Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-06-28
DUB PARIS LETTER.
CRAZE IN HOUSE DECORATION
AND EXPERIMENTATION.
Description of the Furnishing of a
Modern Salon-Bric-a-brac
Agony and Attraction
PARIS. NAV %, 1884


It is strange how very much anything
that is Oriental in style takes the fancy OF
PArisiennes The fashion for Japanese or
Indian materials, furniture, ornaments and
aick-nacks of all sorts, is something extra
ordinary. Even flowers and plants must
be of Eastern extraction in order TO be ad-
rnired. Nowadays a Partisan lady Is not
satisfied unless she can receive her VlSltoFS
in her drawing-room under the shade OF
real nalm tree. A modern salon Is moth
ing but a chaotic mass of japanese chairs,
tables and cabinets, embroidered panels,
cushions and carpets, Indian covers ana
curtains, choice bits of bric-a-brac, china
vases from Pekin. tapestry from Madras
and eepuine idols carried off from some
pagan tribe in the east Indies. In TACT
drawing-rooms in Paris are no longer fur
Nished-thev are altogether crammed.
If you can move about easily in her salon
the mistress of the house is not pleased.
Seats of every possible style and period are
scattered about
WITHOUT ANY APPARENT oIDER
Or arrangement. Large tables, round
winch MilOlt iuifl4lI EeAtiiOii dAS
considered an abomination. A number of
small ones are placed in odd corners, while
ornamental stands for pictures, StatuetteS
and oLjets Tart are in great demand. These
are for the most part artistically covered
and draped with plush, silk brocade and
heavy gold and silk fringe. If you possess
handsome picture you no longer hang 1t
I'D against the wall, you place 1t upon an
artistic easel, with drapery OF dark plush
or velvet thrown across 1t, at the back OF
the picture, 50 as to show it off to the great
est advantage. The classical clock and
candelabra are no longer tolerated upon the
mantel-piecc. They are exchanged. tor
some artistic hower-stand, bronze Statuettes
and articles of virtu. Handsome hang
ings to the windows and doors, rich East
ern carpets and plenty of cushions are
among the first deSideratum i; the walls
are hung, not with paper-that also is a
thing of the past-but With silk or wooden
brocade; the room is divided into various
little hooks in which are grouped several
small seats, one or two tables and various
plants and ornaments. Symmetry and or
der are entirely banished-fancy and caprice
reign supreme. To give
AN IDEA OF MODERN SALON
| will attempt to describe that of a fair
Partisan lady who shall be nameless. This
salon is. in fact, composed of two rooms,
the inner one slightly smaller and forming
n sort of recess. This recess is tasteiully
draped with curtains which are partly of
old gold hrocade and partly of black satin,
with deep border of Indian embroidery,
the whole being looped up with silk cords
of gold and black. This in itself gives
great originality to the salon. As you en-
ter, the nlanttl-piece is i'll front of you, and
n clear wood-tire is burning unless the
weather is very warm indeed, when the
fireplace is concealed by handsome
screen. The mantle is draped with red
plush and old gold brocadc. 1t is Orna-
mented with a large iardinicre of embossed
old copper, filled with exotic plants, Japan
lamps and various 0bets dart. OF
course there is handsome mirror reach
ing to the ceiling with Louis XVI gllt
frame and appliques bearing wax taperS.
THE TWO WINDOWS,
Which are on the right are hung with old
gold brocade and satin, heavily hinged,
and under curtains of embroidered lace !;
the walls are covered with panels of en-
brOidered satin alternately blue and old
gold, framed with black and gold A few
seats, causeuSes, fauteuils and chairs of va
rious size and style are grouped about the
Fireplace and the rest of the room is a
bizarre but tasteful arrangement of Won
derful Japan tables, gilt stands and large
exotic plants in ornamental cache-potS,
with seats dispersed everywhere. Between
the windows stands large jardiniere Of
marqueterie filled with flowers, and in one
corner a picture by favorite master is
placed upon an easel draped with red
plush. But the prettiest part of it all is the
recess draped with double portiere Of bro
sade and satin. This recess is entirely
hung with old Gobelin tapestry. Its one
window, which is in the middle at the fur
ther end is covered with gold lattice work,
entirely covered with pretty creeping plants.
Close before it is placed q low folding screen
covered with Indian embroidery bOrdered
with red plush. On one side there is a cabi-
net III the medieval style, on the other q
buhl table, both covered with artistic nick
nacks. Then pele-mele, two low sofas,
stools, fauteuils and chairs of every style,
color and material, cushions and esCabeaux,
a half column covered with pale blue plush
supporting handsome bronze statuette, q
small table covered with an embroidered
cloth, gilt stand with q Venus of warm
looking terra-cotta, piano draped with
plush and embroidery and various brack
cts with curious pieces Of bric-a-brac. In
the angles cupids of gilt wood bear large
candelabras, and on each side of the drapcd
entrance are two immense Japanese pOti-
ches filled with large exotic plants. The
carpet is of Aubusson, the seats are partly
of gold brocade, partly of black satin en-
broidered with gold, while others are quite
different, embroidered over cOlOred satin or
worked in Indian or Chinese style. In
fact, can only give very imperfect idea
of the whole, for to describe in detail this
salon il would take great deal more space
than l have left for my cauSerie. The
TASTE FOR THINGS ANCIENT
And gone by, bearing the stamp of another
age, is so great Just now that it shows Itself
in many things. A fresh instance of this,
and a very striking one, too, is the i'm
mense success of the new hotel of the Rue
de Hide. This hotel is built and deco
rated in the style of the Middle Ages, and
quantity entitled the "Hostellery du Lyon
dor" Everything about it savors of the
period it is meant 10 recall-the small
pancs Of It's co!crcd windows, the massive
carvings of its oaten panels and antiques
looking furniture, the tapestry and paint
ings of its low-ccilcd rooms. The only
thing like Il | have seen is the ancient hos
telry of the time of William the Con-
aueror, which is duly shown 20 all travel
ers visiting the small but very old town Of
Diues, in Normandy The interior of the
"hostclry' resembles that of some old
castle of the Middle Ages, everything is n,
rapport but what makes it unique and
more bizarre Il: .a an old chateau is its pre-
iense at simplicity. The siEu-poSt hutters
in the wind, the small windows, the mar
row door are all in imitation of the caba-
ret Of old times, and look most queer and
out of keeping with the rest Of the fashion,
able street IN which it is placed. When
ever a carriage drives up 10 the entrance, a
pdIet de pied is in readiness to usher the
new conner into the hall He carries an
IMMENSE RED UMBRELLA
Wide open, which he holds over your
head to project you either against the rain
or sun. The hall is magniticcntly hung
with ancient tapestries from " les Gobe-
Inns" To the right opens q sort of bar
with a counter of carved ebony inlaid with
gold to the Jeff an immense sale n,anger
supcrbly finished in the Renaissance
- II