Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-09-21
HOME DECORATION.
Familiar Talk on Floors-How to Treat
 Them.

{ Familiar Talk on Floors-How to Treat
 Them.
 The floor is the foundation of a room in more than the mere architectural sense, so upon whether its covering be we'll selected depend the decorative ef- feet and the ultimate success of the room. Hard wood floors and parquetry floors are undoubtedly handsome. but where neither of these can be had it is wiser to avoid all shams. to grasp the problem bodily as it stands and to cover the bad ly made flooring out of sight. Yet heavy carpets fitted to every niche and curve of the wall are open to objections of many sorts and should be avoided whenever it is possible to devise better plan. The plain flat toned carpet now much in use, which to the trade is known as filling. makes really as good Il substitute as any that we have. and unfigured mating will serve as background admirably well.
 Mating is universally conceded to be more healthful than carpet about the edges of room, and does indeed do cx- cellrnt service in the bedrooms of all the year and all the rooms of summer use. It is frequently laid in a single strip about the sides of the room. with a rug
 
 der in very fact But better plan. un- less economy demands retrenchment. is to cover the floor entire and to lay the rug over the mating. In the latter case the rug can readily be removed and cleansed. and in the event of extreme warm wealth CT can be entirely dispensed with for the time.
 The filing can be found ill almost all l as border only or as covering entire, as circumstances dictate. Unlike the mat ting. however. it is soft to the foot and has all the warmth giving quality of wool. SO that it can. with thorough com fort as we'll as with great effect. be used in conjunction with several small rugs in place of one large one. just as a hard wood floor would be. Recently some new and satisfactory sockets have been devised. bv means of which large. heavy rugs can be perfectly kept ill place with out the tacks that are troublesome to re move. so that now we can have corners and edges that do not curl together with l rugs easily taken up.
 Large rugs which become carpets should accor,lin. tO an eminent author itv. br selected for their general quiet ] tone and adapta bility |" serve aS d foil for every object placed upon them. but small rugs-those laid upon back. gruund-mav we'll be chosen each for the beauty that is its own. providing only that the general color scheme of the room be borne in mind. Harper's BaZaI calls attention to rugs of cotton and jutt that are simply delightful in color and design.
 The authority quoted also describe: [ rugs of English manufacture, similar 1T quality to the old time three ply carpet which are gems of color and design and that wear thoroughly well. And latterly some good things ill a small way art woven from ravelings of mOquette that without any set pattern. are charming examples of softly blended tones ant thick rich pile The few essentials of : good carpet are easily borne i'll mind and once the buyer determines thai neither sl,lendor of color nor of desigr shall win his thoughts away. the task Ot selection ought not to entail too long { search. Quiet tone. subdued pattern o purely conventional sort. adaptabilitN as a foil to the objects set upon it, ana added to these qualities as great richness and thickness as the purse allows, mus insure success.