True Colours Grant - Vancouver Green, Edwardian Buff, Gloss Black
A recipient of the True Colors Grant (Comox Green, Edwardian Buff, Haddington Grey), we notice the beautiful contrasting shades of blue-green and cream with a grounding tone for the door. We see much of the exposed woodwork along the prominent side-gabled roof, and the extensive porch in this variation of the Side-Gabled Craftsman style. Knee brackets are seen throughout the posts holding up the sleeping porch's shed roof and the main roof boasts wide eaves and is held by square porches. This is a very picturesque version of this home style.
1145 Union - Victorian Peridot, Edwardian Buff, Comox Gold, Gloss Black
True Colours Grant Recipient 2015. Body – Harris Green, Trim and Watertable – Edwardian Bufff, Sash – Gloss Black, Gable – Craftsman Brown, Deck and Stairs – Edwardian Porch Grey.
History
When it started, True Colours was a unique program in Canada. From its inception in 1999 until 2018 the True Colours Grant Program awarded close to $100,000 in grants and Benjamin Moore distributed over 2,000 gallons of paint to more than four dozen paint projects. The program won both City of Vancouver and Province of British Columbia Heritage Awards.
Since 2022, Sherwin-Williams has been the sole corporate sponsor of the program, providing paint grants and assisting with the expansion of the palette. The 2022 update saw the addition of 6 new colours which had been found on buildings in Vancouver since the the initial 1999 launch. This expanded range is available only at Sherwin-Williams.
Funding to support repainting in the True Colours Historical Paint Palette is available for eligible projects through the Heritage Conservation Grant Program, select grants will also recieve complimentary paint generously provided by Sherwin-Williams.
The True Colours grant offered by VHF only tells part of the story. There are many building owners who paint their buildings in the True Colours palette, regardless of receiving a grant from VHF. The impact of True Colours can be seen in neighbourhoods throughout Vancouver.
Donald Luxton, the Heritage Consultant who volunteered hundreds of hours scraping Vancouver homes to uncover these original paint schemes, reflects on the True Colours Program.
“The True Colours program has been a remarkable experience. When the program started, we could not have anticipated the depth and richness of the historical palette that we would uncover, the interest that this would generate among homeowners and the general public and the ongoing desire for information about authentic heritage colours. What I have learned through this program is how carefully colours were chosen to highlight different types of historic architecture, and how paint technology and appearance was so well understood by the designers and builders of the time. The use of colour was not arbitrary, and was an integral part of design. The restoration of authentic colours has provided another level of accuracy and sophistication in our understanding of our heritage buildings.”
Colour Placement
The colours in the Palette were used in particular combinations depending on the style of the house. Some colours were only used for trim or window sash while others were applied to the main body of the house. Following this pattern of colour placement will help provide an authentic colour scheme.
Homes of the Victorian Era typically had a mid-tone or light body colour with a darker trim and a dark window sash. Homes of the Edwardian Era were the opposite, with a mid-tone to dark body colour, a light trim and a dark or black window sash.
Examples
Click on a neighbourhood to see examples of historic paint colour schemes.
