Surprise colour.

On Wednesday’s post I was talking about helping in Mr Dunnit’s workshop and having a gentle pop about the amount of extra work that is created when a client (or an architect or designer) specify the supply of timber windows painted in two colours. They need a lot of careful masking, which is tedious. Largely, the inside of the windows are white, it’s a good neutral really isn’t it. Occasionally they are something from the off white palette. Indeed, these are actually ‘slaked grey’ although you can’t really tell because the light is a bit iffy.

Now, when the order was received, the colours were shown as RAL numbers (which is like a universal reference for paint colours, like we use Pantone numbers for ink, amongst other systems). Next to the RAL number it said ‘ Grey’ and ‘Green’. Most of the greens that we use to paint windows these days are ‘heritage’ type colours, sage, moss and the like. So this was a real surprise. Indeed, is it really even green? He double checked, such was our surprise at the point of lifting the paint tin lid. It’s a nice colour, but I have to reserve full judgement because I need to see the windows in situ. And I won’t, because they are for a builder who has ordered them for a client so we have no idea where they will be going. Keep a look out will ya? 

I know that if you rent or live within the boundaries of an Estate, sometimes you have to use the Estate’s colours on your buildings, Beaulieu village in Hampshire for example, is clearly dotted about with the estate colours, and there’s a village called Cocking in Surrey that has a lot of houses with yellow painted external woodwork. I understand the history and ‘marking’ and indeed just the aesthetic cohesion of that. 

I’m interested now to know if you have coloured external timber, and if so, what colour? I’m even more interested in how, out of all the colours available, you chose the one you’ve got. And if you could explain the same for this particular set of windows that are more blue green than green that would be great. You may even recognise it as an Estate colour?  Also, explain why the French doors are not painted, just stained and lacquered hardwood that will sit between these sets of windows. It’s all very subjective, colour use, isn’t it. I’m a bit glad that my choices appear on paper and card and can be changed, hidden or even recycled without major trauma. Because I have to admit, change would be in the offing if these windows were being delivered to me!