The record-union., 1896-12-15
GOOD TASTE IN ROOM FUR.
NISHING.

Happily the disposition to crowd
rooms in dwelling with furniture Is
abating. Still 1t is sufficiently strong to
deserve the criticism given it recently
by the Magazine of Art" In a living
room it is not luxury, but comfort and
refinement which indicates the correct
ness of the owners taste. AS our critic
puts it. ''it is not at all a matter of
money as plain rush chair may tell OF
refinement quite as well as the rarest
Spanish leather"
In the gratifying drift towards sim
plicity there is a most desirable econ
omy as well as betterment of taste 1t
puts the family of modest means In bet
ter state, and relieves 1t of the uneco-
nomic strain to fit up showily and at
heavy cost If, indeed, we are as a peo-
pie coming around to furnishing from
an artistic standpoint, rather than from
one of luxury and profuseness, we are
making decided and democratic ad-
vance. AS the Magazine Of Art" we'll
puts it, 1t is all question of what the
owner thinks beautiful. and at the same
time desirable.
The living room, indeed all the rooms
of the house, ought to suggest the
tastes, manner of living and the
thoughts to some extent, Of the heads
and members Of the household. While
the furniture should be good. its ar
rangement and treatment must mani
fest good taste and knowledge of what
comfort is, for that is a prime consider
alton in having a shelter at all.
That discomfort is endured In thou
sands of homes because Of false tastes
In the fitting Of the home Is a matter
of fact no one will venture to deny. rms
sentiment of comfort should wholly
supersede the effort to appear and to
furnish as do others. Here we quote
from the journal referred to, since the
truth referred to cannot 30 well be
otherwise stated:
Why have ornaments which, instead
NJ helning. contradict each other? why
break up the room with NUMBER OF is
lands that make any movement diff
cult? Why loop up curtains which keep
out draughts, which seriously olhiiiiiSii
the acoustic properties OF room anu
which undoubtedly harbor very great
quantity Of dust? Where Is the coih-
mon sense Of 1t all, to say noehihg ol
beauty? Contrast any old interior, and
there Ia manifest difference, not only
IN the furniture, but still more clearly
IN the habit OF mind of its inmates. In
the familiar "St. Jerome" In the Ma
tional gallery, the walls are SIMPLY dl-
vfded into three spaces with WOODEN
rails: a low bench runs round the sloes'
with a hanging of green ciotn at Ihe
back: the walls above show plain pias-
ter. with nothing but four cupooaros
let into the wall. St Jerome sits at
workmanlike desk of oak or walnut
and the only other piece of furniture
is a. movable bench of wood painted
green. A delightful sense OF spacious
ness fills the entire room
An essential In good furnishing Is
roominess; even the smallest of apart
ments should not convey the feeling OF
being crowded. The furniture should
he inytting-alas that so often one uses
n IN a friends house with fear and
trembling. That the Magazine OF Art
does not more dwell on these essentials
Is surprising. But 1T does say a good
word for the idea of less furnishing
which permits us to have better. and
richer that we do select, instead OF
spreading our means thinly over host
of fittings.
As a rule there should be besides
simplicity. only the furniture that Is ne
cessary. All redundancy is offensive to
good taste and operates as a restraint
upon our visitors, and to certain ex-
tent upon those familiar with our rooms.
We should mercilessly exclude every
particle of furniture that Is not made for
use at any and all times in the room
where it is placed. Every piece should
II ADAPTED especially to the and for