Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tlie Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924014499416 Cornell University Library NK2115.R6 Interior decoration for the smail home, 3 1924 014 499 416 INTERIOR DECORATION 'jh^y^ THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK • BOSTON ■ CHICAGO ■ DALLAS ATLANTA • SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN & CO., Limited LONDON • BOMBAY ■ CALCUTTA MBLBOURNB THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA. Ltd. TORONTO Interior Decoration FOR THE SMALL HOME BY AMY L. ROLFE, M.A. INSTRUCTOR OF HOME ECONOMICS, UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA NeSn gotfe THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1917 jiU rights reserved Copyright, 1917, By the MACMILLAN COMPANY. Set up and electrotyped. Published March, X917. NorSaooti Qing J. B. Gushing Go. — Berwick & Smith Go. Norwood, MasB,, U.S.A. TO MY FATHER PREFACE It has been the purpose to bring together in this book the chief principles of art as they may be apphed to the furnishing of homes of people of moderate means. Many volumes have been written upon the subject of house furnishing which describe in great detail the expensive furni- ture, rugs, and tapestries which can be purchased only by those few individuals who are also finan- cially able to employ professional interior deco- rators and who for that reason have less need for a simple guide. It is the people who must make their own selections of furnishings and plan their arrangement who especially require some economic and artistic knowledge on the subject, so that they may obtain the greatest amount of beauty and convenience for the least expenditure. If they understand color and form harmony in the essen- tial relation to artistic unity, they should then have sufficient confidence to express some of their own individuality in their homes as they endeavor to VlU PREFACE combine the ideal with the practical. Beauty and suitability will by this means be the result of a conscious obedience to the laws of art. The author gratefully acknowledges the help- ful criticism of Miss Anna Cooley of Columbia University. AMY L. ROLFE. BozEMAN, Mont., February, 1917. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Introduction xvii The DiflFerence between House and Home — The Homemaker as Interior Decorator. CHAPTER I Walls and Ceilings i The Treatment of Walls and Ceilings regarding Color, Value, Subordination — Choice and Arrange- ment of Wall Decorations. CHAPTER II Windows and Their Decorative Treatment . . 12 The Use of Curtains as a Decorative Medium — Colors — Values — Textures — Cost. CHAPTER III The Finishing of Floors 31 The Treatment of Wood Floors, Old and New — The Use of Linoleum, Tiles, and Cement for Floor Coverings. X TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER IV PAGE Domestic Rugs and Carpets 38 The Treatment of Floors regarding Color, Value, Subordination — Different Varieties of Domestic Make and their Relative Cost. CHAPTER V Oriental Rugs 50 The /Esthetic Appeal of the Oriental Rug — The Four Principal Classes and Some Subdivisions — Risks Encountered in Purchasing. CHAPTER VI A Brief History of Furniture 61 The Home of [Ancient and Medieval Times and Its Furniture — The Renaissance — Period Styles of Fur- niture — The Modern Reawakening. CHAPTER VII Modern Period Furniture and Its Use . . .81 Types of the Antiques which are Reproduced — Consistent Use of Period Styles in the Various Rooms of the Home — Bisymmetric and Occult Balance — Comfort. CHAPTER VIII Furniture of Modern Design 100 A Reflection of the Spirit of To-day — Different Styles which may be Purchased and Their Use in the Home — Rugs, Upholstery, and Wall Coverings which Harmonize. TABLE OF CONTENTS xi CHAPTER IX rAGK Furniture Woods io8 Mahogany — Oak — Ash — Red Gum — Walnut — Maple — Beech — Birch — Rosewood — Veneered Furniture. CHAPTER X The Fireplace in the Home 117 /Esthetic Value — Historical Significance — Period Styles — Arrangement of Furniture about Fireplace — Materials. CHAPTER XI Artificial Lighting 127 Thfe Importance of Artificial Light as a Part of a Scheme of Interior Decoration — A Brief History — Period Styles, Arrangement — Colors and Materials of Shades. Conclusion 138 Interior Decoration as Art — How Knowledge of the Subject may be Gained — Suitability of Each Room and of the House as a Whole to Its Use — Sincerity in the Outward Expression of the Owner's Personality. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS A charming but dignified entrance hall. The antique Chinese rugs harmonize well with the Chippendale wing chair and with the Chinese Chippendale table Frontispiece lAOSe PAGE Paneled walls give a dignity to this dining room which could have been obtained by no other means. The furniture is of the William and Mary period . 6 Reproductions of well-known masterpieces are inexpen- sive and effective as wall decorations. The furni- ture is of the Queen Anne period .... 7 The height of this Sheraton dining-room is emphasized by the use of narrow, straight window hangings without a valance 20 The arrangement of the sheer muslin curtains seemingly lowers the height of this Colonial room. The de- sign of the sofa is American Empire . . .21 The dark stain of the floor of this living-room makes a pleasing background for the furnishings — a Wil- liam and Mary high-boy, Windsor and Hepplewhite shield-back chairs, and a gate-leg table ... 34 Tiles make the ideal floor for the kitchen • • • 35 This plain rug with banded border makes an excellent background for the William and Mary furniture . 42 Finely figured domestic rugs are well suited for use in entrance halls. The armchair is of the period of Charles II 43 xiii xiv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS HACmO PAGE Persian prayer rug, i6th century .... 52 Turkoman rug S^ Chinese rug, camel's hair, i8th century • • • S3 Caucasian rug, i8th century 53 A handsome Chippendale secretary, chair, and table . 74 A Sheraton secretary and a reed-bottomed chair of early Colonial days 75 A part of a Chippendale dining-room. Chinese influence is plainly shown in the detail of ornament . . 76 A Hepplewhite dining-room which is restful in its sim- plicity 77 Attractive dining-room furniture of the Adam style. The arrangement shows the use of bisymmetric balance 86 An example of occult balance. The group formed by the Chippendale wing chair and the Jacobean table and chair balances the piano at the other side of the room 87 The furniture in this living room centers about the fire- place. The stool in the foreground is of the William and Mary period and the table possesses Adam and Hepplewhite characteristics 90 The single-toned rug in this Colonial living-room is well subordinated in color and tone to the rest of the fur- nishings. The informal use of bisymmetric balance is especially worthy of note 91 This playroom is large, light, airy, and simply furnished, but the rocker has arms with dangerously sharp elbows 102 A " baby pen " with Chinese counters that would afford endless amusement, and a hobby-horse that looks as sportive as he is safe 103 A charming cottage living-room in which wicker furni- ture predominates 106 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xv rACIHG FACE Wicker, reed, or grass furniture is especially well suited for use on the porch or in the sun parlor . . 107 The dull polish which the Puritans gave to their fumi- ' ture brought out the beautiful grain of the wood . no The reproductions of Colonial furniture have broad, un- ornamented spaces which show the fine finish . in A classic fireplace of unusual beauty which harmonizes well with the Georgian furniture . . . .120 No living-room is complete without a fireplace about which the furniture may be centered . . .121 Lighting fixtures may follow the styles of the various types of period furniture 132 Where side lights are used as ornamental fixtures no pictures are needed upon the walls. The furniture is a modem design patterned after Sheraton . 133 This dining-room suggests at once the personality of its owner. The same material is used for the chair coverings and the side hangings at the windows, to give touches of intense color 144 A charming guest room in a country home which is suffi- ciently impersonal to suit change of guests. The furniture is of the William and Mary design . . 145 INTRODUCTION The Difference Between House and Home — The Home- maker as Interior Decorator. There is an especial meaning attached to the term "home" which is entirely distinctive. The humblest cottage may be a home House or — the most beautiful mansion may Home? be merely a work of decorative art. Almost every one interested in home furnishing has walked through the model apartments of some large furnishing house and has had the inevitable experience of disappointment. The rooms may be well planned, the windows properly placed, the walls and floors satis- factorily finished, and the furniture of the most correct and graceful lines, but still there remained a feeling of emptiness of meaning, a lack of the home atmosphere. It was impossible to forget that the rooms were exhibition rooms only. xviii INTRODUCTION A series of such model rooms could never be mistaken for a home for the reason that the personal, the human element, is ingofthe lacking. A house, to be a home, K^ „ must be adapted to some individual or individuals composing a family group. It must contain only that which is useful and suitable to its daily occupants and should reflect their physical, mental, and spiritual activities. If the man of the family is fond of books and of study, there should be a well-chosen library in the house, but if he is more interested in games and out- of-door sports, that room which might have been admirable as a library might better be put to other uses more suited to an athletic taste. An unused music room is the most dismal of places and is reminiscent of ances- tral parlors opened only upon the state occa- sion of funeral or wedding. So, in furnishing a home, there should be nothing placed within the four walls Suitability which is not useful and suitable in Fur- to the people who shall live there, mshings fj^at is of the first importance. But at the same time there should be a constant thought and a constant care to keep a feeling INTRODUCTION xix of harmony between each and all of the features of the home. The interior of a cottage or a mansion may be useful and may be suitable, and may have a true home atmosphere, but it may still be very unbeau- tiful. Many home builders of more than moder- ate means secure the services of an expert interior decorator who works with _. the master and mistress of the house, Amateur advising, correcting, and often taking ^^ ^^ complete charge of the finishing of sionai the walls and floors and the buying of the furniture, hangings, and rugs. To the people possessed of more slender purses, however, the services of such an artist are out of the question, and in some cases this may be a blessing. There is a joy in the proper assembling of those household fur- nishings, usually for a lifetime, which is unique. If each chair and table is carefully selected to fill some especial need, if it is repeatedly considered in relation to its harmony with neighboring pieces of furniture in the partic- ular room where it shall be placed, if it is wished for, saved for, and finally purchased, there is a joy in possession through effort XX INTRODUCTION which makes that table or chair, in its new setting, at once a comfortable friend. The employer of an interior decorator may admire the harmonious interior of his new home