,,furnishing ,,the ,,home ,,of ,,good ,,taste ,a ,,brief ,,sketch ,,of ,,the ,,period ,,styles ,,in ,,interior ,,decoration ,,with ,,suggestions ,,as ,,to ,,their ,,employment ,,in ,,the ,,homes ,,of ,,today ,,by ,,lucy ,,abbot ,,throop ,,new ,,york ,,robert ,m4 ,,mcbride ,,co4 #aibj 99 99 99 99 99 #aiaj ,,the ,,crowell ,,publishing ,,co4 #aiaa1 #aiab1 ,,mcbride1 ,,nast ,,co4 #aibj1 ,,robert ,m4 ,,mcbride ,,co4 ,,new ,,and ,,revised ,,edition ,published1 ,september1 #aibj 99 99 99 99 99 ,illustration3 ,trowbridge ,livingston1 architects4 ,a principle which can be applied to both large and small houses is shown in the beauty of the panel spacing and the adequate support of the cornice by the pilasters4 ,contents ,,preface i ,,egypt ,,and ,,greece #a ,,the ,,renaissance ,,in ,,italy #g ,,the ,,development ,,of ,,decoration ,,in ,,france #ag ,,louis ,,xiv #bi ,,the ,,regency ,,and ,,louis ,,xv #hg ,,louis ,,xvi #dg ,,the ,,empire #eh ,,english ,,furniture ,,from ,,gothic ,,days ,,to ,,the ,,period ,,of ,,queen ,,anne #ei ,,queen ,,anne #gh ,,chippendale ,,and ,,the ,,eighteenth ,,century ,,in ,,england #gi ,,robert ,,adam #ia ,,hepplewhite #ig ,,sheraton #ajc ,a ,,general ,,talk #aaa ,,georgian ,,furniture #ace ,,furnishing ,,with ,,french ,,furniture #adi ,,country ,,houses #aei ,,the ,,nursery ,,and ,,play-,,room #afi ,,curtains #age ,,floors ,,and ,,floor ,,coverings #ahe ,,the ,,treatment ,,of ,,walls #aie ,,artificial ,,lighting #bji ,,painted ,,furniture #bba ,,synopsis ,,of ,,period ,,styles ,,as ,,an ,,aid ,,in ,,buying ,,furniture #bca ,the ,illustrations ,a modern dining-room ,frontispiece ,,facing ,,page ,italian ,renaissance fireplace and overmantel1 modern #h ,doorways and pilaster details1 ,italian ,renaissance #i ,two ,louis ,,xiii chairs #bb ,a ,gothic chair of the fifteenth century #bc ,a ,louis ,,xiv chair #cb ,louis ,,xiv inlaid desk-table #cc ,louis ,,xiv chair with underbracing #cc ,a modern ,french drawing-room #dj ,a drawing-room1 old ,french furniture and tapestry #da ,early ,louis ,,xiv chair #dd ,louis ,,xv bergre #dd ,louis ,,xvi bench #de ,louis ,,xvi from ,fontainebleau #ej ,american ,empire bed #ea ,an ,apostles bed of the ,tudor period #fj ,adaptation of the style of ,william and ,mary to dressing table #fa ,reproduction of ,charles ,,ii chair #fa ,living-room with reproductions of different periods #fd ,original ,jacobean sofa #fe ,reproductions of ,charles ,,ii chairs #fe ,reproductions of ,queen ,anne period #gb ,reproduction of ,james ,,ii chair #gc ,reproduction of ,william and ,mary chair #gc ,gothic and ,ribbonback types of ,chippendale chairs #gh ,chippendale mantel mirror showing ,french influence #gi ,chippendale fretwork tea-table #gi ,chippendale china cupboard #hb ,typical chairs of the eighteenth century #hc ,chippendale and ,hepplewhite sofas #hf ,adam mirror1 block-front chest of drawers1 and ,hepplewhite chair #hg ,two ,adam mantels #ib ,a group of old mirrors #ic ,dining-room furnished with ,hepplewhite furniture #if ,old ,hepplewhite sideboard #ig ,reproduction of ,hepplewhite settee #ig ,sheraton chest of drawers #ajd ,sheraton desk and sewing-table #aje ,dining-room in simple country house #aab ,dining-room furnished with fine old furniture #aac ,dorothy ,quincy's bed-room #abd ,two valuable old desks #abe ,pembroke inlaid table #add ,sheraton sideboard #add ,four post bed #ade ,doorway detail1 ,compigne #aeb ,reproduction of a bed owned by ,marie ,antoinette #aec ,reproduction of ,louis ,,xvi bed #aec ,a ,georgian hallway #afb ,rare block-front chest of drawers #afc ,a modern living-room #agh ,curtain treatment for a summer home #agi ,hallway showing rugs #ahh ,hallway showing rugs #ahi ,colonial bed-room #ahi ,dining-room with paneled walls #aif ,four post bed owned by ,lafayette #aig ,modern dining-room #bjd ,four post bed #bje ,reproductions of ,adam painted furniture #bbb ,three-chair ,sheraton settee #bbc ,reproduction of a ,sheraton wing-chair #bbc ,slat-backed chair #bbc ,group of chairs and pie-crust table #bcb ,groups of chairs #bcc ,reproduction of ,jacobean buffet #bcf ,group of mirrors #bcg ,reproduction of ,william and ,mary settee #bdj ,adaptation of ,georgian ideas to ,william and ,mary dressing table #bdj ,two ,adam chairs #bda ,jacobean day-bed #bda ,reproductions of ,chippendale table and ,hepplewhite desk #bdd ,reproduction of ,sheraton chest of drawers #bde ,reproduction of ,william and ,mary chest of drawers #bde ,a modern sun-room #bdf ,sheraton sofa #bdg ,hepplewhite chair and nest of tables #bdg ,chippendale wing-chair #bdg ,modern paneled living-room #bdh ,empire bed #bdh ,hancock desk1 and fine old highboy #bdi ,preface ,to try to write a history of furniture in a fairly short space is almost as hard as the square peg and round hole problem4 ,no matter how one tries1 it will not fit4 ,one has to leave out so much of importance1 so much of historic and artistic interest1 so much of the life of the people that helps to make the subject vivid1 and has to take so much for granted1 that the task seems almost impossible4 ,in spite of this ,i shall try to give in the following pages a general but necessarily short review of the field1 hoping that it may help those wishing to furnish their homes in some special period style4 ,the average person cannot study all the subject thoroughly1 but it certainly adds interest to the problems of one's own home to know something of how the great periods of decoration grew one from another1 how the influence of art in one country made itself felt in the next1 molding and changing taste and educating the people to a higher sense of beauty4 ,it is the lack of general knowledge which makes it possible for furniture built on amazingly bad lines to be sold masquerading under the name of some great period4 ,the customer soon becomes bewildered1 and1 unless he has a decided taste of his own1 is apt to get something which will prove a white elephant on his hands4 ,one must have some standard of comparison1 and the best and simplest way is to study the great work of the past4 ,to study its rise and climax rather than the decline2 to know the laws of its perfection so that one can recognize the exaggeration which leads to degeneracy4 ,this ebb and flow is most interesting3 the feeling the way at the beginning1 ever growing surer and surer until the high level of perfection is reached2 and then the desire to gild the lily leading to over-ornamentation1 and so to decline4 ,however1 the germ of good taste and the sense of truth and beauty is never dead1 and asserts itself slowly in a transition period1 and then once more one of the great periods of decoration is born4 ,there are several ways to study the subject1 one of the pleasantest naturally being travel1 as the great museums1 palaces1 and private collections of ,europe offer the widest field4 ,in this country1 also1 the museums and many private collections are rich in treasures1 and there are many proud possessors of beautiful isolated pieces of furniture4 ,if one cannot see originals the libraries will come to the rescue with many books showing research and a thorough knowledge and appreciation of the beauty and importance of the subject in all its branches4 ,i have tried to give an outline1 7which ,i hope the reader will care to enlarge for himself71 not from a collector's standpoint1 but from the standpoint of the modern home-maker1 to help him furnish his house consistently1--to try to spread the good word that period furnishing does not necessitate great wealth1 and that it is as easy and far more interesting to furnish a house after good models1 as to have it banal and commonplace4 ,the first part of this little book is devoted to a short review of the great periods1 and the second part is an effort to help adapt them to modern needs1 with a few chapters added of general interest to the home-maker4 ,a short bibliography is also added1 both to express my thanks and indebtedness to many learned and delightful writers on this subject of house furnishing in all its branches1 and also as a help to others who may wish to go more deeply into its different divisions than is possible within the covers of a book4 ,i wish to thank the ,editors of ,house and ,garden and ,the ,woman's ,home ,companion for kindly allowing me to reprint articles and portions of articles which have appeared in their magazines4 ,i wish also to thank the owners of the different houses illustrated1 and ,messrs4 ,trowbridge and ,livingston1 architects1 for their kindness in allowing me to use photographs4 ,thanks are also due ,messrs4 ,bergen ,orsenigo1 ,nahon ,company1 ,tiffany ,studios1 ,joseph ,wild ,co4 and the ,john ,somma ,co4 for the use of photographs to illustrate the reproduction of period furniture and rugs of different types4 ,egypt and ,greece ,the early history of art in all countries is naturally connected more closely with architecture than with decoration1 for architecture had to be developed before the demand for decoration could come4 ,but the two have much in common4 ,noble architecture calls for noble decoration4 ,decoration is one of the natural instincts of man1 and from the earliest records of his existence we find him striving to give expression to it1 we see it in the scratched pieces of bone and stone of the cave dwellers1 in the designs of savage tribes1 and in ,druidical and ,celtic remains1 and in the great ruins of ,yucatan4 ,the meaning of these monuments may be lost to us1 but we understand the spirit of trying to express the sense of beauty in the highest way possible1 for it is the spirit which is still moving the world1 and is the foundation of all worthy achievement4 ,egypt and ,assyria stand out against the almost impenetrable curtain of pre-historic days in all the majesty of their so-called civilization4 ,huge1 massive1 aloof from the world1 their temples and tombs and ruins remain4 ,research has given us the key to their religion1 so we understand much of the meaning of their wall-paintings and the buildings themselves4 ,the belief of the ,egyptian that life was a short passage and his house a mere stopping-place on the way to the tomb1 which was to be his permanent dwelling-place1 explains the great care and labor spent on the pyramids1 chapels1 and rock sepulchers4 ,they embalmed the dead for all eternity and put statues and images in the tombs to keep the mummy company4 ,colossal figures of their gods and goddesses guarded the tombs and temples1 and still remain looking out over the desert with their strange1 inscrutable ,egyptian eyes4 ,the people had technical skill which has never been surpassed1 but the great size of the pyramids and temples and sphinxes gives one the feeling of despotism rather than civilization2 of mass and permanency and the wonder of man's achievement rather than beauty1 but they personify the mystery and power of ancient ,egypt4 ,the columns of the temples were massive1 those of ,karnak being seventy feet high1 with capitals of lotus flowers and buds strictly conventionalized4 ,the walls were covered with hieroglyphics and paintings4 ,perspective was never used1 and figures were painted side view except for the eye and shoulder4 ,in the tombs have been found many household belongings1 beautiful gold and silver work1 beside the offerings put there to appease the gods4 ,chairs have been found1 which1 humorous as it may sound1 are certainly the ancestors of ,empire chairs made thousands of years later4 ,this is explained by the influence of ,napoleon's ,egyptian campaign1 but there is something in common between the two times so far apart1 of ambition and pride1 of grandeur and colossal enterprise4 ,greece may well be called the ,mother of ,beauty1 for with the ,greeks came the dawn of a higher civilization1 a striving for harmony of line and proportion1 an ideal clear1 high and persistent4 ,when the ,dorians from the northern part of ,greece built their simple1 beautiful temples to their gods and goddesses they gave the impetus to the movement which brought forth the highest art the world has known4 ,traces of ,egyptian influence are to be found in the earliest temples1 but the ,greeks soon rose to their own great heights4 ,the ,doric column was thick1 about six diameters in height1 fluted1 growing smaller toward the top1 with a simple capital1 and supported the entablature4 ,the horizontal lines of the architrave and cornice were more marked than the vertical lines of the columns4 ,the portico with its row of columns supported the pediment4 ,the ,parthenon is the most perfect example of the ,doric order1 and shattered as it is by time and man it is still one of the most beautiful buildings in the world4 ,it was built in the time of ,pericles1 from about #dfj to #dce ,b4,c41 and the work was superintended by ,phidias1 who did much of the work himself and left the mark of his genius on the whole4 ,the ,ionic order of architecture was a development of the ,doric1 but was lighter and more graceful4 ,the columns were more slender and had a greater number of flutes and the capitals formed of scrolls or volutes were more ornamental4 ,the ,corinthian order was more elaborate than the ,ionic as the capitals were foliated 7the acanthus being used71 the columns higher1 and the entablature more richly decorated4 ,this order was copied by the ,romans more than the other two as it suited their more florid taste4 ,all the orders have the horizontal feeling in common 7as ,gothic architecture has the vertical71 and the simple plan with its perfect harmony of proportion leaves no sense of lack of variety4 ,the perfection attained in architecture was also attained in sculpture1 and we see the same aspiration toward the ideal1 the same wonderful achievement4 ,this purity of taste of the ,greeks has formed a standard to which the world has returned again and again and whose influence will continue to be felt as long as the world lasts4 ,the minor arts were carried to the same state of perfection as their greater sisters1 for the artists and artisans had the same noble ideal of beauty and the same unerring taste4 ,we have carved gems and coins1 and wonderful gold ornaments1 painted and silver vases1 and terra-cotta figurines1 to show what a high point the household arts reached4 ,no work of the great ,grecian painters remains2 ,apelles1 ,zeuxis1 are only names to us1 but from the wall paintings at ,pompeii where late ,greek influence was strongly felt we can imagine how charming the decorations must have been4 ,egypt and ,greece were the torch bearers of civilization4 ,the ,renaissance in ,italy ,the ,gothic period has been treated in later chapters on ,france and ,england1 as it is its development in these countries which most affects us1 but the ,renaissance in ,italy stands alone4 ,so great was its strength that it could supply both inspiration and leaders to other countries1 and still remain preminent4 ,it was in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries that this great classical revival in ,italy came1 this re-birth of a true sense of beauty which is called the ,renaissance4 ,it was an age of wonders1 of great artistic creations1 and was one of the great epochs of the world1 one of the turning points of human existence4 ,it covered so large a field and was so many-sided that only careful study can give a full realization of the giants of intellect and power who made its greatness1 and who left behind them work that shows the very quintessence of genius4 ,italy1 stirring slightly in the fourteenth century1 woke and rose to her greatest heights in the fifteenth and sixteenth4 ,the whole people responded to the new joy of life1 the love of learning1 the expression of beauty in all its forms4 ,all notes were struck1--gay1 graceful1 beautiful1 grave1 cruel1 dignified1 reverential1 magnificent1 but all with an exuberance of life and power that gave to ,italian art its great place in human culture4 ,the great names of the period speak for themselves1--,michelangelo1 ,raphael1 ,botticelli1 ,titian1 ,leonardo da ,vinci1 ,andrea del ,sarto1 ,machiavelli1 ,benvenuto ,cellini1 and a host of others4 ,the inspiration of the ,renaissance came largely from the later ,greek schools of art and literature1 ,alexandria and ,rhodes and the colonies in ,sicily and ,italy1 rather than ancient ,greece4 ,it was also the influence which came to ancient ,rome at its most luxurious period4 ,the importance of the taking of ,alexandria and ,constantinople in #adec must not be underestimated1 as it drove scholars from the great libraries of the ,east carrying their manuscripts to the nobles and priests and merchant princes of ,italy who thus became enthusiastic patrons of learning and art4 ,this later type of ,greek art lacked the austerity of the ancient type1 and to the models full of joy and beauty and suffering1 the ,italians of the ,renaissance added the touch of their own temperament and made them theirs in the glowing1 rich and astounding way which has never been equaled and probably never will be4 ,perfection of line and beauty was not sufficient1 the soul with its capacity for joy and suffering1 the soul with all its maladies as ,pater says1 had become a factor4 ,the impression made upon ,michelangelo by seeing the ,laocon disinterred is vividly described by ,longfellow-- ,illustration3 ,an exquisite and true ,renaissance feeling is shown in the pilasters4 ,illustration3 ,the ,italian ,renaissance is still inspiring the world4 ,in the two doorways the use of pilasters and frieze1 and the pedimented and round over-door motifs are typical of the period4 ,long1 long years ago1 ,standing one morning near the ,baths of ,titus1 ,i saw the statue of ,laocon ,rise from its grave of centuries like a ghost ,writhing in pain2 and as it tore away ,the knotted serpents from its limbs1 ,i heard1 ,or seemed to hear1 the cry of agony ,from its white parted lips4 ,and still ,i marvel ,at the three ,rhodian artists1 by whose hands ,this miracle was wrought4 ,yet he beholds ,far nobler works who looks upon the ruins ,of temples in the ,forum here in ,rome4 ,if ,god should give me power in my old age ,to build for him a temple half as grand ,as those were in their glory1 ,i should count ,my age more excellent than youth itself1 ,and all that ,i have hitherto accomplished ,as only vanity4 ,it was an age productive in personalities1 many-sided1 centralized1 complete4 ,artists and philosophers and those whom the action of the world had elevated and made keen1 breathed a common air and caught light and heat from each other's thoughts4 ,it is this unity of spirit which gives unity to all the various products of the ,renaissance1 and it is to this intimate alliance with mind1 this participation in the best thoughts which that age produced1 that the art of ,italy in the fifteenth century owes much of its grave dignity and influence4,a ,a ,walter ,pater3 ,studies in the ,renaissance4 ,it is to this unity of the arts we owe the fact that the art of beautifying the home took its proper place4 ,during the ,middle ,ages the ,church had absorbed the greater part of the best man had to give1 and home life was rather a hit or miss affair1 the house was a fortress1 the family possessions so few that they could be packed into chests and easily moved4 ,during the ,renaissance the home ideal grew1 and1 although the ,church still claimed the best1 home life began to have comforts and beauties never dreamed of before4 ,the walls glowed with color1 tapestries and velvets added their beauties1 and the noble proportions of the marble halls made a rich background for the elaborately carved furniture4 ,the doors of ,italian palaces were usually inlaid with woods of light shade1 and the soft1 golden tone given by the process was in beautiful1 but not too strong1 contrast with the marble architrave of the doorway1 which in the fifteenth century was carved in low relief combined with disks of colored marble1 sliced1 by the way1 from ,roman temple pillars4 ,later as the classic taste became stronger the carving gave place to a plain architrave and the over-door took the form of a pediment4 ,mantels were of marble1 large1 beautifully carved1 with the fireplace sunk into the thickness of the wall4 ,the overmantel usually had a carved panel1 but later1 during the sixteenth century1 this was sometimes replaced by a picture4 ,the windows of the ,renaissance were a part of the decoration of the room1 and curtains were not used in our modern manner1 but served only to keep out the draughts4 ,in those days the better the house the simpler the curtains4 ,there were many kinds of ceilings used1 marble1 carved wood1 stucco1 and painting4 ,they were elaborate and beautiful1 and always gave the impression of being perfectly supported on the well-proportioned cornice and walls4 ,the floors were usually of marble4 ,many of the houses kept to the plan of medival exteriors1 great expanses of plain walls with few openings on the outsides1 but as they were built around open courts1 the interiors with their colonnades and open spaces showed the change the ,renaissance had brought4 ,the ,riccardi ,palace in ,florence and the ,palazzo della ,cancelleria in ,rome1 are examples of this early type4 ,the second phase was represented by the great ,bramante1 whose theory of restraining decoration and emphasizing the structure of the building has had such important influence4 ,one of his successors was ,andrea ,palladio1 whose work made such a deep impression on ,inigo ,jones4 ,the ,library of ,st4 ,mark's at ,venice is a beautiful example of this part4 ,the third phase was entirely dominated by ,michelangelo4 ,the furniture1 to be in keeping with buildings of this kind1 was large and richly carved4 ,chairs1 seats1 chests1 cabinets1 tables1 and beds1 were the chief pieces used1 but they were not plentiful at all in our sense of the word4 ,the chairs and benches had cushions to soften the hard wooden seats4 ,the stuffs of the time were most beautiful ,genoese velvet1 cloth of gold1 tapestries1 and wonderful embroideries1 all lending their color to the gorgeous picture4 ,the carved marriage chest1 or cassone1 is one of the pieces of ,renaissance furniture which has most often descended to our own day1 for such chests formed a very important part of the furnishing in every household1 and being large and heavy1 were not so easily broken as chairs and tables4 ,beds were huge1 and were architectural in form1 a base and roof supported on four columns4 ,the classical orders were used1 touched with the spirit of the time1 and the fluted columns rose from acanthus leaves set in an urn supported on lion's feet4 ,the tester and cornice gave scope for carving and the panels of the tester usually had the lovely scrolls so characteristic of the period4 ,the headboard was often carved with a coat-of-arms and the curtains hung from inside the cornice4 ,grotesques were largely used in ornament4 ,the name is derived from grottoes1 as the ,roman tombs being excavated at the time were called1 and were in imitation of the paintings found on their walls1 and while they were fantastic1 the word then had no unkindly humorous meaning as now4 ,scrolls1 dolphins1 birds1 beasts1 the human figure1 flowers1 everything was called into use for carving and painting by genius of the artisans of the ,renaissance4 ,they loved their work and felt the beauty and meaning of every line they made1 and so it came about that when1 in the course of years1 they traveled to neighboring countries1 they spread the influence of this great period1 and it is most interesting to see how on the ,italian foundation each country built her own distinctive style4 ,like all great movements the ,renaissance had its beginning1 its splendid climax1 and its decline4 ,the ,development of ,decoration in ,france4 ,when ,caesar came to ,gaul he did more than see and conquer2 he absorbed so thoroughly that we have almost no knowledge of how the ,gauls lived1 so far as household effects were concerned4 ,the character which descended from this ,gallo-,roman race to the later ,french nation was optimistic and beauty-loving1 with a strength which has carried it through many dark days4 ,it might be said to be responsible for the ,french sense of proportion and their freedom of judgment which has enabled them to hold their important place in the history of art and decoration4 ,they have always assimilated ideas freely but have worked them over until they bore the stamp of their own individuality1 often gaining greatly in the process4 ,one of the first authentic pieces of furniture is a bahut or chest dating from sometime in the twelfth century and belonging to the ,church of ,obazine4 ,it shows how furniture followed the lines of architecture1 and also shows that there was no carving used on it4 ,large spaces were probably covered with painted canvas1 glued on4 ,later1 when panels became smaller and the furniture designs were modified1 moldings1 etc41 began to be used4 ,these bahuts or huches1 from which the term huchiers came 7meaning the ,corporation of ,carpenters71 were nothing more than chests standing on four feet4 ,from all sources of information on the subject it has been decided that they were probably the chief pieces of furniture the people had4 ,they served as a seat by day and1 with cushions spread upon them1 as a bed by night4 ,they were also used as tables with large pieces of silver dress or arranged upon them in the daytime4 ,from this comes our word dresser for the kitchen shelves4 ,in those days of brigands and wars and sudden death1 the household belongings were as few as possible so that the trouble of speedy transportation would be small1 and everything was packed into the chests4 ,as the idea of comfort grew a little stronger1 the number of chests grew1 and when a traveling party arrived at a stopping-place1 out came the tapestries and hangings and cushions and silver dishes1 which were arranged to make the rooms seem as cheerful as possible4 ,the germ of the home ideal was there1 at least1 but it was hard work for the arras and the ciel to keep out the cold and cover the bare walls4 ,when life became a little more secure and people learned something of the beauty of proportion1 the rooms showed more harmony in regard to the relation of open spaces and walls1 and became a decoration in themselves1 with the tapestries and hangings enhancing their beauty of line4 ,it was not until some time in the fifteenth century that the habit of traveling with all one's belongings ceased4 ,the year #ajjj was looked forward to with abject terror1 for it was firmly believed by all that the world was then coming to an end4 ,it cast a gloom over all the people and paralyzed all ambition4 ,when1 however1 the fatal year was safely passed1 there was a great religious thanksgiving and everyone joined in the praise of a merciful ,god4 ,the semi-circular arch of the ,romanesque style gave way to the pointed arch of the ,gothic1 and wonderful cathedrals slowly lifted their beautiful spires to the sky4 ,the ideal was to build for the glory of ,god and not only for the eyes of man1 so that exquisite carving was lavished upon all parts of the work4 ,this deeply reverent feeling lasted through the best period of ,gothic architecture1 and while household furniture was at a standstill church furniture became more and more beautiful1 for in the midst of the religious fervor nothing seemed too much to do for the ,church4 ,slowly it died out1 and a secular attitude crept into decoration4 ,one finds grotesque carvings appearing on the choir stalls and other parts of churches and cathedrals and the standard of excellence was lowered4 ,the chest1 table1 wooden arm-chair1 bed1 and bench1 were as far as the imagination had gone in domestic furniture1 and although we read of wonderful tapestries and leather hangings and clothes embroidered in gold and jewels1 there was no comfort in our sense of the word1 and those brave knights and fair ladies had need to be strong to stand the hardships of life4 ,glitter and show was the ideal and it was many more years before the standard of comfort and refinement gained a firm foothold4 ,gothic architecture and decoration declined from the perfection of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries to the over-decorated1 flamboyant ,gothic of the fifteenth century1 and it was in the latter period that the transition began between the ,gothic and the ,renaissance epochs4 ,the ,renaissance was at its height in ,italy in the fifteenth century1 and its influence began to make itself felt a little in ,france at that time4 ,when the ,french under ,louis ,,xii seized ,milan1 the magnificence of the court of ,ludovico ,sforza1 the great duke of ,milan1 made such an impression on them that they could not rest content with the old order1 and took home many beautiful things4 ,italian artisans were also imported1 and as ,france was ready for the change1 their lessons were learned and the ,french ,renaissance came slowly into existence4 ,this transition is well shown by the ,chateau de ,gaillon1 built by ,cardinal d',amboise4 ,gothic and ,renaissance decoration were placed side by side in panels and furniture1 and we also find some pure ,gothic decoration as late as the early part of the sixteenth century1 but they were in parts of ,france where tradition changed slowly4 ,styles overlap in every transition period1 so it is often difficult to place the exact date on a piece of furniture2 but the old dies out at last and gives way to the new4 ,with the accession of ,frances ,i in #aeae the ,renaissance came into its own in ,france4 ,he was a great patron of art and letters1 and under his fostering care the people knew new luxuries1 new beauties1 and new comforts4 ,he invited ,andrea del ,sarto and ,leonardo da ,vinci to come to ,france4 ,the word ,renaissance means simply revival and it is not correctly used when we mean a distinct style led or inspired by one person4 ,it was a great epoch1 with individuality as its leading spirit1 led by the inspiration of the ,italian artists brought from ,italy and molded by the genius of ,france4 ,this renewal of classic feeling came at the psychological moment1 for the true spirit of the great ,gothic period had died4 ,the ,renaissance movements in ,italy1 ,france1 ,england and ,germany all drew their inspiration from the same source1 but in each case the national characteristics entered into the treatment4 ,the ,italians and ,germans both used the grotesque a great deal1 but the ,germans used it in a coarser and heavier way than the ,italians1 who used it esthetically4 ,the ,french used more especially conventional and beautiful floral forms1 and the inborn ,french sense of the fitness of things gave the treatment a wonderful charm and beauty4 ,if one studies the ,french chateaux one will feel the true beauty and spirit of the times--,blois with its history of many centuries1 and then some of the purely ,renaissance chateaux1 like ,chambord4 ,although great numbers of ,italian artists came to ,france1 one must not think they did all the beautiful work of the time4 ,the ,french learned quickly and adapted what they learned to their own needs1 so that the delicate and graceful decorations brought from ,italy became more and more individualized until in the reign of ,henry ,,ii the ,renaissance reached its high-water mark4 ,the furniture of the time did not show much change or become more varied or comfortable4 ,it was large and solid and the chairs had the satisfactory effect of good proportion1 while the general squareness of outline added to the feeling of solidity4 ,oak was used1 and later walnut4 ,the chair legs were straight1 and often elaborately turned1 and usually had strainers or under framing4 ,cushions were simply tied on at first1 but the knowledge of upholstering was gaining ground1 and by the time of ,louis ,,xiii was well understood4 ,cabinets had an architectural effect in their design4 ,the style of the decorative motive changed1 but it is chiefly in architecture and the decorative treatment of it that one sees the true spirit of the ,renaissance4 ,two men who had great influence on the style of furniture of the time were ,androuet du ,cerceau and ,hugues ,sambin4 ,they published books of plates that were eagerly copied in all parts of ,france4 ,sambin's influence can be traced in the later style of ,louis ,,xiv4 ,illustration3 ,louis ,,xiii chair now in the ,cluny ,museum showing the ,flemish influence4 ,illustration3 ,a typical ,louis ,,xiii chair1 many of which were covered with velvet or tapestry4 ,illustration3 ,by courtesy of the ,metropolitan ,museum of ,art ,this ,gothic chair of the #afth century shows the beautiful linen-fold design in the carving on the lower panels1 and also the keyhole which made the chest safe when traveling4 ,the marriage of ,henry ,,ii and ,catherine de ,medici naturally continued the strong ,italian influence4 ,the portion of the ,renaissance called after ,henry ,,ii lasted about seventy-five years1 and corresponds with the ,elizabethan period in ,england4 ,during the regency of ,marie de ,medici1 ,flemish influence became very strong1 as she invited ,rubens to ,paris to decorate the ,luxembourg4 ,there were also many ,italians called to do the work1 and as ,rubens had studied in ,italy1 ,italian influence was not lacking4 ,degeneracy began during the reign of ,henry ,,iv1 as ornament became meaningless and consistency of decoration was lost in a maze of superfluous design4 ,it was in the reign of ,louis ,,xiii that furniture for the first time became really comfortable1 and if one examines the engravings of ,abraham ,bosse one will see that the rooms have an air of homelikeness as well as richness4 ,the characteristic chair of the period was short in the back and square in shape--it was usually covered with leather or tapestry1 fastened to the chair with large brass nails1 and the back and seat often had a fringe4 ,a set of chairs usually consisted of arm-chairs1 plain chairs1 folding stools and a lit-de-repos4 ,many of the arm-chairs were entirely covered with velvet or tapestry1 or1 if the woodwork showed1 it was stained to harmonize with the covering on the seat and back4 ,the twisted columns used in chairs1 bedposts1 etc41 were borrowed from ,italy and were very popular4 ,another shape often used for chair legs was the ,x that shows ,flemish influence4 ,the lit-de-repos1 or chaise-longue1 was a seat about six feet long1 sometimes with arms and sometimes not1 and with a mattress and bolster4 ,the beds were very elaborate and very important in the scheme of decoration1 as the ladies of the time held receptions in their bedrooms and the king and nobles gave audiences to their subjects while in bed4 ,these latter were therefore necessarily furnished with splendor4 ,the woodwork was usually covered with the same material as the curtains1 or stained to harmonize4 ,the canopy never reached to the ceiling but was1 from floor to top1 about #g ft4 #c in4 high1 and the bed was #f-a_/b ft4 square4 ,the curtains were arranged on rods and pulleys1 and when closed this lit en housse looked like a huge square box4 ,the counterpane1 or coverture de parade1 was of the curtain material4 ,the four corners of the canopy were decorated with bunches of plumes or panache1 or with a carved wooden ornament called pomme1 or with a bouquet of silk4 ,the beds were covered with rich stuffs1 like tapestry1 silk1 satin1 velvet1 cloth-of-gold and silver1 etc41 all of which were embroidered or trimmed with gold or silver lace4 ,one of the features of a ,louis ,,xiii room was the tapestry and hangings4 ,a certain look of dignity was given to the rooms by the general square and heavy outlines of the furniture and the huge chimney-pieces4 ,the taste for cabinets kept up and the cabinets and presses were large1 sometimes divided into two parts1 sometimes with doors1 sometimes with open frame underneath4 ,the tables were richly carved and gilded1 often ornamented with bronze and copper4 ,the cartouche was used a great deal in decoration1 with a curved surface4 ,this rounded form appears in the posts used in various kinds of furniture4 ,when rectangles were used they were always broader than high4 ,the garlands of fruit were heavy1 the cornucopias were slender1 with an astonishing amount of fruit pouring from them1 and the work was done in rather low relief4 ,carved and gilded mirrors were introduced by the ,italians as were also sconces and glass chandeliers4 ,it was a time of great magnificence1 and shadowed forth the coming glory of ,louis ,,xiv4 ,it seems a style well suited to large dining-rooms and libraries in modern houses of importance4 ,louis ,,xiv ,it is often a really difficult matter to decide the exact boundary lines between one period and another1 for the new style shows its beginnings before the old one is passed1 and the old style still appears during the early years of the new one4 ,it is an overlapping process and the years of transition are ones of great interest4 ,as one period follows another it usually shows a reaction from the previous one2 a somber period is followed by a gay one2 the excess of ornament in one is followed by restraint in the next4 ,it is the same law that makes us want cake when we have had too much bread and butter4 ,the world has changed so much since the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries that it seems almost impossible that we should ever again have great periods of decoration like those of ,louis ,,xiv1 ,louis ,,xv and ,louis ,,xvi4 ,then the monarch was supreme4 ,l'tat c'est moi1 said ,louis ,,xiv1 and it was true4 ,he established the great ,gobelin works on a basis that made ,france the authority of the world and firmly imposed his taste and his will on the country4 ,now that this absolute power of one man is a thing of the past1 we have the influence of many men forming and molding something that may turn into a beautiful epoch of decoration1 one that will have in it some of the feeling that brought the ,french ,renaissance to its height1 though not like it1 for we have the same respect for individuality working within the laws of beauty that they had4 ,the style that takes its name from ,louis ,,xiv was one of great magnificence and beauty with dignity and a certain solidity in its splendor4 ,it was really the foundation of the styles that followed1 and a great many people look upon the periods of ,louis ,,xiv1 the ,regency1 ,louis ,,xv and ,louis ,,xvi as one great period with variations1 or ups and downs--the complete swing and return of the pendulum4 ,louis ,,xiv was a man with a will of iron and made it absolute law during his long reign of seventy-two years4 ,his ideal was splendor1 and he encouraged great men in the intellectual and artistic world to do their work1 and shed their glory on the time4 ,cond1 ,turenne1 ,colbert1 ,molire1 ,corneille1 ,la ,fontaine1 ,racine1 ,fnlon1 ,boulle1 ,le ,brun1 are a few among the long and wonderful list4 ,he was indeed ,louis the ,magnificent1 the ,sun ,king4 ,one of the great elements toward achieving the stupendous results of this reign was the establishment of the ,manufacture des ,meubles de la ,couronne1 or1 as it is usually called1 ,manufacture des ,gobelins4 ,artists of all kinds were gathered together and given apartments in the ,louvre and the wonderfully gifted and versatile ,le ,brun was put at the head4 ,tapestry1 goldsmiths' work1 furniture1 jewelry1 etc41 were made1 and with the royal protection and interest ,france rose to the position of world-wide supremacy in the arts4 ,le ,brun had the same taste and love of magnificence as ,louis1 and had also extraordinary executive ability and an almost unlimited capacity for work1 combined with the power of gathering about him the most eminent artists of the time4 ,andr ,charles ,boulle was one1 and his beautiful cabinets1 commodes1 tables1 clocks1 etc41 are now almost priceless4 ,he carried the inlay of metals1 tortoise-shell1 ivory and beautiful woods to its highest expression1 and the mingling of colors with the exquisite workmanship gave most wonderful effects4 ,sheets of white metal or brass were glued together and the pattern was then cut out4 ,when taken apart the brass scrolls could be fitted exactly into the shell background1 and the shell scrolls into the brass background1 thus making two decorations4 ,the shell background was the more highly prized4 ,the designs usually had a ,renaissance feeling4 ,the metal was softened in outline by engraving1 and then ormolu mounts were added4 ,ormolu or gilt bronze mounts1 formed one of the great decorations of furniture4 ,the most exquisite workmanship was lavished on them1 and after they had been cast they were cut and carved and polished until they became worthy ornaments for beautiful inlaid tables and cabinets4 ,the taste for elaborately carved and gilded frames to chairs1 tables1 mirrors1 etc41 developed rapidly4 ,mirrors were made by the ,gobelins works and were much less expensive than the ,venetian ones of the previous reign4 ,walls were painted and covered with gold with a lavish hand4 ,tapestries were truly magnificent with gold and silver threads adding richness to their beauty of color1 and were used purely as a decoration as well as in the old utilitarian way of keeping out the cold4 ,the ,gobelins works made at this time some of the most beautiful tapestries the world has known4 ,the massive chimney-pieces were superseded by the petite-chemine and had great mirrors over them or elaborate over-mantels4 ,the whole air of furnishing and decoration changed to one of greater lightness and brilliancy4 ,the ideal was that everything1 no matter how small1 must be beautiful1 and we find the most exquisite workmanship lavished on window-locks and door-knobs4 ,illustration3 ,one of a set of three rare ,louis ,,xiv chairs1 beautifully carved and gilded1 and said to have belonged to the great ,louis himself4 ,in the early style of ,louis ,,xiv1 we find many trophies of war and mythological subjects used in the decorative schemes4 ,the second style of this period was a softening and refining of the earlier one1 becoming more and more delicate until it merged into the time of the ,regency4 ,it was during the reign of ,louis ,,xiv that the craze for ,chinese decoration first appeared4 ,la ,chinoiserie it was called1 and it has daintiness and a curious fascination about it1 but many inappropriate things were done in its name4 ,the furniture of the time was firmly placed upon the ground1 the arm-chairs had strong straining-rails1 square or curved backs1 scroll arms carved and partly upholstered and stuffed seats and backs4 ,the legs of chairs were usually tapering in form and ornamented with gilding1 or marquetry1 or richly carved1 and later the feet ended in a carved leaf design4 ,some of the straining-rails were in the shape of the letter ,x1 with an ornament at the intersection1 and often there was a wooden molding below the seat in place of fringe4 ,many carved and gilded chairs had gold fringe and braid and were covered with velvet1 tapestry or damask4 ,illustration3 ,by courtesy of the ,metropolitan ,museum of ,art ,inlaid desk with beautifully chiselled ormolu mounts4 ,illustration3 ,rare ,louis ,,xiv chair1 showing the characteristic underbracing4 ,there were many new and elaborate styles of beds that came into fashion at this time4 ,there was the lit d'ange1 which had a canopy that did not extend over the entire bed1 and had no pillars at the foot1 the curtains were drawn back at the head and the counterpane went over the foot of the bed4 ,there was the lit d'alcove1 the lit de bout1 lit clos1 lit de glace1 with a mirror framed in the ceiling1 and many others4 ,a lit de parade was like the great bed of ,louis ,,xiv at ,versailles4 ,both the tall and bracket clocks showed this same love of ornament and they were carved and gilded and enriched with chased brass and wonderful inlay by ,boulle4 ,the dials also were beautifully designed4 ,consoles1 tables1 cabinets1 etc41 were all treated in this elaborate way4 ,many of the ceilings were painted by great artists1 and those at ,versailles1 painted by ,le ,brun and others1 are good examples4 ,there was always a combination of the straight line and the curve1 a strong feeling of balance1 and a profusion of ornament in the way of scrolls1 garlands1 shells1 the acanthus1 anthemion1 etc4 ,the moldings were wide and sometimes a torus of laurel leaves was used1 but in spite of the great amount of ornament lavished on everything1 there is the feeling of balance and symmetry and strength that gives dignity and beauty4 ,louis was indeed fortunate in having the great ,colbert for one of his ministers4 ,he was a man of gigantic intellect1 capable of originating and executing vast schemes4 ,it was to his policy of state patronage1 wisely directed1 and energetically and lavishly carried out1 that we owe the magnificent achievements of this period4 ,everywhere the impression is given of brilliancy and splendor--gold on the walls1 gold on the furniture1 rich velvets and damasks and tapestries1 marbles and marquetry and painting1 furniture worth a king's ransom4 ,it all formed a beautiful and fitting background for the proud king1 who could do no wrong1 and the dazzling1 care-free people who played their brilliant1 selfish parts in the midst of its splendor4 ,they never gave a thought to the great mass of the common people who were over-burdened with taxation2 they never heard the first faint mutterings of discontent which were to grow1 ever louder and louder1 until the blood and horror of the ,revolution paid the debt4 ,the ,regency and ,louis ,,xv ,when ,louis ,,xiv died in #agae1 his great-grandson1 ,louis ,,xv1 was but five years old1 so ,philippe1 ,duc d',orleans1 became ,regent4 ,during the last years of ,louis ,,xiv's life the court had resented more or less the gloom cast over it by the influence of ,madame de ,maintenon1 and turned with avidity to the new ruler4 ,he was a vain and selfish man1 feeling none of the responsibilities of his position1 and living chiefly for pleasure4 ,the change in decoration had been foreshadowed in the closing years of the previous reign1 and it is often hard to say whether a piece of furniture is late ,louis ,,xiv or ,regency4 ,the new gained rapidly over the old1 and the magnificent and stately extravagance of ,louis ,,xiv turned into the daintier but no less extravagant and rich decoration of the ,regency and ,louis ,,xv4 ,one of the noticeable changes was that rooms were smaller1 and the reign of the boudoir began4 ,it has been truly said that after the death of ,louis ,,xiv came the substitution of the finery of coquetry for the worship of the great in style4 ,there was greater variety in the designs of furniture and a greater use of carved metal ornament and gilt bronze1 beautifully chased4 ,the ornaments took many shapes1 such as shells1 shaped foliage1 roses1 seaweed1 strings of pearls1 etc41 and at its best there was great beauty in the treatment4 ,it was during the ,regency that the great artist and sculptor in metal1 ,charles ,cressant1 flourished4 ,he was made beniste of the ,regent1 and his influence was always to keep up the traditions when the reaction against the severe might easily have led to degeneration4 ,there are beautiful examples of his work in many of the great collections of furniture1 notably the wonderful commode in the ,wallace collection4 ,the dragon mounts of ormolu on it show the strong influence the ,orient had at the time4 ,he often used the figures of women with great delicacy on the corners of his furniture1 and he also used tortoise-shell and many colored woods in marquetry1 but his most wonderful work was done in brass and gilded bronze4 ,in #agbc1 when ,louis was thirteen years old1 he was declared of age and became king4 ,the influence of the ,regent was1 naturally1 still strong1 and unfortunately did much to form the character of the young king4 ,selfishness1 pleasure1 and low ideals1 were the order of court life1 and paved the way for the debased taste for rococo ornament which was one marked phase of the style of ,louis ,,xv4 ,the great influence of the ,orient at this time is very noticeable4 ,there had been a beginning of it in the previous reign1 but during the ,regency and the reign of ,louis ,,xv it became very marked4 ,singerie and ,chinoiserie were the rage1 and gay little monkeys clambered and climbed over walls and furniture with a careless abandon that had a certain fascination and charm in spite of their being monkeys4 ,the ,salon des ,singes in the ,chateau de ,chantilly gives one a good idea of this4 ,the style was easily overdone and did not last