The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-03-07
Modifying the Proportions Of . Room.

BOor, leaving the Gfher rooms in faulty
proportion of length and width to
height. The most universally recog-
nized rule for determining the height of
a roSn SsthtsHm. IA AaEtbe HidtG md
the square root OF the length. The
sd0pti0H ful1 fesssitS "a 0ffngfng
the angle formed by the, ceiling and
wall Just within the anAlS 81 ris5dn % b
person standing in the center of the
room without raising she, eyest but of
course the rule CD Ioiiy M ST 4ctis sob-
served in one room on each iloOr, unless
n double tisf o. jolb1l 4 let ab6Se Me
smaller coors; or sAeas3t y pFspls 70
have thefloursof rooms ii the Same story
on different Levels. either cc,rse inyplTY
ing difficulty and expense There Is no
defect in proportion that can not be
modified in more than one way; thst %
to say, to assert that . .roQm is tao high
is equivalent to saying that7it il either
not wide enough or not long enough: or
both; 30 th6t n tfeafin1 3 room with &
view of modifying its apparent proper
ton, the treatment that is most con-
venient may be made to answer thePu1-'
pose in almost any instance; to appar-
emily shorten q room being the same as
to apparently increase its width and
height, to apparently widen it being the
same as decreasingthe length and height,
and SO on.
To make & room appear higher the
plane surface of the ceiling should be de-
creased by the holdings Of the, cornice,-
by panels, or in the absence Oftkesss by
bands of color performing the same Of
flee. A vertical system OF line should
be adopted in mural de ,oration, and the
mantel should be lower
To makea room appear i0tcer exaeffy
the opposite treatment should be adopt
ed; that is. TO increase the plane CEILING
adopt horizontal system OF mural dec
Grafton, with dadO and high, mantel.
To make a room appear s6ider is ac-
complished to a certain extent BY max.
ing it appsaE- l0wsx;; but -sxhsgs this ~
undesirable, or where it is insufficient,
the effect esu BE- re2hN JOY, adopting a
mural decoration on graduated scale
of form. decreasing upward. SO that two
or more patterns at the top'similar to
those at the foot are found to occupy
the same space as one at the foot, and
this effect can beTnch increased, by ~
graduation Of colofiupward from. dirk toy
light. HasHaH ,Hiot
To make room appear ,sdrrorer is
accomplished to - CERTAIN extent BY
making it appearhigher; but where this
is undesirable or sufficient the eject
can be obtained by adopting a strongly
drawn largepArHpD b sf6ng cobEior1
TO make a room appear sap"ih oagss els IS to
an extent accomplished by making 1t
appear lower and narrower; but where
these are unde sirable or insufficient the
elect may Be obtained by decreasin
the scale aAd strength al color, Of the
mural decoration adopted al the ends.
To make room appear Shorter is &C.
companied TO an extent by making it
appear wider and higher; but the effect
can be achieved BY increasing the
scale and strength OF color OF the
mural decoration iopted at the ends.
Any of these effects can be modified
or increased by tkeTtreatment of the
floor surface. whether bvycarpets, rugs j
painted boards, or by par iuet flooring.
lines rum ng across a room, or rugs
laid down at intervals, having the effect
of shortening, and. consequently, to an
extent OF frightening and widening. q
room. Lines running in the length in
crease this dimension, and, 10 an ex-
tent. reduce the height and width. A
polished floor increases the apparent |
height of an apartment by rejecting
all vertical lines and prolong ng them.
These are the main devices for modi-
flying proportion without actual altera-
ton, and the extent to which any |
should be used must depend upon the !
degree of the defect. In many in
stances serious defects may be cured by
3 little judicious carpentry, such as in
creasing or decreasing the height or
width of doors or windows. Where |
The windows are too high, or where it !
IS desirable to continue an unbroken !
horizontal line, q transoms bar may be!
introduced in the window frame, afford
ing an opportunity for stained glass
lights above. and the usual sashes or
easements below.
The panellng of doors may be also |
made to assist any scheme. long I'M
broken panels having the effect of in
,reasing the he;ghto the door, and /, a
number of horizontals panels having
the opposite elfect.-A. f. Oakley, in
Harper's Magazine. 49,,
- 49, @ -, Il 4 /