immensely, but it is some months before he can really love the individual pieces of furni- ture. They may be beautiful and adapted to his personality and use, but there is no way to buy their friendship. The daily association, alone, can bring that. Knowledge rrn i • -u ^ of Art -Ihe man who wishes to act as Principles ^jg q^^ interior decorator must first IS Essential i i r i study the general rules oi art and apply them to his problem. The principles of balance, harmony, and rhythm are as applicable to the plans of a room or a house as they are to the plan of a picture. INTERIOR DECORATION INTERIOR DECORATION CHAPTER I WALLS AND CEILINGS The Treatment of Walls and Ceilings regarding Color, Value, Subordination, — Choice and Arrangement of Wall Decorations. Fortunate indeed is he who has the privi- lege of building his home after individ- ual plans suited to his own uses ,_ ^. J ... Whenthe and tastes. Then, after the site House is and style have been determined, a ^^ general plan of the interior can be easily and pleasantly evolved. Often the architect is also an interior decorator of no little abil- ity, and he can safely be allowed to suggest a harmonious scheme for walls, ceilings, and furniture. However, the pleasure of planning and building is vouchsafed to a comparative few. The usual person must live in house or apart- 2 INTERIOR DECORATION ment originally designed for another, or, worse, designed for any possible renter. He must often adjust himself to an environment Where the r • ^ i • ^ j i i • House has foreign to his nature and make his h^T**^* home within walls at variance with his ideals. This is no easy task and yet every home maker can control, to a cer- tain extent, the finish of the walls and ceilings, and the furnishings of the rooms wherein he dwells, and make them speak of his personal- ity and the personality of his family. Much can be accomplished by refinishing the woodwork and doing over the walls and Chan ceilings. If the problem is a rented which can house or apartment, the landlord may be made ^^^^ ^^ willing to make changes, but can usually be persuaded to allow the tenant to redecorate at his own expense. Such expense may be made very slight by using the proper materials, and there is nothing so necessary in good interior decorating as well-toned woodwork, walls, and ceiling. A well-furnished room makes a beautiful pic- ture, and a beautiful picture must have a beautiful background. The dominant color used in a room, and the contrasting and combined effects of other WALLS AND CEILINGS 3 shades employed, are of the greatest impor- tance. Although physiologists have long known that colors affect the temper- ^ . • J -a- 1 Color ament m diiierent ways, many people fail to profit by this when they select colors for their home. Rooms should be decorated in colors appropriate to their use, but also to the feelings and actions of the occupant. Where contrast is used, it should be agree- able and interesting. Where there is no contrast, one tone should melt softly into another, making a completed color scheme. A dark woodwork with a light wall is not usually agreeable. A fairly light wall is often desirable, so, for this reason, the woodwork should be finished in a medium shade, or enameled white or ivory. Ivory is especially suited to the bedrooms and, in a colonial home, is admirable in the living and dining rooms. It is well to adhere to the plan of finishing the standing wood- work in adjoining rooms in the same color, or varying shades of the same color. The walls, too, of the different rooms should show no crude contrast, but should harmonize well, and the ceiling color should show a tone slightly lighter than that of the side wall. 4 INTERIOR DECORATION If the home is an apartment or a small cottage, it will usually be found well to have the same tone of woodwork and the fected by same tone of wall in all the adjoining Color and rooms. A surprising impression of additional space can be effected in this way. If, on the other hand, the rooms are overlarge and cold in character, the best plan is to finish the standing woodwork in a darker tone, and place a more deep value upon the side walls. Architecturally, the proportions of a room must be good in order to give a proper back- ground for the beauties of the fore- tionsof ground. If the ceilings are too low, Roomap- additional height may seemingly be effected by gained by placing the picture mold- A^^ec™ '^^S ^t the very top of the side wall, or. turalDe- even, at times, bringing the tone of the side wall six inches over on to the ceiling, terminated there by a molding. If, on the other hand, the ceilings are too high for the size of the room, the picture molding should be placed at a distance of a third of the side wall from the ceiling, and the tone of the ceiling brought down to the molding. WALLS AND CEILINGS 5 Tones of cream and brown, gray, and occa- sionally green, are usually best for the hall. Hying and dining rooms. Cream suitability and brown belong to the warm colors • <>* Particu- and should be used on the north side to indiwd- of the house or where there is little "^ Rooms sunshine. Gray is a cold color and is often admirable in a well-lighted, sunny room, containing vivid hangings, upholstery, or tapestry. Green, as a wall tone, should be carefully considered before it is used. Un- informed or unscrupulous merchants some- times sell wall papers and stains containing a dangerously large quantity of arsenic. For this reason it is well to have a green wall finish tested by a reliable chemist before it is used. As a wall color it is restful and is adapted to use in a well-lighted library or living room. In the bedrooms light walls should always be used. A bedroom should be dainty, and only light colors are dainty. A soft blue tone may be used only on the south side of the house, for blue is a cold color, almost colder than gray, and is apt to give a gloomy effect to a room with a northern exposure. If you have a dark, dismal room, use a pale yellow tone for the 6 INTERIOR DECORATION walls. You will be surprised at the effect of sunlight. The whole trend of present-day decora- tionlis toward the psychological use of color. Psychologi- Instead of the vivid, figured wall caiUseof papers, plain painted or papered walls which are restful are now used. What sick person has not feverishly counted and recounted the dancing stripes and fig- ures on walls and ceilings, and longed for a single flat tone of color to rest his tired eyes. But equally important is the artistic side. As the wall is the background for the room, it must be quiet and stay back in its proper perspective. Flat tone, washable wall paints are now on the market and are cheap and satisfactory. Good ingrain, oatmeal, and bur- lap paper are also to be had, at about the same cost, but of course are not as sanitary as washable tints. Wood-paneled rooms are very beautiful and are seen far too seldom. While they Paneled are of course more expensive, there Walls Js still a richness given by a high wainscoting and a beamed ceiling which may compensate for the extra cost. Com- paratively inexpensive building materials can WALLS AND CEILINGS ^ be selected and satisfactorily stained, thus eliminating much expense. A paneled wall in natural color wood adds dignity to a library or dining room, while even a bedroom is charming with ivory panels. If pictures are desired on the walls of a paneled room, they should be unframed and merely fitted into the panels of the wainscoting with a narrow molding matching the woodwork. A formal arrangement is most pleasing. One charm- ing bedroom which I saw recently had the entire side walls paneled in deep ivory. On either side of a slender, built-in dressing table a long panel was fitted with a soft mural painting, done in oil on canvas. I have also seen similar effects by the use of good repro- ductions in lithographs, shellacked after fitting in the panels. An equally formal and artistic arrangement of pictures may be carried out in the simpler homes where the walls are painted , . , . ^ T T Pictures as or papered m a plam tone. Un- Fonnai framed pictures for each room are Decora- carefuUy selected. Then a narrow molding is secured and painted or stained to exactly match the woodwork of the room or rooms in which it is to be used. The fin- 8 INTERIOR DECORATION ished molding should then be taken to a cabinet maker to be used as frames for the selected pictures. These pictures should have no mats and should be hung flat on the wall with screws and eyes. When no formal effect is desired and where there is a variety in the style and framing „ of the pictures, there are several gen- Hanging eral rules which it is well to follow, of Pictures j^ ^j^^ ^^^j^^^ pictures should be hung on a level with the eye, so they can be in- spected with comfort. Scenes showing great altitude, such as of mountains, or pictures claiming adoration, as the Madonnas, may, however, be placed above the level of the eye. There should be no pictures hung in the hall and only formal pictures in the dining room. Ancestral portraits and old prints of historical scenes are suitable for the library, while etchings, sepia prints, and color photogravures are charming in the liv- ing room. Framed photographs of family and friends should be reserved for the bed- rooms, if it is wished to see them on the walls at all. The casual caller has little or no interest in them. Original paintings to adorn the home should WALLS AND CEILINGS 9 not be purchased unless the purse and artis- tic knowledge of the buyer are sufficiently- large to insure true works of art, choice of Reproductions of recognized master- Pictures pieces are always safe and may be obtained at very reasonable prices. Millet, Corot, and Jacques, who idealized the life and home of the French peasants, Whistler in his works in black and white. Abbey, Sargent, Kenyon Cox, and many other great painters have given us pictures which are now beauti- fully copied and which we can all enjoy. Prints of the ruins of the Greek Parthenon or Temple of Athena, the Roman Forum and Colosseum, are also interesting. For informal breakfast rooms and for bedrooms soft Japanese prints are excellent. The size and character of the picture, the size of the wall space, and the character of the other pictures to be placed on Group Ar- the same wall determine the group wngement arrangement of the hanging. Large pictures should be hung alone on a wall space. Small pictures should be grouped together, with- out any attempt at symmetry. Heavy pic- tures only should be suspended from the picture molding, and then by two parallel lO INTERIOR DECORATION wires, from two hooks. One hook should never be used, as the angle formed by the single wire is unrelated to the straight lines of the wall and picture frame. Occasionally" the fortunate home maker possesses a piece of fine tapestry. Nothing Ancient could be more beautiful hung upon Needle- the wall of the living room, if the work ussd as Wall colors blend well with the furnishings. Decoration Qld samplers may be framed for pro- tection and hung in the hall above the card table. The lack of culture and refinement in the occupants of a household is more often re- importance sealed in poor choice of pictures and of Careful wall decorations than in any other way. As careful attention should be given to this phase of furnishing as to the items more usually considered important. REFERENCES De Wolfe, Elsie The House in Good Taste. The Century Company, New York, 1913. Walls, Chapter V. DuvEEN, Edward J. Colour in the Home. George Allen & Co., London. Decoration, Chapter VI. Missing Page CHAPTER II WINIXDWS AND THEIR DECORATIVE TREATMENT The Use of Curtains as a Decorative Medium — Colors — Values — Textures — Cost. The windows of a room, together with their hangings, constitute a very important item The Need in the general scheme of interior of Curtains decoration. ~ Most windows should, of course, be curtained in some way to insure privacy, to soften the light, and to add to beauty. There is no one feature of house furnishing which as quickly tends to give a home-like atmosphere as proper curtains and draperies at the windows. A room which has looked bleak and bare seems to become livable, at once, when some suitable, thin fabric is hung at the windows. A well-tested theory in connection with ^ _^ . curtains is that, in the decorative Curtains used as a scheme of the room in which they are ing^e^ placed, the curtains form the transi- dium in a tion between the walls and ceilings °°^ and the furniture. In painting a WINDOWS AND THEIR DECORATIVE TREATMENT 13 picture three values must always be consid- ered, the foreground, the middle distance, and the background. Each has its own place, yet there must be a pleasing transition from one value to another. If the age-old art principles of unity, harmony, and rhythm are observed, there is a complete continuity in progression from foreground to background. A beautiful room is a picture, so, the furni- ture, being the most important feature, should be conspicuous as foreground, the curtains as middle distance, and the walls and ceiling as background. The furniture of a room should be strong in line and tone, and the walls should be reticent and delicate in color. The curtains, then, must be the harmonizing link between, giving a final touch of beauty and grace.