a great while4 ,during this time of ,oriental influence lacquer was much used and beautiful lacquer panels became one of the great features of ,french furniture4 ,pieces of furniture were sent to ,china and ,japan to be lacquered and this1 combined with the expense of importing it1 led many men in ,france to try to find out the ,oriental secret4 ,le ,sieur ,dagly was supposed to have imported the secret and was established at the ,gobelins works where he made what was called vernis de ,gobelins4 ,the ,martin family evolved a most characteristically ,french style of decoration from the ,chinese and ,japanese lacquers4 ,the varnish they made1 called vernis ,martin1 gave its name to the furniture decorated by them1 which was well suited to the dainty boudoirs of the day4 ,all kinds of furniture were decorated in this way--sedan chairs and even snuff-boxes1 until at last the supply became so great that the fashion died4 ,there are many charming examples of it to be seen in museums and private collections1 but the modern garish copies of it in many shops give no idea of the charm of the original4 ,watteau's delightful decorations also give the true spirit of the time1 with their gayety and frivolity showing the ,arcadian affectations--the fad of the moment4 ,as the time passed decoration grew more and more ornate1 and the followers of ,cressant exaggerated his traits4 ,one of these was ,jules ,aurle ,meissonier1 an ,italian by birth1 who brought with him to ,france the decadent ,italian taste4 ,he had a most marvelous power of invention and lavished ornament on everything1 carrying the rocaille style to its utmost limit4 ,he broke up all straight lines1 put curves and convolutions everywhere1 and rarely had two sides alike1 for symmetry had no charms for him4 ,the curved endive decoration was used in architraves1 in the panels of overdoors and panel moldings1 everywhere it possibly could be used1 in fact4 ,his work was in great demand by the king and nobility4 ,he designed furniture of all kinds1 altars1 sledges1 candelabra and a great amount of silversmith's work1 and also published a book of designs4 ,unfortunately it is this rococo style which is meant by many people when they speak of the style of ,louis ,,xv4 ,louis ,,xv furniture and decoration at its best period is extremely beautiful1 and the foremost architects of the day were undisturbed by the demand for rococo1 knowing it was a vulgarism of taste which would pass4 ,in ,france1 bad as it was1 it never went to such lengths as it did in ,italy and ,spain4 ,illustration3 ,the mantel with its great glass reaching to the cornice1 the wall panels1 paintings over the doors1 and beautiful furniture1 all show the spirit of the best ,louis ,,xv period4 ,the fur rug is an anachronism and detracts from the effect of the room4 ,illustration3 ,the rare console tables and chairs and the ,gobelin tapestry1 ,games of ,children1 show to great advantage in this beautifully proportioned room of soft dull gold4 ,the side-and centre-lights1 reflected in the mirror1 light the room correctly4 ,the easy generalization of the girl who said the difference between the styles of ,louis ,,xv and ,louis ,,xvi was like the difference in hair1 one was curly and one was straight1 has more than a grain of truth in it4 ,the curved line was used persistently until the last years of ,louis ,,xv's time1 but it was a beautiful1 gracious curve1 elaborate1 and in furniture1 richly carved1 which was used during the best period4 ,the decline came when good taste was lost in the craze for rococo4 ,chairs were carved and gilded1 or painted1 or lacquered1 and also beautiful natural woods were used4 ,the sofas and chairs had a general square appearance1 but the framework was much curved and carved and gilded4 ,they were upholstered in silks1 brocades1 velvets1 damasks in flowered designs1 edged with braid4 ,gobelin1 ,aubusson and ,beauvais tapestry1 with ,watteau designs1 were also used4 ,nothing more dainty or charming could be found than the tapestry seats and chair backs and screens which were woven especially to fit certain pieces of furniture4 ,the tapestry weavers now used thousands of colors in place of the nineteen used in the early days1 and this enabled them to copy with great exactness the charming pictures of ,watteau and ,boucher4 ,the idea of sitting on beautiful ladies and gentlemen airily playing at country life1 does not appeal to our modern taste1 but it seems to be in accord with those days4 ,desks were much used and were conveniently arranged with drawers1 pigeon-holes and shelves1 and roll-top desks were made at this time4 ,commodes were painted1 or richly ornamented with lacquer panels1 or panels of rosewood or violet wood1 and all were embellished with wonderful bronze or ormolu4 ,many pieces of furniture were inlaid with lovely ,svres plaques1 a manner which is not always pleasing in effect4 ,there were many different and elaborate kinds of beds1 taking their names from their form and draping4 ,lit d'anglaise had a back1 head-board and foot-board1 and could be used as a sofa4 ,lit a ,romaine had a canopy and four festooned curtains1 and so on4 ,the most common form of salon was rectangular1 with proportions of #d to #c1 or #b to #a4 ,there were also many square1 round1 octagonal and oval salons1 these last being among the most beautiful4 ,they all were decorated with great richness1 the walls being paneled with carved and gilded--or partially gilded--wood4 ,tapestry and brocade and painted panels were used4 ,large mirrors with elaborate frames were placed over the mantels1 with panels above reaching to the cornice or cove of the ceiling1 and large mirrors were also used over console tables and as panels4 ,the paneled overdoors reached to the cornice1 and windows were also treated in this way4 ,windows and doors were not looked upon merely as openings to admit air and light and human beings1 but formed a part of the scheme of decoration of the room4 ,there were beautiful brackets and candelabra of ormolu to light the rooms1 and the boudoirs and salons1 with their white and gold and beautifully decorated walls and gilded furniture1 gave an air of gayety and richness1 extravagance and beauty4 ,an apartment in the time of ,louis ,,xv usually had a vestibule1 rather severely decorated with columns or pilasters and often statues in niches4 ,the first ante-room was a waiting-room for servants and was plainly treated1 the woodwork being the chief decoration4 ,the second ante-room had mirrors1 console tables1 carved and gilded woodwork1 and sometimes tapestry was used above a wainscot4 ,dining-rooms were elaborate1 often having fountains and plants in the niches near the buffet4 ,bedrooms usually had an alcove1 and the room1 not counting the alcove1 was an exact square4 ,the bed faced the windows and a large mirror over a console table was just opposite it4 ,the chimney faced the principal entrance4 ,a chambre en niche was a room where the bed space was not so large as an alcove4 ,the designs for sides of rooms by ,meissonier1 ,blondel1 ,briseux ,cuilles and others give a good idea of the arrangement and proportions of the different rooms4 ,the cabinets or studies1 and the garde robes1 were entered usually from doors near the alcove4 ,the ceilings were painted by ,boucher and others in soft and charming colors1 with cupids playing in the clouds1 and other subjects of the kind4 ,great attention was given to clocks and they formed an important and beautiful part of the decoration4 ,the natural consequence of the period of excessive rococo with its superabundance of curves and ornament1 was that1 during the last years of ,louis's reign1 the reaction slowly began to make itself felt4 ,there was no sudden change to the use of the straight line1 but people were tired of so much lavishness and motion in their decoration4 ,there were other influences also at work1 for ,robert ,adam had1 in ,england1 established the classic taste1 and the excavations at ,pompeii were causing widespread interest and admiration4 ,the fact is proved that what we call ,louis ,,xvi decoration was well known before the death of ,louis ,,xv1 by his furnishing ,luciennes for ,madam ,du ,barri in almost pure ,louis ,,xvi style4 ,illustration3 ,a chair from ,fontainebleau1 typical of the early ,louis ,,xiv epoch before the development of its full grandeur4 ,illustration3 ,this ,louis ,,xv bergre is especially interesting as it shows the broad seat made to accommodate the full dresses of the period4 ,illustration3 ,there is a special charm about this old ,louis ,,xvi bench with its ,gobelin tapestry cover4 ,louis ,,xvi ,louis ,,xvi came to the throne in #aggd1 and reigned for nineteen years1 until that fatal year of '#ic4 ,he was kind1 benign1 and simple1 and had no sympathy with the life of the court during the preceding reign4 ,marie ,antoinette disliked the great pomp of court functions and liked to play at the simple life1 so shepherdesses1 shepherd's crooks1 hats1 wreaths of roses1 watering-pots and many other rustic symbols became the fashion4 ,marie ,antoinette was but fifteen years old when in #aggj she came to ,france as a bride1 and it is hardly reasonable to think that the taste of a young girl would have originated a great period of decoration1 although the idea is firmly fixed in many minds4 ,it is known that the transition period was well advanced before she became queen1 but there is no doubt that her simpler taste and that of ,louis led them to accept with joy the classical ideas of beauty which were slowly gaining ground4 ,as dauphin and dauphiness they naturally had a great following1 and as king and queen their taste was paramount1 and the style became established4 ,architecture became more simple and interior decoration followed suit4 ,the restfulness and beauty of the straight line appeared again1 and ornament took its proper place as a decoration of the construction1 and was subordinate to its design4 ,during the period of ,louis ,,xvi the rooms had rectangular panels formed by simpler moldings than in the previous reign1 with pilasters of delicate design between the panels4 ,the overdoors and mantels were carried to the cornice and the paneling was usually of oak1 painted in soft colors or white and gilded4 ,walls were also covered with tapestry and brocade4 ,some of the most characteristic marks of the style are the straight tapering legs of the furniture1 usually fluted1 with some carving4 ,fluted columns and pilasters often had metal quills filling them for a part of the distance at top and bottom1 leaving a plain channel between4 ,the laurel leaf was used in wreath form1 and bell flowers were used on the legs of furniture4 ,oval medallions1 surmounted by a wreath of flowers and a bow-knot1 appear very often1 and in about #aghj round medallions were used4 ,furniture was covered with brocade or tapestry1 with shepherds and shepherdesses or pastoral scenes for the design4 ,the gayest kinds of designs were used in the silks and brocades2 ribbons and bow-knots and interlacing stripes with flowers and rustic symbols scattered over them4 ,curtains were less festooned and cut with great exactness4 ,the canopies of beds became smaller1 until often only a ring or crown held the draperies1 and it became the fashion to place the bed sideways1 vu de face4 ,there was a great deal of beautiful ornament in gilded bronze and ormolu on the furniture1 and many colored woods were used in marquetry4 ,the fashion of using ,svres plaques in inlay was continued4 ,there was a great deal of white and colored marble used and very fine ironwork was made4 ,riesener1 ,roentgen1 ,gouthire1 ,fragonard and ,boucher are some of the names that stand out most distinctly as authors of the beautiful decorations of the time4 ,marie ,antoinette's boudoir at ,fontainebleau is a perfect example of the style and many of the other rooms both there and at the ,petit ,trianon show its great beauty1 gayety and dignity combined with its richness and magnificence4 ,the influence of ,pompeii must not be overlooked in studying the style of ,louis ,,xvi1 for it appeared in much of the decoration of the time4 ,the beautiful little boudoir of the ,marquise de ,srilly is a charming example of its adaptation4 ,the problem of bad proportion is also most interestingly overcome4 ,the room was too high for its size1 so it was divided into four arched openings separated by carved pilasters1 and the walls covered with paintings4 ,the ceiling was darker than the walls1 which made it seem lower1 and the whole color scheme was so arranged that the feeling of extreme height was lessened4 ,the mantel is a beautiful example of the period4 ,this room was furnished about #aghj-hb4 ,compared to the lavish curves of the style of ,louis ,,xv1 the fine outlines and the beautiful ornament of ,louis ,,xvi appear to some people cold1 but if they look carefully at the matter1 they will find them not really so4 ,the warmth of the ,gallic temperament still shows through the new garb1 giving life and beauty to the dainty but strong furniture4 ,if one studies the examples of the styles of ,louis ,,xiv1 ,louis ,,xv and ,louis ,,xvi that one finds in the great palaces1 collections1 museums and books of prints and photographs1 one will see that the wonderful foundation laid by ,louis ,,xiv was still there in the other two reigns4 ,during the time of ,louis ,,xvi the pose of rustic simplicity was a very sophisticated pose indeed1 but the reaction from the rocaille style of ,louis ,,xv led to one of the most beautiful styles of decoration that the world has seen4 ,it had dignity1 true beauty and the joy of life expressed in it4 ,illustration3 ,rare ,louis ,,xvi chair--an original from ,fontainebleau4 ,illustration3 ,the ,american ,empire sofa1 when not too elaborate1 is a very beautiful article of furniture4 ,the ,empire ,the ,french ,revolution made a tremendous change in the production of beautiful furniture1 as royalty and the nobility could no longer encourage it4 ,many of the great artists died in poverty and many of them went to other countries where life was more secure4 ,after the ,revolution there was wholesale destruction of the wonderful works of art which had cost such vast sums to collect4 ,nothing was to remain that would remind the people of departed kings and queens1 and a committee on art was appointed to make selections of what was to be saved and what was to be destroyed4 ,that committee of tragic comedians set up a new standard of art criticism2 it was not the artistic merits of a piece of tapestry1 for instance1 that interested them1 but whether a king or queen dared show their heads upon it4 ,if so1 into the flames it went4 ,thousands of priceless things were destroyed before they finished their dreadful work4 ,when ,napoleon came into power he turned to ancient ,rome for inspiration4 ,the ,imperial ,csars became his ideal and gave him a wide field in which to display his love for splendor1 uncontrolled by any true artistic sense4 ,it gave decoration a blow from which it was hard to recover4 ,massive furniture without real beauty of line1 loaded with ormolu1 took the place of the old4 ,the furniture was simple in construction with little carving1 until later when all kinds of animal heads and claws1 and animals never seen by man1 and horns of plenty1 were used to support tables and chairs and sofas4 ,everywhere one turned the feeling of martial grandeur was in the air4 ,ormolu mounts of bay wreaths1 torches1 eagles1 military emblems and trophies1 winged figures1 the sphinx1 the bee1 and the initial ,n1 were used on furniture2 and these same motives were used in wall decoration4 ,the furniture was left the natural color of the wood1 and mahogany1 rosewood1 and ebony1 were used4 ,veneer was also extensively used4 ,the front legs of chairs were usually straight1 and the back legs slightly curved4 ,beds were massive1 with head and foot-board of even height1 and the tops rolled over into a scroll4 ,swans were used on the arms of chairs and sofas and the sides of beds4 ,tables were often round1 with tripod legs2 in fact1 the tripod was a great favorite4 ,there was a great deal of inlay of the favorite emblems but little carving4 ,plain columns with ,doric caps and metal ornaments were used4 ,the change in the use of color was very marked1 for deep brown1 blue and other dark colors were used instead of the light and gay ones of the previous period4 ,the materials used were usually of solid colors with a design in golden yellow1 a wreath1 or a torch1 or the bee1 or one of the other favorite emblems being used in a spot design1 or powdered on4 ,some of the color combinations in the rooms we read of sound quite alarming4 ,since the time of the ,empire1 ,france has done as the rest of the world has1 gone without any special style4 ,english ,furniture from ,gothic ,days to the ,period of ,queen ,anne4 ,the early history of furniture in all countries is very much the same--there is not any4 ,we know about kings and queens1 and war and sudden death1 and fortresses and pyramids1 but of that which the people used for furniture we know very little4 ,research has revealed the mention in old manuscripts once in a while of benches and chests1 and the ,bayeux tapestry and old seals show us that ,william the ,conquerer and ,richard ,coeur de ,lion sat on chairs1 even if they were not very promising ones1 but at best it is all very vague4 ,it is natural to suppose that the early ,saxons had furniture of some kind1 for1 as the remains of ,saxon metalwork show great skill1 it is probable they had skill also in woodworking4 ,in ,england1 as in ,france1 the first pieces of furniture that we can be sure of are chests and benches4 ,they served all purposes apparently1 for the family slept on them by night and used them for seats and tables by day4 ,the bedding was kept in the chests1 and when traveling had to be done all the family possessions were packed in them4 ,there is an old chest at ,stoke d',abernon church1 dating from the thirteenth century1 that has a little carving on it1 and another at ,brampton church of the twelfth or thirteenth century that has iron decorations4 ,some chests show great freedom in the carving1 ,st4 ,george and the ,dragon and other stories being carved in high relief4 ,illustration3 ,an ,apostles bed of the ,tudor period1 so-called from the carved panels of the back4 ,the over elaboration of the late ,tudor work corresponded in time with ,france's deterioration in the reign of ,henry ,,iv4 ,nearly all the existing specimens of ,gothic furniture are ecclesiastical1 but there are a few that were evidently for household use4 ,these show distinctly the architectural treatment of design in the furniture4 ,chairs were not commonly used until the sixteenth century4 ,our distinguished ancestors decided that one chair in a house was enough1 and that was for the master1 while his family and friends sat on benches and chests4 ,it is a long step in comfort and manners from the fifteenth to the twentieth century4 ,later the guest of honor was given the chair1 and from that may come the saying that a speaker takes the chair4 ,gothic tables were probably supported by trestles1 and beds were probably very much like the early sixteenth century beds in general shape4 ,there were cupboards and armoires also1 but examples are very rare4 ,from an old historical document we learn that ,henry ,,iii1 in #abcc1 ordered the sheriff to attend to the painting of the wainscoted chamber in ,winchester ,castle and to see that the pictures and histories were the same as before4 ,another order is for having the wall of the king's chamber at ,westminster painted a good green color in imitation of a curtain4 ,these painted walls and stained glass that we know they had1 and the tapestry1 must have given a cheerful color scheme to the houses of the wealthy class even if there was not much comfort4 ,illustration3 ,in this walnut dressing-table the period of ,william and ,mary has been adapted to modern needs4 ,illustration3 ,this reproduction of a ,charles ,,ii chair shows cherubs supporting crowns4 ,the history of the great houses of ,england1 and also the smaller manor-houses1 is full of interest in connection with the study of furniture4 ,there are many manor-houses that show all the characteristics of the ,gothic1 ,renaissance1 ,tudor and ,jacobean periods1 and from them we can learn much of the life of the times4 ,the early ones show absolute simplicity in the arrangement1 one large hall for everything1 and later a small room or two added4 ,the fire was on the floor and the smoke wandered around until it found its way out at the opening1 or louvre1 in the roof4 ,then a chimney was built at the dais end of the hall1 and the mantelpiece became an important part of the decoration4 ,the hall was divided by screens into smaller rooms1 leaving the remainder for retainers1 and causing the clergy to inveigh against the new custom of the lord of the manor eating in secret places4 ,the staircase developed from the early winding stair about a newel or post to the beautiful broad stairs of the ,tudor period4 ,these were usually six or seven feet broad1 with about six wide easy steps and then a landing1 and the carving on the balusters was often very elaborate and sometimes very beautiful--a ladder raised to the nth power4 ,slowly the ,gothic period died in ,england and slowly the ,renaissance took its place4 ,there was never the gayety of decorative treatment that we find in ,france1 but the ,english workmen1 while keeping their own individuality1 learned a tremendous amount from the ,italians who came to the country4 ,their influence is shown in the ,henry ,v,i,ith ,chapel in ,westminster ,abbey1 and in the old part of ,hampton ,court ,palace1 built by ,cardinal ,wolsey4 ,the religious troubles between ,henry ,,viii and the ,pope and the change of religion helped to drive the ,italians from the country1 so the ,renaissance did not get such a firm foothold in ,england as it did in ,france4 ,the mingling of ,gothic and ,renaissance forms what we call the ,tudor period4 ,during the time of ,elizabeth all trace of ,gothic disappeared1 and the influence of the ,germans and ,flemings who came to the country in great numbers1 helped to shorten the influence of the ,renaissance4 ,the over-elaboration of the late ,tudor time corresponded with the deterioration shown in ,france in the time of ,henry ,,iv4 ,the ,hall of ,gray's ,inn1 the ,halls of ,oxford1 the ,charterhouse and the ,hall of the ,middle ,temple are all fine examples of the ,tudor period4 ,we find very few names of furniture makers of those days2 in fact1 there are very few names known in connection with the buildings themselves4 ,the word architect was little used until after the ,renaissance4 ,the owner and the surveyor were the people responsible1 and the plans1 directions and details given to the workmen were astonishingly meager4 ,the great charm that we all feel in the ,tudor and ,jacobean periods is largely due to the beautiful paneled walls4 ,their woodwork has a color that only age can give and that no stain can copy4 ,the first panels were longer than the later ones4 ,wide use was made of the beautiful linen-fold design in the wainscoting1 and there was also much elaborate carving and strapwork4 ,scenes like the temptation of ,adam and ,eve were represented1 heads in circular medallions1 and simply decorative designs were used4 ,in the days of ,elizabeth it became the fashion to have the carving at the top of the paneling with plain panels below4 ,tudor and ,jacobean mantelpieces were most elaborate and were of wood1 stone1 or marble richly carved1 to say nothing of the beautiful plaster ones1 and there are many fine examples in existence4 ,they were fond of figure decoration1 and many subjects were taken from the ,bible4 ,the overmantels were decorated with coats-of-arms and other carving1 and the entablature over the fireplace often had ,latin mottoes4 ,the earliest firebacks date from the fifteenth century4 ,coats-of-arms and many curious designs were used upon them4 ,the furniture of the ,tudor period was much carved1 and was made chiefly of oak4 ,cornices of beds and cabinets often had the egg-and-dart molding used on them1 and the ,s-curve is often seen opposed on the backs of settees and chairs4 ,it has a