The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-18

grooves and oak leaves they get for
their money the more beautiful this
furniture will be. it will continue to be
made in large quantities.
Patterns of every sort, whether for
carpets. wall paper. drapery or china,
must be very carefully used that they
| may not be more conspicuous than
that which they decorate. The floor and
wall are the basis both of color and
decoration. as well as the background
of the people who are to live there. Es-
peoially in ordinary small dwelling
houses patterns should, therefore. be
rather inconspicuous, indefinite in de-
sign and the color tones either neutral
or rich in effect. If the climate be
sunny and the room we'll lighted. the
walls and floor may be dark and rich;
II the climate be uncertain and often
cloudy or the room badly lighted, the
effect should be light and gay. Color
is the chief means of producing this re-
suit; the walls and floors of living
rooms should be in soft rich brown.
yellow, red, green or warm gray tints.
Blue. though very lovely when artis-
tieally used, absorbs the light, is cold in
effect and is seldom satisfactory Tor
living rooms, while the blue-grays are
positively chilling. Yellow in paler or
deeper shades, depending On the light
ing of the room, is uniformly cheerful
and satisfying; next to it rank the
various terra-cotta shades and the
richer greens. Neither floor nor wall
covering should have large. striking de-
signs, but should rather, if having pat
tern at all, have a wandering. indefi-
mite design or small conventional pat
terms.
The furniture and decoration of bed
rooms can scarcely be too simple. The
wall and floor coverings may be lighter
and gayer than those of living rooms
Blue and white or pale green and white
may be used as color scheme for any
sunny bedrooms: yellow or pink and
white for less sunny ones. One or two
single white iron and brass bedsteads
and washstands, bureau or chest of
drawers with glass above, two or three
low, light chairs and a desk or table
large enough to write upon, hassock
and a waste basket make ample fur
nishing. if there be a good closet or
wardrobe. A calendar, writing ma
terials, a warm dressing gown and a
pair of bedroom slippers and a furnish
ed sewing basket add much to the COM
fort of a guest room The rug need
only be large enough to cover the space
in front of the bed, bureau and stand,
il the floor be well matched and painted
or oiled. A bedroom should give the
impression of spotlessness and inviting
comfort; everything in it should be
readily cleaned, and unless it must be
used also as a study or sitting room it
should contain only strictly necessary
articles. Mats, bric-a-brac, superfluous
fanck work, even many pictures, are
quite out of place.
Most buyers must take what is Of
fered in the shops; they have neither
the money nor time, nor indeed. per-
haps, the taste, to find that which is
choice and which is perfectly adapted
to their circumstances. Many of the
most obvious mistakes in such matters
are the result of mere helplessness in
the presence of the dealer and the man
ufacturer- So many very ugly things
have been made by man since the era
of invention began that one must spend
either much time or great amount of
money to secure that which is really
tasteful. Unless one is conscious, then,
of a matured and cultivated taste
which may be safely trusted, it is al
ways better to buy plain, substantial,
well made articles; they at least will
be only negatively ugly. AS ones taste
becomes more and more trained by OBJ
servation and experience, and the
amount of money which is available for
this purpose increases, it is very easy
to add more costly and artistic fur
nishings. But if mistake is made in
the beginning in buying ugly things
which are rather costly, there is
growing dissatisfaction in living with
them. Striking patterns and fashions
are safe only in the hands of very well
trained persons. Inconspicuous designs.
soft colors, plain surfaces are very sell
dom inartistic. Simplicity, appropriate
ness and genuineness are always safe.
There are now to be found in all the
large cities a few shops where expert
advice may be obtained on points of
taste. but, unfortunately the goods sold
in these places are often so costly as to
be quite beyond the ordinary purse.
Meantime the average buyer can at
least cultivate his taste by observation
and as his income permits may add to
the house furnishing articles not only
useful and hygienic. but beautiful as
WELL