Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-02
EAS IN FURNISHING
GOOD SUGGESTIONS IN TREATING
THE CORNERS.
Useful and Pretty Things in
Their Proper
Places.

IF l only knew what to do with the cor
ners the rest of the room would take care
of itself!' Thus signs many a puzzled dec
orator. The day of "crazy corners is
done, and it is fortunate that it is Most
of them were monotonous repetitions of in
artistic and appropriate models, and in the
copying any touch of unqueness possessed
by the original was lost. Besides, the av
erage one was hopelessy out Of harmony
with the character of the room, Turkish
nook as often not being wedged into
colonial or old English apartment, much
to the distress of the eye and the offense
to good taste
The decorated angles were either too stiff
or too untdy looking, while their capacity
as accumulators of dust made them way
side inns for millions of migrating microbes.
No wonder, therefore, that the uncoZy
'cozy corners departed this life unre-
GREETED, and now repose in various stages
of disintegration in the attics of the land.
The tendency in up-to-date house dec
Grating is to make light of the corners
to pass over them in such a way that they
are made as inconspcuous possible
Such treatment tends to increase the ap-
parent size of the room. 1t is not unusual
in carefully designed houses to find that
the architect has had this fact in mind
and so shaped the interior that angles are
toned down. He will have inserted a pro-
lection here, a curved surface there or per-
haps a bay window or fireplace which af-
fords the most delightful possibilities for
finishing off the interior ornamentally.
A Useful Model.
A simple yet pretty corner has the wall
of the room covered with plain. dark blue
cartridge paper. The projection. though
small, affords an excellent opportunity for
the insertion of picturesque, cushioned
settle, a charming imitation of the furni-
If
The writing desk of dark wood with it's
set of three drawers, and the low chair,
with fan-shaped back, are suggestive of
colonial designs, although the general cor
ner decoration is far from the prim, stad
sort prevailing in those days Charmingly
inconsequent the arrangement assumes
to be, it is characteristic of the artistic
woman with musical taste who was it's de-
signer The drawers Of the desk hold her
music, and the corner shelf, which is part
ly cabinet with a falling door, contains
special songs. Photographs of favorite
musicians in dainty oval and square frames
form a line across the back of the escri-
toire. Small silver writing utensils are
scattered over the white blotter which pro-
tects the shining surface Of the furniture
from scratches.
Decorative Touches.
On the shelf of the wall cabinet pictures
a Greek figure in plaster, photograph and
one two other trifies are carelessIy scat
tered. Above these a couple of fine water
colors give a touch of interest to the wall.
The blank space behind the desk is broken
into an upper and lower line, the latter
distinctly marked by wide framed por-
trait. The upper section is partly occupied
by small cabinet shelf fitted with a mir
ror and devoted to the display of fancy
china. Opposite this and forming the other
side of the angle the background is deco
rated with a couple of pictures one hang
ing above the other and divided nv ha
lighting apparatus.
The long settle is covered with a fancy
mattress of handsome brocade tapestry
Pillows at each end hide the wooden arms
The rallied back may be hung with some
fancy drapery, but in this case it is uncov-
cred, displaying the handsomely polished
wood.
Shades keep out the sunlight on fncon-
venently bright days, while thin screen
of fish net admits it when days are dark
and dreary.
A four-legged stool of wicker is drawn
up to the couch and covered by a SQUARE
pillow incased in bright-colored silk The
polished floor shows little where the Dor
der of the oriental rug touches the settle.
The Wall Finish.
1t is interesting to note the attention that
is given to wall decoration in modern
houses. A few years ago group of sad
looking family portraits, a wishy washy
etching, some colored pictures, the majority
Of which owed their existence to the litho-
grapher rather than to the artist, were
alone adopted for family use. The pic
lures We're applied to the wall with plumb
line precision and hung high above the
head, to the jeopardy of the necks of those
who craned them in the effort to discover
their significance. The frames were ugly
and seldom suited the pictures, while only
a few designs for mounting were in exist
ence, or SO one would judge from the pain
full sameness. 1t is SO different now! The
Trainer Is not only an artist with an end
less variety Of holdings, but can suggest
how the pictures may be distributed to the
best advantage. If money was to be spent
no one dreamed Of spending it for decora-
lions. Instead all was expended upon fur
niture.
One has only to glance at the interior
OF a modern house to appreciate the ad-
vantage Of the present system. Photo
graphs, bits of rare china and souvenirs Of
an artistic character are all applied to
urpromising wall surfaces with pleasing eff
feet.