suggestion of a dolphin and is reminiscent of the dolphins of the ,renaissance4 ,the beds were very large1 the great bed of ,ware being twelve feet square4 ,the cornice1 the bed-head1 the pedestals and pillars supporting the cornice were all richly carved4 ,frequently the pillars at the foot of the bed were not connected with it1 but supported the cornice which was longer than the bed4 ,the ,courtney bedstead1 dated #aeic1 showing many of the characteristics of the ornament of the time1 is #ajc-a_/b inches high1 #id inches long1 #fh inches wide4 ,the majority of the beds were smaller and lower1 however1 and the pillars usually rose out of drum-like members1 huge acorn-like bulbs that were often so large as to be ugly4 ,they appeared also on other articles of furniture4 ,when in good proportion1 with pillars tapering from them1 they were very effective1 and gradually they grew smaller4 ,some of the beds had the four apostles1 ,matthew1 ,mark1 ,luke and ,john1 carved on the posts4 ,they were probably the origin of the nursery rhyme3 ,four corners to my bed1 ,four angels round my head1 ,matthew1 ,mark1 ,luke and ,john1 ,bless the bed that ,i lie on4 ,illustration3 ,in this living-room1 ,italian1 ,jacobean1 and modern stuffed furniture1 give a satisfactory effect because each piece is good of its kind and is in a certain relationship to each other4 ,the huge clock with chimes and the animal casts are out of keeping4 ,bed hanging were of silk1 velvet1 damask1 wool damask1 tapestry1 etc41 and there were fine linen sheets and blankets and counterpanes of wool work4 ,the chairs were high-backed of solid oak with cushions4 ,there were also jointed stools1 folding screens1 chests1 cabinets1 tables with carpets 7table covers7 tapestry hangings1 curtains1 cushions1 silver sconces1 etc4 ,illustration3 ,original ,jacobean settle with tapestry covering4 ,these pieces of furniture range in price between #ijj and #a1djj4 ,illustration3 ,fine reproductions of ,jacobean chairs of the time of ,charles ,,ii4 ,the carved front rail balances the carving on the back perfectly4 ,the ,jacobean period began with ,james ,i1 and lasted until the time of ,william and ,mary1 or from #afjc to about #afhi4 ,in the early part there was still a strong ,tudor feeling1 and toward the end foreign influence made itself felt until the ,dutch under ,william became paramount4 ,inigo ,jones did his great work at this time in the ,palladian style of architecture4 ,his simpler taste did much to reduce the exaggeration of the late ,tudor days4 ,chests of various kinds still remained of importance4 ,their growth is interesting3 first the plain ones of very early days1 then panels appeared1 then the pointed arch with its architectural effect1 then the low-pointed arch of ,tudor and early ,jacobian times1 and the geometrical ornament4 ,then came a change in the general shape1 a drawer being added at the bottom1 and at last it turned into a complete chest of drawers4 ,cabinets or cupboards were also used a great deal1 and the most interesting are the court-and livery-cupboards4 ,the derivation of the names is a bit obscure1 but the court cupboard probably comes from the ,french court1 short4 ,the first ones were high and unwieldy and the later ones were lower with some enclosed shelves4 ,they were used for a display of plate1 much as the modern sideboard is used4 ,the number of shelves was limited by rank2 the wife of a baronet could have two1 a countess three1 a princess four1 a queen five4 ,they were beautifully carved1 very often1 the doors to the enclosed portions having heads1 ,tudor roses1 arches1 spindle ornaments and many other designs common to the ,tudor and ,jacobean periods4 ,they had a silk carpet put on the shelves with the fringe hanging over the ends1 but not the front1 and on this was placed the silver4 ,the livery-cupboard was used for food1 and the word probably comes from the ,french livrer1 to deliver4 ,it had several shelves enclosed by rails1 not panels1 so the air could circulate1 and some of them had open shelves and a drawer for linen4 ,they were used much as we use a serving-table1 or as the kitchen dresser was used in old ,new ,england days4 ,in them were kept food and drink for people to take to their bedrooms to keep starvation at bay until breakfast4 ,drawing-tables were very popular during ,jacobean times4 ,they were described as having two ends that were drawn out and supported by sliders1 while the center1 previously held by them1 fell into place by its own weight4 ,another characteristic table was the gate-legged or thousand-legged table1 that was used so much in our own ,colonial times4 ,there were also round1 oval and square tables which had flaps supported by legs that were drawn out4 ,tables were almost invariably covered with a table cloth4 ,some of the chairs of the time of ,james ,i were much like those of ,louis ,,xiii1 having the short back covered with leather1 damask1 or tapestry1 put on with brass or silver nails and fringe around the edge of the seat4 ,the chief characteristic of the chairs of this time was solidity1 with the ornament chiefly on the upper parts1 which were molded oftener than carved1 with the backs usually high4 ,a plain leather chair called the ,cromwell chair1 was imported from ,holland4 ,the solid oak back gave way at last to the half solid back1 then came the open back with rails1 and then the ,charles ,,ii chair1 with its carved or turned uprights1 its high back of cane1 and an ornamental stretcher like the top of the chair back1 between the front legs4 ,this is a very attractive feature1 as it serves to give balance of decoration and also partly hides the plain stretcher from sight4 ,a typical detail of ,charles ,,ii furniture is the crown supported by cherubs or opposed ,s-curves4 ,james ,,ii used a crown and palm leaves4 ,grinling ,gibbons did his wonderful work in carving at this time1 using chiefly pear and lime wood4 ,the greater part of his work was wall decoration1 but he made tables1 mirrors and other furniture as well4 ,the carving was often in lighter wood than the background1 and was in such high relief that portions of it had often to be pinned together1 for it seemed almost in the round4 ,evelyn discovered ,gibbons in a little shop working away at such a wonderful piece of carving that he could not rest until he had taken him to ,sir ,christopher ,wrenn4 ,from this introduction came the great amount of work they did together4 ,the influence of his work was still seen in the early eighteenth century4 ,the room at ,knole ,house that was furnished for ,james ,i is of great interest1 as it is the same to-day as when first furnished4 ,the bed is said to have cost #h1jjj4 ,as it is one of the show places of ,england one should not miss a chance of seeing it4 ,until the time of the ,restoration the furniture of ,england could not compare in sumptuousness with that of the ,continental countries4 ,england1 besides having a simpler point of view1 was in a perpetual state of unrest4 ,the honest and hard-working ,english joiners and carpenters adapted in a plain and often clumsy way the styles of the different foreigners who came to the country4 ,through it all1 however1 they kept the touch of national character that makes the furniture so interesting1 and they often did work of great beauty and worth4 ,when ,charles ,,ii came to the throne he brought with him the ideas of ,france1 where he had spent so many years1 and the change became very marked4 ,the natural ,stuart extravagance also helped to form his taste1 and soon we hear of much more elaborate decoration throughout the land4 ,many of the country towns were far behind ,london in the style of furniture1 and this explains why some furniture that is dated #afgj1 for instance1 seems to belong to an earlier time4 ,the famous silver furniture of ,knole ,house1 ,seven-oaks1 belongs to this time4 ,evelyn mentions in his diary that the rooms of the ,duchess of ,portsmouth were full of ,japan cabinets and screens1 pendule clocks1 greate vases of wrought plate1 tables1 stands1 chimney furniture1 sconces1 branches1 baseras1 etc41 all of massive silver1 and later he mentions again her massy pieces of plate1 whole tables and stands of incredible value4 ,in the reign of ,william and ,mary1 ,dutch influence was naturally very pronounced1 as ,william disliked everything ,english4 ,the ,english1 being now well grounded in the knowledge of construction1 took the ,dutch ideas as a foundation and developed them along their own lines1 until we have the late ,queen ,anne type made by ,chippendale4 ,the change in the style of chairs was most marked and noticeable4 ,they were more open backed than in ,charles's time and had two uprights and a spoon-or fiddle-shaped splat to support the sitter's back4 ,the chair backs took more the curve of the human figure1 and the seats were broader in front than in the back2 the cabriole legs were broad at the top and ended in claw or pad feet1 and there were no straining-rails4 ,the shell was a common form of ornament1 and all crowns and cherubs had disappeared4 ,inlay and marquetry came to be generously used1 but there had been many cabinets of ,dutch marquetry brought to ,england even before the time of ,william and ,mary4 ,flower designs in dyed woods1 shell1 mother-of-pearl1 and ivory were used4 ,the marquetry clocks made at this time are wonderful and characteristic examples of the work1 and are among the finest clocks ever made for beauty of line and finish1 and proportion4 ,although marquetry and inlay have much in common there is one great difference between them1 and they should not be used as synonymous terms4 ,in marquetry the entire surface of the article is covered with pieces of different colored woods cut very thin and glued on4 ,it is like a modern picture puzzle done with regard to the design4 ,in inlay1 the design only is inlaid in the wood1 leaving a much larger plain background4 ,veneering is a thin layer of beautiful and often rare wood glued to a foundation of some cheaper kind4 ,the tall clocks and cabinets of ,william and ,mary's time and the wonderful work of ,boulle in ,france are examples of marquetry1 the fine furniture of ,hepplewhite and ,sheraton are masterly examples of inlay4 ,illustration3 ,examples of line reproductions4 ,the lacquer chairs carry out the true feeling of the old with great skill4 ,illustration3 ,a reproduction of a walnut chair with cane seat and back1 of the ,william and ,mary period4 ,illustration3 ,reproduction of chair showing the transition between the time of ,charles ,,ii and ,william and ,mary4 ,the carved strut remains but the back is lower and simpler4 ,queen ,anne ,queen ,anne furniture is a very elastic term1 for it is often used to cover the reigns of ,william and ,mary1 ,queen ,anne1 ,george ,i1 and a part of the reign of ,george ,,ii1 or1 in other words1 all the time of ,dutch influence4 ,the more usual method is to leave out ,william and ,mary1 but at best the classification of furniture is more or less arbitrary1 for in ,england1 as well as other countries1 the different styles overlap each other4 ,chippendale's early work was distinctly influenced by the ,dutch4 ,walnut superseded oak in popularity1 and after #agbj mahogany gradually became the favorite4 ,there was a good deal of walnut veneering done1 and the best logs were saved for the purpose4 ,marquetry died out and gave place to carving1 and the cabriole leg1 one of the chief marks of ,dutch influence1 became a firmly fixed style4 ,the carving was put on the knees and the legs ended in claw and ball and pad feet4 ,some chairs were simply carved with a shell or leaf or scroll on top rail and knees of the legs4 ,in the more elaborately carved chairs the arms1 legs1 splat1 and top rail were all carved with acanthus leaves1 or designs from ,gibbons's decoration4 ,chairs were broad in the seat and high of back with wide splats1 often decorated with inlay1 in the early part of the period4 ,the top rail curved into the side uprights1 and the seat was set into a rebate or box-seat4 ,the chair backs slowly changed in shape1 becoming broader and lower1 the splat ceased to be inlaid and was pierced and carved1 and the whole chair assumed the shape made so familiar to us by ,chippendale4 ,tables usually had cabriole legs1 although there were some gate-or thousand-legged1 tables1 and card tables1 writing-tables1 and flap-tables1 were all used4 ,it was in the ,queen ,anne period that highboys and lowboys made their first appearance4 ,in the short reign of ,anne it also became the fashion to have great displays of ,chinese porcelain1 and over-mantels1 cupboards1 shelves and tables were covered with wonderful pieces of it4 ,addison1 in ,sir ,roger de ,coverley1 humorously describes a lady's library of the time4 444 ,and as it was some time before the lady came to me ,i had an opportunity of turning over a great many of her books1 which were ranged in a very beautiful order4 ,at the end of the folios 7which were finely bound and gilt7 were great jars of china placed one above another in a very noble piece of architecture4 ,the quartos were separated from the octavos by a pile of smaller vessels1 which rose in a delightful pyramid4 ,the octavos were bounded by tea-dishes of all shapes1 colors1 and sizes1 which were so disposed on a wooden frame that they looked like one continued pillar indented with the finest strokes of sculpture and stained with the greatest variety of dyes4 ,part of the library was enclosed in a kind of square1 consisting of one of the prettiest grotesque works that ever ,i saw1 and made up of scaramouches1 lions1 monkeys1 mandarins1 trees1 shells1 and a thousand other odd figures in china ware4 ,in the midst of the room was a little ,japan table4 ,between #agaj and #agcj lacquer ware became very fashionable1 and many experiments were made to imitate the beautiful ,oriental articles brought home by ,dutch traders4 ,in ,holland a fair amount of success was attained and a good deal of lacquered furniture was sent from there to ,england where the brass and silver mounts were added4 ,english and ,french were experimenting1 the ,french with the greatest success in their ,vernis ,martin1 mentioned elsewhere1 which really stood quite in a class by itself1 but the imitations of ,chinese and ,japanese lacquer were inferior to the originals4 ,pine1 oak1 lime1 and many other woods1 were used as a base1 and the fashion was so decided that nearly all kinds of furniture were covered with it4 ,this lacquer ware of ,william and ,mary's and ,queen ,anne's time must not be confounded with the ,japanned furniture of ,hepplewhite's and ,sheraton's time1 which was quite different and of much lower grade4 ,it was in the reign of ,queen ,anne that the sun began to rise on ,english cabinet work2 it shone gloriously through the eighteenth century1 and sank in early ,victorian clouds4 ,illustration3 ,two important phases of ,chippendale's work--an elaborate ribbon-back chair1 and one of the more staid ,gothic type4 ,illustration3 ,an elaborately carved and gilded ,chippendale mantel mirror1 showing ,french influence4 ,illustration3 ,one of the most beautiful examples of ,chippendale's fretwork tea-tables in existence4 ,chippendale and the ,eighteenth ,century in ,england4 ,the classification of furniture in ,england is on a different basis from that of ,france1 as the rulers of ,england were not such patrons of art as were the ,french kings4 ,flemish1 ,dutch and ,french influences all helped to form the taste of the people4 ,the ,jacobean period lasted from the time of ,james ,i to the time of ,william and ,mary4 ,william brought with him from ,holland the strong ,dutch feeling that had a tremendous influence on the history of ,english furniture1 and during ,anne's short reign the ,dutch feeling still lasted4 ,it was not until the early years of the reign of ,george ,,ii that the ,georgian period came into its own with ,chippendale at its head4 ,some authorities include ,william and ,mary and ,queen ,anne in the ,georgian period1 but the more usual idea is to divide it into several parts1 better known as the times of ,chippendale1 ,adam1 ,hepplewhite and ,sheraton4 ,french influence is marked throughout and is divided into parts4 ,the period of ,chippendale was contemporaneous with that of ,louis ,,xv1 and the second part included the other three men and corresponded with the last years of ,louis ,,xv1 when the transition to ,louis ,,xvi was beginning1 and the time of ,louis ,,xvi4 ,it was not until the latter part of ,chippendale's life that he gave up his love of rococo curves and scrolls1 dripping water effects1 and his ,chinese and ,gothic styles4 ,his early chairs had a ,dutch feeling1 and it is often only by ornamentation that one can date them4 ,the top of the ,dutch chair had a flowing curve1 the splat was first solid and plain1 then carved1 and later pierced in geometrical designs2 then came the curves that were used so much by ,chippendale4 ,the carving consisted of swags and pendants of fruit and flowers1 shells1 acanthus leaves1 scrolls1 eagle's heads1 carved in relief on the surface4 ,dutch chairs were usually of walnut and some of the late ones were of mahogany4 ,mahogany was not used to any extent before #agbj1 but at that time it began to be imported in large quantities1 and its lightness and the ease with which it could be worked made it appropriate for the lighter style of furniture then coming into vogue4 ,chippendale began to make chairs with the curved top that is so characteristic of his work4 ,the splat back was always used1 in spite of the ,french1 and its treatment is one of the most interesting things in the history of ,english furniture4 ,it gave scope for great originality4 ,although1 as ,i have said before1 foreign influence was strong1 the ideas were adapted and worked out by the great cabinet-makers of the ,georgian period with a vigor and beauty that made a distinct ,english style1 and often went far1 far ahead of the originals4 ,there were1 so far as we know1 three ,thomas ,chippendales3 the second was the great one4 ,he was born in ,worcester1 ,england1 about #agaj1 and died in #aggi4 ,he and his father1 who was also a carver1 came to ,london before #agbg4 ,very little is known about his life1 but we may feel sure he was that rare combination3 a man of genius with decided business ability4 ,he not only designed the furniture which was made in his shop1 but executed a large part of it also1 and superintended all the work done there by others4 ,that he was a man of originality shows distinctly through his work1 for although he adapted and copied freely and was strongly influenced by the ,dutch1 ,french1 and ,chinese taste1 there is always his own distinctive touch4 ,the furniture of his best period1 and those belonging to his school1 has great beauty of line and proportion1 and the exquisite carving shows a true feeling for ornament in relation to plain surfaces4 ,there are a few examples in existence of carving in almost as high relief as that of ,grinling ,gibbons1 swags1 etc41 and in his most rococo period his carving was very elaborate4 ,it always had great clearness of edge and cut1 and a wonderful feeling for light and shade4 ,in what is called ,irish ,chippendale1 which was furniture made in ,ireland after the style of ,chippendale1 the carving was in low relief and the edges fairly smoothed off1 which made it much less interesting4 ,chippendale looked upon his work as one of the arts and placed his ideal of achievement very high1 and that he received the recognition of the best people of the time as an artist of merit is proved by his election to the ,society of ,arts with such men as ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds1 ,horace ,walpole1 ,samuel ,johnson1 ,david ,garrick1 and others4 ,the genius of ,chippendale justly puts him in the front rank of cabinet-makers and his influence was the foundation of much of the fine work done by many others during the eighteenth century4 ,he is often criticized for his excessive rococo taste as displayed in the plates of the ,gentleman's and ,cabinet-maker's ,director1 and in some of his finished work4 ,many of the designs in the ,director were probably never carried out1 and some of them were probably added to by the soaring imaginations of the engraver4 ,this is true of all the books published by the great cabinet-makers1 and it always seems more fair to have their reputations rest on their finished work which has come down to us4 ,illustration3 ,the dripping-water effect1 of which ,chippendale was so fond at one time1 is plainly shown on the doors of this particularly fine example of his work4 ,chippendale1 of course1 must bear the chief part of the charge of over-elaboration1 and he frankly says that he thinks much enrichment is necessary4 ,he copied ,meissonier's designs and had a great love for gilding1 but the display of rococo taste is not in all his work by any means1 nor was it so excessive as that of the ,french4 ,the more self-restrained temperament of the ,anglo-,saxon race makes a deal of difference4 ,he early used the ogee curve and cabriole leg1 the knees of which he carved with cartouches and leaves or other designs4 ,the front rail of the chair also was often carved4 ,there were several styles of curved leg1 the cabriole leg of ,dutch influence1 and the curved style of ,louis ,,xv4 ,there were also several variations on the claw and ball foot4 ,many ,chippendale chairs were without stretchers1 but the straight legged style usually had four4 ,the seats were sometimes in a box frame or rebate1 and sometimes the covering was drawn over the frame and fastened with brass headed nails4 ,chippendale in the ,director speaks of red morocco1 ,spanish leather1 damask1 tapestry and other needlework as being appropriate for the covering of his chairs4 ,illustration3 ,a chair from early in the #ahth century of the ,dutch type4 ,illustration3 ,one of the ,chippendale patterns1 dating from about #agej4 ,illustration3 ,hepplewhite's characteristic shield-shaped back4 ,illustration3 ,thomas ,sheraton's rectangular type of chair-back4 ,in about #agfj or #agfe he began to use the straight leg for his chairs4 ,the different shapes of splats will often help in deciding the dates of their making1 and its development is of great interest4 ,the curves shown in the diagram on page #hd are the merest suggestions of the outline of the splat1 and they were carved most beautifully in many different designs4 ,ribbon-back chairs are dated about #agee and show the adapted ,french influence4 ,his ,gothic and ,chinese designs were made about #agfj-aggj4 ,ladder-back chairs nearly always had straight legs1 either plain or with double ogee curve and bead moldings1 but there are a few examples of ladder-back and cabriole legs combined1 although these are very rare4 ,the chair settees of the ,dutch time1 with backs having the appearance of chairs side by side1 were also made by ,chippendale4 ,love seats were small settees4 ,it was navely said that they were too large for one and too small for two4 ,a large armchair that shows a decided difference in the manners of the early eighteenth century and the present day was called the drunkard's chair4 ,illustration3 ,,different ,,types ,,of ,,chair ,,splats ,,used ,,by ,,chippendale4 ,when the craze for ,indian work was at its height1 there were many pieces of old oak and walnut furniture covered with lacquer to bring it up to the fashionable standard1 but their forms were not suitable1 and oak especially1 with its coarse grain did not lend itself to the process4 ,the stands for lacquer cabinets vary in style1 but were often gilded in late ,louis ,,xiv and ,louis ,,xv style4 ,the difference between true lacquer and its imitations is hard to explain4 ,the true was made by repeated coats of a special varnish1 each rubbed down and allowed to become hard before the next was put on4 ,this gave a hard1 cool1 smooth surface with no stickiness4 ,modern work1 done with paint and ,french varnish1 has not this delightful feeling1 but is nearly always clammy to the touch1 and the colors are hurt by the process of polishing4 ,chippendale did not use much lacquer1 but in the ,director he often says such and such designs would be suitable for it4 ,much of the furniture that ,chippendale made