Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-08
DECORATIVE FEATURES
What Can Be Done With an
Upright Piano.
MAKE IDEAL CORNERS
RESTING OR LIBRARY NOOKS OR
A "COZY."
Happy Results in General Effects
May Be Thus
Achieved.
Written for The Evening Star.

| Written for The Evening Star.
The ordinary upright piano. with or with
out it's often hideous mechanical player"
attachment, may be a joy forever to the
music lovers of a home, but it is never a
| thing of beauty In many an otherwise
| artistic setting every prospect may please
and this very necessary instrument be the
only object out of drawing.
| Since a piano most of us must have, and
| as in many instances it needs must turn its
back to the company, and do so with the
| usual uncompromising severity of most
| backs that are turned to the rest of the
world the tactful softening of its angulari-
| ties remains among the difficult smooth
| ings away both actual and metaphorical,
| which fall to the lot of the mistress of
| house.
| The veXed question of what to do deco
| ratively with the upright piano has been
| answered better rather from a negative
than positive viewpoint. Most of us have
| satisfactorily decided what not to do with
it in the way of draping it with art fabrics
! and decorating it with Japanese fans or q
| collection of jangling china, but really
| good effects within the reach of the aver
| age purse are not ready to present them
| selves.
| The happiest and most artistic way of
| dealing with the obstinate sCuareness is
| to treat it as you would any other case
| of obstinacy-simply make it of as little
Importance as possible In other words,
merge the fractions piece of furniture into
| the general scheme of the apartment not
| important detail, but as one that
may be turned to account in breaking up
| the floor space and doing duty a screen.
Pretty Little Nook
| "A most inviting little nook for a writing
| table may be made in living or drawing
| room by setting the piano at right angles
| to a window and placing a dainty French
| table prettily equipped with writing access
! sories-which, by the way, if smart will be
| of tortoise shell--back to back with the
piano that the light falls conveniently
| upon the blotting pad. The back of the IN
| strument itself may be covered smoothly
with velvet harmonizing with the color tone
| of the room and finished around the edge
J with dull gold galloon when the shade
! used in the other draperies will admit of
! this effect. To apply this velvet backing
with photographers glue is the most ar-
| proved method, as 1t does away with the
| danger of injurng the piano by hammering
! in even the tinieSt of nails brads Ia a
| home where the piano back was so treated
| the owner was fortunate enough to pos
! seSS a number of valuable miniatures
| which she hung in groups on this velvet
! background. The happy idea occurred TO
| her of passing little piece of pretty, old
| fashioned chine ribbon less than an incn
| in width through the ring at the top of
each frame, thereby heghtening the dainty
| effect wonderfully. By this means a charm
ing angle was made in the room, and the
miniatures were given the best possible
| position as regards light and elevation.
A Reading Corner.
Another effective arrangement is to turn
an angle in room with the assistance Of
| the piano into an inviting reading corner.
| When converting corner of this kind into
| ha nf
| the musicians standpoint should be taken
! into consideration. No matter how artistic
| the setting, no detail in a room can be a
| success unless it adequately fulills the pur-
! pose for which it is intended and the read
| ing corner is no exception.
| To place a couch or settee with its back
against a piano is altogether wrong. The
| piano may make an attractive screen If
properly manipulated and form an excellent
background for q seat, but the performers
| vantage point is lost. Then another objec-
| ton is that when playing singing is
going on a couch placed against the ba elk
of piano must necessarily be left vacant,
| for 1t Is hardly an unmiXed pleasure
| listen to music with the drum of ones ear
| against the piano.
| SO the ideal way to put up corner of
| this character is to draw well-filled low
| bookcase quite close to the back of the
piano, with luxurious lounging chair
| placed near it in a position where the light
| from the window may reach the reader.
Ornamental Back.
A more ambitious decoration charming
! when well carried out, but more appropriate
| for music room pure and simple where
| the decoration throughout is emblematic
| than in an ordinary room where there is
! danger of its appearing somewhat preten-
! tious is to mount the back of the piano with
panels painted on canvas with figure stud
les emblematic of harmony Three long
panels give an exceedingly good effect the
| center one being on some plain canvas OF
| a quiet color, which makes pleasing back
| ground for a group of flowers, or better
| still is a perfectly plain panel of mahogany,
rosewood or whatever wood the piano
! happens to be.
In new book is described quaint room
in which the piano Is a decorative feature.
The room is hung with blue gray linen
against which were fastened several old
Italian pictures IN black frames. On the
floor were some eastern rugs in which faded
and originally pale colorS mingled. A log
fire was burning on the hearth at right
angles to which stood immense sofa
with square back. This sofa was covered
with dull blue stuff. Opposite to it was a
large and low armchair also covered in
blue. grand piano stood out in the mid
die of the room. 1t was open, and there
were no ornaments or photographs upon
it Its shiny black case reflected the flames
which sprang up from the logs. Several
dwarf bookcases of black wood were filed
with volumes, some in exquisite binding,
some paper covered. On top of the book
cases stood four dragon china vases filled
with carnations of various colors Electric
lights burnt just under the ceiling but were
hidden from sight. In the angle of the wall
on black ebony pedestal stood an ex-
tremely beautiful marble statuette of
nude girl holding a fam This room may
be easily pictured in imagination as a
whole and is within almost every ones
power to materially accomplish.
Old Pier Glasses.
tive reign is over so far as it's elaborate
gilt frame is concerned is the pier glass,
but in some elegantly furnished homes the
old heads of the family object to its being
consigned to the lumber ROOM and the
younger members may be glad of the fol-
lowing suggestion: glass placed in a
recess takes this treatment admirably.