The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-02

encc in Il dwelling often acts as an advertise
mcnt of valuablcs.
As regards the comfort and accommodations
supplied to servants in country dwellings. this
is matter. tho author thinks. which deserves
moro consideration than Is usually accorded to
IT, Basement kitchens, for instance. unless
they happen to havo a silc-hll exposure, are
damp and gloomy and cannot fail to create dis
satisfaction among their inmates IA well a. to
impar thor health. Tho old habit Of putting
domestics anywhere to work, and in some close
or dismal garnet to sleep, IL calculated to excite
rebellion. and it may be that tho servants hall,
and other comfortable appliances of tho life be-
low stairs in old English country houses
should bo credited in no small measure
with that constant service Of tho antique
world"
One word about tho disposition Of grounds
and scenery before passing to the interior deco
ration and furniture Of our dwellings. A SYM
metrica arrangement OF roads and walks IL no
less essential than skilful adjustment OF halls
and apartments The beauty Of n domain de-
ponds upon the grnco Of it's lines; yet like the
planting OF trees. the laying out OF roads is sure
to be formal and stilted unless great care be
taken to produce natural effect Curves. Of
course. are Il necessity. both for simplifying and
cmbellishing our grounds. but the author points
outthat not one person in u hundred Is capable
OF producing such n curve oven a. the wheels
Of u carriage would naturally trace. II seems
that the famous Downing. on one occasion be-
| ing too much pressed for time TO stake out the
location OF every tree threw at random peck
OF potatoes one by one and directed the gar
dener TO plant atrcc whore each potato fell. This
cNpedient certainly gave tho appearance Of
natural arrangement. and a like rude but use
full rule il to drive an ox-cart over tho ground
| in tho direction by which you wish 10 reach tho
| house. and let your subsequent roadway follow
| the tracks Of the wheels. OF course tho Tower
roads on small estate the better. not so much
ON account Of the expense involved rs because
the effect of an unbrokon lawn Is &C.
cured. and the grounds naturally appear
larger. Thus single winding road. with
the trees so disposed that we lose certain
views. and catch them again from another
direction. conveys the idea Of different
scenes
Reminding us that furniture and costume
show to better advantage when tho walls Of an
apartment are dark. while pictures look well
upon u light back ground Mr.. Holly suggests
that in order to meet these opposite require
ments tho dado." or lower three feet Of the
walls may be dark in color; the surface where
the pictures are 10 he hung. Of n neutral tint
while In the corncc and ceiling any number Of
bright hucs may appear. In this way har-
| monious graduation Of colors il achieved. and
the writer thinks such disposition should be
made the rule in decorating apartments. The
heaviest and richest tints should be upon
the noor or near it. and the lichtest
and most brilliant either upon. or n tho
ncghborhood IT the ceiling. 1t il worth noting
also. that dark color. when applied 10 n skirt
ing or wanscot. gives the effect Of strength.
which 1t Is Of course desirable 10 suggest in
parts bearing n superintendent weight. The
association. indeed. II color with solidty claims
a larger roll in decoration than il generally
supposed. Thus the trimmings Of the exterior
of a dwelling. If painted Of darker tint than
the body. convey the idea Of ribs and Sanctions
supporting the house. In like manner any
margin which appears 10 fulfil the function
Of frame. such as cornices or archi-
travos should be II "a color more pronounced
than the wall. but not 50 dark as the sur
base. SO. too. the doors OF IN apartment
should be darker than the walls-somcthing ia
tone between them and the trimmings.
We have no longer. in Mr.. Holly's judgment
the excuse which heretofore existed for not
employing wall paper II a becoming pattern.
Formerly the papers offered for sale were OF so
crude character that simple whltewashod
wall was mora agreeable. But like most Cher
industries that have come under the influence ~
the recent progress in decorative art, the man
ufa"ture u wall paper has vastly improved.
and the English particularly have made a
signal advance in this direction. their
most eminent artists giving special At
tcnton 10 the designs. Tho breaking up of
wall surface with frieze and dalo is charge
terlst.c Of the English patterns. and in this way
some Of the best combinations II color and
drawing are attained. The waiuscOts are some
times Of chcckcrol. chocolate pattern. re-
Aevcl with soll and black the Intermediate
Il. ID
moss for instance. or delicate ivy. while tho
fre2' on the other hand. receives an utterly
drlleront treatment. sometimes japanese In
/ character and either conventional or nat
ural in drawing lut always positive in
color In some friczes storks or other fowl.
in various attitudes, seem gliding through the
air, in others vines and treilis work, laden with
vivid green and golden fruit. throw out tho
irieze, as if the middle space of the wall repre-
scented screen, over which various scenes II
vegetable and animal life are projected in bold
outline. II strikes us IA an acute remark the
opinion cited by this writer. that for room in
which cornwall conversation. wines and viand-
are TO be enjoyed the color should never lo
light but Of Complementary or neutral tint
while in reception or drawing Rooms. where
the sense Of the palate Is not brought into
competition, tho eye may be wooed and
gratied with floral dcs igus and gay or delicate
hues.
In regard to tnting walls and ceilings it must
be said that the necessity Of enduring the
monotony Of hard finish in order 10 allow tim
bers 10 season ia a woiehty objection. II we re-
sort 10 wall paper we can always order one OF
two extra rolls, SO that in case Of cracking
blemishes may DO easily repaired. Tho fresh
paper moreover. may hc 80 nicely adjusted as
TO defy detection, whereas in painting it il usu-
ally neodiul to 90 over the whole room. il being
nearly impossible to get your colors matched
exactly.
1t Is well known that system Of wood pan.
cling was employed in the dwelling houses Of
tho sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Many
fine examples Of this work arc to be seen in the
colleges Of Oxford. Here tho mouldings are
seldom thrown out beyond the surface. but are
cut in the solid wood. whereas the panel itsc
projects slightly. The ceilings are occasionally
treated in a similar manner, but more fire.
quently tho ratcrs were left exposed. thcil
edges being moulded and embellshed Will