Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-20
DECORATIVE NOTES.

band of figured plush between the elaborate
| carving at the top and the framework
| which supports the shelves. The color of
the plush is determined by the tone Of
wall paper in the room.
! Oddly shaped tables are much in vogue.
Many of them are rounded in front and
straight at the back, supported upon
twisted spiral columns or by halfrecum-
bent figure forming pedestal. Others in
white enamel anc gold have deeply carved
feet, representing claws.
Latterly, the ornamental stoves which
are so popular for reception-rooms have re.
! ceived additional decoration by the intro
duction Of medallions and circular tiles,
and in many instances of continuous raised
design in enamel, which appears interlaced
with the ornamental brass or iron work.
A fireplace for spacious open halls is
made in imitation of the old fashioned red
brick fireplaces found in English manor
houses. Upright brass posts, with orna-
mental knobs, surmount the corners of the
mantel, and, if the structure continues, as
1t often does, to the ceiling, are placed
| upon alternate shelves.
a quaint design for library curtain is
am owl with wise eyes seated upon pile
of books, while for a bordering Grecian
lamp alternates with Greek characters sig
nifying 81 write" 1t is intended to be
worked In outline stitch in silks or crewels
This, if carried out upon some plain mate
rial, would look we'll as hanging in front
OF book shelves.
The handsomest center. piece for small
! dinner table is deeply.cut crystal globe,
which catches and transmits every ray of
| light. It is furnished with cover of open
| brass work for the purpose of holding each
flower in place, and if filed with deep
colored roses or scarlet geraniums and
green leaves, makes the most effective dec.
Grafton than can be imagined.
The substitution of rugs for stair car
| pets has not met with much appreciation
from the general public, and yet there is a
| good deal to be said in favor of the fashion.
Stair carpets invariably wear out at the
| edge of the stair at first, and never look
well when they are turned round. The
narrow rug upon each step is, of course,
spared the rubbing which so soon results in
shabblness.
Great attention is now paid to the dec
grafton of lamps and globes Colored de-
signs of wreaths or flowers are especially
suitable for the latter, and they are as read
lily painted upon glass as upon china, but it
is less easy to have them burnt in. The
colors, however, will last quite long time
if simply laid on and left to dry. When
they fade there is no difficulty III replacing
them.
Small panels to place upon table, mantel
o-b roaty OF u,l 4
wood, susceptible of high polish, will be
best for the purpose, ard natural colors, as
far as possible, should be selected for the
painting. Such panels look remarkably
well In pairs-one, for example, represent.
ing summer, with design of rosebuds and
| forget me-nots; another, autumn, with its
many tinted leaves.
a new style of window shade has been
introduced into the Queens apartments at
Bslmoral, and is likely to become generally
popular. The shade is of open work en-
broiderY upon fine linen, the interstices
being cut away, and it is lined with colored
| silk, which shows through the embroidery.
The effect is very handsome, and this style
of shade is decided improvement upon
those of blank white linen.
At a recent dinner in wealthy New
York home a novelty was introduced into
the covering of the table by the substitu-
| ton Of wide stripe of crimson plush down
the centre and narrower strips Of linen at
each side, instead of the orthodox table
cloth. The flowers and desert were all
arranged down the length of the table
upon the plush, and the linen strips were
! all removed for the desert, showing a ma
hogany table in the highest degree OF
! polish. This innovation will hardly be-
come general, but the fashion of serving
desert upon the table itself is becoming
general.
The interior scene of Leonata's house in
Mr.. Irving's revival of Much Ado About
Nothing" is said to be very warm and
rich in color, with the Venetian red walls,
patterned in gold, the gold colored plenish-
legs, the broidered curtains, the msesy
brass vases, from which spring dark green
palms The church scene is a very won
der of illusion in front is the high altar
set with lights, and with white Aununca.
zion Lilies for the bridal, while the steps in
front are strewn with a wealth of flowers
down to the altar rail of wrought and gilt
metal, over part of which is thrown rich
drapery of mingled green and gold. Be-
yond the altar screen, with its sculptured
figures, is seen the CLEAN of the stained
F.! glass windows above, falling family on the
little acolytes in their red robes tending at
the altar
A writer in San Francisco thinks Cali.
| fornia the home of esthetic art. He says
''What is the use of living in the richest
natural country on the hemisphere unless
! ,~Of1sAal ~ a, ,,l
are to be of use? Quantities of San Do
mingo and Fort Wingate pottery, of grace
| full shape and decoration exquisite Alaska
carving in black, polished slate, and In
| dian curios, fill shelves tufted with feather
work and crested with culver and arrows.
| Fine pueblo baskets, woven to hold water,
are filled with roses bedded in damp sponge
and windows screened with thia green and
| crimson silk across the lower half above
the curtains of ecru lace, which are fes-
tooned with pale. embroidered headings.
! What is the use of sending scross the
water for Smyrna and Arabic hangings
when the fine Navs . rugs, iu texture and
color. compare with Eastern work. a hun.
dred dollars worth of merino wool goes to
make a single blanket %
TIE following were the barvest.festivsl
decorations of small church in an aeri-
cultural village The front was dressed
with white clematis and pyrscanthus Der.
ries, and two sheaves of corn stood by the
entrance. The windows were filled with
little sheayes of corn, the spaces being re-
lieved with scarlet and blue flowers
and white marguerites. The lectern was
decorated with small apples and leaves,
| and at the base was a group of large mar
rows and fruit, interspersed with beet-reot
and the feathery foliage of carrots. against
the walls, from which spring the chancel
arch, poles of hops leant, just as they came
from the hop garden, and long trails of
blackberries dropped from the capitals.
The pulpit was dressed with corn and soar.
let and blue flowers. A shesf of corn as
brought from the fields stood on each side
of the entrance to the chancel. On each
side of the lower step to the altar, two