was heavy1 but the best of it had much beauty4 ,his delicate fretwork tea-tables are a delight1 with their fretwork cupboards and carving4 ,he seemed to combine many sides in his artistic temperament1 a fact that many people lay to his power of assimilating the work of others4 ,he did not make sideboards in our sense of the word4 ,his were large side-tables1 sometimes with a drawer for silver and sometimes not4 ,pier-tables were very much like them in shape1 but smaller1 and were often gilded to match the mirrors which were placed above them4 ,the larger pieces of ,chippendale furniture have the same characteristic of perfect workmanship and detail which the chairs possess4 ,dining-tables were made in sections consisting of two semi-circular ends and two center pieces with flaps which could all be joined together and make a very large table4 ,the beds he made had four posts and cornice tops elaborately carved and often gilded1 with a strong ,louis ,,xv feeling4 ,the curtains hung from the inside of the cornice4 ,he also made many other styles of beds1 such as canopy beds1 tent beds1 flat tester beds1 ,chinese beds1 ,gothic beds3 there was almost nothing he did not make for the house from wall brackets to the largest wardrobes4 ,to many people used to the simple ,chippendale furniture which is commonly seen1 the idea of rich and beautiful carving and gilding comes as a surprise1 and even in the ,director there are no plates which show his most beautiful work4 ,his elaborate furniture was naturally chiefly order work1 and so was not pictured1 and much of it that is left is still in the possession of the descendants of the original owners4 ,the small number of authentic pieces which have reached public sales have been eagerly snapped up by private collectors and museums at large prices4 ,illustration3 ,it is interesting to compare the generous curves of the ,chippendale sofa with the greater severity of ,hepplewhite's taste44 ,in ,america much of the furniture called ,chippendale was not made by ,chippendale himself1 but was made after his designs and copied from imported pieces by clever cabinet-makers here in the1 then1 colonies4 ,the average ,american of the eighteenth century was a simple and not over rich person of good breeding and refined taste who appreciated the fact that the elaborate furniture of ,england and ,france would not be in keeping with life in ,america1 and so either imported the simpler kinds1 or demanded that the home cabinet-maker choose good models for his work4 ,this partly explains why we have so much really good ,colonial furniture1 and not so much of the elaborately carved and gilded variety4 ,illustration3 ,a valuable collection of an ,adam mirror1 a block-front1 knee-hole chest of drawers1 and a ,hepplewhite chair4 ,robert ,adam ,robert ,adam was the second of the four sons of ,william ,adam1 and was born in #agbh4 ,the ,adam family was ,scotch of good social position4 ,robert early showed a talent for drawing4 ,he was ambitious1 and1 as old ,roman architecture interested him above all other subjects1 he decided that he could attain his ideals only by study and travel in ,italy4 ,he returned to ,england in #ageh after four years of hard work with the results of his labors1 the chief treasure being his careful drawings of ,diocletian's villa4 ,his classical taste was firmly established1 and was to be one of the important influences of the eighteenth century4 ,robert and ,james ,adam went into partnership and became the most noted architects of their day in ,england4 ,the list of their buildings is long and interesting1 and much of their architectural and decorative work is still in existence4 ,to many people it will seem like putting the cart before the horse to say that ,robert ,adam had in any way influenced the style we call ,louis ,,xvi1 but it is a plausible theory and certainly an interesting one4 ,mr4 ,g4 ,owen ,wheeler in his interesting book on ,old ,english ,furniture makes a strong case in favor of the ,adam ,brothers4 ,classical taste was well established in ,england by #agfe1 before the transition from ,louis ,,xv to ,louis ,,xvi began1 and ,robert ,adam published his book in parallel columns of ,french and ,english1 which shows it must have been in some demand in ,france4 ,the great influence of the excavations at ,pompeii must naturally not be underestimated1 as it was far reaching1 but with the beautiful ,adam style well developed1 just across the ,channel1 it seems probable that it may have had its share in forming ,french taste4 ,the foundation being there1 the ,french put their characteristic touch to it and developed a much richer style than that of the ,adam ,brothers1 but the two have so much in common that ,louis ,,xvi furniture may be put into an ,adam room with perfect fitness1 and vice versa4 ,as the ,adams cared only to design furniture some one else had to carry out the designs1 and ,chippendale was master carver and cabinet-maker under them at ,harewood ,house1 ,yorkshire1 and probably was also in many other instances4 ,illustration3 ,a mantel of marble and steel in the drawing-room1 ,rushton ,hall1 ,northamptonshire--the work of the brothers ,adam4 ,illustration3 ,another ,adam mantel4 ,it is interesting to note how clearly these mantels are the inspiration of our own ,colonial work4 ,the early furniture of ,adam was plain1 and the walls were treated with much decoration that was classic in feeling4 ,he possessed the secret of a composition of which his exquisite decorations on walls and ceilings were made4 ,after #aggj he simplified his walls and elaborated his furniture designs until they met in a beautiful and graceful harmony4 ,he designed furniture to suit the room it was in1 and with the dainty and charming coloring1 the beauty of proportion and the charm of the wall decoration1 the scheme had great beauty4 ,illustration3 ,this group of old mirrors indicates the extent to which refinement of design was carried during the ,georgian period in ,england--the time of the great cabinet-makers4 ,he used the ram's head1 wreaths1 honeysuckle1 mythological subjects1 lozenge-shaped1 oval and octagonal panels1 and many other designs4 ,he was one of the first to use the ,french idea of decorating furniture with painting and porcelain plaques1 and the furniture itself was simple and beautiful in line4 ,the stucco ceilings designed by the brothers were picked out with delicate colors and have much beauty of line4 ,a great deal of the most beautiful ,adam decoration was the painting on walls and ceilings and furniture by ,angelica ,kaufmann1 ,zucchi1 ,pergolesi1 ,cipriani1 and ,columbani4 ,the standard of work was so high that only the best was satisfactory4 ,adam usually designed his furniture for the room in which it was to stand1 and he often planned the house and all its contents1 even to the table silver1 to say nothing of the door-locks4 ,the chairs were of mahogany1 or painted1 or gilded1 wood4 ,some had oval upholstered backs1 with the covering specially designed for the room1 and some had lyre backs1 later used so much by ,sheraton1 and others had small painted panels placed in the top rail1 with beautiful carving4 ,mirrors were among the most charming articles designed by ,adam1 and had composition wreaths and cupids and medallions for ornament4 ,they were usually made in pairs in both large and small sizes4 ,a pair of antique mirrors should be kept together1 as they are very much more valuable than when separated4 ,adam was one of the first to assemble the pieces that later grew into the sideboard--a table1 two pedestals1 and a cellaret4 ,there is a sideboard designed by him for ,gillows1 in which the parts are connected1 and it is at least one of the ancestors of the beautiful ,shearer and ,hepplewhite ones and our modern useful1 though not always beautiful1 article4 ,when1 late in his career1 ,adam attempted to copy the ,french1 he was not so successful1 as he did not have their flexibility of temperament1 and was unable to give the warmer touch to the classic1 which they did so well4 ,his paneled walls1 however1 have great dignity and purity of line and feeling1 and the applied ornament was really an ornament1 and not a disfigurement as too often happens in our day4 ,with ,adam one feels the surety of knowledge and the refinement of good taste led by a high ideal4 ,illustration3 ,there are many details worthy of notice in this room1 the mahogany doors1 the paneled walls with the old picture paper1 the over-mantel1 the knife boxes on the sideboard1 the ,hepplewhite furniture1 and the side-lights4 ,the chandelier is badly chosen4 ,illustration3 ,a fine old ,hepplewhite sideboard1 with old glass and silver1 but the modern wallpaper is not in harmony4 ,illustration3 ,a modern ,hepplewhite settee1 showing the draped scarf carving he used so much4 ,hepplewhite ,the work of ,hepplewhite and his school lasted from about #agfj to #agie2 the last nine years of the time the business was carried on by his widow1 ,alice1 under the name of ,a4 ,hepplewhite ,co4 ,for five years after that some work was done after his manner1 but it was distinctly inferior4 ,in the early seventies ,hepplewhite's work was so well known and so much admired that its influence was shown in the work of his contemporaries4 ,there was a great difference between his style and that of ,chippendale1 his being much lighter in construction and effect1 besides the many differences of design4 ,hepplewhite was strongly influenced by the ,french style of ,louis ,,xvi1 and also the pure taste of ,robert ,adam at its height4 ,hepplewhite1 however1 like all the great cabinet-makers1 both ,french and ,english1 was a great genius himself and stamped the impress of his own personality upon his work4 ,many people date ,hepplewhite's fame from the time of the publication of his book1 ,the ,cabinet ,maker and ,upholsterer's ,guide1 in #aghh1 not realizing that he had been dead for two years when it appeared4 ,its publication was justified by the well established popularity of his furniture and the success with which his designs were carried out by ,a4 ,hepplewhite ,co4 ,it is interesting to notice the difference in the size of chairs which became apparent during ,hepplewhite's time4 ,hoop-skirts and stiffened coats went out of fashion1 and with them went the need of large chair seats4 ,the transition chairs made by ,hepplewhite were not very attractive in proportion1 as the backs were too low for the width4 ,the transition from ,chippendale to ,hepplewhite was not sudden1 as the last style of ,chippendale was simpler and had more of the classic feeling in it4 ,hepplewhite says1 in the preface to his book3 ,to unite elegance and utility1 and blend the useful with the agreeable1 has ever been considered a difficult1 but an honorable task4 ,he sometimes failed and sometimes succeeded4 ,his knowledge of construction enabled him to make his chairs with shield1 oval1 and heart-shaped backs4 ,the tops were slightly curved1 also the tops of the splats1 and at the lower edge where the back and the splat join1 a half rosette was carved4 ,he often used the three feathers of the ,prince of ,wales1 sheaves of wheat1 anthemion1 urns1 and festoons of drapery1 all beautifully carved1 and forming the splat4 ,the backs of his chairs were supported at the sides by uprights running into the shield-shaped back and did not touch the seat frame in any other way4 ,with this apparent weakness of construction it is wonderful how many of his chairs have come down to us in perfect condition1 but it was his knowledge of combining lightness with strength which made it possible4 ,hepplewhite used straight or tapering legs with spade feet for his furniture1 often inlaid with bellflowers in satinwood4 ,the legs were sometimes carved with a double ogee curve and bead molding4 ,he did not use carving in the lavish manner of ,chippendale1 but it was always beautifully done1 and he used a great deal of inlay of satinwood1 etc41 oval panels1 lines1 urns1 and many other motives common to the other cabinet-makers of the day1 and also painted some of his furniture4 ,his ,japan work was inferior in every way to that of the early part of the eighteenth century4 ,the upholstery was fastened to the chairs with brass-headed tacks1 often in a festoon pattern4 ,oval-shaped brass handles were used on his bureaus1 desks1 and other furniture4 ,he made many sideboards1 some1 in fact1 going back to the side table and pedestal idea1 and bottle-cases and knife-boxes were put on the ends of the sideboards4 ,his regular sideboards were founded on ,shearer's design4 ,shearer's furniture was simple and dainty in design1 and he has the honor of making the first real serpentine sideboard1 about #aghj1 which was not a more or less disconnected collection of tables and pedestals4 ,it was the forerunner of the ,hepplewhite and ,sheraton sideboards that we know so well4 ,shearer is now hardly known even by name to the general world1 but without doubt his ideal of lightness and strength in construction had a good deal of influence on his contemporaries and followers4 ,hepplewhite was very fond of oval and semi-circular shapes1 and many of his tables are made in either one way or the other4 ,his sideboards1 founded on ,shearer's designs1 are very elegant1 as he liked to say1 in their simplicity of line1 their inlay1 and their general beauty of wood4 ,he was most successful in his chairs1 sideboards1 tables1 and small household articles1 for his larger pieces of furniture were often too heavy4 ,some of the worst1 however1 were made by other cabinet-makers after his designs1 and not by ,hepplewhite himself4 ,sheraton ,thomas ,sheraton was born in #agej1 and was a journeyman cabinet-maker when he went to ,london4 ,his great genius for furniture design was combined with a love of writing tracts and sermons4 ,unfortunately for his success in life1 he had a most disagreeable personality1 being conceited1 jealous1 and perfectly willing to pour scorn on his brother cabinet-makers4 ,this impression he quite frankly gives about himself in his books4 ,the name of ,robert ,adam is not mentioned1 and this seems particularly unpleasant when one thinks of the latter's undoubted influence on ,sheraton's work4 ,sheraton's unfortunate disposition probably helped to make his life a failure4 ,it is very sad to see such possibilities as his not reaping their true reward1 for poverty dogged his steps all through life1 and he was always struggling for a bare livelihood4 ,his books were not financially successful1 and at last he gave up his workshop and ceased to make the furniture he designed4 ,he was an expert draughtsman and his designs were carried out by the skillful cabinet-makers of the day4 ,adam ,black gives a very pitiful account of the poverty in which ,sheraton lived1 and says3 ,that by attempting to do everything he does nothing4 ,his nothing1 however1 has proved a very big something in the years which have followed1 for ,sheraton is responsible for one of the most beautiful types of furniture the world has known1 and although his life was hard and bitter1 his fame is great4 ,sheraton took the style of ,louis ,,xvi as his standard1 and some of his best work is quite equal to that of the ,french workmen4 ,he felt the lack of the exquisite brass and ormolu work done in ,france1 and said if it were only possible to get as fine in ,england1 the superior cabinet-making of the ,english would put them far ahead in the ranks4 ,to many of us this loss is not so great1 for the beauty of the wood counts for more1 and is not detracted from by an oversupply of metal ornament1 as sometimes happened in ,france4 ,enough is as good as a feast4 ,sheraton1 at his best1 had beauty1 grace1 and refinement of line without weakness1 lightness and yet perfect construction1 combined with balance1 and the ornament just sufficient to enhance the beauty of the article without overpowering it4 ,it is this fine work which the world remembers and which gave him his fame1 and so it is far better to forget his later period when nearly all trace of his former greatness was lost4 ,illustration3 ,a ,sheraton bureau with a delightful little dressing-glass4 ,sheraton profited by the work of ,chippendale1 ,adam1 and ,hepplewhite1 for these great men blazed the trail for him1 so to speak1 in raising the art of cabinet-making to so high a plane that ,england was full of skilled workmen4 ,the influence of ,adam1 ,shearer1 and ,hepplewhite1 was very great on his work1 and it is often difficult to tell whether he or ,hepplewhite or ,shearer made some pieces4 ,he evidently did not have business ability and his bitter nature hampered him at every turn4 ,the ,sheraton school lasted from about #agij to #ahjf4 ,he died in #ahjf1 fairly worn out with his struggle for existence4 ,poor ,sheraton1 it certainly is a pitiful story4 ,illustration3 ,one of ,sheraton's charming desks1 with sliding doors made of thin strips of wood glued on cloth4 ,illustration3 ,a sewing-table having the spirit of both ,hepplewhite and ,sheraton4 ,sheraton's chair backs are rectangular in type1 with urn splats1 and splats divided into seven radiates1 and also many other designs4 ,the chairs were made of mahogany and satinwood1 some carved1 some inlaid1 and some painted4 ,the splat never ran into the seat1 but was supported on a cross rail running from side to side a few inches above the seat4 ,the material used for upholstery was nailed over the frame with brass-headed tacks4 ,bookcases were of mahogany and satinwood veneer1 and the large ones were often in three sections1 the center section standing farther out than the two sides4 ,the glass was covered with a graceful design in moldings1 and the pediments were of various shapes1 the swan-neck being a favorite4 ,sideboards were built on very much the lines of those made by ,shearer and ,hepplewhite4 ,there were drawers and cupboards for various uses4 ,the knife-boxes to put on the top came in sets of two1 and sometimes there was a third box4 ,the legs were light and tapering with inlay of satinwood1 and sometimes they were reeded4 ,there was inlay also on the doors and drawers4 ,there were also sideboards without inlay4 ,the legs for his furniture were at first plain1 and then tapering and reeded4 ,he used some carving1 and a great deal of satinwood and tulip-wood were inlaid in the mahogany2 he also used rosewood4 ,the bellflower1 urn1 festoons1 and acanthus were all favorites of his for decoration4 ,he made some elaborate and startling designs for beds1 but the best known ones are charming with slender turned posts or reeded posts1 and often the plain ones were made of painted satinwood4 ,the satinwood from the ,east ,indies was fine and of a beautiful yellow color1 while that from the ,west ,indies was coarser in grain and darker in color4 ,it is a slow growing tree1 and that used nowadays cannot compare with the old1 in spite of the gallant efforts of the hard working fakirs to copy its beautiful golden tone4 ,all the cabinet-makers of the eighteenth century made ingenious contrivances in the way of furniture1 washstands concealed in what appear to be corner cupboards1 a table that looks as simple as a table possibly can1 but has a small step-ladder and book rest hidden away in its useful inside1 and many others4 ,sheraton was especially clever in making these conveniences1 as these two examples show1 and his books have many others pictured in them4 ,sheraton's list of articles of furniture is long1 for he made almost everything from knife-boxes to chamber-horses1 which were contrivances of a saddle and springs for people to take exercise upon at home4 ,sheraton's ,drawing ,book was the best of those he published4 ,it was sold chiefly to other cabinet-makers and did not bring in many orders1 as ,chippendale's and ,hepplewhite's did4 ,his other books showed his decline1 and his ,encyclopedia1 on which he was working at the time of his death1 had many subjects in it beside furniture and cabinet-making4 ,his sideboards1 card-tables1 sewing-tables1 tables of every kind1 chairs--in fact1 everything he made during his best period--have a sureness and beauty of line that makes it doubly sad that through the stress of circumstances he should have deserted it for the style of the ,empire that was then the fashion in ,france4 ,one or two of his ,empire designs have beauty1 but most of them are too dreadful1 but it was the beginning of the end1 and the eighteenth century saw the beautiful principles of the eighteenth century lost in a bog of ugliness4 ,there were many other cabinet-makers of merit that space does not allow me to mention1 but the great four who stood head and shoulders above them all were ,chippendale1 ,adam1 ,hepplewhite and ,sheraton4 ,they1 being human1 did much work that is best forgotten1 but the heights to which they all rose have set a standard for ,english furniture in beauty and construction that it would be well to keep in mind4 ,the nineteenth century passed away without any especial genius1 and in fact1 with a very black mark against its name in the hideous early ,victorian era4 ,the twentieth century is moving along without anything we can really call a beautiful and worthy style being born4 ,there are many working their way towards it1 but there is apt to be too much of the bizarre in the attempts to make them satisfactory1 and so we turn to the past for our models and are thankful for the legacy of beauty it has left to the world4 ,a ,general ,talk ,when one faces the momentous question of furnishing a house1 there are numerous things which must be looked into and thoroughly understood if success is to be assured4 ,if one is building in the country the first question is the placing of the house in regard to the view1 but in town there is not much choice4 ,the architect being chosen with due regard to the style of house one wishes1 the planning can go merrily on4 ,the architect should be told if there are any especially large and beautiful pieces of furniture or tapestry to be planned for1 so they shall receive their rightful setting4 ,after all1 architects are but human1 and cannot tell by intuition what furniture is in storage4 ,it is sad to see how often architecture and decoration are looked upon as two entirely disconnected subjects1 instead of being closely allied1 playing into each other's hands1 as it were1 to make a perfect whole4 ,to many people1 a room is simply a room to be treated as they wish2 whereas many rooms are absolute laws unto themselves1 and demand a certain kind of treatment1 or disaster follows4 ,in ,america this kind of house is not found so often as in ,europe1 but the number is growing rapidly as architects and their clients realize more and more the beauties and possibilities of the great periods as applied to the modern house4 ,it is only to the well-trained architect and decorator with correct taste that one may safely turn1 for the ill-trained and commonplace still continue to make their astounding errors1 and so to have the decoration of a room truly successful one must begin with the architect1 for he knows the correct proportions of the different styles and appreciates their importance4 ,he will plan the rooms so that they1 when decorated1 may complete his work and form a beautiful and convincing whole4 ,this will give the restfulness and beauty that absolute appropriateness always lends4 ,illustration3 ,this room shows how fresh and charming white paint and simplicity can be4 ,this matter of appropriateness must not be overlooked1 and the whole house should express the spirit of the owner2 it should be in absolute keeping with his circumstances4 ,there are few houses which naturally demand the treatment of palaces1 but there are many which correspond with the smaller chateaux of ,france and the manor-houses of ,england4 ,it is to these we must turn for our inspiration1 for they have the beauty of good taste and high standards without the lavishness of royalty2 but even royalty did not always live in rooms of state1 for at ,versailles1 and ,petit ,trianon1 there is much simple exquisite furniture4 ,the wonderful and elaborate furniture of the past must be studied of course1 but to the majority of people1 then as now1 the simpler expression of its fundamental lines of beauty are more satisfactory4 ,the trouble with many houses is