^ Few home makers realize that the shape, size, and method of hanging the draperies of a window often seem to tecturai alter the entire architectural struc- structure r . , . . of Room ture 01 the room, and even 01 the and'vrm- window opening itself. If a room is ^°^ ^' low ceiled, an effect of greater height Method of may be gained by using narrow ^J^^ side hangings at the windows, falling in straight lines from the rods at the 14 INTERIOR DECORATION very top of the window to a distance of two feet below the window sill. If the material of these side hangings is heavy and rich, these strips may be made as narrow as eight- een inches, without a sacrifice of dignity. No blinds should be used with these side hangings, but soft, straight curtains of some sheer material are used inside, next to the glass. Side hangings may also be used in a room which is unfortunately too high in ceiling. In this case the hangings should be broader and should extend only from the lower edge of the woodwork at the top of the window, down to the window sill. Across the top a rather deep valance should be placed. When the thin inner curtains are draped back, the slanting lines so formed, although not usually to be recommended from an artistic point of view, still tend to give even greater breadth. If the windows of a room are few in num- ber and too small to let in a sufficient amount ■y^^ere of light, great care should be used in Windows the curtains. Only the thinnest and Few in fabric should be used next to the Number glass, and if hangings are desired at the sides they may be placed beyond the WINDOWS AND THEIR DECORATIVE TREATMENT 15 edge of the window opening, covering the woodwork. This is also a good treatment for a window, when the woodwork is unpleas- ant in color or form. However, when the woodwork is well designed, it is always best to show it, for it gives the window a point of unity with the rest of the room. If it is felt that there must be roller shades, they should be drawn up to the very top of the windows, out of sight, during the „ ^. daylight hours. It is never a mis- Better than take to let sunshine into the house, ^^^^^ even if it does fade the rugs and discolor the wall paper. It is better to have a healthy, and therefore happy, home than an unfaded gloom. People often speak of the effect of restfulness of a dimly lighted room, but, in reality, strained eyes are too often the price which is paid for that form of dusky coziness. It is always best to let in all the light possible, merely softened with the sheerest of curtains. The roller shade which is in general use in the majority of houses is not really . , ^ , / RoUer essential to any room where the shades windows are properly curtained. Unneces- The draperies next to the glass will keep out the crude light from the room, and l6 INTERIOR DECORATION will insure sufficient privacy. If, in the evening, heavier curtains are desired, the side hangings may be arranged so that they can be drawn across the window, by the aid of a simple pulley arrangement with cord and tassel at the side. This avoids the necessity for the roller shade, which is never beautiful, is often hanging askew or is out of order, and as generally used keeps out too much light. An otherwise pleasing room is sometimes spoiled by the various roller shades at its windows hanging crookedly, or at different levels. If, because of their convenience or for some particular reason, roller shades are desired, there are several points which it is Materials Well to know. When roller shades Posabie are used, they should be made of glazed material. A glazed material stays clean much longer than an unglazed material, because the smooth surface does not catch the dust. A blind made of glazed material also pulls up much straighter than one the material of which clings to its own surface. Opaque green shades are best for the bedrooms, for they shut out the light most completely, and green is a restful color WINIXDWS AND THEIR DECORATIVE TREATMENT 17 for the eyes. Two-toned shades are often used, green on the inside and white on the outside. This is especially desirable when white shades are used in the windows of the rooms on the first floor, so that, from the outside, all the windows of the house seem uniform. White hoUand shades without much dressing are usually better for the living rooms, as they let in the greatest amount of light while still giving privacy. Holland shade material may be bought by the yard and easily made up at home. A hoUand shade usually keeps fairly clean for two years and then is often very successfully laundered. No attempt at adornment by the use of lace or fringe should ever be attempted. This only draws attention to the shades. Another mistake which is all too often made is in the use of short or sash curtains stretched across the lower half of a gggji cur- window. This form of curtain not taJ^s only detracts from the beauty of Never the room in which it is placed, but is ^ ^®^* a detriment to the outside appearance of the house as well. If it is necessary to shut out the neighbor's view from bedroom, din- ing room, or living room, it is best to do so 1 8 INTERIOR DECORATION by the use of very thin net curtains, hanging back from the glass, close to the heavier curtains which are made to draw. The proper hanging of curtains is quite important. Thin white curtains should never be hung from rings or hooks. As TTanging thcy arc usually not required to draw, V^ . the rod is best slipped into a stitched heading. Rods of white enameled metal are proper to use, as they can be washed. Brass rods, which are so often used, are not as satisfactory, for continued cleaning and polishing is required to keep them in fit condition. Heavy side hangings should be hung upon wooden poles matching the woodwork, or on strong iron rods enameled the Method of , ^ i • i ■ t r i Hanging color ot the wmdow casmg. It the Heavy gidg hangings are to be used to draw Curtains . , ° * , , , ,, , , at night m place oi a bund, the cas- ing for the curtain rod should be sufficiently large. If there are net curtains next the glass, side hangings made to ' draw, and a valance, three separate curtain rods, one outside the other, are required. If muslin curtains are placed next to the window and the side hangings are not to be drawn, then WINDOWS AND THEIR DECORATIVE TREATMENT 19 there need be only two curtain rods, for the side hangings and valance may be placed on the same rod. Again, if there are to be muslin curtains and side hangings, but no valance, there need be only one rod used, the side hangings and the muslin curtains being placed upon the same rod. No window should ever be hung with a single curtain stretched across it, and even when screening is necessary a few . Allow a inches should always be open in the Glimpse of center between the curtains. The *^?9H*"., side world most beautiful pictures possible for a room are those made by glimpses of the out- side world, framed by the soft folds of the window hangings. Even the despised smoke- stacks often take on a wonderful beauty when only a small portion of the sky line is shown in this way. In conjunction with simple hangings and good design, the beauty of a curtain depends upon its color and texture. The buy- color, ing of curtain material for her win- ^®J*?®' dows IS no easy problem for the should All woman who wishes only the beautiful ^^q". and yet must take count of the cost, sideration There is no branch of furnishing upon which 20 INTERIOR DECORATION such great profits are made by most mer- chants as in curtain materials and in ready- made hangings. With a little knowledge it is possible to save more in curtains and their fittings than in anything else in the ordinary furnishing of a house. For the brackets and poles at the windows, it is always best to measure windows one- „ „ self, buy the fittings of the proper nomicai length, and then hire a carpenter to ^*^ put them up. The resultant bill will always be found to be much smaller by this method than when the merchant sends out a man to take measurements and put up the curtain rods. In the same way, when expense is to be considered, it is always cheaper to buy the materials and make your own cur- tains and side hangings than to buy them ready to hang. The one exception to this rule is perhaps the hemstitched cur- tains of fine scrim in white or ecru. The simple machine finish of these curtains is very fine and the price of two dollars a pair is not prohibitive. Fine net curtains, fin- ished with a simple hem, are also to be had at little more than the cost of the material. WINDOWS AND THEIR DECORATIVE TREATMENT 21 and at about the price of scrim. These two varieties of curtains are suitable in all or any of the rooms in a house. Sheer muslin curtains with wide hems are especially good in the bedrooms. They are usually best hung in straight lines, but occasionally ruffled muslin curtains, looped back daintily, are used in strictly colonial homes. No lace- trimmed or all lace curtains should ever be used, with the possible exception of exqui- site real lace. Even the use of that, however, is decidedly questionable in taste and it is fortunate that not many people can pay the extravagant prices of such curtains. Machine-made lace curtains are not inex- pensive and are exceedingly ugly. They should never be used, as they cheapen the entire appearance of the house. In pur- chasing them, the home maker surely disobeys the good old household rule, "Buy only the best of its kind." Where the walls of a room are finished in light tones, it is usually best to have white curtains, if only one pair of curtains is used. If, however, the walls are toned darker, and only one pair of curtains is wished, it is more pleasant to have tinted 22 INTERIOR DECORATION curtains. Contrast between a dark wall and a light window is to be avoided if possible. In color, window curtains should be a repeti- tion of the general color scheme of the room, but in a lesser degree. White curtains, used alone, are out of place unless the woodwork and the wall paper are white or very light. Delicate, transparent colors blend more readily with the walls of the room, and ton^n^j^h the colors of the view beyond^^fM «Mfeld^ glass, tempered and soft^fild fe^J^'dMifi^k Cream and ecru scrfiSliBfiSftaaflad'ffe^fetP^^r^ cents a yardp^^e "iftf4¥ferMly ^"iisiJi^.