Esther McCoy Irving Gill 1870-1936 Five California Architects, 1960, Reprinted in Marvin Rand Irving J. Gill: Architect 1870-1936, Gibbs Smith, Publisher: Salt Lake City, UT, Design, Ahde Lahti; Photographs, Marvin Rand, 2006, 238 pp. pp. 219-227, 2006a, 1916, 1910,
"In the December, 1915, issue of Sunset magazine, he wrote, "If half the thought and time and money had been expended on perfecting the concrete floor that had been spent on developing wood from the rough board sidewalk to fine parquetry flooring, everybody would want concrete. (p. 224) To overcome the popular prejudice against concrete floors is the business of the architect."
"He mixed color with the cement, "usually tones of red and yellow, red and brown or yellow and brown, slightly mottled. Tempered by the gray of the cement these colors produce neural tones that are a splendid background for rugs and furniture. When quite dry the cement should be cleaned with a weak solution of ammonia and water, given two coats of Chinese nut oil to bring out the color, then finished with a filler and waxed like hardwood. Well done, this treatment gives an effect of old Spanish leather."