Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-17
HOUSEHOLDS In LENT
Governed by an AutOcrat in the
Shape of a Paper Hanger.
A WONDERFULLY PRETTY ROOM
That Came From the Mind and Hands of an
Artistic Decorator.
NOW 1T Is A FLORAL FIGURE CRAZE

at the same time the ladies are improving
the Lenten opportunity to formulate and
mature plans for the temporary distraction
and more lasting satisfaction off the house.
hold in general Paper stores carpet stores
and upholsterers are besieged by the falr
sex nowadays; in fact, they are the people
who are doing the business just at present,
and the paper hangers and decorators are
the most important and independent people
i'm magiuable. For instance, said one Of the
frst named variety the other day: Mad
ame, if YOU change your mind just an
eighth of an inch more regarding the paper
ing of this room, 1 shall take my tools and
leave the house"
"Such impudence," murmured the little
woman thus addressed, as she repeated the
incident to q bevy of sympathizing friends
later in the day, but the paper hanger tri-
um phed and the paper was hung without
further ado. And the room is now one of the
most stylish of the newly decorated rooms
in the city, thanks to the hangers decision,
and the mistress of the home complaisantly
smiles and accepts the complimentary re-
marks regarding her exquisite taste. made
by visitors, with an air of condescension i'm
mensely amusing to those on the inside
track.
Wonderfully Pretty Effect.
The striking point in the papering of the
room is the new border and ceiling finish
which was used with wonderfully pretty
effect and which is called the "style"
finish. And this consists Of perfectly plain
paper of a harmonizing moderately con-
trasting color, combined according to taste,
with the other paper of the room. In this
room, as it is spacious one, considerable
Of the plain was used, extending far into
the ceiling and deep down on the sides.
The frieze is placed on the plain paper and
stands out in effective relief. A pretty
picture moulding is placed at the juncture
of the plain and figured paper on the wall
and a small moulding occupies relative
position on the ceiling.
The effect is wondrously beautiful as the
plain paper in this instance is of old rose,
ana the figured contains gobelin blue shaded
into old rose. The same colors are to be
seen in the elegant carpet with which the
floor is covered and in the luxurious hang
iugs, while the furniture is of antique oak.
The style finish is going to be very pop
lljar in the city" said a prominent paper
dealer on Wood street the other day, 'Judg-
Jag from the wav it has caught on among
tae iashionables. 1t is the newest thing out
tu hanging paper, in fact the only real new
Il gIeSsion though there is an attempt being
made 10 revive the canopy styled ceiling of
several years ago. 1t Will not be successful,
however as it has too pronounced an effect.
Some Designs in Paper.
"In papers, the floral designs and the old
fashioned striped paper with sprays and
clusters of flowers are the high price novel;
ties this spring, and they are going like hot
cakes. The geometrical patterns are re-
duced largely to the cheaper grade of goods
because they have had several years run.
The colonial designs are gotten out in the
most expensive paper, and they bid fair to
be standard while the floral craze will be of
shorter duration.
"Pansies, tea roses clover and chrysanthe-
NUNS are the favorites, and though the
manufacturers have taken the precaution to
label each roll with the name of the flower
represented, II was hardly necessary, as the
resemblance in colors and outlines is re-
markably good.
''The name on the paper, though, catches
the ladies, and they 30 away and tell their
friends about that lovely tea rose pattern
or that sweet little clover paper aud as
consequence new customers come in here
daily and ask for different designs by their
proper names. In French paper no particu-
lar new designs are shown. The French
can't begin to compete with the American
manufacturers in versatility, or the English
either for that matter, though they are su-
perior in colOriug. If either the French or
the English get out new design
once a year they are content, and
the fact is heralded with great
gusto, while an American firm wouldn't
think OF displaying one pattern in the same
grade OF paper two successive years. Busi-
ness In our line is exceedingly good, in
fact we have scarcely time to answer the
telephone Nine-tenths of the business of
the year in our line is done between this and
the goth OF April BY Decoration Day
paper hangers put up their tools, and we
fold our hands until fall, then we do the
other tenth of the years business. In the
fall we sell the most costly paper; wealthy
patrons then prepare their homes for social
entertainments.
If They Are Only Reasonable.
NO, we don't find it difficult to please
people when they are reasonable, but rather
annoying and sometimes amusing when
they haven't an idea of what they desire and
Will not cOuntenance suggestion from u.s.
And oftentimes it requires considerable
Christian patience and tortitude to success
fully blend the inharmonious ideas of an
antagonistic husband and wife into harmo-
nious wall paper pattern"
ust then couple with the antagonistic
qualities referred to, evidently, entered the
store and the gentleman requested the sales
man to show his wife the paper he had
selected during the morning, and then with
a look of dogged determination ne awaited
her decision and prepared to hold his
ground. To his astonishment the lady
nodded her head in approval and said
''that's very pretty, indeed" Her husband
gaZed at her as if she had taken leave of
her senses. or as if searching for the wings
aud was surprised into calculating: "Well,
that's the first thing ever did in my life of
which you approved.
A Gentleman of Taste.
That gentleman, who, by the way, is a
prominent iron man." continued the mer-
chant after the departure of the two, sis
possessed of really artistic taste, while his
wife is absolutely devoid of taste of any
kind with an idea, too, that she knows it
e.. Poor man; he has to battle for every-
thing he has in the house or else suffer the
tortures or offended sight by allowing her
10 make selections. A great many Pitts
burgers who live in splendid homes that are
Earvels Of beauty and coloring practically
know nothing whatever about the unity of
cO4orS or fabrics. They depend entirely
upon the merchants, and in most instances
ii is safe dependence. Occasionally, how
ever, an INSCRIPTIONS dealer will take ad-
vantage OF c0nfding customer.
The other day East End lady came in
here with a Garnet to match in paper. The
roll was spread out on the floor and l took a
look at 1t. Then ] took an italian mint to
prevent nausea and said: Madame, l can't
match carpet with that. / never saw such
al outrageous parody in veliows in all NV |
I, ~ . - L.