DOING UP YOUR DREAM HOUSE PAINT EXPERT

OR many houses, painted decoration

is the dominant element of the
interior. Paint can survive inside for
centuries, although most colour schemes
have changed with fashion (external paint-
work exposed to the elerrents generally
'With
has a life of only about 10 years). the
recent revival ofinterest in historical col-
ours, many owners are keen to redecorate
to some degree ofauthenticity, but the array
of 'traditional' paint ranges on the market
can be bewildering, and much ofthe infor-
mation and advice on offer is misleading.
The paint expert Patrick Baty offers
sound advice on paints and finishes, and
has dispelled many myths about historical
paint and colours. A great-grandson of the
artist/colourists Stanislawa de Karlowska
and Robert Bevan, he also provides a con-
sultancy on historical decoration, gives
technical guidance and runs a colour-
matching service from his London shop,
Papers and Paints. Founded by his father in
1960, the shop was granted a Royal.Warrant
earlier this year. It sells a huge range ofpaint
colours, many ofwhich are traditional ones
matched with modern materials. trt

''We also carry out colour surveys using U

a spectrophotometer to "measure" existing s

paint colours, so that they can be matched
seamlessly when elements of a building are
repainted,' he says, citing recent work on
John Fowler's 1970s scheme in the Great
Hail at Syon Park and a number of London
clubs as examples. ''W'e currently have
hundreds ofthousands ofcolours on our
database.' He is often asked to reproduce
obsolete colours, and has developed his
own ranges, such as Traditional Colours,
partly based on a set of1807 hand-painted
colour cards, and Historical Coiours, repro-
ducing colours found in applied arts such as
porcelain and tapestry. He has also devised
palettes for Dulux and English Heritage.
As a leading consultant on painted deco-
ration, Mr Baty has been involved with
an impressive range ofhistoric buildings;
fiom palaces and cathedrals to 1960s housing
TOP TIP3
I about the aim of the project
Be clear
O Working with the limited palette of
colours available in a particular period
reduces the risk of going wrong
I Be wary of paint products and colours
labelled as Traditional or Historical. Always
seek more information about their orierns
The ultimate colour guide: Patrick Baty analyses historic paintwork and creates colours to match
estates. His expertise in every aspect of
decorative colour combines forensic analy-
sis with research-based knowledge ofthe
methods and materials ofhousepainters, the
development ofpaint and pigments and the
history ofarchitecture and decorative taste.
'-When dealing with the redecoration of
a historic buiiding, there are three prin-
cipal approaches that might be considered,'
he says. 'The most labour intensive is the
anaiytical approach, whereby we investi-
gate the nurrber, sequence, date and com-
position ofthe paint layers in a scientific
process involving microscopic and chemi-
cal techniques, in order to determine how
a room once looked.' Mr Baty emphasises
that hisjob is to make an accurate historical
record, from which informed decisions can
be made. 'Ijniess a buildine is of outstand-
ing significance and being presented to the
public, it is not usually relevant to carry out
an archaeologically exact recreation.'
Generaliy more appropriate in a domestic
context is the less academic hypothetical
approach, on which Mr Baty also gives
guidance. Here, an appropriate decorative
scheme is devised, based on historical and
d
practical information acquired through
analysis of other simiiar buildings. 'This
more flexible approach allows for a wider
palette ofcolours and finishes to be used,
introducing an element ofsubjective taste.'
The third, free way'requires no specialist
knowledge and can be carried out by most
interior designers'. Many owners opt for
a combination of the latter two. 'It's not
aiways necessary to be tied to the past; what's
important is to obtain accurate information
and to be honest about the approach. The
key thing is not to claim that a room has been
restored when it has only been decorated.'
MARY MIERS
Patrick Baty, Papers and Paints-
02 0-7 3 5 2 8 62 6 ; www.p apers -paints. co.uk
EXPERT DIRECTORY
C olin Mitchell- Ro s e, E dinb urgh :
0131-332 2755
Richard lreland, London:
020-8568 5978
Lisa Oestreicher, Tisbury, Wiltshire :
0 1747 87 17 17 ; www.historicpaint, com

96 COUNTRY LIFE MARCH 7,2007