^^F^ uredj'Wffad*feW^at?cfee'\^ift€5^fi's^g£§«MiJS3y^, ^t^mngogi wMte3©r;ta^'^nf)-feic]§^fiJfirfdii^a#4 id%ffiatolj?Itelof^i«fe^M€iofiat defelgh, fe'^^6gS& tibieS^t^ffebtesjfe a8*o©fe$8#hg^ W^^M^<^ tlHigedfili af4Hfeftcddf olFoa ^stfM^'SiftkciPiyim. M^ -iiQfieviBlb" KSkth. US^^p^ ifeJQjfegaSl^ Tejrture to use thin curtain^flifl t?k^.o Wd k^^m^ «U5rt4$M>"! a*e ^^oa'teWn^reti^rfWat, »i((^hvj6He9^t pft^d£M^«h% 26^iupf«tt ^dfei'tfi^ they" stil&itet2lta'''nft#h. i§f Jtterf c^fors-i^'^h^ yiit«fa6>v^@rld{^q AMiddfte M§ tiB&Ai^ib kAeM tefef!%iiKfeWoJwiete3flt4ii %n"t«"'e lands in conventional designs, or the natural wood is used, stained in several different shades, and oiled. Many of the chairs in natural wood are modifications of the old Windsor style. This furniture is really in- spired by the furniture of our grandparents but is often more beautiful than the old pieces. It fits well a demand for a certain type of furniture which is inexpensive and is at the same time very dainty. Rag rugs are generally used with this kind of furniture, with plain walls of delicate tints and old-fashioned chintz hangings at the windows, with the same chintz used for cushions. Willow furniture is another class which is very popular and which has a distinct use in many modern homes. Because of -v^nuow its solid comfort, artistic effect, and FiJmture great durability it is a great favorite with many people. It should be remembered. I06 INTERIOR DECORATION however, in using it, that it is of a distinctly- informal, type. No room in which it is used could be very stiff and dignified. It is very cheerful, however, and one of its good points is that it may be used upon the piazza, left out in the rain even, and still may be refinished to look as good as new with either paint or enamel. A more luxurious furniture of much the same kind is made of prairie grass. The Grass weave of this furniture is usually very Furniture close, the fibers well woven together to withstand hard usage. It is very attrac- tive ; and comfortable chairs, settees, tables, and stools may be found in great variety. No indoor room except the sun parlor should ever be furnished with either willow ' or prairie grass furniture exclusively. WiUow Although each piece individually and Grass may be beautiful, a whole room filled with chairs and tables of this type gives an effect of monotony and coldness. One or two willow or grass chairs may be used in an informal living room. Combined with mahogany they give very satisfactory results. White or colored willow is also charming used with enameled furniture of the same shade. FURNITURE OF MODERN DESIGN 107 The same precaution should be observed in the buying of willow or grass furniture as in that of any other class. It is best . p^ always to be sure that the article Hon for the is well made and of good material, P*"*>^*ser and to remember that it is more wise to pur- chase one chair which will stand the test of years of wear, than to purchase three badly constructed ones. The prevailing styles made by the most reliable manufacturers should all be studied before a selection is finally made. REFERENCES Clifford, C. R. Period Furnishings. Clifford & Lawton, New York, 1915- Mission Furniture, p. 223. Arts and Crafts Furniture, p. 224. L'Art Nouveau Furniture, p. 217. Elder-Duncan, J. H. The House Beautiful and Useful. John Lane Company, New York, 1907. Modern Furniture, Chapter V. Throop, Lucy Abbot Furnishing the Home of Good Taste. McBride, Nast & Company, New York, 1912. Craftsman Furniture, p. 159. Wallick, Ekin Inexpensive Furnishings in Good Taste. Hearst's International Library Co., New York, 1915. Willow Furniture, Chapter X. CHAPTER IX FURNITURE WOODS Mahogany — Oak — Ash — Red Gum — Walnut — Ma- ple — Beech — Birch — Rosewood — Veneered Furniture. The essential points which should be con- sidered in the purchasing of furniture for the home are comfort, lightness, and strength. Comfort and lightness are largely matters of design, but the strength and durability of a piece of furniture is mainly due to the selection of the wood of which it is constructed. The highest skill may have gone into the making of an individual chair or table — the different parts may have been so joined that the whole structure has become one piece, but if the wood appropriate for the use has not been chosen, the careful workmanship has been wasted. The prospective buyer of household furniture, then, should have some idea of the general characteristics of the more commonly used woods so that he may have some independent knowledge to supplement information given by dealers. i ^ Mahogany is unnecessary. Ihe most expen- sive and best known of the mahoganies is the Spanish. The cheapest wood of this variety is the Honduras, or the Baywood, as it is com- monly called. The Spanish mahogany comes from the West Indies and is very beautifully figured. The Honduras mahogany has little attractive marking and is a much softer wood than the Spanish mahogany. However, it is usually free from knots and other defects and is well adapted for furniture- making where plainness is not objection- able. Compared with the finer varieties of this wood, the grain is rather open and coarse, but it is used for much of the less expensive furniture and is often employed for the foundation work in veneered furniture of fine quality and for the backs of cabinets or other parts which are not generally exposed to view. There are many varieties of ma- hogany, ranging from the finest to that cost- ing little more than the best pine. It Is all good furniture wood and takes a high degree of finish. no INTERIOR DECORATION Oak, like mahogany, is so well known that a description is not necessary. Oaks of all kinds are becoming quite ex- pensive and are now used with care which would have astonished our colonial forefathers, to whom oak was the common- est- building material. White Oak is the strongest, toughest, and most durable. It is characterized by its figure, which consists of hard, glossy marks unlike those in any other wood. Brown Oak is considered the choicest of all the different varieties. It is very hard, closely marked, and the best grade, which is called the Pollard, is much used for veneers. The lighter oaks are often successfully stained to imitate Brown Oak. Red Oak is another variety which is used often in cabinet work. It costs about the same as White Oak, but is usually of coarser texture, is more porous, less durable, and is often brittle. Another wood which years ago was consid- ered very common and is now classed among the most expensive varieties of furni- ture materials is Black Walnut. It is of coarse texture, but is heavy, hard, stiff, and very strong. The narrow sapwood is whitish and the heartwood is chocolate brown. FURNITURE WOODS III The wood is durable and takes a good polish, and is so handsome that it has become the favorite cabinet material in this country. Al- though, in colonial days. Black Walnut was also used as an ordinary building material, it has now become so scarce that at the pres- ent time it is too expensive for most furniture, and is employed largely as a veneer. Be- cause of its strength and elasticity walnut is especially desirable for gunstocks, and the recent demand for the wood for this pur- pose both at home and abroad has consider- ably reduced the available supply. There is a very valuable wood which is used as a veneer commonly known as Circassian Walnut. It is not a walnut at all. Ash but is an ash called by the name of Hungarian Ash. It is very beautiful, with fine markings ranging in color from white to a medium shade of brown. When it is used as a veneer, poplar is generally the foundation wood. The common ash is a very different wood. It is light in color, tough and hard, with somewhat of a resemblance to oak. As a rule there is almost no figure. The beauty of the common ash is considered to consist mainly in its color, which is unusually light, 112 INTERIOR DECORATION and for this reason it is especially popular for bedroom furniture. Three other woods which are suitable for dainty bedroom furniture are Maple, Beech, „ , and Birch. Birch is more beautiful Maple, Beech, than ash because of its figuring, which is similar in character to the figure in mahogany. For this reason it is often stained to an excellent iiriitation of that wood. Beech is a similar wood and is often also stained to imitate mahogany or rose- wood. Furniture of maple rivals that of oak. The wood is heavy, hard, strong, and tough, and of fine texture. It is frequently wavy- grained, giving rise to attractive "curly" and "blister" figures of a creamy white, with shades of brown toward the heart. Although the majority of woods are char- acterized by their grain or peculiar figure, Rose- wood may be identified by its remark- Rosewood , , J. rrii . 1 r 1 able fragrance. 1 here is probably no other wood which is so often imitated and sold as the genuine. The color is a dark red or brown with strong markings of a much deeper tint. Red Gum is a comparatively new wood in furniture manufacture. It is a rather heavy wood, soft, quite stiff and strong, tough, FURNITURE WOODS II3 commonly cross-grained and of fine texture. It is being used in large quantities the past few years to take the place of the , , , , , . , Red Gum less abundant oak, and is popular because of its beautiful grain and because of the fine finish which it takes. Because of the scarcity of the best woods, much of the furniture of the present day is veneered. A cheaper grade of wood veneered is used for the foundation and the ^°**^ surface is covered with a thin layer of more expensive wood applied with glue under strong pressure. By the use of a veneer rich- appearing furniture may be manufactured at comparatively small cost, and very beauti- ful effects may be obtained by the use of small and very rare pieces of timber. Veneering also keeps out the dampness from the inner, and usually more porous, wood of which the furniture is constructed. When veneer is employed in preference to solid wood for the purpose of reducing the cost of production, it is often the 1 .... ^ InezpeU' case that a piece 01 turmture made aveVe- principally of pine may look as veered handsome as if it were made of solid wood of the more expensive kind. For prac- 114 INTERIOR DECORATION tical purposes it is entirely satisfactory and provides really good-looking furniture for people of moderate means. The practice of veneering furniture may be regarded as a means of placing beautiful objects within the reach of those who could not otherwise afford them. If the wood serving as the foundation is good and sound, free from knots and cracks, and if the veneer is applied with careful work- manship, there can be no valid objection to work of this class. Of course it should be sold for what it is. Not all veneered furniture is less expensive than the solid, however. A fine veneer is „ . more valuable than the solid wood Veneered Furniture of which is less beautifully figured. High Gra e rpj^^ rarest French or Italian walnut is sometimes veneered on mahogany, as it lasts better in this condition than if it were solid, and large surfaces and thicknesses of walnut are difficult to procure in perfect condition. Very precious