The Washington times., 1895-03-11
CHARMING MURAL DECORATIONS.
Pretty and inexpensive Modes of Adorn.
ing Cottage Walls.

pretty and inexpensive Modes of Adorn
ing Cottage Walls.
In Wallace Bruce's cottage down at the
Florida Lake Chautauqua the walls of rough
plank are overhung with fish net and un-
framed water pictures caught in the meshes.
Over the mantel an oar is fastened from
which the net hangs as portiere. In the
center of this is large sea picture, Its cor
ners caught down by four pink conch shells.
The arrangement was so artistic and cheap
that I wondered why more mistresses OF
summer houses didn't think OF putting up
simple mural decorations that could be swept
away when closing up time came In the
autumn.
Two or three days in the spring time-if
the weather keeps one indoors-can be given
over to preparations that would make the
walls OF the summer house more highly at
tractive than the usual array OF inferior,
badly framed pictures that are resorted to
through Incidence.
A thorough search of the weekly and
monthly magazines reveals dozens OF eXqul-
site pictures in black and white; pictures
that are copies OF famous and desirable works
of art. These posted on thick white water
color paper with margin Of an inch. can be
pinned on the wall II the wall paper is col
ored. be sure that the frame is tinted to har-
monte with it. But be CHEEKY in the use OF
| color. for violent tones are best avoided by
| the amateur. Best adopt white cool tones OF
gray, green or palest blue.
They get dusty-yes-but after three
months use are swept away like cobwebs,
| with no more thought given them.
| Photographs can be charmingly arranged
| on panels of ribbon. Pale blue or pink
| strips with favorite photographs, either OF
| artists in the dramatic and musical world, or
| friends. arranged one above the other, form
a pretty bit along the facings OF doors and
| windows.
made if one buys the glass and has it cut at
| any GLACIERS to fit the picture. Cut piece
| of pasteboard the same size, and the water
| color paper that goes at the back must be a
| quarter inch wider to give it room to fold
! over the glass. Make a small slit at the
back of the paper before putting on the
| glass, thread small curtain ring through it
| on piece OF tape. Paste either end of the
| tape down inside the pasteboard and this
| gives the hold for the picture to hang by
| Then place the picture on. put the glass owe
| and Sitting the edges OF the water color
paper, fold it over to make the passe-
partout margin. Six or eight of these can
| be made in short time.
For prints that do not require glass, the
prettiest of mountings can be made of band
| box tops and bottoms. They are cut circular
at the edge and the hole in the center, which
admits the picture, is also oval. A light
wash of any color is put on to relieve the
shine of the card board and band OF silver
or gold one-quarter inch wide outlining the
edges makes decidedly pretty finish. These
can be hung up with a short loop OF narrow
| ribbon.
Porteres that are not OF handsome linen,
but the usual Burlap Agrarian linen or den-
i'm, prove themselves more of an ornament
when pretty paper pictures are pinned on
them. know bachelor who has attached
photos OF his favorite actresses, his many
jockey colors and artistic cotiilion favors on
the portieres of his summer sitting room.
The collection always invites deal OF inter-
est from his guests.
Ashadow wall is one of the prettiest ways o.