South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-11-16
Paint or Paper
Fer Your Walls?
Skilfully Applied Paint is
Ideal But Paper is
More Varied.

Shall we paint or paper our walls -?
Many a person contemplating the dec
Grating and furnishing of his new
home, or the redecorating Of his pres
ent abode, asks himself this question.
and Ii is a point which has been much
discussed of late by decorators.
Viewing the matter from a purely
decorative standpoint, many schemes
Of decoration are impossible OF ac-
complishment without the aid of wall
paper. For example: Should one wish
TO furnish a drawing room in the hlgh-
" ornate style Of Louis XIV, he could
not procure, except at a prohibitive
cost, an original or even a production
of the beautiful brocadeS of that par
ticular period. One can, however, OBJ
tain an exact copy of these brocades
in designs and colors, as also copies
of all period styles, blocked by hand
on paper. Could these styles be repro
duced with paint on walls? They could
but at great expense.
I call to view, writes M. a. Harrlng-
ton in the Countryside magazine, the
wonderful reproduction on paper OF
the famous tapestry The Forest or
Arden" This magnificent tapestry
has been copied in minute detail. The
arrangement Of design and color is
perfect, recurring q nuHlD6I VI manu-
made blocks to print each of the many
colors. blocked on one at a time; and
it stands out as a shining example OF
what is possible in wallpaper. The
wallpaper artisan has not overlooked
practical wants in conjunction with
the scenic effects. He has supplied
blocks for making a tapestry paper
matching exactly the foliage in the
panel. so that it is possible TO carry
entire hall or room, whichever IT may
be.
You may say that not everybody
wants a Louis XIV chamber or draw
ing room. or a hall or library deco
rated with fantastic forestry,-that
they are clamoring for palmer effects.
For these people the choice Is almost
unlimited. For instance, there are the
grass cloths for the hall, library, or
living room walls. This treatment is
absolutely plain, but decorative in
every sense of the word. I cannot
conceive a painted wall. however stip-
pied, sanded or otherwise treated, that
would equal the grass-cloth in deco
rative value as plain background.
What could be more simple than
jasper stripe for the bedrooms The
design in this paper consists of a num-
Der of small stripes. and can be had
in any desirable color in self or two
tone combinations. This makes an
excellent background for any deco
rative furnishing one may wish TO
work up with it, 1t is also possible
to use, with this paper, hangings OF
one of the pretty chintzes which have
become almost indispensable in mod
ern decoration A wall Of this de-
scription could not be painted.
There is a large assortment Of floral
papers of no particular period,-just
pretty arrangements Of chintz colors
and designs, one color predominating,
with which hangings and furniture
coverings Of the new sunfast armures
Of plain color may so readily be used.
A wall OF this type could not be paint
ed except at great expense, and even
then experience has proved that IL
would not be a success.
OF course do not wish one to infer
that paint should be eliminated entire
ly from the decoration Of the home.
Not very long ago, in one Of our large
country homes, I saw most attract
i've and decorative treatment of the
main hall. The walls were painted
soft tone of brown, growing lighter
toward the ceiling, and the ceiling
took up the color in a still lighter
shade. beginning at the picture mold
ing. The wood in this hall was fine
cut OF chestnut, treated with a stain
darker than the wall, as were also the
risers of the stairs, spindles and hand
rail The floor of the hall and the
treads OF the stairs were OF natural
oak. treated with three coats Of
shellac. on the floor of the hall were
oriental rugs, and the stairs had an
oriental runner of the Iran type. The
only furniture consisted OF a console
table. glass and two hall chairs
painted black, not with oils and var
nish, but just plain paint, rubbed and
finished beautifully. The lighting fix
lures were finished in the same man.
ner. This was an ideal treatment, its
success depending entirely on the
background which the pain, applied
in the skillful manner described. af-
forded.