min  |
September - October 2024
Patching a Plaster Wall
Old House Journal

Patching a Plaster Wall

Fix a hole in the wall with a few common tools and some drywall supplies. Practice your technique!

time-read
4 mins  |
September - October 2024
Navigating the Lumberyard
Old House Journal

Navigating the Lumberyard

Here's some lumber lingo you should know before you venture into a lumberyard.

time-read
4 mins  |
September - October 2024
Roofing & Siding
Old House Journal

Roofing & Siding

Make note of these historical and unusual materials for the building envelope.

time-read
1 min  |
September - October 2024
The Riddle of the water
Old House Journal

The Riddle of the water

When water incursion happens, the roof isn't necessarily the culprit. Maybe snaking a drain line, or clearing debris from a clogged gutter, temporarily will stem a leak. But a recurring problem usually means other forces are at work. It takes persistence-and a team with the right skills and patience—to identify the source and apply a solution.

time-read
4 mins  |
September - October 2024
Light-filled Craftsman Redo
Old House Journal

Light-filled Craftsman Redo

For a dark kitchen in a 1914 Illinois house, the trick was anchoring white expanses with woodsy warmth.

time-read
2 mins  |
September - October 2024