Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-04

$o.OUU upon the Qeccfauou u Iooh u
moderate size, it is also possible to pro-
duce for one-tepth Of that cost. or even for
a far smaller sum than that. an effect IN
equally good taste.
There is no reason why any one with
limited means at his command shonid
hesitate to attempt artistic decoration. if
it is executed by a competent hand. For
myself, 1 would get far more pleasure
In decorating a house of moderate cost,
where the ingenuity would be taxed to
save as much money as possible in pro-
duciEg effects, than in executing one Of
those carte blanche orders which are SO
often given to American decorators. The
profit would be less, but the artistic
problems to conquer would fascinate the
genuine artist
The decorations Of house should, when
possible. receive consideration before 1T
Is built. and in the planning of a new
house. however inexpensive. the services
Of a competent architect should be en-
ployed. He Will save two or three times
the amount Of his fee in actual economics
OF construction or in Improvements which
the house might not otherwise contain.
But to begin with the problems of the
decorator.
The typical case, We will say, is that of
an American family which will this spring
move into house, either new or not, which
has been purchased, built or leased for such
a term Of years as to constitute a real
home. If the house is new and was not
designed by the owners architect. ii is
sometimes possible, at least in the cities,
to buy it at reduced price before the
wood work has been laid on or the finishing
touches completed. In such cases a house
can profitably be put into the decorators
hands for harmonious treatment; in the
finishing of an ordinary three-story city
block house. or of country house OF cor
size, 81, 200 can he made to pro-
duce very beautiful effects.
A Dining Room Eject.
Assuming that the house is a narrow one
in block with the ordinary basement din
ing room and straight narrow stairs. The
Ginning room can be simply finished with a
base and chair rail, between which a dado
of blue denim can be applied as IL it were
wall paper; above the chair rail the wall
can he laid with plain cartridge paper with
small frieze of garlaGds and the ceiling
may be dainty and delicate cream tint,
almost white. The kitchen plastering should
he painted in Oil, SO that it can be kept
clean ensiiy. The parlor may be decorated
with wall paper in the Louis XVI patterns,
which are SO popular this spring. the bed
rooms In chintzes and in Dresden designs
each in a different color key
The remodclfng Of an old house in
town Is an interesting study for a deco
rator A very successful treatment in al
tering houses of the high stoop and base
ment order once SO common in New York
is to tear away the Stoop and drive q front
entrance OF generous width into the :,ase-
ment itself, with narrow side entrance
to the rear for tradesmen. In such a de-
sign the front basement will contain "A tiny
reception room or even a reception .lcoye
from the entrance hall, the stairs will rise
IN easy fights in the square hall in the mid
die, while behind reached directly from the
side entrance, the laundry and kitchen NAV
be placed. On what was the first floor We
find in front library OF 4ounging ROOM
the full width OF the house: next to that
the square hall, then the parlor and. be-
hind that, in an extension added for the
purpose. small dining room, with a but
der pantry, containing a narrow winding
stair to the kitchen still behind that.
1t is no longer common to build houses
win such high ceilings as were in favor
fifteen or twenty years ago.
Some Mistakes Pointed Ont.
1t IS the greatest mistake of amateur
decorators to apply upon their walls heav-
lily tinted. figured or gilded paper; a finer
effect can often be produced by a 6-ceut
plain cartridge paper upon the walls with
d dainty frieZe in delicate colors
Our colonial builders were wise i'm this
regard. There must have been, in the DAYS
when our best specimens OF colonial build
1hgS were erected, considerable body of
carpenters with the true artistic concert of
the beauty of line. The colonial builder left
his wall. the pilasters of his mantels AMI
the most, with perpendicular lines empha-
sizing the constructive idea: but upon the
CO pit ais OF his columns and pilasters and
on the friezes CT his walls he lavished the
Gaintiest and most beautiful ornamental
ton. Ii is because of this artistic reserve
that the colonial models are today the
Sc fest and the most beautiful to follow.
whether in interior or exterior work .spe-
cially in houses of moderate cost
In more costly work the most popular
styles at present are for parlers Louis
XVI modified generally by the use of MOI,
Ladies' boudoirs are decorated in the style
of Louis XIV or Louis XVI. Smoking rooms
are almost universally treated i'm the Turk
ish or other oriental styles. In city houses
built after the most recent ideas suci,
smoking rooms are generally placed in tie
front basement: in older houses a smoking
re ON. billiard room and growlefy Combined
may sometimes be arranged in thu ION
most story OF all, or when space Is limited
such a room may be built bodily upon n
fiat roof. For library an old English de-
sign with heavily paneled ceiling is app;,,-
pirate. 1t is usual, and probably in better
taste. to decorate a dining room in duIIer
and quteter tones than those used in tic
gay and airy parlor If the room is at all
Inclined to be dark, as it will be i'm a base
ment. but will not be i'm an extension. wood
work in natural cak and cherry tones NAV
be employed to advantage and upon tn.
wall paper I'm light terra Gotta. without
gloss, which really reflects the light better
than many gilded papers which seem OF
much gayer and lighter appearance when
seen in the roll.
The decorator need make no excuse for
the honest employment of modes devcioped
IN past times. Human ingenuity which bas
orked for 5000 years upon The ,,rebierms
OF decoration, has provided the ideas from
" hich, with due notifications 10 suit mod
nj