The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-02-21


\ prominent writer ON the subieclO i House
Decora,ion' makes the following suggestions {:
Harmony of color and style are the objects to
attain in all house decoration, whether costly
or simple, and it is Of course necessary that
the rooms and furniture should look suitable
to their purpose,
In cndcavOring to make drawingToon
look bright we should avoid garishness and
glitter as carefully rs dinginess and gloom.
Perhaps the best treatment of walls Is that Of
arranging "dado" upon them. Make the
wall cream color for example, but the da,lo, II
portion below the line we pant maroon or
chocolate; on tins lower portion IA pattern
called dado rail is placed. y cream coOred
wall contrasts well with dark blue dado. AS
the wall should look somewhat neutral, the
blue should consist of utramarlne, with lit
tie black and little white added to give Il
certain amount AS neutrality. with rich and
Sslightly orange maroon uadO gray blue wall
of middle tint would accord well Quaintness
of effect is given by da,les varying in height,
in some cases they may be twothrds OF the
room, and according TO circumstances will or
dlnarly be from Is inches To feet in height.
The more difficult it is tC detect proportions
in wall the better, and should never be di.
vided into equal parts. The carpet should be
dark, but not dull, one Of Persian pattern with
a border all around looks we'll a space should
be left between the carpet and the skirtlng
board, and all the floor uncovered may be
stained and polished in the ordinary way
The best materials for curtains are wooden
serge and Bolton sheeting of Pompeiian, red
or bluclsh-gray shades, and with or without
patterns on them. Wooden serge is sOftlOOk-
ing, inexpensive and hangs well, but Bolton
shectlng is still cheaper and good effect at u
small cost can be produced by working on
curtains made of this material "A border in col.
ored crewels. The wood work of room should
generally be of darker tnts than the walls. 1t
is of paramount importance that the doors
should be conspicuous The articles OF turnl-
ture may be in ebony or walnut, some of each
is desired. The tables of different sizes and
shapes, if possible none large, but very firm
on their legs. Any protruding articles OF fur
niture, such rs cabinets, etc, should be ar
ranged 1T the top and bottom of the room,
smaller things at the sides, and the same with
the wall decorations, flat ones, such as pictures
on the sides, and hanging shelves and brack-
cts top and bottom. To lessen the appear
ance of length, small corner cupboards may be
introduced.
The pictures desired should he hung in mar
row gilt frames with small flat margins OF
black and should be water cOlors If the wall
be CitrIne in color, the door should be dark,
low toned Antwerp blue, or it may be OF dark
bronze green, but IN the latter case, Il line Of
red should be run around the inside of the ar
chitecture. If the wall be blue, a dark orange
green will do well for the door, or an orange
maroon, but Il line of red around the door Will
improve it. A wall Of bright turquoise in col
or will require door of Indian red.
These are mere illustrations of numerous
harmonious combinations which may be made,
but they serve to show what is meant by har-
monious decoration. II it is thought neccs-
sary to place an ornament on II door panel, it
is better quaint or slightly heraldic in appear.
ance. monogram may sometimes be ap-
piled to door, but 1t should not he repeated
frequently. In regard to the skirtng OF a
room, it should always be dark, and it would
be difficult TO find II room where the skirtng
was light, which would be altogether satisfy
ing to the eye, The skirting may often be
black, the greater portion of it vanished with
parts left dead" however to obtain the con-
trast between a bright and dead surface. ~
few lines Of color may be run upon its mould
ings, but not to ornament 1t, for its treatment
must be simple to get a retiring, yet bold eff
feet If black is not desirable, brown, rich
3 maroon, dull blue or bronze green may be en-
SsplOyed.
- Bedrooms should be so decorated as to be
soothing in effect; they are generally at fault
III being very light. 1t is especially necessary
in a bedroom that there should be an absence
of spots which, indeed, are never found in
good decorations. Dining rooms should nave
rather dark walls, Of graylsh blue and maroon
dado, while the emblems of the past may be
Incorporated with advantage IN decoration OF
the room. A smoking room may be humor-
ously and grotesqueIy decorated, but the gro.
tesquc must always be clever and vigorous.
Of necessity all decorations will cost time,
labor and comparatively small amount OF
money, but, as William Morris truly said, All
who care for art must make sacrifices for It,
much greater in these days of transition than
they would have to do if art were an admitted
necessity, and cherished by all men, There
are few who, having thought, time and means
to making their houses truly beautiful do
not feel repaid for their exertions, or, at least
consider them anything but protitess.