Endangered Colour Traditions in Lithuanian Interior Design

Summary Colours – and colour combinations – are important considerations for architects, decorators, building owners, residents and visitors. Colour presents a complex issue in discussion and negotiation in the architectural design process, and aesthetic disagreements often arise due to different viewpoints. The object of discussion here is endangered traditional colour schemes in Lithuanian interior design, in which the collective cultural approach includes elements of both folk design and professional design. The issue addressed in this article is the culturological place of colour in interior design, while the aim is to define the role of colour in such design and provide a brief historical and cultural overview of significant Lithuanian colour combinations. In this article, a folk-theoretical approach is complemented by empirical observations, evidenced by archival historical material research. Theoretical analysis suggests that the colour combination of the Lithuanian national flag (yellow, green and red) is not suited to Lithuanian interior design, where natural earth colours are dominant – preferably non-intensive pastel-colours that reflect the Lithuanian landscape and climate. The conclusion is that the perception of colour combinations depends to some extent on human intelligence or artistic education, but to a greater extent on collective culture and collective memory.