‘Robbialac’ paint chart

This is a 'Robbialac' paint chart by the London paint manufacturers Iventors from around 1925. It folds into four sections and on the back is information about how and where the paint was made. Throughout the 1920s and 30s most professional house painters mixed their own colours. In the new outer suburbs, few residents did their own decorating. However, for those who did, a number of firms supplied ready-mixed paint. Gloss or enamel colours were used chiefly for woodwork, kitchens and bathrooms. Flat (matt) oil paint was also sometimes used for woodwork and for walls. Observe the predominance of dark colours.