Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-08-08
ART In THE HOME
PHASE OF HOUSEHOLD EcoNoM-
les roo MUCH NEGLECTED,
One Sure Guidance In the Furnishing
Of a Home ls to Keep CIose TO
kature-Advlce from VIII
liam Morris.

II there is one phase OF household
economics In which we should be
clamoring for instruction and direc-
ton more than another, II is in deco
rative art. We continually underesti-
mate the value OF knowledge along
this line.
II is fact, hard to admit. but new
ertheless true that Americans as 3
whole have low national taste. Beau
~ is not a mere matter OF opinion"
our standards are not the same. The
Chinese admire small feet and are
Mortified at our admiration of the de-
formed waist. There are yet homes
that cherish the highly colored chro
mos. the impossible china dog and
the gilded dustpan; these are but few
Of the atrocities we enjoy 10 in our
homes. In passing through the shops
where these things are sold one hears
the question, why is it not against
the law TO sell such stuff?" The an
swer is easy; because IL sells. A mer-
chant deals in salable goods and as
long as people buy he will sell. II is
our women who set the pace and es-
tablish our standards. She who ad-
mires and buys such atrocities may
have a good deal of taste. but 1t is
all bad
A nations rise and fall may be read
in its art Every child is born with
a love for beauty. and they should
have about them from the earliest in
fancy the pure and the beautiful. as
their character and ideals are infiu-
enced by their surroundings. Edu-
cation in color harmonies and love
for the choice in art. with direction I'm
the expression of individuality. which
is being given the child in our kinder
gartens. is already bearing fruit.
One of the hard things for so many
people to learn Is that because thing
is cheap 1t is not necessarily ugly, or
If costly 1t is inevitably beautiful. A
choice penny picture may be Joy
and an inspiration to life. while all
the wealth in the world cannot buy
taste and appreciation.
We cannot hope for much advance
in our ideas in homes where there is
the constant fight for existence. but
people who have comfort and leisure
have great opportunities for study. the
world of nature and the art of Europe
is open.
William Morris. our great exponent
of beauty in art, said IL thing is not
beautiful 1t has no right to exist; IL
not founded on observation of nature
II can be neither beautiful nor inven-
tive
A chair that cannots support the
body. lamp that refuses to give light.
may be artistic from some stand
points. but could never be called beau
tiful. The beauty of a disable thing
is based upon two things-use and
comfort.
In the furnishing of home. II we
go to nature we cannot go wrong.
The dark shades are always at the
bottom and the light of the sky and
clouds above. A room for rest and
quiet is given the resting time coiors
in nature. the browns and grays with
the soft Indian reds. Where we give
the proper thought and time to these
things our homes will have the rest
fulness and the comfort for which we
are all striving, and often so vainly.
In buying furniture the educated
woman will look carefully as to its
construction. of course taking into
consideration its use. Those of simple
lines. easy to dust, will be a great
point to consider. Here is what VIII
liam Morris says, in an essay on The
Beauty of Life" Is essential to an or
binary sitting room:
First, bookcase with great
many books in it: next a table that
will keep steady when you write or
work on It; then several chairs that
you can move, and a bench that you
can sit Or lie upon; next. cupboard
with drawers; next, unless the cup
board OF bookcase be very beautiful
with painting or carving, you viii
want pictures or engravings such as
you can afford-only not stop gaps,
but real works of art on the wall; OF
else the wall itself must be ornament
ed with some beautiful and restful
pattern; we shall also want vase or
two to put flowers in. Then there will
be the fireplace. OF course; that is all
we shall want. especially il the floor
be good; IL It be not, as by the way
in a modern house 1t is pretty certain
not to be, admit that small carpet
that can be bundled out Of the room
in two minutes will be useful. and we
must also take care that IL is beauti-
full. OF 1t will annoy US terribly"
NELLIE MAXWELL