EN
The article presents the results of several years of studies of types and colours of historic building windows in Olsztyn area and small Warmia and Masuria towns, carried out by the author of this publication between 2007 and 2011. The reason for undertaking the studies are extensive repairs and building works, resulting in removal of often damaged and unusable historic windows, as well as loss of the authentic appearance of historic buildings, where the joinery was often the only decorative form. The analysis of joinery types showed that the windows used in the area were characteristic of a specific period. The most common are double casement windows, as well as standard casement windows used in staircases and hallways, whereas dual windows are rare and usually preserved in small tenements. In most windows, the joinery includes vertical mullions, horizontal transom bars and infill bars, dividing windows into smaller lights. The style and division of the windows depends on the architectural style of a building. Window colour schemes were usually intense, with the most common colours including green, brown, grey, ecru, beige, blue, violet, yellow, greyish green and white. The colour is usually different on the outside and on the inside, with lighter tones prevailing on the inside. Window paint composition studies showed that the paints contain pigments characteristic of the period. The analysis of typology and colour schemes of joinery of historic buildings also provides information on fashion and trends popular in the area. The inventory studies of joinery and paintwork stratigraphy are the basis for reconstruction and recreation of damaged or removed historic joinery.