Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-23

pend on some one else
~<=s-S- for help and sugges-
tons she seldom has the
discrimination to pick out the tasteful from
the tawdry in written descriptions of things.
However, it is sometimes the case that the abil-
ity to recognize what is good exists without
the faculty Of combining and arranging, and
then some outside ideas may be of much serv-
ice provided good ones are found. Those who
write on such items. however, are so often
without any natural taste themselves that it is
exasperating 20 any one with it to read of the
atroclous arrangements and articles advised
by them and fancy how many people are
guided by these same writings in adjoining
their homes.
ALL SORTS OF ExcREsCENcEs.
Such writers are prolific in expedients for
breaking up what one calls the terrible
monotony of the cubic boxes we live in" and
so all sorts of excrescences are cuntrived and
advised to clutter our houses under the guise
OF improvement. Cranes supporting portieres
sprouting Unexpectedly from the side walls of
rooms, lmprovised recesses made of wood.
with ornamentation in papier mache papered
and coiored in contrast to the room and set
wherever there is wall space enough for Them
to be filled with bric-a-brac on cabinets or
shelves, and many similar devices are invented
to add to the beauty. so called. of houses
Most houses are too crowded with furniture
and ornament. and q clearing out instead Of
adding to the hoard would be good step.
LOUIS XIV AND LOUIS XVI STYLES.
In one Of the late papers description and
sketch are given showing the general differ
ence between Louis XIV and Louis XVI styles
There Is so much said about these two fashions
In furniture and decoration that it is well to
have the distinction made plain In brief, then,
as this paper puts it, the Louis XIV style is more
horid than the other, the curves are more
numerous and pronounced. the designs ct the
textile fabrics are in large flowers, with ten
drills and stems, making and accenting the
curves also In the Louis XVI style the curves
are modified and more severe lines appear in
the forms of the furniture, the design OF hang
ings, embroidery and materials of this kind in
troduce the striped effect in connection with
the Hover forms and a return Is made to the
beading in the Greek style finish in shapes
for furniture.
A LOVELY DESIGN.
lovely design for painting in tapestry dyes
was lately drawn by an amateur by observing
the shadows cast on an Opaque shade drawn
down over q sunny window full of growing
plants. Two small palms of different heights
and several plants of various-shaped foliage
were so distinctly and gracefully shown that
without any different arrangement q charming
band for a portiere or bookcase curtain was
drawn from the shadows and the idea further
carried out. As there was only foliage no
blossoms sage green was made the color for the
dye, which was put on bolton sheeting heavy
outline of silk was q finish to the painting and
the background was then darned in in long
stitches OF gray blue, which, as a related tone
to The green. made artistic combination,
something OF gobelin tapestry effec. being
the result. and all the inspiration OF the sun 8
pretty silhouette on the window shade.
EFFECT OF GREEN AND BLUE TONES.
whole room furnished in these green and
blue tones would be extremely pleasing and
not difficult of accomplishment Charming
papers III tapestry designs come in these color
inSs. while tapestry furniture can be gotten in
Ike tones. Hanglngs of velours, the color
either green or blue. or with two-thrds of one
color and the upper third OF the other divided
and edged with heavy cord. would be good
for such room, while few small articles could
be In either one or the other plain tone. A di-
van IL one plain shade. with plenty of cushions
some In tapestry coverings, some with en-
broidered covers and some with silk covers in
lighter shades of the green and blue. in almost
changeable effects, would be a desirable piece
OF furniture. Cushions made in exactly the
same way in which was the portiere band lust
described would be particularly effective and
would be inexpensive and easily made, though
some conventionaliZed forms would be better
than the natural ones suggested for that Beau
tiful designs are being all the time printed in
the art papers and often are Of the kind which
have four sections alike. By looking at one Of
these fourth part can be drawn. or an adapta-
ton OF it, which can easily be repeated by
transfer paper and the whole cushion made
entire. By such means less hackneyed patterns
may be obtained than when one is chosen at a
popular stamping place where there is never q
large variety of one style.
WALL TREATMENT THEME.
An idea was read OF in an art paper which
was adapted to a small room most successfully,
wall paper being the theme. Some little
changes were made which seemed improve
ments and the result was entirely satisfactory
The wall was first covered plainly with burlap.
which with its brownish tone made a good
background for the many etchings and other
black and white pictures which were to
be hung on the walls. The widths OF the bur
lap were tightly stretched on the wall Just
overlapping each other and were fastened with
large. fiat brass nails of the dull ''old" finish.
more marked by the picture rod of wood
painted a light brown. The small panels OF
the frieze formed by the rod and brass nails
were decorated by stenciling in an effective
manner: large design was first drawn on
sheet OF heavy paper. then it was cut out, and
the sheet was tackled tightly to each space on
the frieze between the brass nails, and with
brush charged with thin paint of deep yellow
brown the stsncil was painted over. The de-
sign was bold, but not complicated, scrolls
n,
touched up with a little deep brown. The pat
tern just fills the spaces between the rows of
nails, and was repeated in each one. The pic
lures were all framed in narrow oak frames
with wide mats Of cream white, and q very
pleasing effect was obtained.
THE TONES IN TIE ROOM
Yellow apd brown were the tones carried out
in the room; the portieres are unique. the
upper third being golden brown velours, while
tho lower part is Of burlap, with a heavy
brown cord finish. Open book cases in the
room have curtains Of the burlap, with a mar
row band of velours near the top and a deep
brown fringe falling below it. On the roomy
brown divan the cushions show dozen differ
ent tones Of yellow and brown; the curtains
are of heavy ecru lace, and q large square
table has cover falling nearly to the floor of
the buriap edged with a wide band Of velours
the joining concealed by a brown cord. OF
course, many little details are left out. but
these are the principal features of this odd and
attractive room, which has a good deal of
style Of its own. The ceiling, of which have
forgotten to speak before, was made a deep
buff by staining tho plaster, or kalsomining, as
it is called, and rod like the picture rod con-
oeals the edge of the burlsp at the top Of the
room a. well a. just above the Dashboard.