Evening star., 1941-01-11
Swing Of Pendulum
To Excess Of Desiqn
Within Homes Seen
Furniture Answer May
Come With Period
Of American Modern

vi AHSTISUH !WUueIN
The shape Of things to come in
the furniture world bids fair to be
influenced by the changing social
orders of human kind.
To quote opinions expressed by
William A. Kimbel, president of the
American Institute of Decorators,
IN an article printed by Retailing,
the home furnishings magazine:
"Just as the pendulum swung from
the classic simplicity of the 18th
century Georgian styles in England
to the eXceSseS of ornamentation in
the Victorian era, so here in this
country the pendulum started
swinging away from our excesses
of the gay 90s, passed through that
phase of extravaganza which found
our successful American living in
the background of baronial castle
and ended up in the present eX-
preston of extreme simplicity. I
maintain that the pendulum has
again started to swing in the other
direction and if precedent proves
anything, we may again be In for a
period of excess in design and Or
namentation.
This may result in the combina-
ton of simple modern structural
forms with surface embellishments
It may result in the use of tradi-
tional furniture against the SIM
plicity of modern background. In
either case the lasting and benefi-
cial influence toward simplification
will have exerted itself. What form
the trend will take, no one can pre-
dict with certainty. We can only
prophesy its direction as based on
precedent and our knowledge of
human nature Certain it is that
Just as human social orders are
never static, but are constantly
changing to reflect the evolution in
political, economic and social con-
ditions, so must design continue in
a state of fluX to constantly express
these ever r-changing moods"
American Modern the Answer?
All this ties up with the talk lately
given by Russell Wright on the
theme of national pride and also
reported by Retailing. Mr.. Wright,
however, decrying adherence to
styles of the past, sees an American
modern as the answer. What type
Of furnishings should the American
home of today or tomorrow have?"
asked Mr. Wright. I'VE say the tur-
nishings in the good, Self-respectlng
American home should not be
Gothic, Renaissance, Biedermeier,
Empire, Victorian. Queen Anne,
English Regency, American Re
gency or Early American. We say
they should be Goth Century Amer
lean. We think that the furnish
ings in the good American home
will not be period reproductions
they will be furnishings designed
for you now by living artists. They
Will not be the kind OF modern
functional furnishings brought over
from Europe which have Influenced
us so much in the past Is years.
No, we think we are evolving kind
of American Modern. -
This has made us examine pres
ent and past American tastes. We
think that, after all the fads have
blown over, history will find that
Americans like things rather simple
and plain, somewhat stout and
sturdy
New Types in Prospect"
And American Modern is appear
ing, although many types probably
will evolve before the final perma-
nent type settles into its place. Ac-
cording to Retailing: THE most
popular type of design in modern
furniture today is the simple,
straightforward American Modern
and blond woods in warm fin
ishes are the most popular Of the
woods. Dark mahogany and certain
bleached oak styles are being bought
BY the prestige customer and used
by the decorating departments for
their clients. Lacquer finishes, too,
fall in the prestige category
lacuuers in color being used as an
accent in natural wood schemes"
And what of the colors with which
the background for these new fur
nitures will be painted? Lime green
Is popular, so is a ciel blue that Is
almost robins egg in color, clear
yellow, dusty pink, gunmetal and the
old standby, dubonnet.
Since the color trends in vogue
for clothing are likewise reflected
In home decoration, next spring In
terror decorators will doubtless bor-
row many shades from the spring
color card just released by the Tex
tile Color Card Association Of the
United States. Blues are again
prominent, particularly the national
defense shades such as Marine
Corps, West Point and American
Navy. The greenish blue range will
be represented by new aqua and
petrol tones. Also smart are reseda
and smoky yellowish green's, coral
and pinkish clay tones, greenlsh
gold and pastel taupe. Browns,
natural, tan or deeper colors-which
include warm golden earth and
brown honey as we'll as subtle varla-
tions of cocoa-will be especially
emphasized.
These are only a few Of the ex-
ouisite new colors from which paint
ers may mix-from the fiat or egg
shell finish, oil paints or the velvety
casein paints-all manner of in
triguing shades with which to
decorate the home.