The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-05-17
Walls and their Coverings.

In the old days of wninscots, when
every room of any pretensions TO ele-
gance was banded with light or dark
wood to Il height of three or four feet
from the base, it Was far easier to
effectively ornament the portions of
wall left uncovered, than it Is when an
unbroken surface sweeps, as now, from
floor to- ceiling.
If The pattern which covers this sur
face be large and positive, the effect Is
to lessen the apparent size OF the room !,
and confuse with vulgar repetition.
If, on the contrary, it is small and
incOnspicuOus, there is wearisOme
effect of monotOny displeasing to n
trained eye. Even if the paper be Of
plain tint, and intended merely as a
background for pictures, etc., the eff
in surface. There are various methods
to produce this result, rs for instance !:
A space corresponding with the
ancient wainScOt is left to the height
of three or four feet above the floor,
and filled in with paint or paper Of
solid color, harmonizing or contrast
ing with that which is used on the
upper part of the wall. This Is usual
ly topped with wooden moulding to
serve as .schairing," above which
the lower tint of plain gray, pearl,
green, is repeated in subdued pattern,
the surface being broken at top and
bottom by narrow band Of contrast
ing color. ~
Or again: the paper, which is Of any
quiet shade, is relieved above and be
low by broad band Of velvet paper in
rich, deep color, which, running also
up the corners Of the room, frames the
paler tint, as it were, into number of
large panels. This plan is sometimes
carried out very effectively.
Another way is to paper in three
horizontal bands, the lower being of
dark brown, similating wainscot, the
next plain green or fawn, as back
ground for a line of pictures, and the
upper of delicate, fanciful pattern, fin
ished at the cOrnice with soft frescOtints.
or these three plans we should re-
commend the first to people Of moder-
ate means and tastes. 1t costs no
more to paper the lower part of a wall
with plain paper than with figured,
the strip of moulding at top adds little
to the expense, and the prettiness and
effect Of the whole is infinitely en-
hanced by the use of a cheap and
simple method.
Paint vers1s Paper is point on
which rival housekeepers disagree.
Very beautiful results can certainly be
attained by paint, but the really beau
tiful ones are lab0riolls and expensive.
Kalsominc, which is process of
water-coloring, gives extremely pretty
effects, and for ceilings, cornices, or
any place not exposed much to rubbing
and scraping, is sufficiently permap-
ent. The process of sanding paint and
painting over the sand produces q
depth and richness of color only equal
ed by velvet paper, and far superior to
that in durability.
Stenciling on wood, on rough plas-
ter and on paint, is SO cheap and ex-
cellent method of decoration that we
wonder it Is not more resorted to. A
row of enoaustic tiles are often set, in
England, as finish at top of wainscot-
ing. These tiles, which are but little
used among us, are susceptible of many
graceful applications to the Ornamen-
tation of houses, and We hope the time
will come for their fuller introduction
on this side of the ocean,
The tone of the ceiling should be
lighter than that of the wall, and the
tone of the wall lighter than that OF
the floor. Attention to this simple
law would obviate the distressing effect
occasionally produced In modern
houses, when, by reason Of the light
ness of the carpet and the heaviness
of the fresco, the room seems in dam
ger of falling in upon itself and its in
habitants. =" Home and Society, "
Scri6ner's for May.
Cnral-handled narasals are now seen