that their furnishings are copied from too grand models1 and the effect in an average modern house is unsuitable in every way4 ,they cannot give the large vistas and appropriate background in color and proportion which are necessary4 ,beauty does not depend upon magnificence4 ,illustration3 ,the warm tones of a brown ,chinese wallpaper are attractive with the mahogany furniture1 and the pattern is prevented from becoming monotonous by the strong rectangular lines of the ivory woodwork which frames it4 ,the corner cupboard and the exceptionally fine dining-table and the variety of chairs are interesting4 ,if one has to live in a house planned and built by others one often has to give up some long cherished scheme and adopt something else more suited to the surroundings4 ,for instance1 the rooms of the great ,french periods were high1 and often the modern house has very low ceilings1 that would not allow space for the cornice1 over-doors and correctly proportioned paneling1 that are marked features of those times4 ,mrs4 ,wharton has aptly said3 ,proportion is the good breeding of architecture1 and one might add that proportion is good breeding itself4 ,one little slip from the narrow path into false proportion in line or color or mass and the perfection of effect is gone4 ,proportion is another word for the fitness of things1 and that little phrase1 the fitness of things1 is what ,alice in ,wonderland calls a portmanteau phrase1 for it holds so much1 and one must feel it strongly to escape the pitfalls of period furnishing4 ,most amazing things are done with perfect complacency1 but although the ,french and ,english kings who gave their names to the various periods were far from models of virtue1 they certainly deserved no such cruel punishment as to have some of the modern rooms1 such as we have all seen1 called after them4 ,the best decorators refuse to mix styles in one room and they thus save people from many mistakes1 but a decorator without a thorough understanding of the subject1 often leads one to disaster4 ,a case in point is an apartment where a small ,louis ,,xv room opens on a narrow hall of nondescript modern style1 with a wide archway opening into a ,mission dining-room4 ,as one sits in the midst of pink brocade and gilding and looks across to the dining-room1 fitted out in all the heavy paraphernalia of ,mission furniture1 one's head fairly reels4 ,no contrast could be more marked or more unsuitable1 and yet this is by no means an uncommon case4 ,if one intends to adopt a style in decorating one's house1 there should be a uniformity of treatment in all connecting rooms1 and there must be harmony in the furniture and architecture and ornament1 as well as harmony in the color scheme4 ,the foundation must be right before the decoration is added4 ,the proportion of doors and windows1 for instance1 is very important1 with the decorated over-door reaching to the ceiling4 ,the over-doors and mantels were architectural features of the rooms1 and it was not until wallpapers came into common use1 in the early part of the nineteenth century1 that these decorative features slowly died out4 ,the mantel and fireplace should be a center of interest and should be balanced with something of importance on the other side of the room1 either architectural or decorative4 ,it was this regard for symmetry1 balance1 proportion1 and harmony1 which made the old rooms so satisfying2 there was no magic about it1 it was artistic common sense4 ,the use for which a room is intended must be kept in view and carried out with real understanding of its needs4 ,the individuality of the owner is of course a factor4 ,unfortunately the word individuality is often confounded with eccentricity and to many people it means putting perfectly worthy and unassuming articles to startling uses4 ,by individuality one should really mean the best expression of one's sense of beauty and the fitness of things1 and when it is guided by the laws of harmony and proportion the result is usually one of great charm1 convenience1 and comfort4 ,these qualities must be in every successful house4 ,in furnishing any house1 whether in some special period or not1 there are certain things which must be taken into account4 ,one of these is the general color scheme4 ,arranging a color scheme for a house is not such a difficult matter as many people suppose1 nor is it the simple thing that many others seem to think4 ,there is a happy land between the two extremes1 and the guide posts pointing to it are a good color sense1 a true feeling for the proportion and harmony of color1 and an understanding of the laws of light4 ,the trouble is that people often do not use their eyes2 red is red to them1 blue is blue1 and green is green4 ,they have never appeared to notice that there are dozens of tones in these colors4 ,nature is one of the greatest teachers of color harmony if we would but learn from her4 ,look at a salt marsh on an autumn day and notice the wonderful browns and yellows and golds in it1 the reds and russets and touches of green in the woods on its edge1 and the clear blue sky over all with the reflections in the little pools4 ,it is a picture of such splendor of color that one fairly gasps4 ,then look at the same marsh under gray skies and see the change2 there is just as much beauty as before1 the same russets and golds and reds1 but exquisitely softened4 ,one is sparkling1 gay1 a harmony of brilliancy2 the other is more gentle1 sweet and appealing1 a harmony of softened glory4 ,again1 ,nature makes a thousand and one shades of green leaves to harmonize with her flowers2 the yellow green of the golden rod1 the silver green of the milkweed1 the bright green of the nasturtium4 ,notice the woods in wintertime with the wonderful purple browns and grays of the tree trunks and branches1 the bronze and russet of the dead leaves1 and the deep shadows in the snow4 ,everywhere one turns there are lessons to learn if one will only use seeing eyes and a thinking mind4 ,a house should be looked at as a whole1 not as so many units to be treated in a care-free manner4 ,a room is affected by all the rooms opening from it1 as they1 in turn1 are affected by it4 ,there can be variety of color with harmony of contrast1 or there can be the same color used throughout1 with the variety gained by the use of its different tones4 ,the plan of each floor should be carefully studied to get the vistas in all directions so that harmony may reign and there will be no danger of a clashing color discord when a door is opened4 ,the connecting rooms need not be all in one color1 of course1 but they should form a perfect color harmony one with another1 with deft touches of contrast to accent and bring out the beauty of the whole scheme3 ,this matter of harmony in contrast is an important one4 ,the idea of using a predominant color is a restful one1 and adds dignity and apparent size to a house4 ,the walls1 for instance1 could be paneled in white enameled wood1 or plaster1 and the necessary color and variety could be supplied by the rugs1 hangings1 furniture1 and pictures4 ,another charming plan is to have different tones of one color used--a scheme running from cream or old ivory through soft yellow and tan to a russet brown would be lovely1 especially if the house did not have an over supply of light4 ,greens may be used with discretion1 and a cool and attractive scheme is from white to soft blue through gray4 ,if different colors are to be used in the different rooms the number of combinations is almost unlimited1 but there must always be the restraining influence of a good color sense in forming the scheme or the result will be disappointing1 to say the least4 ,a very important matter in the use of color is in its relation to the amount and quality of the light4 ,dreary rooms can be made cheerful1 and too bright and dazzling rooms can be softened in effect1 by the skillful use of color4 ,the warm colors1--cream white1 yellows--but not lemon yellow--orange1 warm tans1 russet1 pinks1 yellow greens1 yellowish reds are to be used on the north or shady side of the house4 ,the cool colors1--white1 cream white1 blues1 grays1 greens1 and violet1 are for the sunny side4 ,endless combinations may be made of these colors1 and if a gray room1 for example1 is wished on the north side of the house1 it can be used by first choosing a warm tone of gray and combining with it one of the warm colors1 such as certain shades of soft pink or yellow4 ,we can stand more brilliancy of color out-of-doors than we can in the house1 where it is shut in with us4 ,it is too exciting and we become restless and nervous4 ,no matter on what scale a house is furnished one of its aims should be to be restful4 ,there is one great mistake which many people make of thinking of red as a cheerful color1 and one which is good to use in a dark room4 ,the average red used in large quantities absorbs the light in a most disheartening manner1 making a room seem smaller than it really is2 it makes ugly gloomy shadows in the corners1 for at night it seems to turn to a dingy black1 and increases the electric light bill4 ,red is also a severe strain on the eyes1 and many a red living-room is the cause of seemingly unaccountable headaches4 ,i do not mean to say that red should never be used1 for it is often a very necessary color1 but it must be used with the greatest discretion1 and one must remember that a little of it goes a long way4 ,a room1 for instance1 paneled with oak1 with an oriental rug with soft red in it1 red hangings1 and a touch of red in an old stained glass panel in the window1 and red velvet cushions on the window seat1 would have much more warmth and charm than if the walls were covered entirely with red4 ,one red cushion is often enough to give the required note4 ,the effect of color is very strong upon people1 although a great many do not realize it1 but nearly everyone will remember a sudden and apparently unexplained change of mood in going into some room4 ,one can learn a deal by analyzing one's own sensations4 ,figured wall-papers should also be chosen with the greatest care for this same reason4 ,papers which have perpetual motion in their design1 or eyes which seem to peer1 or an unstable pattern of gold running over it1 must all be ignored4 ,people who choose this kind of paper are blest1 or cursed1 whichever way one looks at it1 by an utter lack of imagination4 ,a room is divided into three parts1 the floor1 the walls1 and the ceiling1 and the color of the room naturally follows the law of nature2 the heaviest or darkest at the bottom1 or floor2 the medium tone in the center1 or walls2 and the lightest at the top1 or ceiling4 ,it is only when one has to artificially correct the architectural proportions of a room that the ceiling should be as dark1 or darker1 than the walls4 ,a ceiling can also be seemingly lowered by bringing the ceiling color down on the side walls4 ,a low room should never have a dark ceiling1 as it makes the room seem lower4 ,walls should be treated as a background or as a decoration in themselves4 ,in the latter case any pictures should be set in specially arranged panels and should be pictures of importance1 or fresco painting4 ,the walls of the great periods were of this decorative order4 ,they were treated architecturally and the feeling of absolute support which they gave was most satisfactory4 ,the pilasters ran from base or dado to the cornice and the over-doors made the doors a dignified part of the scheme1 rather than mere useful holes in the wall as they too often are nowadays4 ,paneling is one of the most beautiful methods of wall decoration4 ,there are many styles of paneling1 stone1 marble1 stucco1 plaster1 and wood1 and each period has its own distinctive way of using them1 and should be the correct type for the style chosen4 ,the paneling of a ,tudor room is quite different from a ,louis ,,xvi room4 ,in the course of a long period like that of ,louis ,,xv the paneling slowly changed its character and the rococo style was followed by the more dignified one that later became the style of ,louis ,,xvi4 ,tapestry and paintings of importance should have panels especially planned for them4 ,if one does not wish to have the paneling cover the entire wall1 a wainscot or dado with the wall above it covered with tapestry1 silk1 painting1 or paper1 will make a beautiful and appropriate room for many of the different styles of furniture4 ,a wainscot should not be too high2 about thirty-six inches is a good height1 but should form a background for the chairs1 sofas1 and tables1 placed around the room4 ,a wainscot six or more feet high is not as architecturally correct as a lower one1 because a wall is1 in a way1 like an order in its divisions1 and if the base1 or wainscot1 is too high it does not allow the wall1 which corresponds to the column1 to have its fair proportion4 ,this feeling is very strong in many apartment houses where small rooms are overburdened by this kind of wainscot1 and to make matters worse1 the top is used as a plate-rail4 ,a high wainscot should be used only in a large room1 and if there are pilasters arranged to connect it with the cornice1 and the wall covering is put on in panel effect between1 the result is much better than if the wall were left plain1 as it seems to give more of a raison d'tre4 ,tapestry is another of the beautiful and important wall coverings1 and the happy possessor of ,flemish or ,gobelin1 or ,beauvais1 tapestries1 is indeed to be envied4 ,a rare old tapestry should be paneled or hung so it will serve as a background4 ,used as portires1 tapestry does not show the full beauty of its wonderful time-worn colors and its fascination of texture4 ,it is not everyone1 however1 who is able to own these almost priceless treasures of the past1 and so modern machinery has been called to the aid of those who wish to cover their walls and furniture with tapestry4 ,many of these modern manufactures are really beautiful1 thick in texture1 soft in color1 and often have the little imperfections and unevennesses of hand weaving reproduced1 so that we feel the charm of the old in the new4 ,many do not realize that in ,new ,york there are looms making wonderful hand-woven tapestries with the true decorative feeling of the best days of the past4 ,on the top floor of a large modern building stand the looms of various sizes1 the dyeing tubs1 the dripping skeins of wool and silk1 the spindles and bobbins1 and the weavers hard at work carrying out the beautiful designs of the artist owner4 ,there are few colors used1 as in medival days1 but wonderful effects are produced by a method of winding the threads together which gives a vibrating quality to the color4 ,when the warp in some of the coarser fabrics is not entirely covered it is sometimes dyed1 which gives an indescribable charm4 ,tapestries of all sizes have been made on these looms1 from the important decoration of a great hall1 to sofa and chair coverings4 ,special rugs are also made4 ,it is a pleasure to think that an art which many considered dead is being practiced with the highest artistic aim and knowledge and skill in the midst of our modern rush4 ,this hand-woven tapestry is made to fit special spaces and rooms1 and there is nothing more beautiful and suitable for rooms of importance to be found in all the long list of possibilities4 ,the effect of modern tapestry1 like the old1 is enhanced if the walls are planned to receive it1 for it was never intended to be used as wall-paper4 ,it is sometimes used as a free hanging frieze1 so to speak1 and sometimes a great piece of it is hung flat against the wall1 but as a general thing to panel it is the better way4 ,another beautiful wall covering is leather4 ,it should be used much more than it is1 and is especially well adapted for halls1 libraries1 dining-rooms1 smoking-and billiard-rooms1 and dens4 ,its wonderful possibilities for rooms which are to be furnished in a dignified and beautiful manner are unsurpassed4 ,it may be used in connection with paneling or cover the wall above a wainscot4 ,fresco painting is another of the noble army of wall treatments which lends itself beautifully to all kinds and styles of rooms4 ,amidst all the grandeur of tapestry and painting one must not lose sight of the simpler methods1 for they are not to be distained4 ,wall-papers are growing more and more beautiful in color1 design1 and texture1 and one can find among them papers suited to all needs4 ,fabrics of all kinds have become possibilities since their dust-collecting capacity is now no longer a source of terror1 as vacuum cleaners are one of the commonplaces of existence4 ,painting or tinting the walls1 when done correctly1 is very satisfactory in many rooms4 ,there is no doubt that in many houses are wonderful collections of furniture1 tapestries and treasures of many kinds1 that are placed without regard to the absolute harmony of period1 although the general feeling of ,french or ,italian or ,english is kept4 ,they are usually great houses where the sense of space keeps one from feeling discrepancies that would be too marked in a smaller one1 and the interest and beauty of the rare originals against the old tapestries have an atmosphere all their own that no modern reproduction can have4 ,there are few of us1 however1 who can live in this semi-museum kind of house1 and so one would better stick to the highway of good usage1 or there is danger of making the house look like an antique shop4 ,illustration3 ,dorothy ,quincy's bedroom contains a fine old mahogany field bed1 which is appropriately covered with the flowered chintz popular at the end of the ,eighteenth ,century4 ,the chairs are fitting for all bedrooms decorated in ,colonial style4 ,notice the woodwork in the room and hall4 ,to carry out a style perfectly1 all the small details should be attended to--the door-locks1 the framework of the doors and windows1 the carving4 ,all these must be taken into account if one wishes success4 ,it is better not to attempt a style throughout if it is to be a makeshift affair and show the effects of inadequate knowledge4 ,the elaborate side of any style carried out to the last detail is really only possible and also only appropriate for those who have houses to correspond1 but one can choose the simpler side and have beautiful and charming rooms that are perfectly suited to the average home4 ,for instance1 if one does not wish elaborate gilded ,louis ,,xvi furniture1 upholstered in brocade1 one can choose beautiful cane furniture of the time and have it either in the natural ,french walnut or enameled a soft gray or white to match the woodwork1 with cushion of cretonne or silk in an appropriate design4 ,period furnishing does not necessarily mean a greater outlay than the nondescript and miscellaneous method so often seen4 ,illustration3 ,a very solid but not especially pleasing desk that was used by ,washington while he was ,president4 ,the railing is interesting4 ,the idea was used by ,chippendale in his gallery tables4 ,illustration3 ,the tambour work doors in the upper part of this ,sheraton secretary roll back2 also notice the handles and inlay and tapering legs4 ,whatever the plan for furnishing a house may be1 the balance of decoration must be kept2 the same general feeling throughout all connecting parts4 ,if a drawing-room is too fine for the hall through which one has to pass to reach it1 the balance is upset4 ,if too simple chairs are used in a grand dining-room the balance is upset1 the fitness of things is not observed4 ,when the happy medium is struck throughout the house one feels the delightful well-bred charm which a regard for the unities always gives4 ,it is not only in the quality of the decorations that this feeling of balance must be kept1 but in the style also4 ,if one chooses a period style for the drawing-room it is better to keep to it through the house1 using it in its different expressions according to the needs of the different rooms4 ,if one style throughout should seem a bit monotonous at least one nationality should be kept1 such as ,french1 or ,english4 ,if several styles of ,french furniture are used do not have them in the same room2 for instance1 ,louis ,,xv and ,empire have absolutely nothing in common1 but very late ,louis ,,xvi and early ,empire have to a certain extent4 ,it does not give the average person a severe shock to walk from a ,louis ,,xvi hall into a ,louis ,,xv drawing-room1 but the two mixed in one room do not give a pleasing effect4 ,the oak furniture of ,jacobean days does not harmonize with the delicate mahogany furniture of the eighteenth century in ,england4 ,the delicate beauty of ,adam furniture would be lost in the greatness of a ,renaissance salon4 ,a lady whose dining-room was furnished in ,sheraton furniture one day saw two elaborate rococo ,louis ,,xv console tables which she instantly bought to add to it4 ,the shopman luckily had more sense of the fitness of things than a mere desire to sell his wares1 and was so appalled when he saw the room that he absolutely refused to have them placed in it4 ,she saw the point1 and learned a valuable lesson4 ,one could go on indefinitely1 giving examples to warn people against startling and inappropriate mixtures which put the whole scheme out of key4 ,i am taking it for granted that reproductions are to be chosen1 as originals are not only very rare1 but also almost prohibitive in price4 ,good reproductions are carefully made and finished to harmonize with the color scheme4 ,the styles most used at present are1 ,louis ,,xiv1 ,,xv1 ,,xvi1 ,jacobean1 ,william and ,mary1 and ,georgian4 ,gothic1 ,italian and ,french ,renaissance1 ,louis ,,xiii1 and ,tudor styles are not so commonly used4 ,we naturally associate dignity and grandeur with the ,renaissance1 and it is rather difficult to make it seem appropriate for the average ,american house1 so it is usually used only for important houses and buildings4 ,some of the ,tudor manor houses can be copied with delightful effect4 ,the styles of ,henri ,,ii and ,louis ,,xiii can both be used in libraries and dining-rooms with most effective and dignified results4 ,the best period of the style of ,louis ,,xv is very beautiful and is delightfully suited to ball-rooms1 small reception-rooms1 boudoirs1 and some bedrooms4 ,in regard to these last1 one must use discretion1 for one would not expect one's aged grandmother to take real comfort in one4 ,nor does this style appeal to one for use in a library1 as its gayety and curves would not harmonize with the necessarily straight lines of the bookcases and rows of books4 ,any one of the other styles may be chosen for a library4 ,the ,english developed the dining-room in our modern sense of the word1 while the ,french used small ante-chambers1 or rooms that were used for other purposes between meals1 and ,i suppose this is partly the reason we so often turn to an ,english ideal for one4 ,there are many beautiful dining-rooms done in the styles of ,louis ,,xv and ,,xvi1 but they seem more like gala rooms and are usually distinctly formal in treatment4 ,georgian furniture1 or as we so often say1 ,colonial1 is especially well suited to our ,american life1 as one can have a very simple room1 or one carried out in the most delightful detail4 ,in either case the true feeling must be kept and no startling anachronisms should be allowed2 radiators1 for instance1 should be hidden in window-seats4 ,this same style may be used for any room in the house1 and there are beautiful reproductions of ,chippendale1 ,adam1 ,hepplewhite1 and ,sheraton furniture that are appropriate for any need4 ,in choosing new old furniture1 do not buy any that has a bright and hideous finish4 ,the great cabinet-makers and their followers used wax1 or oil1 and rubbed1 rubbed1 rubbed4 ,this dull finish is imitated1 but not equaled1 by all good furniture makers1 and the bright finish simply proclaims the cheap department store4 ,in parts of the country ,georgian furniture has been used and served as a standard from the first1 and it is a happy thing for the beauty of our homes that once more it has come into its own4 ,it is the high grade of reproduction which has made it possible4 ,the mahogany used by ,chippendale1 and in fact by all the eighteenth century cabinet-makers1 was much more beautiful than