Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-21
Flat Tones Walls Are Spacious
BY BETSY COLLISTER

~ NE Of the surprising things
4 about the modernistic type Of
I furniture is that, though the
~ various chairs, table, divans
and so forth give the appear
ance Of good size and substantially,
their effect in the small city apartment
is to make the rooms seem larger than
usual hit-or-miSS fashion. This at
least applies to the better sort of mod
erniStic furniture, which Is extremely
simple in outline and design. In fact,
one of the aims in mind with many
modern furniture designers has been to
make things that would give this effect
of Spaciousness-andin the decorations
used as background for this type OF
furniture the same effort has been made
sion so that the effect of space and size
would be produced.
In fact, these modernistic pieces of
furniture are not particularly large. The
actual floor space taken Is not great
and they are often SO designed that one
piece will take the place Of two, or two
pieces serve for three or four-as is the
case with divans with ends that give
space to books and other accessories
Of the living room.
1t Is not, however, necessary to fur
nish your rooms in modernistic man
ner to produce this effect Of spacious
ness. The most important things to
avoid in small rooms are overcrowding
and complicated background. And
don't, just because the room is small,
use obviously small furniture, which
will make those who enter the room
look and feel out of proportion. Choose
chairs, tables, stands, ETC., that occupy
no more floor space than possible but
that still have the effect of roominess
when used. Avoid the large type Of
upholstered chairs and divans that look
as If they were intended for club
lounges and hotel Hobbies.
Don't crowd the room with additional
tables and chairs just because you have
them. A folding card table or two and
some folding chairs that may be slowed
away in closet or passage are useful.
If the ceiling Of your room is rather
low then there should be no contrast
between ceiling and side wall decora-
ton. II the ceiling is too high for the
size of the room then band of some
sort may be placed Is inches or so
this band may be given the same tone
as the ceiling while the walls below are
a slightly darker tone Of the same color.
The small room should aways have
fairly light, inconspicuous wall paper.
A dark or striking paper or wall tone
| has way OF advancing toward you.
Patterned wall papers are always to be
avoided in small rooms.
In the small room a triangular cab
met may be placed in one corner to
advantage.
Rather low furniture has the effect
Of giving an effect Of spaciousness and,
now that low chairs and divans are in
favor anyway, you should select tables,
chairs, divans, etc, that are not at all
high. Round tables are better chosen
than those with angles.
If your ceiling is low then be sure
to have the window drapery quite sim
pie. In the living room the overdrapery
should extend right down to the floor.
Much can be done through the ar
rangement of light to make your room
appear spacious. Center chandeliers
are devastating in small room. Best
effects are obtained for general light
ing by invisible fixtures placed high IN
the room so that there Is an even glow
Of light. Sometimes very good effects
may be obtained by side lights, placed
close against the sides of the room with
shades of O fiat sort to hide the actual
fixtures. These should be placed fairly
high In the room. The lamps to be
used for reading and to give an intimate
sort of light should, however, be placed
quite low.
| Mirrors obviously increase the size OF