woods such as ebony or satin wood can only be obtained in small quantities, and other woods of especially handsome grain are cut from roots and excrescences of the trees which have produced unusual conditions of growth. FURNITURE WOODS 115 In addition to the cost of materials there is the labor to be taken into consideration, for good veneering requires careful work. TheFoun- A valuable veneer is usually laid on dationWood an expensive wood as a foundation, and this unnecessary cost in manufacture adds to the price of the finished product. For example, a choice Spanish veneer is often applied to mahogany of a less beautiful grain. In the making of reliable furniture great care is taken by the manufacturers in the selection of wood which is to be veneered upon to be sure of successful results. The foundation wood is dry and free from all imperfections. Honduras mahogany is considered the best wood for the purpose, but Yellow Pine, White- wood, and oak are often satisfactorily used. Whenever possible, both sides of the ground wood are veneered to prevent Warping, and the veneer used on either side is of the same grain and strength, so that the Appiica- tension of the one side counteracts Jjono* v6I166r the tension of the other. When only one side of the foundation wood is veneered, it is laid on the heart side, or the side of the wood which lies nearest to the center of the tree before it is cut. Il6 INTERIOR DECORATION There are many other facts which should be learned before the amateur buyer could hope to be able always to detect imitations and frauds in the furniture which is offered for sale. Even though the purchaser may have a certain knowledge of woods, veneers, and con- struction, the best safeguard against imposi- tion is in the choice of a reliable manufacturer and a reputable dealer. Furniture bearing the stamp of a well-known firm which is carried by a dealer who offers it for sale at a fair price is apt to prove to be what it seems. REFERENCES Hough, R. B. American Woods. NoYEs, William Wood and Forest. Manual Arts Press. Robinson, L. Eugene Domestic Architecture. The Macmillan Company. Snow, C. H. The Principal Species of Wood. Wiley and Sons. CHAPTER X THE FIREPLACE IN THE HOME Esthetic Value — Historical Significance — Period Styles — Arrangement of Furniture about Fire- place — Materials. The history of the fireplace is very closely connected with the history of furniture and it is hardly possible to study the vari- p^^j^^ ous phases of the one without not- styles in ing parallel similarities of design ^pa^es and construction in the other. Each art period had its own characteristics which were shown in the design of the furniture and the fireplace of that time alike, so they seemed harmonious and belonged together. To-day we are living in an age in which people are trying to select the best points of all past art periods and adapt them pj^g^^^ to their own use. It is here that the should great danger lies. Many a house- ^House holder who has been entirely con- andFur- sistent in the selection of furniture ■"®™'2® and in the treatment of walls and floors, fails 117 Il8 INTERIOR DECORATION absolutely in the choice of a suitable chimney piece which will accord with the general scheme of decoration. Gothic mantels are placed in rooms furnished in Adam style, Italian hearths are obliged to dwell with French furniture, and Renaissance fireplaces are set up in modern halls. An utter disre- gard is often to be observed in a suitable rela- tion between the fireplace and the rest of the furnishings of the room. The fireplace should first seem a part of the architectural plan of the room. It should appear to grow out of, or, theArchi- rather, into, the wall itself. Fire- tecturai places may project into the room, or sink into the wall. They may have large ornamental hoods or mantels, or may be decorated by applying some sort of flat ornamentation to the wall space above the opening. They may have chimney pieces of stone, brick, metal, or wood, but in each and every case the lines should follow the lines of the wall moldings and should embody in structure and design the dominant idea of the room. , No matter how informal the rest of the room may be, the fireplace should always pos- THE FIREPLACE IN THE HOME II9 sess great dignity. Any useful object is always dignified, to a certain extent, and the fireplace is fundamentally useful. The first fireplaces stood in the center of the room and the smoke passed through a hole in the roof. It was a thing of use rather than of beauty. Since that time every age has had its manner of building and naturally has developed a certain kind of ornamentation which served to emphasize the idea of use. The French developed one style of fireplace, the Italians developed another, and the Eng- lish still another, but each followed the rules which governed the period in which it was built and at the same time never forgot the idea of its functional purpose. The idea of use was still uppermost in the minds of the first settlers who came to this country. The fireplaces built by those brave and sturdy men were homely, substantial structures, and the spirit kindled by the glow from such a hearthstone should be preserved by the people of our nation as one of the most valuable of the artis- tic and aesthetic legacies handed down by the Pilgrim Fathers. Some of the older genera- tion to-day still treasure as their most sacred I20 INTERIOR DECORATION memory the mental picture of the big country kitchen of their childhood home, with its great stone fireplace and oven of bricks. They can even yet see the housemother's figure moving briskly from fireside to table, tending the roasting of the goose or turkey for the Thanksgiving dinner and preparing the in- variable pumpkin and mince pies. The fireplace was the heart of the home in those days and in the centuries before. It The Center was the necessary feature of the of Interest house and was always present until the time when stoves and, later, furnaces were introduced. For many years after that time fireplaces were entirely disregarded in the average home. They were no longer necessary, they were dirty and required a great amount of attention, so it was natural that the people of a nation which prides itself on a Jiigh standard of efficiency and is the greatest promotor of labor-saving devices should turn their attention away from the open fire and rejoice in the more even warmth and greater physical comfort of hot-air regis- ters and steam radiators. The new houses which were built were constructed without the large chimneys necessary for fireplaces, THE FIREPLACE IN THE HOME 121 and the owners of the older houses containing fireplaces often boarded up the openings into the chimneys and complacently ad- justed a permanent fire screen or a huge bowl of autumn leaves to fill the space. The fact, however, that a lack of a center for the room was felt, even in those days of low regard for the open fire, was substi- shown by the way in which houses *"*^^ were often constructed with a mantel in each room, even though the chimney were lacking. These disfiguring structures seemed to fill the place of a dominating interest in the room, an object toward which the larger chairs in the room could be drawn to give an air of com- fort. It was the semblance of the hearth- stone, without the care of the real fire, which the people wanted, so, as time passed, the invention of the gas log was hailed with great joy. It was considered a luxury, it is true, but it was also a labor-saving device in the way of seeming to afi"ord all the pleasure of the old- time open fire at no expense of time or labor. The insincerity of the gas log did not trouble the public conscience in the least, and this insincerity was reflected in the cheap, light oak or near mahogany mantels which were 122 INTERIOR DECORATION almost universally used with a total disregard for the fitness of things. They were elabo- rately adorned with much poor machine carving and were designed in the fashion of the cheaply constructed furniture which was turned out in large quantities at that time. Those days of deception are happily past in the matter of both furniture and fireplaces. . J. The people of our nation accord the sary old-f ashioned fireplace the position in Luxury ^j^^ house of a necessary luxury. It has again been made the center of interest in the living room, at least, and fills its old-time station of family altar. It has come back into the homes to stay this time probably, for the true lover of the open fire will never be willing to again give up the companionship of the cheerful blaze. He realizes now with renewed interest the vital and extensive influ- ence which the fireplace has had in the progress of civilization. The people of primitive times believed fire to be a gift from the gods and cherished it as their most precious posses- sion. A fire in some one of their meeting places was never allowed to go out and was considered the token of a connection between mankind and the spiritual world. It is natu- THE FIREPLACE IN THE HOME 123 ral that through the centuries during which civilization progressed, much sentiment came to be attached to the fire which the savage forefathers worshiped, and social customs about its friendly glow replaced, in time, the ancient superstitious rites. Now it has come to mean, to the people of all nations, home, physical comfort, and spiritual joy and con- solation. It is the token of a universal fellow- ship. Much can be accomplished in the way of extending this feeling of hospitality which every open fire gives, by the ar- Artange- rangement of the furniture about meat of , , . . Ti- ^1 • Furniture the chimney piece. It the room is about the small, the light of the fire should be Rrepiace placed with regard to the center of interest and the space directly before the fire should be kept open so that a person sitting in any part of the room might be able to watch the burning embers. When the room containing the fire- place is quite large, however, there should be an entirely different arrangement of furniture. An inclosed area should be formed in front of the fireplace by placing several pieces of furniture of the invitingly comfortable kind before it. A large davenport may be placed 124 INTERIOR DECORATION in front of the fire with a heavy chair at either side, or a reading table with chairs may serve the same purpose. The fireplaces of long ago usually had two heavy settles built at right angles to the fireplace, one on either side. This was doubtless done to shut out the cold air of the room and keep in the needed warmth, but at the same time the arrangement gave a delightful sense of privacy and coziness. For this reason settles are sometimes built in houses of to-day, or, instead, two long inviting seats are often drawn up on either side of the open fire, close to the radiating warmth and cheer. Book shelves built into the architectural structure about the fireplace add much to the Book beauty, for the woodwork, if wisely Shelves used, will carry out the general scheme of the room, and the bindings of the books give an interesting note of color. It will be found that companionable books will have a double lure when they are placed within such a sheltered nook. There are almost as many materials of which it is possible to build the modern fireplace as ,, ^ . , there are styles from which to Matenals , ^i. j • j- • choose the design of its construction. The style and material of the house itself is THE FIREPLACE IN THE HOME 125 of first consideration, for the fireplace must of course be in keeping as a part of the architec- tural whole. The local