The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-29
INTERIOR WOODWORK OF HOUSE
DISCUSSED BY AN ARCHITECT
Exposed Rate,5 Ceilings Inheritance from the Middle Ages
Form Of Doors and Casugs-- DINING Room WO0dcOR

great halls in the medieval castles, as well
as in the smaller buildings OF that period,
the ceiling raIterS were nearly always eX-
posed In the most important structures
these rafters were commonly emphasized
by elaborate carving and inlay OF color.
The effect was beautiful in the extreme.
In the smaller buildings they were left un-
decorated. but assumed most beautiful col
oring through the action of time and
smoke. Within recent years the rarters
have been left exposed in reception halls
and dining rooms in many American homes
No other feature adds more OF dignity 10
those rooms than this, but exposed rafters
seem inappropriate in rooms for other pur-
poses. We have never attempted 10 oec-
crate them, which is, perhaps. fortunate.
Americans are either not inherently artistic
enough or have not had sufficient training
to handle decorative forms with great sue
cess. Or. to put il a bit differently, great
success in decoration is very rare. so that
with most of US wisdom seems to lie in en-
ploying simple decoration both as regards
form and color. 1t is hardly necessary 10
speak of the use Of exposed rafters which
are not structural rafters at all, but an
imitation used in remodeling old houses
, These are placed below plastering already
in place and always show their real char
acter, as, in tact, do other limitations OF
any kind.
The dining room, of all others. is the
place for beautiful woodwork. There is
absolutely other wall finish so adequate
and expressive as a high wainscoting or
well-desgned and well-executed woodwork.
A dining room should be sumptuous. IN
for only comparatively short periods. and
while there is not seeking repose. When
one thinks of 1t il is realized that almost
every other room is used when rest Is de-
sired and, therefore, should express seren-
ity in color and decoration This is espe-
cially true Of bedrooms and sitting rooms.
A dining room may De ELABORATE IN decora-
ton and rich in coloring, although fussiness
should be avoided always. High panellng
of good woodwork is dignihed and sump-
tuous and "a good foil to strong color The
ci1 ahn nd a nd mo nj 81 10 q
all the more appropriate.
BATHROOM FINISH.
/ A few years ago wainscoting was con-
| sidered integral part of a bathroom I'm
| ish. The one thought of the strictly modern
bathroom is that everything shall be non
absorbent and all surfaces so smooth that
dust and dirt can find no Judgment. OF
| course the ideal wall surface is marble or
tile, but few are able to afford either of
these. From a sanitary standpoint hard
plaster, we'll painted, is the next best with
as little woodwork as possible. Wood can
never be made wholly nonabsorbent. For
this reason the kitchen wainscoting has
! been abandoned together with wood in
! closures of plumbing fixtures
The charm of well-designed, well-placed
| woodwork is one OF the things felt i'm any
| successful house. and while preaching that
| II be simple in most rooms il is we'll to say
| mat IL must never &c inadequate. The
| writer has seen rooms which had a cropped
| look because the castings were unduly mar
| now. The charm of interior finish is al
most wholly dependent upon the form
| given 1t, upon the design of it's holdings
An architect judges his brother architect
/ work as much by the character of it's
| holdings as by its general composition A
beautiful molding is subtle thing whose
power to please lies in the delicate curves
| which sometimes outline shadows. some
times reflect light. None but the cultured
| mind can produce truly beautiful holdings
| 1t is also true that none but the cultured
| mind can fully appreciate them. 1t was a
/ recognition of this which led an architect
! TO say recently that he had ceased to care
| about the form of the holdings on his
! buildings, 1.-THE public does not know the
] difference" But some Of the public always
| knows. and how are the rest to learn if not
! by having the best before them holdings
were first made by the Greeks and no one
/ has ever made any so beautiful The Gothic
| builders approached them more nearly than
| others in beauty and excelled them in va
/ riety. To-day we rarely reproduce a Greek
! molding. We take the more easily made
/ and less subtle Roman form-a form more
/ readily made by machinery. If these be
/ well done, no architect is open to reproach
| The ultimate criticism of any structure Is
| that of its decorative forms. A COMPARE
! lively unskiled architect and an Ignorant
/ observer may have a sense of composition
| of the arrangement and proportion of the
! parts Of the structure. but il takes a true
| artistic sense fully TO appreciate a good
molding EDWARD SITTER