The star and Newark advertiser., 1908-05-23
~ NEWS OF WOMEN FOR WOMEN AND THE HOME -
HoqU to Make
the Home More
AHractlUe


tistic in furniture and this does not al
ways mean mission furniture. At pres
ent the imitation Chippendale seems
admirably suited to some of the cozy
little suites in fine apartment houses
There is something about the tone that
enrichens a room. A table recently
seen was of mahogany, or imitation
rather, curved legs and a pierced rim
of gilded wood stood a few inches
above the highly polished top.
1t is not always possible for one to
choose house to ones own liking.
though often there are ways of remedy
ing some decided defect. Proportion
in home decoration does not really
mean the width, length or heighth of a
room, but it means placing furniture so
that a room or suite of rooms will be
in proportion. Even colors must be
in proportion as we'll as in harmony or
good contrast. By proportion we mean
that harmonizing colors must be pro-
portionate to each other For exam
pie. suppose blue china vase is tinted
with it's most harmonizing color. white
there must be proportions or the too
much white or excess of blue will des-
troy the entire effect.
1t really calls for a trained eve to
detect these defects, and, fortunately.
We now have house decorators and art
lists making a life study of these ef-
fects in room arrangement. The in
tensity and conspicuousness of a wall
should be governed by the furniture
and hangings. Often small picture of
excellent subject is lost beside larger
one. Too often we find a massive bit
of statuary or pottery lightly poised
on the massive piano Some persons
prefer an architectural style of beauty
that follows the severe lines of geome-
trical proportions.
This is effective in large rooms. such
as immense parlors, halls or dining
rooms. though often a small house will
look more homelike if corners are
crossed with large pieces of furniture.
One will collect many bits of bric-a-
brac and the collection may consist of
rare pieces of china, pottery and crys-
tai. 1t is not a good idea to mix the
pieces in a collection. Rich pieces
should be grouped as much as possi-
BILE according to size. There are some
exquisite bits of pottery of brilliant
colors that almost clash in a room of
subdued colors. The place for this
bright ware is not in a conspicuous
part of the room, but in a dark place
where it will brighten that particular
place.
A mantel laden with heavy jars, jugs
and vases is extremely poor taste, let
the articles be ever so rich. 1t would
present the same appearance as
Chippendale stand covered with 10,-
cent novels and the family Bible.
Pictures must be in proportion to the
room. Hang them low enough to be
seen. Small pictures may be grouped
carelessly and artistically. Pictures
of too many sizes break wall propor-
tions. Select comfortable chairs and
have only enough for one room and
place where it will be useful. A chair
between the piano and a dark wall is
of no more use than a rug on the cell
ing. The accumulation of furniture in
a home grows to enormous proportions,
but there are times when various arti-
cles may easily be dispensed with and
this is true when a house gets crowd
ed. While large rooms may be the
most attractive, small ones may be so
daintily arranged that everything from
paper to the most trivial ornament
will harmonic and be in proportion to
the small apartment.