environment usually helps to decide the choice of material. In some parts of the country stone blocks and cobblestones are readily accessible at small expense. In other parts of the country, brick of different types may be very well used, and the result is often a fireplace of permanent charm. Concrete is often effective, and tiles will be found to be both practical and artistic, for they can be had in many soft colors, and are suitable for the hearth or chimney breast or both. Some mantels are made of paneled wood and are very dignified reproductions of those of the early days. Whatever the material used, the greatest simplicity of construction should always be followed. There should be an en- tire absence of elaboration of de- tailed ornament and a predominating quality of that sincerity which is essential to the true home spirit. Fine structural lines combined with the gay reflections in the brass andirons and the ever changing firelight itself will create a place of peace and contentment which will not fail to prove a gathering place for the 126 INTERIOR DECORATION family group and for those outsiders who have a share of the household hospitality. REFERENCES French, Lillie Hamilton The House Dignified. G. P. Putnam's Sons, The Knickerbocker Press, New York, 1908. Fireplaces, Chapter IX. NoRTHEND, Mary H. Colonial Homes and Their Furnishings. Little, Brown & Company, Boston, 1912. Mantelpieces, Chapter VI. PoLLEY, G. Henry The Architecture, Interiors and Furniture of American Colonies. George H. PoUey & Co., Boston, 1914. Mantels, Plates 3, s> 7. I3> 20, 21, 22. RUMFORD Fireplaces and How They are Made. William T. Comstode, New York, 1906. Construction, Chapter I. CHAPTER XI ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING The Importance of Artificial Light as a Part of a Scheme of Interior Decoration — A Brief History — Period Styles — Arrangement — Colors and Materials of Shades. In artistic effect the artificial lighting of our homes has also kept step with the ups and downs in the history of furniture. In the eighteenth century and before, in that period of furniture making which has rightly been named the "golden age," candles were the only means of illumination. The homes of that time were beautiful with their exquisite furniture placed in surroundings of the same general style, and lighted at night by candles which are without doubt the most charming and poetic of all forms of lighting. In these houses of our forefathers there was in each large room usually one chandelier of exceptional beauty designed to hold a double row of candles distributed in groups, suspending myriads of crystal pendants which 127 128 INTERIOR DECORATION caught the light and reflected it into the dark- est corner. The eye, however, was never held by it, for around the room, in well-con- sidered places, were brackets holding other candles, and on the mantelpiece and tables were also numerous candelabra and candle- sticks. In this way there was a general dis- tribution of illuminating mediums which even in their utility formed harmonious and com- ponent parts of the room, essential to the scheme of decoration and adding symmetry and balance to the whole arrangement. At the same time each fixture gave individual pleasure as a work of artistic design. The next phase in the history of our lighting medium was the introduction of the oil lamps. Sometimes these lamps were beauti- """"' ful and sometimes they were not, but the chief interest in them was not in their design but in their utility. They gave so much better light than candles, it was so much easier to read or to sew by their light, that they were used with thankfulness as a great comfort. The very fact that they were con- sidered objects of use rather than objects of ornament was conducive to a certain amount of beauty, however. The lines of utility are ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING 129 usually simple and show the structural form, and this in itself is a long step toward the beautiful. Any object which is severely plain, having no decoration at all, is more harmonious than the same object ornamented in such a way as to conceal its real use. The first oil lamps were without shades, but read- ing lamps with plain white opaque or green shades were soon introduced and generally used. At night, when one of these reading lamps was placed upon the table it spread a circle of light and warmth, a glow of cozy friendliness which was akin to the spirit of the open hearth fire and rivaled in its charm the more aesthetic appeal of the former candle- light. People were so interested at this time in the comfort and efficiency of light that they did not seem to realize the value of the lamp as conducive to the home- like atmosphere, and so welcomed with great joy the introduction of gas as a lighting medium. Lamps were banished and were replaced by blazing gas jets, suspended by brass chandeliers from the center of the ceiling in each room. The light given by this means was usually very poor, and exceedingly hard 130 INTERIOR DECORATION to read or sew by, but it was a great labor- saving device and improvement, and no house of any importance was considered up to date without a gas lighting system. Candles were almost completely discarded by this time and lamps were found only in the poorest homes in the city or in the country where gas was not available. Even on the farms the craze for gas became so great that acetylene plants were introduced, which, though often dangerous and inefficient, did seem to be an improvement over oil lamps. It was, however, not long before the discom- fort caused by the glare of the new method of lighting came to be felt and an ef- fort was made to soften the sharp brilliance by opaque globes and silk shades. The lack of the reading lamp was felt and gas lamps were soon placed where oil lamps had formerly been used. The plain shade used on most of the oil lamps did not seem appro- priate to gas lamps, unfortunately, and this led to silly extravagances in the way of silk, metal, and glass shades. Good taste was abandoned, and a feeling for the appropriate apparently did not exist. Flowers, flounces, fringes, and beads ornamented the lamps of ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING 13 1 sedate homemakers, placed in rooms other- wise furnished in accordance with classic de- tail. The gas lamp seemed to be considered a separate unit, unrelated to the room in which it was placed. Fortunately the revival of a desire for the more quaint form of lighting fixture has come with the introduction of electricity into our homes of the present day. The renewed interest which we now feel in the good period furniture of all time and in the best modern designs is reflected in the de- sign of artistic lighting fixtures. The study of foreign details, and the reproduction of period furniture, is giving us saner and more artistic methods of working in all crafts, is increasing our sensitiveness to the small things that make up the whole, and leading us to realize the necessity of expending thought on all phases of home decoration. Efficiency in the matter of quality and quantity of light is being carefully considered all of the time, but in attaining that end a regard for the beautiful and appropriate is also exercised. In the evening the artificial lighting fix- tures are the most important of all the furnish- ings of the room. It is of course a physiological 132 INTERIOR DECORATION fact that the eye is attracted invariably by the brightest point of light. If this greatest ^^^jg . . point of interest is inadequate in Light as structural design or in architectural of^^erest arrangement, there is a loss of dig- iijthe nity to the whole scheme of dec- vemng oration. Some of that careful thought and planning which is given to the illuminated altar in the church should be carried into the home as well. The form, color, and design of the lighting fixtures should all reflect and be in keeping with the general spirit of the room. The arrangement of the lights in the room is of the greatest importance in the general Arrange- effect. Some very large rooms fur- ment nished in the formal style of Louis XIV, XV, or XVI are suitably lighted by the use of chandeliers suspended from the ceil- ing. Most of the rooms in modern homes, however, are better lighted by side lights and by lamps placed in carefully considered places about the room. The side lights should be so placed that they form a part of the architec- tural plan of the room, and should emphasize the principal feature of interest. In the liv- ing room, for instance, if there is a fine fire- Lighting Fixtures May Follow the Styles OF THE Various Types of Period Furniture. ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING 133 place, it is most natural to strengthen its appeal by the use of lighting fixtures placed upon either side. In the dining room the buffet seems to become a structural part of the room when it is dignified by a pair of formal sconces. In the bedrooms the most logical place for lights is of course on either side of the dressing table. These side lights should, of course, be balanced in all rooms by other lights, but each illuminated spot should have a distinct use and reason for being, other than merely giving forth light. When lamps are used they should be placed with the same strict regard for proper position as with side lights. They should al- ways be arranged to call attention to Lamps especially attractive pieces of furni- ^"^^ . ture or to decorative groups of furni- ture, although they, at the same time, may serve the purpose of comfort for reading or sewing. In these days of reawakened interest in interior decoration, people now deliberately plan for an effect by the use of lamps The jE g- which their grandfathers uncon- thetic sciously achieved. The glow of Y^*^*"* warmth and cheeriness cast by the evening lamp gives to the living room at the ■134 INTERIOR DECORATION end of the day what the burning logs in the fireplace gave in the morning hours — an almost spiritual center which attracts, not only the members of the family, but the casual guest as well. To successfully give this effect, the light must be subdued and softened to the proper value by the use of truly artistic shades. These shades are not the grotesque affairs used on the gas lamps of some time ago. They no longer look like ornate garden hats or flounced petticoats. They are designed to fit in with the furnishings of the room in color, texture, and style. Different rooms and different uses require different colors given by the shading of the lamps and lights. For reading or Colors . p ■ .111 sewmg a soft green is considered by many people to be the most restful hue, but others can do good work only in a faintly yel- low glow. Lights screened by shades in the various tones of rose are unquestionably the ones best suited to all festive occasions, if the color is not too brilliant in intensity. Different materials may be used for shades, depending upon the decorative style Materials j. , ^, . ... , of the room. China silk may be shirred on to a wire frame and finished with ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING 135 a simple gimp, and decorated silks of the heavier variety are also often used stretched plain upon the frame. For rooms fitted up in mission style a more severe type of shade should be used made of Japanese basketry or of art glass in single hue and shaded effects. Parchment or even heavy water-color paper can often be used for the same purpose with astonishing success. A small amount of in- genuity, only, is needed, to make charming shades of all sizes at