Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-22
DECORATIVE ART.
HOW TO AD0RN THE HOMES WE LOVE
WITHOUT GREAT EXPENSE.
Interior Embellishments Should Take
Their Cue From the Architect
ure of the Room.
lGrace conroy in New York star


to drop some very valuable hints upon
these subjects.
of person comes to see me-" began
this autocrat in his profession, concerning
the interior decoration of house, l usually
say to him that l think that the appoint
ments throughout the establishment should
so reflect the fortune, taste and position OF
the occupant that stranger awaiting au-
dlence in the reception room would be able
to gather at glance the character Of the
mistress of the house from them.
II think that most decorators agree with
Hazard in believing that all interior en-
bellishments should take their cue from
the general architecture of room-the
woodwork, walI-hangings and frescoes. 4
room should be the background for the
person in it, rather than for the pictures:
the color of the wall should depend on the
complexion of the family, as, for instance,
a wall in tone of flesh pink, with little
green blended in the color, will make the
complexion appear brighter and clearer,
and little gold skillfully introduced viii
enrich the eEeCl OF the WQOIe.
"You may know that lines and curves
exercise a remarkable influence in the APP
pearance of a room. Perpendicular lines
give apparent height, horizontal lines pro.
duce a contrary effect. A room appointed
with furniture and hangings which bear
the sight of vertical lines will present an
appearance of dignity and formality,
while horizontal lines will impart an eff
feet of coziness and tranquility. A straight
line expresses virility and resistance a
broken line, an appearance of movement
and life, while curve suggests unison and
fexibility. Therefore broken lines should
not be employed in a cornice or appoint
ment which is to occupy a permanent
place, nor curved lines used in a part
which is intended to be supporting, for
these reasons.
'In the furnishing and decorating Of
room the most important thing is color
harmony. A room should be q harmony
of related surfaces. The wallpaper, carpet
and ceiling should be in the right relation
to each other. One false note of color will
throw an entire room into discord, no mat
ter how rich and beautiful it may be in
detail and on the contrary, a room in
which color harmony is attained is beau
tiful, no matter how simply and inexpen
sively it may be decorated In the furn-
ishing of home the most careful study
should be given to colors and the purposes
for which they are to be used. For in
stance We can employ greater intensity of
color in dress than in wall hanging.
We should strive to introduce the right
wall paper to the right carpet, and the
right furniture to the right background,
and subordinate the texture to the ex-
preston
at would be an admirable plan if we
were to carry our kindergarten higher
and make color-harmCny and the color
alive art feature in them. After spend
ing from ten to twenty years at school, de-
voting many of them to the higher
branches OF study, of which the students
will never have an opportunity to make a
practical application in after life, there is
not one in hundred among the pupils.
each OF whom will probably have to create
a home, that will be able to put wall
paper ard carpet properly together
''Colors are well known to modify appar-
ent sizes, and the proportion OF surfaces is
changed by the same means. Somber-col-
ored objects appear much smaller than
bright ones, when they are Of equal di-
mensions. A predominating color should
be selected and recalled in the various
parts of wall hangings, furniture and cur
tains. Beautiful effects are produced by
variety in unity. One single shade or
tone of color is monotonous, and vet by
variety do not mean disorder. There
should be connecting link between all
the features of interior decoration.
People should give the qualities of
colors thought and consideration. Now,
red is the physical color; it expresses pas
sion and warmth. Blue is mental, and ex-
presses GOODNESS and distance Yellow is
moral or emotional; it is the color of gold
and sunlight: it harmonizes and enriches.
Alma Tadema favors yellow or gold for
drawing-room. do not consider it safe
to have too much shine in surfaces, and
for this reason | think gold should be used
with caution in wallpaper and textile
fabrics. In my estimation red is the best
suited to a hall, it being too intense to be
employed in drawing room. Blue is a
cold, negative color that answers for
reception-room, where one only meets
plexity constitutes beauty, and the highest
"As a guide for the upholsterer and dec
complementary colors. Now, green is said
to be the complementary color of red, but
red and green do not harmonic, and har-
mony of color is an indispensable thing in
interior decoration. Contrast is the lowest
order of color effect.
ado you realize the truth of the state
ment when / tell you that presents are the
terror Of decorative artists. After a room
has been tremendously treated some dread
full pieces of bric.a-brac, contributed by
kindly intentioned friends as wedding
presents or Christmas gifts, are brought
forward by the possessor to destroy at once
the artistic labor Of the decorator, or some
expensive article is introduced, which, be- |
cause of its intrinsic value, must be exhib- |
tied in the best apartment.
"What do consider the best back |
ground for pictures and objects dart? l |
think they stand out with most striking |
effect from a blue-colored wall. If an |
apartment has southern aspect it is well |
to avoid a ceiling of a blue tint, as this |
tone reflects the sunlight harshly, and it is |
better to employ warm, deep colors in such |
q room. If the outlook is northern. fine |
bright colors can be advantageously made !
use of, in this case having the ceiling
bright and the furniture woods of the |
same character
'The style and color of the curtains
should influence tht selection of the car
pet, and the material with which the fur
niture IS 10 be upholstered should be
chosen to harmonic with the curtains.
Sunlight falling through curtains of red
ehamoise or cerise upon the carpets and |
furniture will have the effect OF green. by |
reason of having passed through two red |
surfaces, green being the complementary
color of red, but where the light enters
freely, as it may with the curtains drawn
hacl- fharn l. NJ color. v;sil1le To The nraS l