When the authors, a pair of respected architects, first published this beautiful book in the late Victorian era, they meant it as a wakeup call to the forward-looking homeowners of the time - inviting them to eschew ""the old puritanical hatred of colour, which found its natural outcome in white houses with green blinds"" and join in the revolutionary trend toward ""advanced notions, in which the more positive colours find a chance of expression."" The book helped homeowners to attain this goal through its presentation of full-colour illustrations of attractive, up-to-date colour schemes for houses, with special attention given to the refined lines of Queen Anne-style homes.The heart of the book is the section of 20 exquisite colour plates - each reproducing a flawlessly executed architectural drawing that shows the colour possibilities for a specific house, and each accompanied by an extensive written description of the colours to be used for exterior walls and trim. An informative introductory section gives a clear explanation of how to mix primary and secondary colours to achieve such popular, mellow tones of the period as olive, russet, citrine, buff, plum, and sage. This authentic source of inspiration and suggestions will be prized by restorationists, architects, home-builders, and lovers of Victoriana.