Color and the “Structure” of Decorations of Dwelling–A Case of Putian Dwellings in Fujian, China

Color is one of the important decorative elements of traditional houses, and structure is an important carrier for the presentation of color. The article discusses the role of color in different spatial positions and structures of Fujian Putian houses from the perspective of decorative space and structure and then clarifies the presentation and expression of decorations on different spatial needs and feelings. The article mainly adopts the field observation method, type comparison method, and other research methods to effectively sort out the specific characteristics of color-related elements such as materials, shapes, patterns, and so on based on different decorative spatial positions, and tries to illustrate the character traits of different colors given to the decorative structure of the traditional folk houses, such as the lightness and stability of the top and bottom of the structure, the figurative guidance of the near and far sight lines, the distinction between the public and private spaces, and the creation of multi-level structural spatial feelings, and so on. In this way, the relationship between different colors of the decorative structure and the activities, use, and even gender in the space is derived, which will provide a reference for further research on the color character of traditional residential buildings as well as the protection, repair, and reuse of architectural heritage.