Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-02

WAA M&k very u 9n promising
~ n, ss t., ne :ss a s;;;ss PEI; %
*lEE1.H'','1S ma mansions s.ass lose e., the :;
| - ~ pleasure the rest OF
| us have in exercising ingenuity and bring
| ing talents of taste to bear upon diffcult
| surroundings With them professional
decorators monopolize the pleasure. In
giving a modest order recently to the most
autocratic person in the house furnishing
| vocation in New York, l was surprised to
learr the extent of his territory Of taste.
| His services are in demand frcm San Fran
| cisco to Bar Harbor and he is at present
| engaged, heart and soul, in putting the
| finishing touches upon the interior OF a
| beautiful Washington residence AS he is
| a thorough Frenchman from the shrug OF
| his shoulders to the tiptces of his boots,
he has an inherent dislike for the straight
lines and massive carvings Of English tur-
niture; even conscientious Chippendale has
| no charm for him. But as French styles
| of furniture especially suited to elap-
crate American palaces and are, therefore,
| very much the fashion, his semi-annual
| trips to Paris quite necessary to supply
| his establishment with designs and ma
| terials
| In regard to the selection of the epoch of
| their furniture, this embodiment OF Lares
| and Penates is very induleent 10 his Gus
| toners, and they can confidently rely upon
| the faithful fulhllment of the minutest de-
tails. Ii Henri II is chosen for the patron
saint Of an apartment, the panels OF the
| sofas and chairs will be tall and unframed'
| that is to say there will be no woodwork
| except the legs and the supports for the
| arms. Moreover, the brocades or tapes
| tries will be in dark colors. The Henri IL
style is beautiful for libraries, and much
used for this staid purpose The Louis
! XIV style is distinguished by oblong panels
| set in elaborate gided carvings. The
Louis XVI is similarly treated, with the
| slight difference of having the panels
| arched. But the prettiest Of all is the
| Marie Antonette fashion, chairs ana
sofas of the most delicate brocades in rosy,
| cerulean or moonlight shades OF white
scattered with detached clusters OF flowers.
| and mounted in narrow, perfectly pam
| giided framework, which curves gracefully
| downward in the center, instead OF rising
| to form an arch. Now, my lady Croesus
| may have a Henri II library. Marie An
| toinette reception room, a Louis XIV draw
| ing ROOM but Henri must not intrude so
much as a chair into the domain OF LOUIS,
| or Louis lend even bit of a clock to Marie
| Antoinette, if they have any regard Tor the
| tasteful reputation of their mistress or the
| amiability Of her decorator
Rooms and Complexion.
| The Napoleon mania is extending from
| literature to furniture, and Napoleon chairs
| are closely copied. These are still rare,
| however. was shown a perfect reproduc-
| ton of ore that 1.-The little Corsican' used
in his emperor days. 1t was tall and
straight, of dark red wood, ornamented at
the corners with a raised design In gilt.
The seat and back, plainly covered with
green velvet of a beautiful silNery shade,
were embroidered in raised gold. with the
imperial n surrounded Dy "isath VI
leaves.
Blue, pink and green rooms are always
pretty, and within possibility for almost
any of US: but quite the freshest and most
difficult color scheme for bed room Is
| sweet lavender" This has just been car
ried out in a 9Th avenue residence. Inc
furniture is enameled pale lavender ana
ornamented with very delicate carved gotd
| lines The hangings are Of heavy lavender
satin-a trfe deeper in shade than the
furniture-broca ded in white; the walls
are papered with design OF white mac
blossoms on a faint lavender background,
and the polished floor is streWn with Whlte
feeCy fur rugs.
Il could not arrange such room for
every ONE said the high priest Of this
temple of household elegance In fur
nishng a room 1 always consult the COM
pleXion of the occupant and study the SEN
sitveness of her taste. The lady for whom
/ designed the lavender room has my en-
tire confidence. 1 am sure she Will never
wear in it an inharmonious gown, or place
on the dressing table a discordant cushion
l have been asked to repeat 1t for another
of our clientele, but l was obliged to re-
fuse. 1 told her l had not the brutality
to furnish a lavender room for a lady with
red hair.
ingly set in a gray and gold room. The
paint and wall paper are of plain pale
gray: but there is the relief OF a wide
frieze of gold leather paper brought down
TO the floor in the angles of the room,
making brilliant corners The windows are
hung with gray brocade, having upon 1t
lace design in white The furniture Is en-
ameled white; the divan is covered with
gold corduroy velvet; the walls are relieved
with water color pictures in gold mats and
frames; there is corner cabinet contain
ing fragile specimens of golden Venetian
glass a lantern lamp its light softly shin
ing through amber balls, hangs over the
diVan, and Benares bowl on the window
ledge holds high spreading fern
Table Decoration.
OF all floral social affairs nothing IS pref
tier than a pond lily luncheon; but, if We
depend upon natural blossoms, it is not al
ways possible to carry it to the utmost de-
gree of picturesqueness. Now, however,
nond lilies have arrived from Europe made
of porcelaique. This novelty is delicate
though serviceable material closely RESENT
bling the waXy appearance OF natures pond
lilies There are representations of both
mink and white blossoms naSquerading as
candlesticks, bobeches and shades. The
cardlesticks are low; full-blown lily rests
On one or two large leaves, while the long
stems are curled into very graceful
handle The bobeches are blossoms only,
and the shades are lily leaves. which droop
around the candle flame with their stems
upright. The pink lilies should hold pink
candles; the white ones, yellow candles.
What could be more appropriate for throw
ing light upon lily luncheon than a crys-
tai cadelabrum in the center of the table,
its lmpid branches bearing young little
pond lilies, the low candlesticks of larger
blossoms at the corners and all shaded with
the rich green leaves that are so suggest
| i've of idle, drifting. delicious summer af-
te,noons?
Japanese, Chinese, Dresden and Delft por-
celains are in danger of getting rather
seriously jostled in popularity by the new
Brittany ware imported since the holidays.
It is reproduction of an old manufacture.
Until very recent date the peculiar color
| ing of this porcelain was supposed to be a
| lost art; but it has just been revived in the
| full glory of the faint, ereenish yellows.
| the deep reds, the clear blues. the smooth,
| glossy blacks of old. Originally made to
fill royal orders only, the prettiest pieces
now, then, are quaint. crunpled jugs Of
| all sizes, from chubby small one, suit
| able for valuable cream, to a capacious big
do of Sfe