There are some excellent written resources that assist in the process of selecting historic paint colors. Whether you are within the Downtown Lowell Historic District or a homeowner that owns a historic house, you want to select colors that compliment your building. These resources explain methods for sensitive removal of paint as well as matching the house style with historic colors. As always, the Historic Board administrative staff can provide additional information.   Please note that before any work begins within the Downtown Lowell Historic District that plans must first be approved by the Board and an Historic Permit issued. The Board, its staff, and Design Review subcommittee are available to assist with any questions regarding design and process in the District. Please contact the Lowell Historic Board staff at 978-446-7200 for specific requirements and application materials.      

Moss, Roger W., ed. Paint in America: The Colors of Historic Buildings. Washington, D.C.:  The Preservation Press, 1994. 

Moss, Roger W. Century of Color: Exterior Decoration for American Buildings, 1820-1920. Watkins Glen, New York: American Life Foundation, 1981. 

Moss, Roger W. and Gail Caskey Winkler. Victorian Exterior Decoration: How to Paint Your  Nineteenth-Century American House Historically. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1987.