NRF promotes and invests in the architectural heritage of the Newport community, the traditional building trades, and Doris Duke’s fine and decorative arts collections, for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of all.
As a leader in the preservation of early American architecture, NRF supports research and education in areas directly related to its collections and issues of critical concern to the field of historic preservation.
Visit Doris Duke’s art-filled mansion and enjoy panoramic ocean views from the extensive grounds. Open late March to November.
The Vernon House is a site for expansive story-telling, contemporary dialogue, and preservation trades skill-building.
Newport Restoration Foundation holds one of the largest collections of period architecture owned by a single organization anywhere in the United States.
Celebrate excellence in historic preservation efforts within the City of Newport, Rhode Island.
Live amidst history by renting one of our many historic properties.
Have you ever been interested in one of NRF’s paint colors, wondering what the color is called? Or, wondering how you can get a color for your own home? Each year, NRF receives requests about the organization’s color collection, so we are making them available to the general public. Through a collaborative effort between Salve Regina University’s internship program and NRF’s Preservation Crew, all of NRF’s preservation property paint colors are being cataloged and made accessible to the public.
Over the course of the last 50+ years, NRF’s property collection has continued to evolve. This holds true for our house paints as well. When Doris Duke began purchasing properties in the late 1960s, many houses were in desperate need of repair. During restoration, paint colors were chosen either to match what was thought to be the historic color through basic paint analysis or, in a few instances, colors were chosen by Doris Duke herself. Since the original restorations, some houses have undergone more sophisticated paint analysis and some colors have been changed based on historic research of period-appropriate palettes; we hope to continue this work moving forward.
For the exterior paint colors of each preservation property, click through to the individual property page and you will find the information needed to identify such paints.
Interested in the colors at Rough Point Museum? We look forward to providing this information to you in the coming months.
Stay tuned for more information on the history of NRF’s paint collection.
Formulas for any non-standard paint colors can be found by contacting Adler’s Hardware in Providence, RI or Humphrey’s Paint Center in Middletown, RI.
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