Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-21
HINTS FOR THE HOME.


From the Art Amateur, for January.
To STAND on either side the brass fender
before the hearth. long and slender vase of
Japanese pottery or porcelain in low tones of
color. looks well when filed with certain dried
grasses, cat-taiis, and Dlumes of Pampas grass.
A NEW gypsy" or tripod table, has been in
frodueed, the legs covered with plush like the
top Around the edge of the circular top hangs
q heaVy SILK fringe which also finishes the legs.
A scarf of plush embroidered with gold and
nlnged with silk is knotted at the intersection
of the legs.
THE ordinary music-stool is usually an ugly,
and uselessly heavy article of furniture and a
pleasing substitute might be found in the old
fashioned four-legged single seats, which are
otherwise picturesque and convenient. and may,
when not In use. DC pushed under the piano
table, or long-legged cabinet
For ROOMS fitted in chintz or cretonne. ana
for country house USE have been revived those
delightful old curtains of tamboured muslin.
with this difference that where monstrous
flowers, and vines with grapes once formed the
design. we now have small conventional NAT
terms powdered over the curtains. and a border
TO match. to finish them
CURTAINS ought to be hung so that they can
constantly be taken down to be brushed and if
necessary, cleaned with bread crumb or bran. II
Is a great economy to have a second best set of
curtains TO put up during the dark DAYS of
winter; beside. the change is pleasant to the
eye, Whlch gets weared at always seeing exactly
the same color and pattern framing the outside
view.
AN EAsT-sIDE CABINET-MAKER has made q
lucky hit by the production of small mahogany
tea-tables made after an English model with
Two drop-leayes and a steady set of supports
below, which endear them to the hearts of all
tei-drinklng housekeepers These dainty tables
are just OF height to reach the elbow of the
lady while sitting. and at ordinary times they
occupy some quiet corner unobserved
For DINING TABLE there is no light to be
compared to the soft radiance of plenty of can
dies They should be in branches tall enough
TO be above the level of the eyes and should he
OF kind which does not flicker or rum The
light from the sideboard and sid.s of the room
should be sufficient to prevent shadows from
being cast on the table. Candies are not really
SO very expensive as compared with gas, when
1t is considered what damage gas does to the
furniture and silver. Then dinner, does not last
very long, and everybody and everything looks
80 much better in the mild light of wax or COM
posite, it is worth while trying to have it.
In COMMON WITH TAMBOURINEs, guitars and
splnets, ancient harps are being carefully I'M
earthed in the auction-roOms and brought
home to decorate the much-crowded modern
interior. There is not much hope that prof.
Il
etrument will be generally attained in the pres
ent generation. but then, as a pretty girl who
mad Just acquired a harp for her MUSHROOM
observed: "What difference does that make?
III such capital thing to pose againstl'
BROWN PAPER is very useful in household
decoration. Pretty screens of coarse grocer's
paper, painted in oils, are often used An old
wooden mantelpiece may be covered with this
Coarse paper and painted roughly but most
lftsl xnir N.-,i-
leaves, or with red peoples. Paper can be Gnly
temporary decoration, but In country villages
occasions often arrive-such as impromptu fes-
tivities, church sOciables, and weddings-when
. speedy decoration is most valuable.
LONG, FULL UNDER-CURTAINs Of lace or Mad
ras muslin are gradually drifting out of fashion.
In their stead one sees, in most of the new ar
tistic interiors, an unbroken sweep of plush or
OF raw silk on either side of the indow frame.
through which the eXpanse of shining plate
glass appears uncovered. save by a shade of en-
broidered silk or holland. brass iardiniere.
niied with palms and ferns, helps to do the work
OF excluding curious eyes and the advantage
gained by break in the floor line and wall
space. through admission of the window re-
cesses is noticeably good. Where thin curtains
are necessary, those hung close to the sash are
advisable. Gold-wreught Madras muslin thin
yellow SILK, painted and embroidered, and bolt
Ing cloth similarly treated are most emplOyed
BY artists in decoration.
WHEN YOUNG COUPLE commence furnishing
they should content themselves with the mere
necessarles OF life until they have acquired the
knowledge OF what they want and discovered
the best means of procuring it. A few cottage
chairs and kitchen tables can by means of
Cushions and covers be made to do for wear or
So, and will save great deal more than they
cost III preventing money being thrown away in
hurry on unsuitable purchases. In cities fur
nture can be hired and returned as it is replaced
ut leisure.
TIE SIMPLEST METHOD of staining floor is to
get freT dealer in paints half gallon of oak
stain ready Mixed pour it into basin. and
cover the floor with it, using an ordinary hogs
hair paint brush Do not tread more than YOU can
help on the part You have stained; of course
you would do the floor near the door last If
one wash of the stain does not make as dark a
TINT as you wish. wait till it is quite dry and
give 1t second When it is quite dry the
hOusemaid can rub it up with beeswax and tur-
pentlne. or she may make mixture of these
TWO ingredients with little resin warmed
until it is all liquid and then when it is cool
rubbed on with Cloth and polished I'D with
brush
IN PAPERING the upper part of wall above
stencilled dado, the following shades will be
found to 90 well together: Paper. light shade
OF gray dadO. darker shade of gray. relieved by
afew narrow lines and touches of pure yermil-
dyke brown. Paper. fawn color; dado. flowers
with tnts of salmon and orange shaded with
lake. leaves and stems of shades of grays and
Dr0Wns. Paper, pale terra Gotta; dado,- deep
shade OF terra Gotta, with Egyptian designs
outlined with black
DECORATIVE ART allows every scope for
beauty of form and color, but dispenses with
aeria! effects and to great degree with shadows
The wall behind the painting is understood to
be there; there should be no attempt at decen
ton III any way. The outlines should be most
carefully drawn, and accumulated by a decided
line OF color of some warm dark shade all
around each object. ChiaroscurO is as much ont
OF place as perspective carried to any marked
point; though In all drawing however flat. a
knowledge OF the laws of perspective must be
useful Flowers (of course single ones are inf
nitely preferable) should be drawn with great
attention to structural FORM but should be
treated in a conventional manner-i e. with a
certain amount of stiffness and regularity
not rambling about as the plant from
which they are copied may have elected to do.
In short. decorative art, though it refers to
nature. does not copy exactly all that it finds
there but selects what is best adapted to its
purpose This regularity. with the absence of
strong lights, reflected lights aad shadows. and