Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-18
A CARPETED CEILING.

OS0i IhioS Ou1 1oe'u.
A CARPETED CEILING.
An Entirely New Thing In Interior
Decorations.
Carpet Trade and Review.
The modern tendency to turn things
topsyturvy is strongly illustrated in
the carpeted ceiling which adorns the
reception-room Of fashionable dance
ing school in this city. To carry out
the idea completely the floor should
have been frescoed, but the protes-
sional decorator to whom the ceiling
is indebted for its novel ornamentation
weekly yielded to the popular taste of
the period by placing another carpet
on the floor. It must, however, be
added that the proud Aubusson on the
ceiling is, by its brilliant coloring as
well as it's lofty position, g. far more
CONSPICUOUS object than its meek and
lowly brother on the floor. It may be
necessary to explain that the our
pose in placing this carpet on the cell
ing is purely aesthetic. Imported by
a gentleman who intended it for the
breakfast-room of his villa on the Hud-
son, sudden change in the stock
market tore this shadowy product OF
the loom from it's luxurious quarters,
and a happy chance only saved it
from the profane hands of some heart
less auctioneer. Its preserver came in
the person of it's present owner, gen
tleman who has waltzed through life
with such success that the purchase of
a score of Aubussons would be for him
comparatively trifing expenditure.
Being about to refurnish The elegant
house used for a school, he needed q
carpet for the reception-room. The
Aubusslon was recommended, and he
bought it.
But the professional decorator who
had been engaged to superintend the
reftting and ornamentation of the
building was not consulted when the
purchase was made, and, when the
carpet was unrolled before him,
promptly declared it to be utterly I'M
suitable for the room. The bright
floral pattern was, he said, not in har-
mony with the predOminenant color
in the furniture coverings, and the
blue ground was pronounced a still
the impression that the floor was fly
ing up at them. Finding the owner
of the carpet not quite convinced by
those arguments the artist fell back
on stronger ground by pointing out
the moral and aesthetic faults of the
floor covering, its obstrusiveness, lack
of repose, refinement, sympathy, sen
timept, or cOnscientiOusness This
arraignment was rendered still more
effective by the horor-struck air OF the
orator and his closing declaration that
to place the carpet in that particular
room would be to ruin his professional
reputation and drive him to hide
his blighted hopes IN an untimely
grave.
''But what shall be done with the
carpet?'' asked It's perplexed proprietor.
The artist ran his hands through his
hair and turned his eyes upward, as If
to read the answer in the stars. The
dreamy orbs encountered the ceiling
and suddenly lighted up with the glow
Of new inspiration.
''Poot heem up, zare" he cried,
while in his JOY at the happy thought
he executed a pirouette which made
the dancing master turn pale with
envy.
The suggestion was approved, and
as the carpet was in one piece there
was not much difficulty experienced in
carrying out the idea. When this
had been done there remained on the
ceiling, on each side of the carpet, an
uncovered space Of about twenty inch
es, which was filled il by the frescoe
painters with very clever imitation
Of the texture and coloring OF carpet.
This plan of carpeting ceiling may
in time be followed in many houses.
The carpet trade would doubtless
approve of carpeted as well, and the
designers would find in the new
patterns essential for ceiling cover
ings fine field for the exercise of the
spiritual side of their immaginations,
for there would probably be a great
run on Administer seraphim' Wilton
cherubim, Brussels angels, and Mo
quette saints.