Evening star., 1928-04-01
Quaint and Modern Vie in Lamps
BY BETSY CALLrsTER.

The light that lies In woman's eyes
shines with much more charm In the
room In which the lamps have been
chosen with care. And lights chosen
without regard to the effect they have
on those upon whom they are to shine
are not welcome nowadays among the
more sophisticated women.
The introspective lamp salesman OBJ
serves that purchasers of lamps and
shades may be divided into four gen.
eral groups. Here they are:
Those who want to get their moneys
worth from the electricity consumed
and don't much care how they get 1t.
A reading lamp must first and fore
most cast a strong. steady light on the
pages OF the book or magazine or news
paper, They are convinced that green
shades are best for the eyes, although
the light that falls below the book on
the page may be cold white light and
the light passing upward through the
emerald shade may give their faces a
CHASTITY pailor
Those who want above all things to
get lamp that will look expensive in
the eyes OF the apparently undiScrim-
mating guests who will see It. The
more ornate the standard and the more
gilt braid and beads and Junk the shade
contains the better. They are very apt
to be impressed by trick lamps. Dane
ing girls holding lanterns through
which the light trickleS. Ferocious
lions heads with the light cleaning
through their glass eyes.
Those who want the lamp and shade
itself as inconspicuous as possible and
who think only of the effect of the
light on the furnishings and general
tone of the room. Their idea seems
to be that a lighting fixture like heat
radiator should be as well hidden as
possible. They regard all decorative
lamps as Just trifie bourgeois.
Those who take q sort of middle
ground. They dislike really showy
lamps or shades. but they are willing to
consider their place in the decorative
scneme OF the room. They realize that
the strength OF the light must be con-
Sidered in connection with the purpose
IL Is TO serve. but they are willing to
Sacrlnce little of the electric current
consumed for the sake OF a softer. more
becoming glow.
Uneven Light Becoming.
There is much to be said In favor
OF the perfectly unobtrusive light
the lamp that provides light as ,in-
obtrusively as the up-to-date hidden
radiators provide heat The only diff
Guilty is that II is quite impossible TO
realize that ideal, You might as well
conceive OF a radiator which provided
absolutely even heat throughout the
room as lamp that was completely
out Of sight.
Besides. there is to most persons
something really attractive about an
uneven play Of light In the room Dur
ing the daytime the radiating centers Of
light are the windows, which by means
OF window framing, curtaining, etc. are
treated accordingly. At night the en-
tire aspect Of room changes as the
radiating centers Of light change. And
rooms that are TO be used in the eve
ming as well as in the daytime should
be planned and furnished accordingly.
1t Is very important to consider the
purpose the light is TO serve in making
selection Of the lamp. And as we 20
from one room to another in the hous..
We find almost every variety Of useful
ness that lights may serve. In entrance
ways and passages the light needed is q
not too bright. even light that leaves
no dark shadows where one may STUN
bic or have to grope about. For this
reason q high light of the indirect sort
Is very often chosen. In the hall that
is merely hall one does not linger to
read or to indulge In conversation, so
there Is little need for the more init
mate. cozy light centers.
In the dining room there should be
a light bright enough 10 make 1t possi-
bic Ito see the way to ones mouth"
But the light should not be of The
tytN sxl1 .4.<ss a.
gleam on the pates OF bald men or
the lines on the faces OF the. older
women.
Undoubtedly the problem OF the din
ing room lights is the most difficult os
all to solve. The low dome light that
cast clear light on the table but left
the faces OF the diners in a becoming
twilight had certain advantage-but
soon went out OF favor because the
dome" hanging above the center of the
table effectively hid the faces of guests
who sat at opposite sides OF the table
Soft Glow Of Candles.
After all is said and done there is no
light for the table like that OF the
humble oid-time candle that gives a
soft. warm glow on the well furnished
table without casting glare on the
faces Of the diners. But candle light
Is not enough. Servants cannot grope
around In the darkness as they serve
the meal and the candle light must not
become too religious in it, dimness
Most folk nowadays solve the problem
OF auxiliary dining room light by set
of bracket side lights shaded by fat
parchment shades.
In the living room one must con-
slider q variety OF possible demands
There must be lights suitable for
bridge-nBhts that cast an even light
on the table without making a glare on
the cards or In the faces OF the players.
And save for those who never read out
side Of business hours there must be
soft. glowing reading lights BY the
desk there must be a well adjusted light
where one may write. If you dance
at home there must be some means
OF providing sufficient light even
when the floor is cleared for action"
Shaded wall bracket lamps are ideal
for this.
The problem OF bedroom lights must
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