The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1903-11-26
CONTRAST OR HARMONY.
4 Few Words of Suggestion RegarAs
ing Arrangement Of the
Home Interior.

Consciously or unconsciously, the
tendency is to be ruled by contrast in the
decoration and furnishing OF ones house.
II one has mahogany furniture one IL
inclined, and very naturally and juati-
nably, to emphasize it's Iich tones by q
soft green or light eolored wall for con.
trast; with old oak, one would have q
red or blue wall paper for the same rea-
son, says the Brooklyn Eagle. One con-
trasts purple with amber, rose with
green, cream or ivory with some delicate
but decided color from kind Of instinct
that contrast means variety and variety
gives interest. The instinct is by no
means wrong, for a judicious contrast
can hardly fail to be pleasing, and we
nave natures own warrant for making
use OF contrasts, her own being more
varied than those of the Kaleidoscope In
their endless combinations and readju
ments of color. Still, there are occa-
sions, on which monotone is to be chosen
rather than several colors, and this IL
particularly the case where rooms Of
limited size have to be dealt with, In
which variety, too strongly insisted
upon, would prove destructive to any.
thing like restfulness of effect An in
stance that may be recalled as a con-
v1ncfng case in point is that of dining
room in which the furniture was of par
ticularly fine mahogany Of just the tone
wherein deep, rich note Of red makes It.
self felt. Instead of bringing this out by .
background Of contrasting color, or en-
phasizing the somewhat massive plain
ness OF the furniture by an assertive de.
sign in the wall paper, the owner made
singularly happy choice, for the latter
was OF a delightful shade of plain red.
This, as it were, drew into itself" the
red of the mahogany, SO creating beau
tiful harmony of color, and giving an
effect of space to the room. Another
successful illustration of this principle
was to be seen in the drawing room OF
the same house, which was papered with
an exquisite French silk paper in soft
shade of green. A choice collection OF
Sevres and other delicate china formed
one of the chief adornments of the room.
enshrined in cabinets of satin wood. In
order to accentuate the coloring Of the
porcelain, in the opinion of some, back.
ground of rose or of dark colored velvet
or silk was called for. Here, again, how
ever, the advisability of monotone was
demonstrated, and the lining selected for
the cabinets was brocade of the same
shade of green as the wall paper Ths
eye was thus directed without distrac.
tion to the lovely coloring of the china
while, again, an effect of space was OBJ
tanned which is but too seldom thought
Of in the ordinary medium-sized room.
| Touches of subdued rose or clear ivory
were of course introduced In the up
holsteries and accessories, serving, how
ever, purely as foil to the predominant.
| ing green which impaired to the room ita
| charm of restfulness and yet gave the
fullest value to every detail OF its orna.
ments.
| Where broad Spaces, demanding effec-
| tive color and striking decoration, have
to be treated, contrast is an invaluable
auxiliary, but examples such as those
| just given prove the contention that, In
many cases, harmony and unity OF ef-
| feet are of equal or even Of greater
| worth.