Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-03
STYLES IN WALL PAPER.
Color Variety, Stripes and Deep
Decorative Friezes.

color. more elaborate friezes-scenic.
heraldic, landscape and fioral-more
grades of paper to be used in connec-
ton with a wooden frieZe or a cornice."
Asked why it is, with such a pro-
fusion of really beautiful artistic wall
papers as are shown here and else
where. one sees so many commonplace,
inartistic examples on the walls of
New York houses and apartments, the
dealer merely shrugged his shoulders.
Are statesmen to blame, or is it true,
as portrait painter charged recently,
that the average New York woman is
not at all artstic?" Here is the dealers
buying:
Buying wall papers is about as
difficult a proposition as any woman
can tackle. 1t is the only proposition
about which she does not crave advice.
When selecting wall papers most
women turn a cold shoulder even to
advice from a salesman. Often when
by special request l have given
personal attention to a customer she
has assumed an air as one who would
say: My good man, it's all very well
for you to buy and sell wall papers, but
when it comes to a question of refined
taste and critical judgment / fancy
l know lot more than you do
And as the main object of any
dealer is to sell his goods, l never
resent this manner, and with the best
grace l can muster, consent to color
schemes and combinations of paper far
below the artistic standard we try to
maintain here. 1t is true that sales
men often seem Indifferent. But why?
Because they have learned that in the
majority of cases to show the goods
and let a customer make her own
selection is the easiest and in the end
the most satisfactory thing to do.
Unless asked to do so some statesmen
never trot out the newest designs and
combinations for the reason that if
customer starts in by announcing with
decision that she wants a certain sort
of frieze or a particular kind of paper
there is not much use in showing her
anything else. The salesman may
suspect that the room the customer is
buying paper for would look better
with quite another sort of wall hang
ing, or he may be aware that the selec-
ton is q year or two behind the
fashions, but is he going to upset the
lady by interfering with her choice?
Not on your life.
I'm the long run, the woman who
comes in and says she doesn't know
Just what to choose for this, that and
the other room and let's the salesman
make suggestions fares much the bet
ter in artistic results. In that case he
oclyc ho Of tho the height
of the ceiling, the style and color of the
furniture and carpets before going to
work. He is on his mettle, as it were.
He has an incentive to do his best.
And ten chances to one the customer
gets something artistic and up-to-
date. / am speaking, of course. of the
average WELL to-do buyer, not of the
wealthy who as rule put a job into
the hands OF decorators with few
provisos and leave it there till done.
1.-The output of wall papers every
year is now so tremendous that there
is no reason why even for compare
lively small sum one need have any
thing inartistic. ugly or old fashioned.
AS for hanging the paper. cheaper
varieties can be treated with as much
style as more expensive ones. In he
ordinary class of house" he went on
1.-The paper frieZe is now feature for
the reason that the new spring designs
are so beautiful and so reasonable in
price.
"At first the scenic and the land
scape friezes we got We're somewhat
crude. Now they are made after de-
signs done by noted artists, and in
sufficient number of sections to relieve
monotOny.
For a living room, sitting room,
q sleeping room, there is nothing
newer than a frieze of this sort
matched with suitable wall paper"
The dealer, in illustration. mounted
some of the new designs on tall
easel.
One very noticeable scenic frioze
about Is inches deep included small
structure nesting under trees, CLINT
of water, sky line, all done in soft
browns and ecruS, and instead OF the
same view being repeated every yard
or so the frieze included several views
which, according to taste could be
matched at regular or irregular inter-
walls. Because of their subdued treat
ment none Of the scenes jumped at one.
so to speak, The wall paper to match
this frieze was a one tone, soft brown
elton5ury covered with a notified or
slightly watered pattern. There was
also a golden brown. plain ingram pa
per- the latter the cheaper Of the two
The scenic frieZes are not confined
to browns. There are greens of all
shades and many others which intro
duce contrasting touches of color.
This is the case in the Landscape
frieZes, which include only drawings
from nature. 1t is in the heraldic
friezes perhaps that the most surpris-
ing and pleasing effects are seen both
In drawing and coiors, the latter for
the most part dull grays, greens and
browns mixed. For instance, one re-
markable example representing the
Crusaders shows battalions of armed
men mounted and unmounted and
masscd so closely that the effect is in
conspicuous rather than intrusive.
The soldiers tall shields and their
armor are done in steel gray, the rest
of the picture showing several shades
of brown and touches of light green.
The best wall paper to match this
-