A life of gilding and graining Frederick Crace lived his days among the textures of fine interiors. Born in Greenwich on June 3, 1779, he learned the steady, careful work of a decorator through an apprenticeship with Richard Holland before joining his father, John Crace, in 1793. His hands grew accustomed to the precise application of gold leaf and the imitation of wood grain. In 1794, while working at Carlton House, his skill with gi…