The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-28
I HOUSE DECORATION

By ZiteNa Cooke

set our ideas? Plenty of paper, good light and a clean, sweet room," said French author. when asked where he best liked to write, and whatever we may say of the triumphs of genius. and they are many, the best conditions gen erally produce the best results.
 In the decoration of a room the es- sential thing to consider Is the pur- pose for which 1t is to be used. Next. the individual tastes and habits of the persons who are to occupy It. Most people, in arranging a room. seem be- set with the idea that 1t must resemble the room of some one of their acquaint- ance, who has a room for similar pur- poses, and the unsatisfactory relations of occupants and rooms, can .oftcn be explained through that cause. The perfect adaptedness of room to person and the exclusion of the superhuous. have not been thoroughly learned, even at this late date. Library arrange ments and decoration are not fnvari- ably transferable. What would suit one man does not suit another, and suitability is a long step toward beau ty. The first rule to be learned in the grammar of furnishing and decoration, then, is this adaptedness, and If pro- portion is the good breeding of archl- lecture, comfort and convenience should be the watchwords in all plans for house appointment and decoration It would be folly to deny that many respectable and handsome. nay luxu- rious homes are practically deserted by the men of the family for lack of those simple comforts and conveniences winch they find at their clubs. Win dows made impervous to light by man. fold draperies. do not invite the man of the house to a seat at their side, and what is the use of a writing table In; ,hn hrjn hrln that there is absolutely no room for elbows or hands? How can a parlor sitting room or drawing room become the point of reunion for the family when there are so many things in It, that one cannot move or turn round
 without risking the demolition of or naments worth hundreds of dollars? Nor is the situation improved by the cheapness of the articles which seem to annihilate comfort as well as space T have a nice parlor now in my new house." remarked working man to his friend. but my wife has put so many fancy things on the tables and on the wall. that l don't have room to walk. so l sit out on the steps" The luckless visitor who has no other place of refuge may take a seat in these rooms, but certain it is that it will never be sought by those for whose enjoyment it is supposed to be de signed. The very sight of these over loaded, over -ornamented rooms. is enough to put us in rapturous admira- tion of the one vase with one flower therein, or the one picture which the Japanese householder presents to the inmates of his home, and to realize also that of all tact, which may be useful in cquipping a house nothing is so essen tidl a : the tact of omission"
 There are too many ramifications in decorative art to attempt any method in its fullest detail but one can hardly err if dignity and simplicity are the chief guides in the ornamentation of any room. The fewer coIors, for 'n- stance, the more pleasing and restful must be the result The thoughtless housekecIer in quest of novelty in de- coration does not realize how this null tiplicity of color operates upon the nerves. We know the attrition upon sensitive nerves which follows the lis cordant chatter of many voices. One is exhausted unconsciously. and nerv- ous energy like Bob Acres courage, oozes out al the palms of the hands; so it is best that a room should speak one voice. that is with one predoml- | nant color. which asserts itself unmis | and repose follows as nat | ural sequence.
 But since the bedroom of state. or