Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-09-23
WOMEN DECORATORS.
THERE is ONE IN CHICAGO WHO HAS
ACHIEVED SUCCESS.


Home Expensive Furnishings Not Nc
cessity--Thc Correct Use of Materials
the Main Thing.
The develonment of the art of household
decoration has opencd 10 women one of
the most delightful and suitlhle profes.
siors that in these days Of womans work
can uutrtCi the time and talent Of the sex
10 transform barren. often ugly, rooms
into attractivencss is a truly feminine task
MI women are supposed 10 have some
aesthetic taste, or at least to love beauty
even II they arc so unfortunate as to lack all
power of creating it for themselves Who.
indeed, docs not admire ttp talent that
changes Il graccless corner into an "earls
English" concet, or transforms IL barren
fireplace into an IIastlakean dreamf The
little house that was so poor and bare has
become paradise of rest to eye and heart,
and tired steps grow lighter with the Joy
of being there Such tasks belong in some
degree to all home making, and are not
confined to professional decorators, but it
is nevertheless true that training is needed
to make one an artist in this respect But
training alone will not do it.
MUST DE AN Artist
The decorator should Ike born an artist
So important has this art of decoration be
come that even the housekeeper's skill is
measured less by her ability to buy roasts
than by her faculty for mctamorphosing
garnet furniture into art studies, or with
an inexpensive bit of cheesecloth or ere
tonne evolving beauty out of unsightly
walls or windows. In recent years most
IF cfp bt,x hat
called art departments, where are DISPLAYED
all sorts of aesthetic fancies for home adorn.
ment. At first a corner or an upper floor
was all that was needed to show these
goods Now what changed Not only
must there be wide spaces for cases and
counters, but window or two on the main
floor must be devoted to the display Of
newest designs There must be Il designer.
too, to preside over the department, sug
gest ideas to buyers and make suitable SC.
lections. These places are often filled by
women who are thorough artists in their
way and who are well paid for their inter
esting work.
A woman who stands at the head of her
profession in this line is Mrs Lillian Ben
fey Her fame extends all the way from
New York to Denver. She docs not believe
in sitting down and weeping because the
world is so large and women are oppressed.
lermotto has been to look on the brightside
of things and if the somber, unfinished
side will persist in turning toward her,
well, let it turn, and with u strip of velvet,
a bit of ribbon, a few Kensngton stitches
and a touch Of the stencil here and there
take away the gloomy aspect. 1t is because
OF her natural aptitude for this that she
can draw salary of Sl,2J0 IA year, and that
Inn Keeper Southgate, of the Auditorium
hotel, gave her carte blanche to furnish his |
private parlors. Her own parlors on the
south side are said to be faithful copies of
she famous Moorish room in the Hoffman |
house, New York
Mrs Bentley talks entertainngly about |
decorative effects and how they are pro
duced She says; when | enter a room
to plan its decoration and furnishing / I
look first at its prevailing color, for Of !
course this is to be my background My
ideas must be CIRCULATED by it.
BASE or OPERATIONS,
Next look around for desirable bases |
Of decoration A mnntel is one, the bare
wall opposite another Then follow cor
ncrs, and last of all furniture My chief |
effort will likely be the mnntcl In select |
ing material my greatest care must be not |
to take anything which has become passe
or out of style, for woman will quickly |
detect old ideas. 1t muy he n charming |
bit, but If it has been used the season be
fore no one will have it, 4 trillng blum
der in this respect will he as objectionable |
rs if my work We're out of tone. When |
the mantel suits me attack corner So |
few women know how to treat Il nook 1t |
Is the easiest thing in the world tu overdo |
here, 1t handled perfectly when finished |
it will be as beautiful as u painting
"ln treating materials avoid embroid |
cry rs much as possible Too much en-
broidery dctracts from Il high art finish |
Turkish goods, with all their oriental |
coloring and designs, can almost always he |
substituted. However, there is nothing TO |
equal Il simple figure in magniied wheat |
or clover, done with orange colOred rope |
linen on Roman red poIteres Draperies |
in solid cOlors, as II rule, are not hurt when |
Illuminated with well chosen necdlewOrk |
Although my sample card contains over a |
hundred stitchrs-and think there Is not |
a stitch in the world that am not familiar |
with do not encourage II stampede |
toward that sort of work
FURNITURE An AFTERTHouGHT
"The work Of supplying furniture for a
room is an aftcrtbought Cushions and |
pillows consisting of odd designs may be |
picked up anywhere For the latter Use
those queer little pieces collected from |
stocks OF Eastern importers, making it a |
rule never To duplicate anything" 1t is in |
this style Of furnishing that Mrs. Benfey's |
talents are brought into play II she has |
nothing that will answer her purpose like |
true artist she proceeds to create some
thing Any decorator can reproduce, but |
it is only the true artist who can create ut |
will Her manner of treating baskets, |
toilet articles and the hundred and one |
things about house which admit Of |
aGornment il her peculiar forte
From a hand painted fricze on moleskin |
velvet she depends Oh u group of etchings, |
attaching butterfly knot of some gobelin
tinted ribbons to destroy he appearance Of |
studied arrangement Beneath the whole |
she places Chppendale, setting ii kabye |
pot or an old vase on the top to complete |
the group, so that the effect Of the whole |
table, pottery, needlework and pietures-is |
complete from the floor up. The placing |
of ceramics on the cabinet above the man
tel requires equal care and should never be |
left TO one who is not n mistress of her art. |
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