Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-12
TASTE IN FURNISHINGS
INDIVIDUALITY RULES INSTEAD OF
OLD-TIME SAMENESS.
Results Should Combine Personal
Ideas With Concessions to
Fashion.

1t is interesting to note that the Ameri-
can parlor of the present day has left far
behind that monotony and stiffness that
characterized the best room Of quarter of
a century ago. One parlor was then so
exactly copy Of all others that 1t would
have been difficult for casual observer
to say In what respects they differed. There
was always the brussels carpet, the horse
hair, rep damask covered furniture,
piano against the wall and few pictures
hung stiff and straight, and the room was
supposed to contain all that fashion or
good taste could suggest. The houses of
the very rich showed but little advance
upon the general model. the carpets were
more costly, the furniture was more ex-
pensive and the pictures were more richly
framed, but that all.
BY contrast, consider in almost any
house today, the parlor or drawing room,
as the pretentious prefer to call it. There
Is an individuality about the up-to-date
drawing room that shows that the Ameri-
can woman Is broadening in culture and
independence. The effect of foreign travel
is shown in the details of housefurnishing
in of the most unmiS taxable ways.
American houses are now furnished with
view to comfort and utility. instead of
merely for show. The difference between
the bourgeoise and the educated, refined
class is marked by the difference in this
respect between the homes of the one and
the other.
Chase of the Fad.
1t is noticeable in this day Of fads that
almost every woman has some Particular
ideal to which both she and her surround
ings are subordinated. The woman of lit
erary tastes apes the French preceuse and
has in her restricted circle miniature
salon, desiring to give to her surroundings
a character conforming with her preten-
sons. The same is true of the woman OF
musical, artistic, domestic, scientific or
athletic tastes. The practiced eye can
measure the woman from the type of the
drawing room or sitting room.
A room that combines the characters
tics of the literary and artistic Is most
pleasant. for 1t pleases both the eye and
the intellect. One ideal apartment of this
sort was copied by an American woman
writer from the drawing room of famous
English house.
The original room had a marvellous cell
ing of carved wood from the hand Of some
master of the seventeenth century. The
copy was supplied with one Of stamped
walls were faced with foliaged paper in
a soft neutral shade to harmonic with
the brownish yellow of the ceiling.
few choice pictures ornamented the walls
Above the mantel of white and colored mar
BILE a couple of fine brackets supported
pieces of fine glass.
The carpet very neatly matched in shade
and pattern the paper upon the walls Be
fore the fire a fur rug broke the monotony
of the surface.
The Ten Table.
At one side of the fireplace was the in
evitable tea table. At the other side was
an almost similar table, covered with
gold embroidered cloth. which held va
rious knicknacks and vase of flowers.
In front of the fire stood round table of
the finest workmanship, its polished sur
face protected by a soft cover, on which
lay few choice books and magazines.
Other books, fresh from the publisher and
awaiting the leisure of the mistress of the
house. were ranged in the racks of little
book table near the deep cretonne covered
chair that invited to rest and repose in trent
of the cheering blaze.
Chairs giIded, chairs enameled and chairs
upholstered were scattered about the apart
ment The upholstered furniture looked
CHEEKY and homelike, for they were all COW
cred with rose figured cretonne. the flowers
being of the deepest red on a cream colored
surface.
A couple of screens occupied ornamental
positions. One of these had panels Of paint
ed silk, while the other was plain, but on
each panel center hung a picture in a passe
partout frame. These pictures were sus-
pended by satin faced ribbons on each side
of the screens, one picture balancing the
other.
Rocks and Music.
Pictures, mostly water colors, small land
scapes and flower pieces, decked the smaller
tables and several easels.
A large table, containing several hand
somely illustrated books, claimed a place
between one Of the windows. These win
/ dows were draped with curtains of silk In
delicate shade most restful to the eyes. The
closed piano was covered with dark green
velvet cover.
This room supplies the keynote to the
tastes of the family whose mistress is one
of the most charming Of American literary
women. Nothing that 1t contains is beyond
the means of the ordinary household, yet
its good taste and suggestion of culture and
lack of ostentatious display places 1t In
striking contrast to the drawing room that
is meant for show and not for use.