The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-20
The Charm of a
 White Dining Room.

A few years ago fashion decreed that
 light and brightness were not such es-
 sential elements of comfort in the din- ing-room as they are deemed now. To be cosy was then the great idea; and , being cosy very often meant having a
 dark room in which large dinners were consumed decorated with bilious shades ofterra cotta-foolishly designated high art; while suspended over the table were search lights" which made the guest feel thoroughly hot and uncomfortable, besides adding years to her personal ap- pearance. Is there anything so soft or becoming as wax candles in lovely old
 silver candlesticks for lighting a dinner table?
 Our ideals very happily have now
 changed as regards color, and we have
 realized that brightness and light are a
 necessity, more particularly so in dear dirty London, and that clean dainty white has q charm of it's own, while eX- perience teaches Us that it need never | be dirty. White decoration however, re- | quires care, as much of it's beauty de- | bends on delicate shades and half tones 1 White ceilings lose much of their hard
 plain look, when decorated with Adam s
 wreaths and knots, and the wooden dado is relieved by the paneling. Above the dado good white striped paper, not a shiny one looks well, or a white flock paper. A white painters distemper has
 a very soft look, and can always be easily renewed.
 An altogether white room should have white chalet, rep, or moreen curtains which should be lined with white and in- terliped. They should have wadded edges if they are to hang well, just touching
 the floor, and should be fastened back with ormoluf bands, six feet up from the
 slSirting board while to revive fashion
 of the past tand many past modes are
 well worth copying), good gilt cornices should be used above the curtains. The effect of the gold on the white is beauti-
 full, and must be carried out in the rest
 of the room by means of gilt wall lights, mirrors in gilt frames, and old prints
 also in gold frames. A convex mirror
 over the mantel-piece looks delightfully."-
 picturesque.
 Have the chair seats covered with white material like that used for the cur tains or with white horsehair. A touch of color in this room to relieve the white Is most important, and it should be pro- duced by plain green pile carpet, mak- ing sure that the green used be a bright
 one, not one of yellow tint The shades | on the wall lights and on the dinner | table should be of green silk to match. | Good old Chippendale furniture is par 1 ticulary beautiful when 1t has a white | background to enhance it's beauty, and to | do full justice to its lovely curves and
 outlines, especially regards the backs
 ol chairs, which are quite lost against a l dark background.
 l A handosme sideboard is a necessity. | One or two good serving tables should | be provided according to the size of the | room; there should be a corner cupboard | for glass, and a good bureau bookcass | with glass doors Line the inside of this | with white brocade and place silver in | 1t. Silver and cut glass may stand on 1 the sideboard and serving tables, and
 should the mahogany table be a very good ] one. slips instead of a tablecloth should | be the rule, as the effect of the silver and | glass on the mahogany when the room is l lighted mp is perfect.
 | Should this room be thought too light | in color it can be darllened by having | green curtains instead of white ones, still ] keeping to the gilt bands and cornices, and green seats to the chairs. Roller blinds should not be permitted, but short
 ones of white easement cloth to draw | backwards and forwards, made in double | sets to fit the top and bottom window l sashes, should be substituted for those | of the orthodox kind. A plain brass fen | der two feet high, with cushion seat l tie and firerons, for touches of brass al | ways brighten a room, should help to | complete the scheme
 | This room will never jar on its posses | sor, 1t will always look quiet and restful