very little cost, and there is almost nothing in the line of household furnishings for which merchants ask such large prices in proportion to the value of the materials used in their construction. As with shades, so also a sense of appro- priateness should be strictly regarded in the choice of lighting fixtures with refer- p^ . ence to the particular type of furni- stales in ture used in the room. A period *™"'®^ room should have the lights with their shades in the same period of design. In a room furnished in the spirit of the period of Louis XVI the lighting fixtures should be very dainty and graceful. If there are shades, they may be very fragile and delicate, trimmed with tinsel and garlanded with 136 INTERIOR DECORATION ribbon flowers. Often, however, the most beautiful effects are gained without shades, when tiny electric bulbs are placed upon the tips of candle-like supports. This plan of lighting is especially effective for the side lights in the dining room, with shaded electric candles for the table, and is equally suitable for the French, English, and colonial periods, although the standards of the fixtures would vary with the structural design of the fur- niture with which it is used. Jacobean and Chippendale should be rather heavy in shape ; Hepplewhite, for example, would again call for more delicate metal work. Straight-lined metal and wood fixtures are now manufac- tured to carry out the Craftsman and Mis- sion ideas, and even in wicker and grass there are lamps to correspond with the fur- niture. Great care should always be exercised in deciding upon the style, color, and arrange- Theim- ment of the lights of each room, A^fi"-^ *** ^^"^ ^^ ^® possible to make or mar Light as a the Complete artistic effect of a s^eme\f ^°^^ ^7 ^^e attention or lack of Interior attention which has been given to Decoration ^j^^ illuminating system. ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING 1 37 REFERENCES De Wolfe, Elsie The House in Good Taste. The Century Company, New York, 1913. Lamps and Sidelights, Chapter VIII. Herts, B. Russell The Decoration and Furnishing of Apartments. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1915. Fixtures, Part II, Chapter IX. Northend, Mary H. Colonial Homes and Their Furnishings. Little, Brown & Company, Boston, 1912. History, Chapter XIII. Parsons, Frank Alvah Interior Decoration, Its Principles and Practice. Doubleday, Page & Company, Garden City, N. Y., I9IS« Methods of Lighting, pp. 266-268. Wallick, Ekin Inexpensive Furnishings in Good Taste. Hearst's International Library Co., New York, 1915. Lamps and Lamp Shades, Chapter VII. CONCLUSION Interior Decoration as Art — How Knowledge of the Subject may be Gained — Suitability of Each Room and of the House as a Whole to Its Use — Sincerity in the Outward Expression of the Owner's Personality. The practice of interior decoration is in reality merely the exercise of common sense Interior ^^ relation to applied art — a rec- Decoration ognition of relative values and a *® strict feeling of proportion. Com- mon sense or good judgment can only be had, however, with a certain amount of experience through which knowledge of the subject has been gained. People in general do not sufficiently realize that some positive knowledge is absolutely Enowied e "^'^^ssary for the making of a suc- mustbe cessful plan for the furnishing of """^ their own homes. There may be some fortunate individuals born, who are endowed at the beginning with a compre- hension of balance, symmetry, and rhythm, 138 CONCLUSION 139 who instinctively have a feeling for the har- monious beautiful, but these especially favored beings are few and far between, at least among the people of this country. Most Americans are not naturally alive to a strong feeling for art. There has been no place for it in their busy, money-making lives, and it is only recently that they have awakened to any feeling of lack. So the artistic common sense which the Americans of to-day exercise must be derived in its standards largely from the inherited knowl- edge of bygone days when a love of art for art's sake was the instinctive possession of even the most humble people. There are two ways to accumulate these inheritances. The first and best is by travel- ing, by seeing in the various coun- tries the best art treasures of all ages, in their natural environment. The collections in the great museums and in some of the best shops in this country are certainly worth attention, but they, after all, are only collections and can never give the inspiration which the occasional object of beauty gives in its native setting. The average citizen of the United States may see I40 INTERIOR DECORATION nothing in the palaces abroad which he could possibly copy in his own home, but he can gain general ideas of fundamental lines of beauty from them, and turn to the smaller chateaux of France and the manor houses of England for specific inspiration and for ideas in the furnishing of his own home. These smaller places exhibit the good taste and high standards of the royal mansions without that extravagance and lavishness which is unsuitable in every way to the average modern house. Many people who have made a careful study of period furni- ture are disappointed in the general effect which they have achieved by its use in their own homes, but they have made the mistake of feeling that beauty depends upon mag- nificence and so have copied the furnishings for their simple homes from too luxurious models. The result is a lack of proportion which cannot help but be strikingly bad taste. The other way of gaining knowledge in the art of interior decoration is by the study Historical of art in its relation to house fur- study nishings, and the effect that the history of the world has had upon it. The CONCLUSION 141 underlying reasons for the changes in styles of furniture is learned in this way, and so a greater interest is felt in each style. When it is known that Marie Antoinette was very young when she became the bride of Louis XVI, that she disliked the court pomp and preferred to play as a child at the simple life of a shepherdess with a garlanded crook and pretty watering pot, it is easy to understand that the new royal taste must have had a great influence in the transition period from the rococo to the classical ideas of decoration. When it is known that hoop skirts were uni- versally worn in the eighteenth century, it is also easy to understand why settees were made in such great numbers and why the chairs were designed with such wide-spread- ing arms. Every style in furniture had its relation to cause in, and relation to, some his- torical event or influence which produced a type of interior decoration well suited to its day of creation, but perhaps not at all suited to modern use. In this study of the causes and effects in the art of house furnishings, some of that sense of proportion, of the fit- ness of things, may be gained in a most pleas- ant manner. 142 INTERIOR DECORATION The persons who have made a parallel study of period furniture, decorations, and The Proper history will be most apt to link the Adaptation interior decoration of their homes or Styles of Past with the style of architecture used ffide^ at the time of building. They will Use not place mission furniture in a colonial house and will not install chande- liers of the Louis XVI period in a bungalow. Also, if they do furnish their homes with the style of furniture which the architecture calls for, they will not slavishly copy all the modes and mannerisms of another time, some of which must be entirely out of key with the life and materials of to-day. They will realize that not all the creations of the past are good, and will be able to pick out those qualities which are most beautiful and best suited to the present environment. At the same time they will do some consistent designing in the spirit of the period or pe- riods of decoration which they wish to employ, keeping in mind the details of historic orna- ment in its scale and surface relation, but employing their American inventive facul- ties in the use of expressive qualities and adaptations to accord with modern life. CONCLUSION 143 The function of the house as a whole should be carefully considered before the furnishings are selected. There is suitobiiity nothing more unsuitable than a of the . . , . , . House as house with a very simple exterior a Whole filled with furniture of a luxurious to its Use type, and in the same way people should adapt their homes to their own mode of life or they will not be at home in their environ- ment. A house should be neither more nor less expensively furnished than the means of the householder warrants. The rule of proportion applies to the relation between the tenant and his home as strictly as to interior decoration. As the function of the house as a whole must be considered, so must the function of each room be carefully determined and expressed by the assembling of erationof the articles of use and of ornament ^e Func- tion of within it. The use for which it is Each Room intended should be kept in view, chSceof and there should be a real under- Fumish- standing of its needs. When a room "^^ conforms to the needs of some person who spends many hours within its four walls, it can- not help but reflect that person's individuality. The successful interior decorator is the one 144 INTERIOR DECORATION who becomes really acquainted with his client and in so doing finds out his likes and dislikes, his faults and idiosyncrasies, so that he can place himself in the mental state of his client and provide furnishings which are suitable. So the man who is decorating his own rooms should purchase for his use only those things which he really likes and which seem truly useful to himself, but he should be guided by the general rules of beauty and proportion so that the result shall be pleasing, f There are certain essential features, such as the background values, the arrangement of the furniture to give proper balance, and the placing of the larger decora- tions, which must conform to general rules, but personal taste should always be regarded in the colors and the objects of chief Interest, such as the choice of pictures or of the style of furniture. The room should be the outward expres- sion of the spiritual and mental attributes The Rooms o^ i'ts occupant, and this expression as the _ may often be given in the most of Per- simple ways, by a bowl of favorite sonaiiiy flowers, by a few pieces of treasured pottery, or even by a bird cage hanging in Ifciiin , SP*' •i::*' -1.3 D 7: -'mm^. c Id S a o a < f Q ►J Z <« < o a to < pS ■-; 3^ CONCLUSION 145 the sunlit window. An)rthing which is a part of the daily life may be made to fit into the whole scheme of decoration, and these necessary articles should be used to gain desired effects instead of many useless orna- ments. With the exception of a very few pieces of real beauty, all bric-a-brac should be placed upon a high shelf out of sight. In fact, a general rule might be formulated to eliminate almost all beautiful things, which are not distinctly useful in their environment, for an object which is not useful is somewhat out of place and is therefore lacking in that proportion which is one of the elements of beauty. Each room in a house should express com- fort. The colors in the bedrooms should be of just the right hue and value, to permit rest and sleep, the desks and tables for writing should be of a convenient height and placed in a good light, and the various chairs should be of a shape and size adapted to the people who are to use them and should be absolutely comfortable. If the furniture is at first not well arranged for convenient use, the laws of structural arrange- ment will be found to be elastic enough for 146 INTERIOR DECORATION a shifting about until each article is in the right place to do its own work in the most efficient manner. In this way a homelike effect is gained which is instantly felt by any one who enters the room. It then seems at first glance to be a place which is lived in, an environment which is conducive to mental and spiritual growth and physical comfort. Since no two people and no two family groups are evej alike, no two real homes can have the same atmosphere or Sincerity • ^u • • 4. *i, can give the same impressions to the people who come into them from without. Ideally each home should be the manifes- tation of the owners' interpretation of the worth-while things of life and should express his attitude toward the world by his sincerity in the use of details in his scheme of interior decoration which shows his true personality. