The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-01-18
HOME DECORATOR
 MUST BE WARY

EHa~ W E. EA
 The home decorator must be wary In her combinati ton of designs, for dnsle iu-chosen pattern may upset the decora tive scheme of a room, sayE the Christian Science Monitor. Par t4cularly in ths choice of painted fur niture, Is 1t of the utmost importance that tho designs of the other fur nishings be frs considered, lest the new decorations strike a false note and ruin the consistent value of the whole It Is well. the l, to study the , patterns of rugs, wall coverings lamps, upholstery, curtains or what ever other features have pattern-like tracery, and repeat or adapt one of the designs or combine them in the motif of decoration for the furniture, rather than to introduce a new one.
 Particularly in cretonne and tapes try, designs suitable for reproduction on furniture are found, although oriental rugs, too, present almost as varied a selection of adaptable pat terms d DIS Ol NdE NALaS5 on furniture, or fretwork on candela- bra, presents 3ust the right theme for adaptation, or perhaps 1t Is found In the window-box plants; hardly any room but it's own hint of decorative motifs.
 This adaptation of designs is not only possible to the expert, but to the amateur who intends to do her own decorati 7, for designs can be traced and ncils easily made. or tAese can be done to order by more experienced craftsmen. For those who buy their furniture already dec orated. the patterns can be aa care fully chosen, for the shops carry a widely varied eelectoN of designs and often make new onca 10 order.
 Decorations for painted furniture come from a variety of sources, run ming the gamut of all the flowers Of the field and conservatory, as well as many hat never grew outside of the designer imagination and even delving into mythology and folklore. For the most part. these decorations are highly conventionaiized, as furni- ture makers have learned that the more fam boyant and naturalistic q design becomes the less decorative it is: experience has also taught that certain designs O. motifs are h"st for pieces typical of certain periods, and as this in no case approaches suited standardization of pattern. it is in- teresting to review in making ones own selection.
 The simple dignity of Windsor fur niture demands the most delicate dec oration, and for this one designer ha- taken a medallion. of unusual spread ing outline, from an antique jewel box and surrounded it with a narrow line border. In highly lacquered finish and light colors, this decoration has all the prim fnesse of an old-fash- toned frilled bouquet while it can be done in stain, slightly darker than a natural walnut or oak finish. with equally good and more subdued ef- feet. On the less formal slab backed furniture of Dutch make, the same designer hls put a convention alized peacock and fountain, taken from an Alsatian print, and invested 1t with the myriad peacock colors in almost irridescent brilnance.
 Colonial furniture suggests wide variety of interesting designs. man of which can be found in the b!oC4, print linens which are shown for cur tains and bed coverings. Among these, perhaps the most interesting and adaptable is a primrose, with a border formed of leaves slightly squared to give a block outline, or a long, slim holiyhOck stalk, chiefly de- pendent for its decorative value on the profusion of tints which it intro duces.
 It Is on the Tyroless. or peasant furniture and that of modern dtAign tlat painted decorations are most ef, fective and are most frequently used
 On light-colorec bedroom furniture, there could be no happier choice of a motif than the welI-known Tree of Happiness done in delicate gray tracery reminiscent of a Japanese { print. In the same colorings, fas- cinating patterns of fiy.ng birds can be adapted, such as are found on the 1 shell-like gray and blue Canton ware Cherry blossoms and tiny sailing ships if dainty in execution, can be used ir similar designs, but these are all diff ficult for the amateur to reproduce as they are not bisymmetric, but de- pend, like the prints that they emu late, on sympat thetie balance.
 For a dining room, with walls of a neutral tan, furniture decorated witr ! an old Scandinavian pattern in maize cornEoweF blue and deep green, thai was repeated on the soft crash win dow curtains and boFdered the china was selected by one woman, who = thereby departed from the over-con- ventionalized furnishings of mos dining rooms, and achieved a roor' of distinct charm. Another dinina room, too light foF such vigorous col brings, was done successfully in tones and design taken from Dutch pottery while breakfast room, flooded witt