By 1978, the dormitory residents had taken a toll on Carnegie Dormitory (Mather House.) It was decided that the house should be painted to restore its original colors. To this end, a painting analyst working in the laboratories of the National Park Service's Restoration Division put 54 paint samples from different parts of the house under microscopes and subjected the bottom layers to UV lights and filters. Using these techniques paints were mixed to blend just the right shades of yellow, green, and maroon. The architectural details on the outside of the house were also restored, and the interior was renovated to look as it did in the 1800s.