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE Showing the Order of Period Styxes from the Beginnihg OF THE Renaissance to the igrn Century ENGLAND SOVEREIGH Style Keuasks FRANCE Style Sovsieigh Commonwealth 1649-1660 s.s V3 i& Heniy Vm 1509-1547 Tudor Elizabeth 1558-1603 Eliza- bethan James I 1603-1625 Charles I 1625-1649 Jacobean Charles n 1660-1685 James n 1685-1688 WilUam and Maiy 1688-1702 Wlliam and Mary About the Duration of the Renaissance Period in Other Countries Italy 1443-1564 Germany 1525-1620 Flemish and Dutch 1520-1634 Spain and Portugal 1500-1620 Other European Countries 1500-1630 Francis Premier Frands I 1515-1547 Henry n 1547-1559 Henri Deux Francis H 1559-1560 Charles IX 1560-1574 Henry m 1574-1589 Henri Quatre Henry IV 1589-1610 Louis Trraze LouisXni 1610-1643 Anne 1702-1714 Queen Anne Barocco Styles Beginning of the Rococo Louis Quatorze LouisXIV 1643-171S George I 1714-1727 George II 1727-1760 George M 1760-1820 Chippen- dale Hepple- white Adam Sheraton Chippendale's book, The Gentleman's and Cabinetmaker's Director," pubUshed 1754, and a later edition 1762. Hepplewhite's book The Cabinetmaker and Upholsterer's Guide," 1789. R. and J. Adam 1750-1790 Sheraton's book. The Cabinetmaker and Upholsterer's Drawing Book," was published in 1791. A later edition in 1812. Louis Quinze Louis XV 171S-1747 Louis Seize LouisXVI 1747-1793 Empire Napoleon 1793-1814 Reprinted from How to Know Period Styles in Furniture by W. L. Eimerly, by per- mission of The Grand Rapids Furniture Record Co. INDEX Adam style, 76, 86, go iEsthetic influence of the fire- place, 122 ^Esthetic influence of the home, 5° American furniture, 100-107 Antique furniture, 61-79 Antique rugs, S7 Architectural proportions, 4-13 Arrangement, 91-93, 145 Art applied to the home, xx, 77 Backgrounds, 2 Balance, 87 Bedroom furniture, 96-98 Bisymmetric balance, 87-88 Black walnut, i lo-i 1 1 Blue, 5 Bookcases, 94-95 Bric-a-brac, 145 Cabriole leg, 73 Carpets, figured, 47 Carpets, plain, 47 Carpets versus rugs, 46 Ceiling, wall, and floor, rule for, 24 Chair placing, 66 Chairs, Dutch, 73-74 Chairs, English, 73-77 Chairs, Flemish, 68 Chairs, French, 70-73 Chairs, Italian, 67 Chairs, Spanish, 68 Chimney piece, the, 1 15-125 Chinese-Chippendale, 74, 76 Chippendale, work of Thomas, 74-75. 87 Qassic details, 76 Classic restoration, 76, 89 Colonial furniture, 21, 68, 91, no, III Color, 6 Color and personality, 3 Colors, cool and warm, 5 Contrast, 3 Craftsman furniture, 102 Curtain hanging, 13-14, 18-19 Curtain materials, 16, 20-29 Curtain rods, 18 Curtains, 12-29 Curtains, reasons for, 12 Decoration, interior, lix Decorators, amateur, xix Decorators, professional, xii Dining rooms, 86-88 Domestic rugs, 38-48 Doorways, curtains for, 27-29 Dutch furniture, 73-74 Dutch influence on Queen Anne period, 73 Education in interior decoration, 138-141 Empire furniture, 77-78 English furniture, 73-77 Fireplace, the, 11 7-1 25 Fixtures, lighting, 131-136 Flemish furniture, 68 Floor finishes, 3 1-37 149 ISO INDEX Floor value, 3 1 Foundation, the floor as decora- tive, 31-32, 38-39 Frames for pictures, 7 French influence on English furni- ture, 77 French Renaissance, 67-68 French styles, 70-73 Furniture arrangement, 81-98, 100-107, 138-139 Furniture, Qjttage, 105 Dutch, 73-74 Empire, 21, 77 English, 73-77 Flemish, 68 French, 70-73 Italian, 67 Mission, loi Spanish, 68 Willow, lOJ Gas illumination, 129-130 Gas-lighting fixtures, 130 Gilded furniture, 71-73 Gold color, 5-6 Gothic style, 64 Grain, the, in woodwork, lli- "3 Green, S Halls, 85-86 Hanging, the, of pictures, 8 Hangings, 19-29 window, 19-27 door, 28-29 Harmonious forms, 13, 87 Harmonious tones, 23, 39 Harmony in decoration, 29 Hepplewhite style, 34, 75-76. 77, 90 History of lighting mediums, 125-131 History of period furniture, 61-69 Home decoration, principles of, XX Home, definition of, xviii Homelike arrangements, 87, 93, 98, 14s, 146 Ideals of home making, xviii Inconsistency, 98 Individualism in home decora- tion, xviii, 92, 98 Individual's color needs, the, 35 Interior decorators, xix Italian Renaissance, 65 Italian Renaissance furniture, 66- 90 Jacobean furniture, 43, 69, 87 Japanese prints, 9 Japanese toweling, 25 Kitchen floors, 35-36 Lace curtains, 21 Lamps and lamp shades, 133-136 Landlord's alterations, 2 Library, 93-96 Light and color, 5 Lighting the house, candles, 127 electricity, 131 gas, 129 lamps, 128 Living rooms, 88-93 Louis XIV furniture, 70 Louis XV furniture, 70-71 Louis XVI furniture, 72-73 Mahogany, 109 Materials for curtains, 20-23 Materials for floors, 31-37 Materials for hangings, 23-29 INDEX 151 Materials for portieres, 26-28 Mission style, 100-102 Modem furniture, iao-107 Motifs, classical, 76 French, 70-73 New England furniture, 69, 73- 78 New Renaissance in America, 79 Occult balance, 91 Oriental rugs, SO-59 Photographs, 8 Picture arrangement, 8-9 Picture frames, 7 Picture hanging, 10 Picture selection, 9 Portrait placing, 8 Queen Anne furniture, 7, 73 Renaissance, 65 Dutch, 68 English, 69 Flemish, 68 French, 67 Italian, 65-66 Spanish, 68 Restfulness in arrangement, 92- 93 Rococo, 72 Rug color, plain, 42-43 figured, 43-44 Rug design, 39-40 Rug harmony, 39-40 Rug placing, 41 Rugs, domestic, 38-40 oriental, SO-$g Shades for lamps, 133-135 Sheraton furniture, 20, 75, 76-77, 133 Simplicity in decoration, 104 Sincerity, 146 Spanish style, 68 Straight-line furniture, 100-102, 104-105 Structural lines, loi Tables, antique, 63, 65-66 Tapestries, 71 Tapestry placing, 10 Temperament and color, 3, 6 Transitorial mediums, 23 Upholstery, 27 Utility and beauty, 143 Wall, ceiling, and floor, rule for, 24 Wall color, 56 Wall decorations, 6-10 Wall finishes, 6 Warm colors, 5 White woodwork, 7 William and Mary fumitare, 6, 34, 42," 90, 14s Window hangings, 17-27 Piinted in the United States of America. npHE following pages contain advertisements of a few of the Macmillan books on kindred subjects. Domestic Architecture By LAWRENCE E. ROBINSON Assistant Professor of Architecture in Oregon Agricultural Collie lUusirated, izmo A clear, concise, and practical treatment of the general subject of the house, including the history of domestic architecture and the development of the t)rpical styles foimd in the United States, building sites, exterior and interior house design, character and mouldings, building materials, finish materials, house construction and interior treatment, heating, lighting, plimibing, and other equip- ment, cost of, dwellings, and the relations of owner, archi- tect, and contractor. The work is illustrated by numerous plans and includes directions for making drawings, and a series of sketch problems and problems in design. No technical preparation is assumed. While it is especially adapted for use as a text in courses on The House, it will be found both interesting and practical for all those who are privileged to plan or remodel the houses in which they live. THE MACMILLAN COMPANY FiiblisheTs 64-66 Fifth Ayenue Hew Tork Textiles By MARY S. WOOLMAN Simmons College AND ELLEN B. McGOWAN Teachers College, Columbia University 428 pages. III., i3mo, $2,00 A textbook for college classes or study clubs ; a guide for the housekeeper or individual consumer of textiles and clothing, the teacher, the clubwoman, the saleswoman ; an introductory survey of the subject for the student who contemplates professional work in the textile industries. It describes the manufacture of woolen, cotton, silk, linen, and minor fabrics, with chapters giving tests which may be made by a novice. There are also accounts of the dyeing processes used in modem textile industries and directions for laundering. It is seldom that a technical book appears in which the information given is so comprehensive and scientific, and is stated at the same time in non-technical terms. The text, supplemented by the many illustrations, makes an interesting and readable book. THE MACMILLAN COMPANY FnblisherB 64-66 Fifth Avenua Hew Tork Successful Houses and How to Build Them By CHARLES L. WHITE $20 pages, HI., Svo, $3.oo The average prospective house-owner is not well informed re- garding the many preliminary steps which he has to take and problems which he has to meet. The purpose of this book is to give an authoritative, comprehensive treatment of these problems of house-building from the standpoint of the house-owner. The choosing of the site, the preliminaries with the architect and con- tractor, the legal documents involved, planning the rooms, the actual building processes, the importance of a good roof, plumb- ing that is sanitary, sewage disposal in the country, efficient heat- ing methods, plastering, lighting, handy household devices and appliances — these are some of the topics, and the illustrations are equally helpfiil and practical. This is a really indispensable book to one about to build. The Care of a House By T. M. CLARK Fellow of the American Institute of Architects 28J pages. III., ismo, $i.jo (^Stand. Lib.) .Jo A volume of suggestions to householders, housekeepers, land- lords, tenants and others, for the economical and efficient care of dwelling houses. The writer makes a simple explanation of the structure of a modern house, and of the appliances which are at- tached to it, with descriptions of the disorders to which they are subject, and of the methods of preventing and curing such dis- orders. Especially valuable are the chapters on the heating and plumbing systems. THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Publishers 64-66 Fifth Avenue Kew York Furniture of the Olden Time • By FRANCES C. MORSE Illustrated, $3^30 "The book is a very complete presentation of tlie best old fashions in furniture — chests, dressing-tables, bureaus, cup- boards, sideboards, desks, chairs, settees and sofas of all sorts, tables, looking-glasses, musical instruments, fires, and lights." — The Outlook. "The book excels others of its kind through its orderly arrangement, the definiteness and precision of its accounts of the furniture in vogue during successive generations, the care and exactness of its descriptions of t3rpical pieces, and its well-chosen illustrations." — Boston Herald. "Miss Morse writes with enthusiasm, but always with clear- ness. She puts in little side lights which show the habits of society in those days, and any one who thinks that her book must, of necessity, be duU and tedious is greatly mistaken. A special word of praise should go to the illustrations, which are printed in admirable style. There are scores of them, too, and they supplement the text in a most helpful way." — Cleveland Leader. THE MACMILLAN COMPANY FuMishera 64-66 Fifth Avenue New Tork [tntsim - • I»»5» ?5J2 j;^ *2 J- ^iivi e i i .