Paints
A lot of the Farrow & Ball range of pale colours strike the right note, particularly the aqua blue/greens, and blue/greys, of which there are quite a number.
Ceilings in flat emulsion and woodwork in oil eggshell can be Farrow & Ball "New White" or "White Tie" or in 9 ft high rooms, any brand mixed to Ivory (BS10.b.15). Suggested colours include F&B No 22 "Light Blue" for halls; F&B No 84 "Green Blue" for sittingrooms and F&B No 32 "Cooking Apple Green" for diningrooms.
Having painted the sittingroom or diningroom, consider giving the colour an accent with a slim gilt fillet or beading under the cornice. A picture framer's slip of DIY beading gilded with Dutch metal can be used. It was extensively used in the mid-18th century to hide nails and fixings for coloured papers, and is very successful at removing the coldness from modern rooms.
David Skinner has produced some wonderful light reproductions of 18th century wallpapers in his "Historic Irish Range". Particularly effective for bedrooms are his subtle trellis and floral sprig papers.
Floors
Although bare boards and Turkish rugs remained common during this period, English woven carpets by Moorfields, Axminster and Wilton also became more popular. Rococo is about comfort - and ivory, mushroom or pale gold-fitted wool carpets complement gilt.
Fabrics, Furnishings
Even if you can afford them, furnishings with a rococo feel tend to be delicate and not child-friendly. Good plain furniture can be given a vibrancy and energy by using cheerful patterned checks and stripes or upholstery in the many toiles now available.
Chelsea Textiles has introduced a range of slightly faded and atmospheric checks, while Brunschwig et Fils, thanks to the efforts of Sybil Connolly, produced a reproduction of beautiful Irish toile originally printed in Ballsbridge. The latter can now be seen in the Swiss Cottage in Cahir, where, with accompanying blue and white painted furniture, it has all the charm of Marie Antoinette's hameau at Versailles.
In fact, the notion of painting furniture is a successful way of inducing the rococo mood. The Victorians made a lot of rococo revival pieces, but they were heavy and often made of mahogany.
These are still affordable and worth transforming by painting in delicate shades of eau-de-Nil, cream or even violet, highlighted by coloured or gilt lines.
Even more economic are modern imports from the Philippines, which are really successful if painted.
The only way to achieve painted furniture that is convincing is to copy from original pieces: this can be done by keeping a scrapbook filled with ideas torn from magazines and catalogues.
