Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-01-26
How to Make Home Attractive

| on a.vISl tors mind when the door OF q
house opens III response to her sum.
mons.
II may reveal only an entry with hat.
stand and chair. and yet the impress
sion OF the home will be made then
and there. People often say that a
room betrays character; so it does, but
n OF so instantly as an entry. All who
have started on a tour through a city
in search of board or lodging realize
this. A house looks attractive, it is
worth VIII .le to notice the announce
ment of rooms, and an approach is
made. Directly the door opens the in.
quirer is vaguly aware of the probable
result of further investigation. Either
the air is dingy. filled with vaporous
recollection of dead meals. or it is fresh,
bright and sunny. Perhaps the light
finds its way through semi-transparent
windows or brightly colored glass-no
matter. brightness is felt, and at once
the senses real re that the mats are
daily shaken free from dust, that the
narrow stairway is clean, and that tho
rooms above all be CHEEKY and whole
some; and this impression is the result
of mere atmosphere. OF mere atmos-
phere! Why. atmosphere is everything!
and how few remember this. In these
days of decorat We effort, especially,
housekeepers lavish so much time and
trouble upon walls and door panels,
windows, screens. and hangings that
they forget how frequently in doing SO
they are defeating their own ends.
The home is cluttered up with hun
dreds of useless pretty decorative
articles the very entry boasts a spin
ning-wheel. or some stray article Of
antique device. and all the while semi
darkness reigns. and the bright, pure.
wholesome light is treated like COM
mon enemy.
How often entering bright-looking.
many-windowed house overlooking
some lovely looking vista Of green
field. meadow, or farm. is it to find
oneself in sickly semi-darkness!
We all realize the good effect of GO
ing into the fresh air. but we seldom
stop to consider how much of the bene-
fit is due to the brightness into which
we step. We feel depressed and moody
and say turn out-of-doors will do us
good, and we leave the house. even
though the day be dark and murky, we
are sensible of feeling of relief, we
are in the full light, and at once our
hopes revive. our nerves are quoted.
and we are aware of change for the
better.
Very few seem 10 appreciate how
attractive a home may be made by the
mere influence of light. yet we all
realize it as evening closes and we ex-
change semi-darkness for the light of
gas or lamp No one can be cheer
full in a dngy atmosphere.
1t s strange fact, and one rarely
appreciated. that single spot of vivid
color can thus influence very large
space. Instances could easily be given
in viii oh. in two or three connecting
rooms, one dash of bright color has en-
tirely changed the character of them
all.
We readily appreciate the brighten
ing effect of flowers in room. but
very few realize that. in arranging
them. single bright blossom among
many duller ones is more artistic and
effective than mass of brilliant
bloom.
This truth. once accepted, will prove
an important guide in decorative work
and efforts to make home attractive;
recognized as principle it will lead to
surprisingly harmonious results.
An understanding of the character
of the color is essential TO successful
decoration. Blue is really depressing.
especially in those light shades, rarely
met with in nature, which are affected
by luxurious decorators for hangings.
Unless emphasized by deeper co lor, al
most all faint tones are out of place in
an ordinary room; pale pink or lilac or
blue are not DIES rable either for furni-
ture or for the coloring of walls. VIII lie
subdued tones of green or very faint
yellow harmonic with anything and
are sufficiently individual to be cheer
full Where the coloring of the walls
of room s dark. the upholstery may
be either of these coIors, relieved by
br ghter dashes, and where neutrality
is an object both green and yellow in
faint tones are sympathetic. wherea s
blue, which is with so many II favorite
color. is decidedly manageable.
These suggestions of general charac
ter will be found to have special
value when we come to detail. -
Janet E. Runtz Rees in Home Knovl.
edge.