The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-31

KITCHEN ECONOMICS AND THE
WASTES OF THE HOUSEHOLD.
Knights Of the White Cross-A Lightning
Kiss-Matrimonial Matters and Hints
for the Cuisine--Numerous
Decorative .Don'ts."
rBy the Autho. Of Don't. W

by the Author OF "Dont"1
Don't forget this elementary principle,
that room must not consist Of unrelated
colors and objects, but possess harmonious
unity in its plan Of furnishing and decora-
ton.
Don't put high colors on your walls or in
your carpets or tapestry, and very little OF
it anywhere else. Wall papers must be
quiet in tone If you desire to produce pleas
ant effect. Pictures not look we'll if
hung against loud patterns or positive colorS;
your bric-a -brac is sure to be ineffective and
tasteieSs if its designs confused with the
designs and colors against which it is
placed.
Don't fresco walls or ceiling Fresco
painting is very well for large halls or grand
saloons, but the effect is not good for do
nestle rooms Color on the walls in this
way is sure TO be in conflict with whatever
color may be brought in, whether in pict-
ures, furniture, hangings or decorative OBJ
jects.
Don't select carpets with gay tints or pro-
nounced designs 1t is impossible for furni
ture to appear to good advantage set upon
ford patterns clamoring, SO to speak to be
seen. Carpets and wall colors should be as
foils for color and ornament rather than
color and ornament in themselves. 1t is
imposs BILE to furish a room agreeably unless
this principle is kept in mind.
Don't have white marble-topped tables or
marble mantles in your rooms, for objects of
this kind are enough to chill the heart of a
bronze statue White walls in room are
equally chilling. 1t is impossible to do any
thing with them. Cold and unrelenting sur
faces they will remain, plan as one may. A
touch of gray or brown in the tint is a great
help, but white is absolutely fatal to decora
tive effect
Don't be persuaded into vanished floors
and rugs instead of carpets. Floors treated
In this manner are a serious nuisance.
Every football mars them and it costs more
to Keep them in good order than to pay for
carpets at the outset If, however, these
are repeatedly oiled and vanished, and
ceaseless pains taken to keep them in good
condition, the effect is very pleasing. Arti-
clos of furniture stand out against the dark
varnish in rich and artistic contrast.
Don't be induced to lay upon your floors
Turkish or Persian rugs. The figures and
colors IF these are considered very artistic,
but the fact is they usurp the attention al
together too much, and it is difficult to get
them in harmony with walls furniture.
A rug made from well-selected Brussels car
pet is much more satisfactory. A rug Of
this kind, with queer centerpiece and q
broad border in which little color Is in
troduced, and made SO as to leave about two
feet of stained floor space around it, gives
much the effect of rug furnishing, without
the annoyances that pertain to floors with
large spaces uncovered.
Don't put elaborate brass CRATES in your
rooms unless you intend to use them. A
snowy brass CRATE, unstained by smoke or
| ashes, suggests in all its glittering newness
show room, and not home A fireplace
| not conSeerated to fire, that has neither
| warmth nor suggestion of warmth, is a
dreadful sham. 1t is not artistic; it is not
| decorative; it kills, rather than gives
| pleasure.
| Don't hang upon your walls huge black
engravings set in vast spaces of white mar
| gin. Pictures of this sort are very depress-
| ing. Instead of white margins substitute a
gray paper, and if you must have black
prints select those that have a good deal of
| gray in them-pictures with tone AMI mel
| low effects Etchings commonly have more
| softness and artistic effect than engravings
| Don't hang chromos your walls, or col
ored prints; don't display long lines of fam
| lily photographs; don't hang moses or col
| ored leaves or dried grasses about.
| Don't have fancy devices for picture
| frames Picture frames should be of gilt or
| oak or walnut, never of velvet, never of
ornamental leather work, never of shells or
| burrs, or anything fantastic. Whatever
| the material, let ornament be sparingly
used. Picture frames should set off the
| picture and not set off themselves.
Don't crowd your rooms with too many
objects. 1t is not good taste to transfer
museum or BRIG -a-brac dealers collection to
your apartments. A few articles, selected
| with judgment, and with their relation to
the color scheme of the room in view, give
a sense of beauty and repose SUCH as we
should seek to obtain in our homes.
Don't on the other hand, let your rooms
be too bald and empty. Portieres and win
dow hans ings do much towards relieving
baroness. Some bric-a-brac is very de-
sirable and a few pictures are important
! The art is to have ones room filed but not
| packet.
Don't paint pictures or ornamental de-
signs your door panels. Unless door
panels treated in this way are kept very
| quiet the fleet is loud and disturbing.
Don't select high colors for your furniture
covering. Blue or pink satin may do for a
lady's boudoir where the whole scheme of
treatment is light and delicate, but in
q drawing-room for general use it is out Of
place.