The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-10-29
ARTISTIC FURNITURE.
Sometimes, But Not often 1t is Made at
Home.

Homemade furniture, as rule, pro
claims itself as snch and, although we
often read Of an elegant dressing case
evolved from a dry goods box, or luXuri-
Gus chair which had originally served as a
flour barrel, these works of art, when
completed, are wont TO prove disappoint-
ing. The average woman is not distin-
guished for mechanical ability. In fact,
there is only here and there woman who
can drive nail that is "a nail that shall
accomplish the purpose whereunto il was
sent. This being the case, it is more salts
factory, both artistically and financially
considered, to intrust ones furniture pro-
jects to n painstaking carpenter.
Yet, an attractive bit of furniture that
one has planned ones self possesses an
especial charm. IL may he only n simple
wall cabinet To hold ones choicest bric-a-
brac, but who so well rs the owner can
plan the position and space to be given to
each piece In many homes there are dis
abled articles of furniture-an awkward
bedstead possibly, that has outlived its
usefulness, and is now valued only for
associations sake. Generally these old
pieces are of excellent material, and it has
come to be quite the thing to make them
over into articles which shall be both use
From such a bedstead as the one de
scribed was recently developed a
quaint and che rming corner cup
board. The doors are of heavy bev
eled glass, through which one has
"A view of sparkling crystal, cleaning sill
yer and delicate china. One shelf COW
cred with dark velvet is devoted wholly TO
the cut glass in another compartment
the cups and saucers rearranged, the
saucers standing in groove at the back,
while the cups are suspended by small
brass hooks just above them.
In another home is an antique clock of
deepest red teak wood. Although hand
some and valuable timepiece, there really
seemed to be no suitable place for it until,
through the inspiration of the mistress of
the home, an ornamental bracket shelf
was devised for il. The maple wood EN-
ployed was stained and polished an imita-
tlon of the teak wood, and so cleverly was
the work accomplished that the whole
appears rs one unique piece of furniture
A novel picture frame recently complet-
ed may serve as model to other clever
women. The subject of the picture was a
marine in water color. The foundation of
the frame consisted of "A three-inch strip
of wood through the centre of which was
n shallow groove about an inch in width.
The strip on either side of the groove was
then gilded and the groove itself filed
with n compact row of small scallop shells
of uniform size, which were fastened Sc
curely to the board by means Of strong
glue. When completed the spaces left
bare by the curves of the shells were gild-
ed Resting upon n rustic easel, draped
with genuine iisherman's net, the pretty
picture with its unique frame was very
charming-a great improvement, surely,
over the conglomerate pinecone and spice
productions of our ancestors.
"You see" eXplaind the fair artisan
whose skillful finger had fashioned the
pretty frame, 81 wanted something appro-
pirate and inexpensive. II cost me
scarcely anything beyond the time gave
TO it, and haven't frame in the house
which is so much admired as this simple
thing of my own contriving."