The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-05-16
HOW To FIX UP
THE OLD HOUSE
Transformation Wrought BY
Color and Good Taste
EFFECT OF STENCIL WORK
Location and Purpose of Rooms De-
termnine Factor in Planning Color
Treatment-some Timely
Suggestions.
EFFECT OF STENCIL WORK
From Uncle Remus' Magazine


ing it into a CHEEKY, charming home is
one of the most fascinating problems of
our present-day endeavors. Fortunately
this work of altering the appearance of
the home is not a mere matter of dollars
and cents, but rather detail of good
taste and wise selection.
There IS no room so awkward that it is
impossible to transform it into an artistic.
satisfactory apartment. Nor is it mat
ter of carpentry or masonry-but rather
a matter of wise taste. as well care
full judgment in the selection of wall col
ors and care in their use.
Ten years ago little thought and prac-
tically no attention was given to the
treatment of the wall beyond the lath
and plaster stage. Now with due atten
ton, the bare walls and the barn-lke
appearance can easily be transformed into
an attractive artistic room, full of cozi-
ness and comfort.
The use of a room has much bearing
upon the scheme of decoration. If it is
to be used as a study, for a quiet hour.
it certainly should be given quiet colors
and soft delicate treatment If the room
is a bed room, tar different treatment
is indicated-a dining room still another,
and so through the house.
Then. too. the location of the room is
essentially a factor in planning a color
treatment for obviously, rooms with
southern exposure require colors that.
will soften and modify the excess of sun
light which is bound to come into the
room. So. too, with the west room. while
on the other hand, north rooms insist on
warmer, more light-refecting tones, and
in this east rooms also share.
Now for the actual work of really en-
bellishing a room, so that it will be
thing of beauty as well as a joy for
ever.
We do not need to tear down the walls
to lower the ceilings If they appear too
high and give bare, unfinished effect.
Not at all. By the use of color we can
give walls the effect of advancing or of
receding at our pleasure.
Dark tones advance the wall or ceiling
toward us-lesson the apparent distance
and decrease the effect of size. For eX-
ample, a large woman lessons her ap-
parent size by wearing black gowns and
a slight, slender woman looks larger in
lessen the apparent size of a room and
light walls increase the apparent size.
High Ceilings Appear Low.
Suppose the ceiling is too high. Use a
moderately dark tone for the ceiling and
carry it down the side wall at least 10
inches-24 is better for a 12-foot ceiling
then you have lessened the height mate
rally.
Patterns, such as conventional figures,
or floral designs which are frequently
found In wall papers-were used to re-
lieve AN otherwise fiat surface, not be-
cause it was the best way, but because
it was the only way which seemed posi-
BILE for the ordinary purse
Now there are better ways to overcome
the fat appearing spaces on side walls,
for at present we wear our ceilings plain
in one single monotone. Chief among
the better ways is the use of stencil eff
fects, which, if desirable designs are
used are effective and decidedly modish.
But there is such thing as a rule of
decorative proportions, and its arithme-
tic stops at three. We ave one, two or
three designs of stencil, in one, two or
three widths, but no more; we may, If
we choose, break out fiat wall panels, no
matter what the size of the wall
Now, to wise choice in color and before
you finally decide, bear in mind the rela-
ton of the rooms, as well as their use,
for a green room with a blue for next
door neighbor would be an dissemination
of good taste. for they would never be
on speaking terms.
When ceilings are not too high-when
rooms have large openings into and from
each other, 1t is a good plan to use a
rich ivory white tone for all the ceilings
and harmonizing colors for the side walls.
For example, use a warm, rich, brown
ish side wall for living room; then sup
pose the reception hall is on the north
side, here a cafe-au-lait. or yellow tan
side wall with ivory ceiling will give a
decidedly charming effect.
Use of Stencil.
Now comes the use of the stencil, and
here is the opportunity for breaking away
from the conventional stereotyped frieze
and border and the achieving of an indi-
vidual artistic establishment.
The use of a conventional four-inch
stencil design following about four inches
above the standing. woodwork, reaching
over doors, following over baseboards and
going up over the window frame, is
unique, Individual and very effective, and
is being used with great success by the
best decorators in New York and Chicago.
The otherwise long line of the perpen-
dicular side wall is also frequently broken
by a plate or photo rail two-thirds up
the side wall, and below this, the same
conventional design in stencil, then from
the ceiling line Is dropped a 12-foot de-
sign in stencil adapted to the use of the
ROOM such as fruit pieces for dining
room-conventionalized flowers for living
room, or set geometric figure. for hall.
The effect is stunning when done in a
darker tone of the side wall color or in
darker contrasting color.
A very pleasing stencil effect for use
on a dull green side wall is the use of
ivory white for the patterns with black
outline
Having decided on the color scheme
and having also chosen its form, the
really important thing is to choose the
vehicle or medium of color. for unless
a material be chosen that has permanent
colors and non-rubbing qualities our dec
orations, however beautiful, unique and
attractive, are entirely worthless If not
actually useless. So this matter of ma
terial is after all the vital noint in the