Today we start a several-week series of posts on the incredible story told by the layers of paint, wallpaper, carpeting and woodwork found throughout Campbell House. Though you won’t see it on a regular visit to the Museum, our climate-controlled storage room holds thousands of scraps of wall/floor coverings and samples of the beautiful paint and original woodwork that once adorned the Campbells’ halls.
Today we’re taking a peek at everyone’s favorite subject… linoleum! Though linoleum might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of stellar interior decoration and artwork, the Campbells actually had really excellent tastes in their linoleum choices, and they’re works of art in their own way.
When we went to do the museum restoration about 12 years ago, we were lucky to have these pieces. People who were a whole lot smarter than us were contracted to do complex color analyses, and recreate wall/floor coverings that were identical to the ones Virginia Campbell would have picked out for her home well over a century ago. The picture below shows this – who would’ve thought that the original linoleum was so bright and vibrant!
Scroll through the pictures below to check out some more of our lovely linoleum.