is possible to get to-day1 for the logs were old and well seasoned wood1 allowed to dry by the true process of time1 which leaves a wonderful depth of color quite impossible to find in young kiln-dried wood4 ,the best furniture makers nowadays1 those who have a high standard and pride in their work1 have by careful and artistic staining and beautiful finish1 achieved very fine results1 but the factory article with its dreadful mahogany stain1 its coarse carving1 and its brilliant finish1 shows a sad difference in ideal4 ,the best reproductions are well worth buying1 and1 as they are made with regard to the laws of construction1 they stand a very good chance of becoming valued heirlooms4 ,there are certain characteristics of all the eighteenth century cabinet-makers1 both ,english and ,french1 which are picked out and overdone by ill-informed manufacturers4 ,the rococo of ,chippendale is coarsened1 his ,chinese style loses its fine1 if eccentric1 distinction1 and the inlay of ,hepplewhite and ,sheraton is another example of spoiling a beautiful thing4 ,thickening a line here and there1 or curving a curve a bit more or less1 or enlarging the amount of inlay1 achieves a vulgarity of appearance quite different from the beautiful proportions of the originals1 and it is this which one must guard against in buying reproductions4 ,the lack of knowledge of correct proportion is not confined to the cheaper grades1 where necessary simplicity is often a protection1 but is apt to be found in all4 ,the best makers1 as ,i have said1 take a pride in their work and one can rely on them for fine workmanship and being true to the spirit of the originals4 ,there is one matter of great importance to be kept in mind and practiced with the sternest self-control1 and that is1 to eliminate1 eliminate1 eliminate4 ,walk into the center of a room and look about with seeing1 but impersonal eyes1 and you will be astonished to find how many things there are which are unnecessary1 in fact1 how much the room would be improved without them4 ,in every house the useless things which go under the generic name of trash accumulate with alarming swiftness1 and one must be up with the lark to keep ahead of the supply4 ,if something is ugly and spoils a room1 and there is no hope of bringing it into harmony1 discard it2 turn your eyes aside if you must while the deed is being done1 but screw your courage to the sticking point1 and do it4 ,she is1 indeed1 a lucky woman who can start from the beginning or has only beautiful heritages from the past1 for the majority of people have some distressingly strong pieces of ugly furniture which1 for one reason or another1 must be kept4 ,one sensible woman furnished a room with all her pieces of this kind1 called it the ,chamber of ,horrors1 and used it only under great stress and strain1 which was much better than letting her house be spoiled4 ,a home should not be a museum1 where one grows exhausted going from one room to another looking at wonderful things4 ,rather should it have as many beautiful things in it as can be done full justice to1 where the feeling of simplicity and restfulness and charm adds to their beauty1 and the whole is convincingly right4 ,the fussy house is1 luckily1 a thing of the past1 or fast getting to be so1 but we should all help the good cause of true simplicity4 ,it does not debar one from the most beautiful things in the world1 but adds dignity and worth to them4 ,it does not make rooms stiff and solemn1 but makes it possible to have the true gayety and joy of life expressed in the best periods4 ,georgian ,furniture ,a delightful renaissance of the ,georgian period in house decoration is being felt more and more1 and every day we see new evidence that people are turning with thanksgiving to the light and graceful designs of the eighteenth century ,english cabinet-makers4 ,there is a charm and distinction about their work which appeals very strongly to us1 and its beauty and simplicity of line makes delightful schemes possible4 ,the ,georgian period seems especially fitted for use in our homes1 for it was the inspiration of our ,colonial houses and furniture1 which we adapted and made our own in many ways4 ,the best examples of ,colonial architecture are found in the thirteen original states4 ,in many of these houses we find an almost perfect sense of proportion1 of harmony and balance1 of dignity1 and a spaciousness and sense of hospitality1 which few of our modern houses achieve4 ,the halls were broad and often went directly through the house1 giving a glimpse of the garden beyond2 the stairs with their carefully thought-out curve and sweep and well placed landings1 gave at once an air of importance to the house1 while the large rooms opening from the hall1 with their white woodwork1 their large fireplaces1 and comfortable window-seats1 confirmed the impression4 ,it is to this ideal of simple and beautiful elegance that many people are turning4 ,by simplicity ,i do not mean poverty of line and decoration1 but the simplicity given by the fundamental lines being simple and beautiful with decoration which enhances their charms1 but does not overload them4 ,even the most elaborate ,adam room with its exquisite painted furniture1 its beautifully designed mantel and ceiling and paneled walls1 gave the feeling of delightful and beautiful simplicity4 ,this same feeling is expressed in the furniture of ,louis ,,xvi1 for no matter how elaborate it may be1 it is fundamentally simple1 but with a warmer touch than is found in the ,english furniture of the same time4 ,the question of period furnishing has two sides1 and by far the more delightful side is the one of having originals4 ,there is a glamor about old furniture1 a certain air of fragility1 although in reality it is usually much stronger than most of our modern factory output1 which adds to the charm4 ,with furniture1 as with people1 breeding will out4 ,when one has inherited the furniture1 the charm is still greater1 for it is pleasant to think of one's own ancestors as having used the chairs and tables1 and danced the stately minuet1 with soft candle-light falling from the candelabra1 and the great logs burning on the old brass andirons4 ,but if one cannot have one's own family traditions1 the next best thing is to have furniture with some other family's traditions1 and the third choice is to have the best modern reproductions1 and build up one's own traditions oneself4 ,the feeling which many people have that ,georgian furniture was stiff and uncomfortable is not borne out by the facts4 ,the sofas were large and roomy1 the settees delightful1 the arm-chairs and wing chairs regular havens of rest1 and when one adds the comfort which modern upholstery gives1 there is little left to desire4 ,even the regulation side-chair of the period1 which some think was the only chair in very common use1 is absolutely comfortable for its purpose4 ,lounging was much less in vogue then than nowadays and the old cabinet-makers realized that one must be comfortable when sitting up as well as when taking one's ease4 ,one must not be deterred by this unfounded bugaboo of discomfort if one wishes a room or house done after the great period styles of the eighteenth century4 ,with care and knowledge1 the result is sure to be delightful and beautiful4 ,this little book1 as ,i have said before1 is not intended to be a guide for collectors1 for that is a very big subject in itself1 but is meant to try to help a little about the modern side of the question4 ,there are many grades of furniture made1 and one should buy with circumspection1 and the best grade which is possible for one to afford4 ,the very best reproductions are made with as much care and knowledge and skill as the originals1 and will last as long1 and become treasured heirlooms like those handed down to us4 ,they are works of art like their eighteenth century models4 ,the wood is chosen with regard to its beauty of grain1 and is treated and finished so the beauty and depth of color is brought out1 and the surface is rubbed until there is a soft glow to it4 ,if one could have the ages-old mahogany which ,chippendale and his contemporaries used1 there would be little to choose between the originals and our best reproductions1 so far as soundness of construction and beauty of detail go4 ,but the fact that they were the originals of a great style1 that no one since then has been able to design any furniture of greater beauty than that of ,england and ,france in the eighteenth century1 and that we are still copying it1 gives an added charm to a rare old chair or sideboard or mirror4 ,the modern workman in the best workshops is obliged to know the different styles so well that he cannot make mistakes1 and if he ventures to take a little flight of fancy on his own account1 it will be done with such correctness of feeling that one is glad he flew2 but few attempt it4 ,in the lower grade of reproductions one must have an eagle eye when buying4 ,i saw a rather astounding looking ,chippendale chair in a shop one day1 with a touch of ,gothic--a suspicion of his early ,dutch manner--and1 to give a final touch1 tapering legs with carved bellflowers6 ,what authority have you for that chair8 ,i asked1 for ,i really wanted to know what they would call the wonder4 ,that1 the shopman answered1 the pride of knowledge shining in his eyes1 is ,chinese ,chippendale4 ,another anachronism which has appeared lately1 and sad to say in some of the shops that should know better1 is painted ,adam furniture with pictures on it of the famous actresses of the eighteenth century4 ,the painting of ,angelica ,kauffman1 ,cipriani1 ,pergolesi and the others1 was charming and delightful4 ,nymphs and cupids1 flowers1 wreaths1 musical instruments1 and poetical little scenes1 but never the head of a living woman6 ,the bad taste of it would have been as apparent to them as putting the picture of ,miss ,marlowe1 or ,lillian ,russell on a chair back would be to us4 ,the finish is another matter to bear in mind4 ,there is a thick red stain1 which for some mysterious reason is called mahogany1 which is put on cheaper grades of furniture and finished with a high polish4 ,fortunately1 it is chiefly used on furniture of vulgar design1 but it sometimes creeps in on better models4 ,shun it whenever seen4 ,the handles must be correct also1 and a glance at the different illustrations will be of help in this matter4 ,the pieces of furniture used throughout a house1 no matter what the period may be1 are more or less the same1 so many chairs1 tables1 beds1 mirrors1 etc41 and when one has decided what one's needs are1 the matter of selection is much simplified4 ,of course one's needs are influenced by the size of the house1 one's circumstances1 and one's manner of life4 ,to be successful1 a house must be furnished in absolute harmony with the life within its walls4 ,a small house does not need an elaborate drawing-room1 which could only be had at the expense of family comfort2 a simple drawing-room would be far better1 really more of a living-room4 ,in a large house one may have as many as one wishes4 ,a house could be furnished throughout with ,chippendale furniture and show no sign of monotony of treatment4 ,the walls could be paneled in some rooms1 wainscoted in others1 and papered in others4 ,this question of paper is one we have taken in our own hands nowadays1 and although it was not used much before the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries1 there are so many lovely designs copied from old-time stuffs and landscape papers1 which are in harmony with the furniture1 that they are used with perfect propriety4 ,one must be careful not to choose anything with a too modern air1 and a plain wall is always safe4 ,the average hall will probably need a pair of console tables and mirrors1 some chairs1 ,oriental rugs1 a tall clock if one wishes1 and1 if the hall is very large and calls for more furniture1 there are many other interesting pieces to choose from4 ,a hall should be treated with a certain amount of formality1 and the greater the house1 the greater the amount2 but it also should have an air of hospitality1 of impersonal welcome1 which makes one wish to enter the rooms beyond where the real welcome waits4 ,the window frames of ,colonial and ,georgian houses were often of such good design that no curtains were used1 and the wooden inside shutters were shut at night4 ,nowadays the average house has what might be called utility woodwork at its windows and so we cover them with curtains4 ,these curtains may be of linen1 cretonne1 damask1 or brocade1 according to the house1 and may either fall straight at the side with a slight drapery or shaped or plain valance at the top1 or be drawn back from the center4 ,a carved cornice or the regular box frame may be used4 ,the stairs were often of beautifully polished hardwood1 and they were sometimes covered with rugs4 ,large ,chinese porcelain jars on the console tables are suitable1 and other beautiful ornaments4 ,as the drawing-room usually opens from the hall1 it is better to keep both rooms in the same general scale of furnishing4 ,the average sized drawing-room will need sofas1 a small settee1 two or three tables1 one of them a gallery table if desired1 chairs of different shapes and size1 mirrors1 a cabinet if one has rare pieces of old porcelain1 and candelabra4 ,oriental rugs1 a fire screen1 ornaments1 and pictures1 but these last should not be of the modern impressionistic school4 ,the woodwork should be white1 or light1 and the furniture covered with damask1 needlework1 brocade or tapestry4 ,the dining-room can be made most charming with corner cupboards and cabinet1 a large mahogany table and side table and beautiful morocco covered chairs4 ,chippendale did not make sideboards in our sense of the word1 but used large side tables4 ,one of the modern designs which many like to use1 for to them it seems a necessity1 is a sideboard made in the style of ,chippendale4 ,the screen may be leather painted after the ,chinese taste1 or it may be damask4 ,the chairs may be covered with tapestry or damask if one does not care for morocco4 ,portraits are interesting in a dining-room1 or old prints1 or paintings1 and if you can get the old dull gold carved frames1 so much the better4 ,they may also be set in panels4 ,the bedrooms may have either four-post canopy beds or low-posts beds4 ,chippendale's canopy beds had usually a carved cornice with the curtains hung from the inside4 ,the other furniture should consist of a dressing-table1 a chest of drawers to correspond with a chiffonier1 a highboy1 a sewing table1 a bedside table1 a comfortable sofa1 a fireside or wing chair and other chairs according to one's need4 ,the walls may be covered with either an old-fashioned or plain paper1--or paneled1 with hangings and chair coverings of chintz or cretonne4 ,the bed hangings may be of cretonne also1 for it makes a very charming room1 but if one objects to colored bed hangings1 white dimity1 or muslin or linen may be used4 ,it is the art of keeping the correct feeling which makes or mars a room of this kind1 and no pieces of markedly modern and inharmonious furniture should be used4 ,in furnishing a house in ,georgian or ,colonial manner one need not keep all the rooms in the same division of the period1 for there is a certain general air of harmony and relationship about them all1 and the common bond of mahogany makes it possible to have a ,chippendale library1 an ,adam drawing-room1 a ,hepplewhite dining-room and a ,sheraton hall1 or any other combination desired4 ,the spirit of all the eighteenth century cabinet-makers was one of honest construction and beauty of line and workmanship4 ,when they took ideas from other sources they made them so distinctly their own1 so essentially ,english that there is a family resemblance through all their work4 ,adam decoration and furniture makes most delightful rooms4 ,the painted satinwood furniture for dining-room1 drawing-room and bedrooms1 lends itself to lovely schemes with its soft golden tones1 its delightfully woven cane chair backs and panels4 ,a room on the sunny side of the house1 with a soft old ivory colored wall1 dull blue silk curtains1 and a yellow and blue ,chinese rug1 would be most charming with this satinwood furniture4 ,then1 as ,i have said before1 there are the many different shades of enameled and carved furniture and also beautiful natural wood4 ,one can have more of a sideboard in an ,adam than in a ,chippendale room1 as he used two pedestals1 one at each end of a large serving-table4 ,he often made tables to fit in niches1 which is a charming idea4 ,an ,adam mantel is very distinctive and one should be careful in having it correct4 ,there are beautiful reproductions made4 ,the lamp and candle shades should also be designed in the spirit of the time4 ,there are lovely ,adam designs in nearly all materials suitable for hangings and chair coverings4 ,oriental rugs or plain colored carpets appeal to us more than large-figured rugs4 ,adam sometimes had special rugs made exactly reproducing the design of the ceiling1 but it is an idea that is better forgotten4 ,with ,hepplewhite and ,sheraton the same general ideas hold2 keep to the spirit of the furniture1 try to have a central idea in the house furnishing1 so that the restful effect of harmony may be given4 ,illustration3 ,pembroke tables were made by ,hepplewhite4 ,this is a fine example and shows characteristic inlay and the legs sloping on the inside edge only4 ,the flaps fold down and make a small oblong table4 ,illustration3 ,this fine ,sheraton sideboard shows curved doors1 and knife boxes with oval inlay of satinwood4 ,the center cupboard is straight4 ,the legs are reeded4 ,the rugs which harmonize best with ,georgian furniture are ,orientals of different weaves and colors1 or plain domestic carpet rugs4 ,the floor should be the darkest of the three divisions of a room--the floor1 the walls1 the ceiling1 but it should be an even gradation of color value1 the walls half-way in tone between the other two4 ,this is a safe general plan1 to be varied when necessity demands4 ,in drawing-rooms light and soft colors are usually in better harmony than dark ones1 and a wide and beautiful choice can be made among ,kermanshah1 ,kirman1 ,khorasan1 ,tabriz1 ,chinese1 ,oman rugs1 and many others4 ,it is more restful in effect if the greater part of the floor is covered with a large rug1 but if one has beautiful small rugs they may be used if they are enough alike in general tone to escape the appearance of being spotty4 ,one should try them in different positions until the best arrangement is found4 ,illustration3 ,a pleasing design of the old field bed4 ,the chairs here are samples of some eighteenth century manufacture that are to-day reproduced in admirable consistency4 ,the patch work quilt is interesting and the bed hanging are exceptionally good4 ,living-rooms and libraries are usually more solid in color than drawing-rooms and so need deeper tones in the rugs4 ,the choice is wide1 and the color scheme can be the deciding note if one is buying new rugs4 ,if one already has rugs they must be the foundation for the color scheme of the room4 ,furnishing ,with ,french ,furniture ,this is my ,louis ,,xvi drawing-room1 said a lady1 proudly displaying her house4 ,what makes you think so8 asked her well informed friend4 ,to guard against the possibility of such biting humor one must be ever on the alert in furnishing a period room4 ,it is not a bow-knot and a rococo curve or two that will turn a modern room1 fresh from the builder's hands1 into a ,louis ,,xv drawing-room4 ,french furniture is not appropriate to all kinds of houses1 and it is often difficult to adapt it to circumstances over which one has no control4 ,the leisurely and pleasant custom of our ancestors of building a house as they wished it1 and what is more1 living in it for generations1 is more or less a thing of the past4 ,nowadays a house is built1 and is complete and beautiful in every way1 but almost before the house-warming is over1 business is sitting on the doorstep1 and so the family moves on4 ,we1 as a nation1 have not the comfortable point of view of the ,english who consider their home1 their home1 no matter how the outside world may be behaving4 ,their front doors are the protection which insures their cherished privacy1 and the feeling that they are as settled as the everlasting hills gives a calmness to their attitude toward life which is often missing from ours4 ,how many times have we heard people say when talking over plans--,have it thus and so1 for it would be much better in case we ever care to sell4 ,this attitude1 to which of course there are hundreds of exceptions1 is an outgrowth of our busy life and our tremendous country4 ,the larger part of the home ideal is the one which ,americans so firmly believe in and act upon--that it is the spirit and atmosphere which makes a home1 and not only the bricks and mortar4 ,it is this point of view which makes it possible for many of us to live happily in rented houses whose architecture and arrangement often give us cold shivers4 ,we are not to blame if all the proportions are wrong2 and there is a certain pleasure in getting the better of difficulties4 ,if one is building a house1 or is living in one planned with a due regard to some special period1 and has a well thought out scheme of decoration1 the work is much simplified2 but if one has to live in the average nondescript house and wishes to use ,french furniture1 the problem will take time and thought to solve4 ,in this kind of house1 if one cannot change it at all1 it is better to keep as simple and unobtrusive a background as possible1 to have the color scheme and hangings and furniture so beautiful that they are a convincing reason themselves of the need of their being there1 but one should not try to turn the room itself into a period room1 for it would mean failure4 ,the walls may be covered with a light plain paper1 or silk1 the woodwork enameled white or cream or ivory1 and then with one's mirrors and furnishings1 the best thing possible has been done1 and it ought to be a charming room1 if not a perfect one4 ,if one can make a few changes ,i advise new lighting fixtures and a new mantel1 for these two important objects in the room are conspicuous and nearly always wrong4 ,it is almost impossible to give a list of furniture for each room in a house1 as each house is a law unto itself1 but the fundamental principles of beauty and utility and appropriateness apply to all4 ,the furniture of the time of ,louis ,,xiv1 having so much that is magnificent about it1 is especially well suited to large rooms for state occasions1 great ballrooms and state drawing-rooms4 ,these rooms not being destined for everyday use should be treated as a brilliant background2 paneling1 painting1 tapestry1 and gilding should decorate the walls1 and beautiful lights and mirrors should aid in the effect of brilliancy4 ,it must be done with such knowledge that there is no suggestion of an hotel about it4 ,console tables1 and large and dignified chairs should be used for furniture4 ,nothing small and fussy in the way of ornaments should be put in the rooms1 for they would be completely out of scale and ruin the effect4 ,every house does not need these rooms for the elaborate side of life1 and the average drawing-room is a much simpler affair4 ,if both kinds are required the simpler one should be in the same general style as the great rooms1 but not on so grand a scale4 ,if the style of ,louis ,,xv is chosen for all1 in the family drawing-and living-rooms the paneling1 or dado1 and furniture should be of the simpler kind1 and beautiful1 gay1 and home-like rooms1 evolved with soft colored brocades1 ,beauvais or ,gobelin tapestry1 and either gilded or enameled or natural walnut furniture4 ,the arm-chairs or bergres of both ,louis ,,xv and ,louis ,,xvi are very comfortable1 the chaise-longue cannot be surpassed1 and the settees of different shapes and sizes are delightful4 ,there need be no lack of comfort in any period room1 whether ,french or ,english4 ,a music room1 to be perfect1 should not have heavy draperies to deaden the sound1 and the window and door openings should be treated architecturally to make this possible4 ,in a ,french music room the walls may be either paneled1 or have a dado with a soft tint above it4 ,this space may be treated in several ways3 it may have silk panels outlined with moldings1 or dainty pastoral scenes painted and framed with wreaths and garlands of composition4 ,the style of the ,regency with its use of musical instruments for decorative motifs is also attractive4 ,the chairs should be comfortable1 the lights soft and well shaded side-lights1 with a plentiful supply near the piano4 ,illustration3 ,a beautiful doorway in the bedroom of the ,empress1 ,compigne4 ,the fastening shows how much thought was expended on small matters1 so the balance of decoration would be kept4 ,the chairs are ,louis ,,xvi4 ,illustration3 ,an exquisite reproduction of the bed of ,marie ,antoinette4 ,illustration3 ,a simple but charming ,louis ,,xvi bed in enamel and cane4 ,a piano is usually a difficulty1 for they are so unwieldy and dark that they are quite out of key with the rest of the room4 ,we have become so used to its ugliness1 however1 that1 sad to say1 we are not so much shocked by it as we should be1 thinking it a necessary evil4 ,if we walk through the show rooms of one of the great piano companies we shall see that this is a mistake1 for there are many cases made of light colored woods1 and some have a much more graceful outline than the regulation piano4 ,cases can be made to order to suit any scheme1 if one has a competent designer4 ,a music room should not have small and meaningless ornaments in it2 the ideal is a restful and charming room where one may listen with an undistracted mind4 ,the modern dining-room with all its comforts is really of ,english descent4 ,in ,france1 even in the eighteenth century1 only the palaces and great houses had rooms especially set apart for dining-rooms4 ,usually a small ante-chamber was used1 which served as a boudoir or reception room between meals4 ,to our more established point of view it seems a very casual method4 ,at last1 late in the century1 the real ideal of a dining-room began to gain ground1 and although they were very different from ours1 we find really charming ones described and pictured4 ,the walls were usually light in tone1 paneled1 with graceful ornamentation1 and often there were niches containing wall-fountains of delightful design4 ,the sideboards were either large side-tables1 or a species of side-table built in niches1 with a fountain between them which was used as a wine cooler4 ,these fountains where cupids and dolphins disported themselves would be a most attractive feature to copy in some of our rooms1 in country houses especially4 ,the tables were round or square1 but not the extension type which came later from ,england1 and the chairs were comfortable1 with broad upholstered or cane seats1 and rather low backs4 ,there should be a screen to harmonize with the room in front of the pantry door4 ,we also add hangings1 for1 as ,i have said many times1 our window-frames are not a decoration in themselves4 ,old prints show most delightfully the manner in which curtains were hung when they were used2 the very elaborate methods1 however1 were not used by the better class4 ,a morning-room should be furnished as a small informal living-room1 and the simpler style of the chosen period used4 ,the style of ,louis ,,xvi is beautifully adapted to libraries1 for they do not have to be dark and solid in style1 as many seem to think4 ,in fact a library may be in any style if carried out with the true feeling and love of books1 but of course some styles are more appropriate than others4 ,in a ,louis ,,xvi library the paneling gives way to the built-in bookcases which are spaced with due regard to keeping the correct proportions4 ,there is usually a cupboard space running round the room about the height of a dado and projecting a little beyond the bookcases above4 ,the colors of the rugs and hangings may be warm and rich as the books give the walls a certain strength4 ,there are also beautiful reproductions of bedroom furniture1 chairs and dressing-tables1 desks1 chiffoniers and ,chaises-longues1 and beds4 ,andirons1 side-lights for the walls and dressing-table1 doorknobs and locks1 can all be carried out perfectly4 ,lamp and candle shades and sofa cushions should all be in keeping4 ,the walls may be paneled in wood enameled with white or some light color1 or they may be covered with silk or paper1 in a panel design1 with curtains to match4 ,there are lovely designs in ,french period stuffs4 ,the rugs most appropriate for ,french period rooms are light or medium in tone1 and of ,persian design4 ,the floral patterns of the ,persians seem to harmonize better with the curves and style of furniture than do the geometrical designs of the ,caucasian rugs4 ,savonnerie and ,aubusson rugs may also be used1 if chosen with care1 and the plain carpets and rugs mentioned later are a far better choice than gaudy ,orientals of modern make1 or bad imitations4 ,country ,houses ,the ,country ,house is a comparatively modern idea1 and one which has added much to the joy of life4 ,there are all kinds and conditions of them1 great and small1 grand and simple1 and each is a joy to the proud possessor4 ,life was such a turbulent affair in the ,middle ,ages that country life in the modern sense was an impossibility4 ,the chateaux and castles and large manor-houses were strongly fortified1 and there were inner courts for exercise4 ,when war became the exception and not the rule1 the inherent love in all human beings for the open began to assert itself1 and the country house idea began to grow4 ,italy was the first country where we find this freedom of attitude exemplified in the beautiful ,renaissance villas near ,rome and ,florence4 ,the best were built during the sixteenth century1 and were owned by the great ,italian families1 like the de ,medici and d',este4 ,they seem more like places built for the parade and show of life than homes1 but the home ideal with all its conveniences was another outgrowth of peace4 ,the plan of an ,italian villa is very interesting to study1 to see how every advantage was taken of the land1 how the residence1 or casino1 was placed in regard to the formal garden and the view over the valley1 for they were usually on a hillside and the slope was terraced1 how the statues and fountains1 the beautiful ilex and cypress and orange trees1 the box-edged flower-beds and gravel paths1 all formed a wonderful setting for the house1 and together made a perfect whole4 ,the ,italian villa was not necessarily large1 in fact the ,villa ,lante contains only six acres1 which are divided into four terraces1 the house being on the second and built in two parts1 one on each side4 ,each terrace has a beautiful fountain1 with a cascade connecting those on the fourth and third4 ,this villa is indeed1 an example of taking advantage of a fairly small space4 ,it was built by the great ,vignola in #aedg1 and although slightly showing the wear of time1 has all the beauty and charm and romance which only centuries can give4 ,the ,italian villa can be adapted to the ,american climate and scenery and point of view1 but it must be done by one of the architects who have made a deep study of the ,italian ,renaissance so the true feeling will be kept4 ,there are some beautiful examples already in the country4 ,in ,france1 the chateaux which have most influenced country house building are those which were built during the sixteenth century1 many of them during the reign of ,francis #ast4 ,among the number are ,azay le ,rideau1 ,chenonceaux1 and ,chaumont4 ,blois and ,amboise are also absorbingly interesting1 but belong partly to an earlier time4 ,the chateau region in ,touraine is a treasure land of architectural beauty4 ,in the time of ,louis ,,xiv ,le ,ntre changed many of these old chateaux from their fortified state to the more open form made possible by a peaceful life4 ,we turn to ,england for the most perfect examples of country houses1 for the theory of country living is so thoroughly understood there1 one might really say it is a national institution4 ,many of the manor-houses1 both great and small1 are beautiful examples of ,tudor architecture1 which seems especially suited to their setting of lovely green parks4 ,the smaller country house1 which has no pretention to being a show place1 is as perfect in its way4 ,the ,english love for out-of-doors makes them achieve wonders with even small gardens1 and the climate1 being gentle1 helps matters immensely4 ,in ,america we are taking up the ,english country house ideal more and more and adapting it to our own needs4 ,the question of architecture is a question of personal choice influenced by climate1 and there are now numberless charming houses scattered over the length and breadth of the land which have been built with the purpose of being country homes4 ,they are not for summer use only1 but all the year round keep their hospitable doors open1 or else the season begins so early and ends so late1 that1 with the holiday time between1 the house hardly seems closed at all4 ,it is this attitude which is changing country house architecture to a great extent4 ,the terraces and porches and gardens and glasshouses are all there1 but the house itself is more solidly built and is prepared to stand cold weather4 ,for the average ,american the best types of country house to choose from are the smaller ,tudor manor-houses1 ,italian villas1 ,georgian architecture in ,england1 and our own ,colonial style which of course was founded on the ,georgian4 ,in the south and southwestern parts of this country a modified ,spanish type may be used in place of ,tudor1 which does not give the feeling of cool spaces so necessary in hot climates4 ,the bungalow type is also popular in the ,south4 ,there are many architects in this country who understand thoroughly the plan and spirit of ,colonial times1 and who succeed in giving to the comforts of modern days the true stamp of the eighteenth century4 ,the style makes most delightful houses1 and with the great supply of appropriate furniture from which to choose1 it would be hard to fail in having a charming whole4 ,the house and garden should be planned together to have the best effect4 ,each can be added to as time goes on1 but when a plan is followed there is a look of belonging together which adds greatly to the charm4 ,illustration3 ,a hall to conjure with--although a ,hepplewhite or ,sheraton chair would be more in keeping4 ,in an all-the-year country house a vestibule is a necessity as much as in a town house1 and the hall should be treated with the dignity a hall deserves1 and not as a second living-room4 ,in many ,english houses of ,tudor days the stairs were behind a carved screen1 or concealed in some manner1 which made it possible to use the hall as a gathering place4 ,our modern hall is not a descendant of this old hall of a past day 7the living-room is much more so71 but is really only a passage1 often raised to the nth power1 connecting the different rooms of the house1 and should be treated as such4 ,the stairs and landing and vista should be beautiful1 and the furnishing should be dignified and in perfect scale with the rest of the house4 ,marble stairs and tapestry and old carved furniture and beautiful rugs1 or the simplest possible furniture1 may be used1 but the hall should have an impersonally hospitable air1 one which gives the keynote of the house1 but reserves its full expression until the privacy of the living-rooms is reached4 ,illustration3 ,a very rare block-front chest of drawers with the original brasses4 ,the average country house is neither very magnificent nor very simple1 but strikes the happy medium and achieves a most delightful home-like charm1 which at the very outset makes life seem well worth living4 ,it is rarely furnished in a period style throughout1 but has the modern air of comfort which good taste and correct feeling give4 ,for instance1 the hall may have paneling and ,chippendale mirror1 a table1 and chairs2 the living-room furnished in a general ,colonial manner mixed with some comfortable stuffed furniture1 but not over-stuffed1 lovely chintz or silk hangings1 and a wide fireplace2 the morning-room on something the same plan1 but a little less formal2 and the drawing-room a little more so1 say in ,adam or simple ,louis ,,xvi furniture4 ,the library should have plenty of comfortable sofas and chairs1 and a large table 7it is hard to get one too large71 some of the bookcases should be built in to form part of the architectural plan of the room1 and personally ,i think it is a better idea to have all the space intended for bookcases built in in the first place1 as this insures harmony of plan4 ,another important thing in a library is to have the lights precisely right1 and the window-seats and the fireplace should be all that their names imply in the way of added charm and comfort to the room4 ,the dining-room should be bright and cheerful and in harmony with the near-by rooms4 ,a breakfast-room done in lacquer is very charming4 ,the bedrooms should be light and airy1 and so planned that the beds can be properly placed4 ,they may be furnished in old mahogany1 ,french walnut in either ,louis ,,xv or ,,xvi style1 or in carefully chosen ,empire2 painted ,adam furniture is also lovely1 and willow furniture makes a fresh and attractive room4 ,the curtains should be hung so they can be drawn at night if desired1 and the material should be chosen to harmonize in design with the room4 ,the children's rooms should be sunny and bright and furnished according to their special tastes1 which if too astounding1 as sometimes happens1 can be tactfully guided into safe channels4 ,the servants should be given separate bedrooms1 a bathroom1 and a comfortable sitting-room beside their dining-room4 ,making them comfortable seems a simple way of solving the servant question4 ,the bungalow type of small country house is usually very simply furnished1 and the best type of ,mission furniture or willow is especially well suited to it4 ,bungalows are growing more and more in favor1 and1 although they originated in ,america in the ,west1 we find delightful ones everywhere1 on the ,maine coast and in the woods and mountains4 ,they are a tremendous advance over the small and elaborate house of a few years ago4 ,cretonne and chintz can be used in all the rooms of a country house with perfect propriety1 and is a really lovely method of furnishing1 as it is fresh and washable1 and comes in all gradations of price4 ,willow furniture with cretonne cushions makes a pleasant variety with mahogany in simple rooms4 ,fresh air and sunlight1 lovely vistas through doors and windows of the garden beyond1 cool and comfortable rooms furnished appropriately1 and with an atmosphere about them which expresses a hospitable and charming home spirit1 is the ideal standard for a country house4 ,the ,nursery and ,play-room ,we should be thankful that the old idea of a nursery has passed away and instead of the dreary and rather shabby room has come the charming modern nursery with its special furniture and papers1 its common sense and sanitary wisdom and its regard for the childish point of view4 ,the influence of surroundings during the formative years of childhood has a deal to do with the child's future attitude toward life1 and now that parents realize this more1 the ideal nursery has simplicity1 charm and artistic merit1 all suited to the needs of its romping inhabitants4 ,the wall-papers for nurseries are especially attractive with their gay friezes of wonderful fairy-tale people1 ,mother ,goose1 ,noah's ,ark and happy little children playing among the flowers4 ,some of the designs come in sets of four panels that can be framed if desired4 ,a ,noah's ,ark frieze with the animals marching two by two under the watchful eyes of the ,noah family1 with an ark and stiff little ,noah's ,ark trees1 will give endless pleasure if placed about three feet from the floor where small tots can take in its charm4 ,if placed too high1 it is very often not noticed at all4 ,some of the most attractive nurseries have painted walls with special designs stenciled on them4 ,if any one of these friezes is placed above a simple wainscot1 the effect is charming4 ,the paper for nurseries is usually waterproof1 for a nursery must be absolutely spick and span4 ,another thing that gives much pleasure in a nursery is to build on one side of the room a platform about a yard wide and six inches high1 and cover it with cushions4 ,the furniture in a day nursery should consist of a toy cupboard stained to match the color scheme of the room and large enough for each child to have his own special compartment in it4 ,if the children's initials are painted or burned on the doors1 it gives an added feeling of pride in keeping the toys in order4 ,there are many designs of small tables and chairs made with good lines1 and the wicker ones with gay cretonne cushions are very attractive4 ,the tables and chairs should not have sharp corners and should be heavy enough not to tip over easily4 ,there should be a bookcase for favorite picture-books4 ,besides the special china for the children's own meals there should be a set of play china for doll's parties4 ,a sand table1 with a lump of clay for modeling1 a blackboard and1 in the spring1 window-boxes where the children can plant seeds1 will all add vastly to the joy of life4 ,and do not forget a comfortable chair for the nurse-maid4 ,white muslin curtains with side hangings of washable chintz or linen or some special nursery design in cretonne should hang to the sill4 ,the colors in both day and night nurseries should be soft and cheerful1 and the color scheme as carefully thought out as for the rest of the house4 ,both rooms should be on the sunny side of the house1 and far enough away from the family living-room to avoid any one's being disturbed when armies charge up and down the play-room battle-ground or ,indians start out on the warpath4 ,the best floor covering for a day nursery is plain linoleum1 as it is not dangerously slippery and is easily kept clean4 ,if the floor is hard wood1 it must not have a slippery wax finish4 ,it will also save tumbles if the day nursery has no rugs1 but the night nursery ought to have one large one or several small ones by the beds and in front of the open fire4 ,washable cotton rugs are best to use for this purpose4 ,when children are very small1 it is necessary to have sides to the beds to keep them from falling out4 ,the beds should be placed so that the light does not shine directly in the children's eyes in the morning1 and there should be plenty of fresh air4 ,the rest of the night nursery furniture should consist of a dressing-table1 a chest of drawers1 a night table and some chairs4 ,there should be a few pictures on the walls hung low1 and beautiful and interesting in subjects and treatment4 ,the fire should be well screened4 ,pictures like the ,songs of ,childhood1 for instance1 would be charming simply framed4 ,if there is only one nursery for both day and night use1 the room should be decorated as a day nursery and the bed-cover made of white dimity with a border of the curtain stuff or made entirely of it4 ,curtains ,the modern window1 with its huge panes of glass and simple framework1 makes an insistent demand for curtains4 ,without curtains windows of this kind give a blank1 staring appearance to the room and also a sense of insecurity in having so many holes in the walls4 ,the beautiful windows of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in ,italy1 ,england and ,france1 give no such feeling of incompleteness1 for their well-carved frames1 and over-windows1 and their small panes of glass1 were important parts of the decorative scheme4 ,windows and doors were more than mere openings in those days1 but things have changed1 and the hard lines of our perfectly useful windows get on our nerves if we do not soften them with drapery4 ,in that hopeless time in the last century called ,early ,victorian1 when black walnut reigned supreme1 the curtains were as terrifying as the curves of the furniture and the colors of the carpets4 ,luckily most of us know only from pictures what that time was1 but we all have seen enough remnants of its past glories to be thankful for modern ways and days4 ,the over-draped1 stuffy1 upholstered nightmares have entirely disappeared1 and in their place have come curtains of a high standard of beauty and practicality--simple1 appropriate1 and serving the ends they were intended for4 ,the effect of curtains must be taken into account from both the outside and the inside of the house4 ,the outside view should show a general similarity of appearance in the windows of each story1 in the manner of hanging the curtains and also of material4 ,the shades throughout the house should be of the same color1 and if a different color is needed inside for the sake of the color scheme1 either two shades should be used or they should be the double-faced kind4 ,shades should also be kept drawn down to the same line1 or else be rolled up out of sight1 for there is nothing that gives a more ill-kept look to a house than having the shades and curtains at any haphazard height or angle4 ,and now to return to our muttons4 ,the average window needs two sets of curtains and a shade4 ,sometimes a thin net or lace curtain1 a bonne femme is hung close to the glass1 but this is usual only in cities where privacy has to be maintained by main force1 or where the curtains of a floor differ greatly4 ,thin curtains in combination with side curtains of some thicker material are most often used4 ,curtains either make or mar a room1 and they should be carefully planned to make it a perfect whole4 ,they must be so convincingly right that one only thinks at first how restful and pleasant and charming the whole room is2 the details come later4 ,when curtains stand out and astound one1 they are wrong4 ,it is not upholstery one is trying to display1 but to make a perfect background for one's furniture1 one's pictures and one's friends4 ,there are so many materials to choose from that all tastes and purses can be suited2 nets1 thin silk and gauzes2 scrims and batistes2 cotton and silk crepes1 muslin or dotted ,swiss1 cheesecloth1 soleil cloth1 madras1 and a host of other fascinating fabrics which may be used in any room of the house4 ,the ready-made curtains are also charming4 ,there are muslin curtains with appliqu borders cut from flowered cretonne2 sometimes the cretonne is appliqu on net which is let into the curtain with a four-inch hem at the bottom and sides4 ,a simpler style has a band of flowered muslin sewed on the white muslin1 or used as a ruffle4 ,it is also added to the valance4 ,there are many kinds of net and lace curtains ready for use that will harmonize with any kind of room4 ,some of the expensive ones are really beautiful examples of needlecraft1 with lace medallions and insertions and embroidery stitches4 ,when it comes to the question of side curtains the supply to choose from is almost unlimited1 and this great supply forms the bog in which so many are lost4 ,a thing may be beautiful in itself and yet cause woe and havoc in an otherwise charming room4 ,there are linens of all prices1 and cretonnes1 both the inexpensive kind and the wonderful shadow ones2 there are silks and velvets and velours1 aurora cloth1 cotton crpe and arras cloth1 and a thousand other beautiful stuffs that are cheap or medium-priced or expensive1 whose names only the shopman knows1 but which win our admiration from afar4 ,the curtains for a country house are usually of less valuable materials than those for a town house1 and this is as it should be1 for winter life is usually more formal than summer life4 ,nothing can be prettier1 however1 for a country house than cretonne4 ,it is fresh and dainty and gives a cool and delightful appearance to a room4 ,among the many designs there are some for every style of decoration4 ,illustration3 ,the arrangement of sofa and table are excellent1 but there should be other centers of interest in the room4 ,as it is1 this room just misses its aim1 and is neither a strict period room nor a really comfortable modern one4 ,the height and size of a room must be taken into account in hanging curtains1 for with their aid1 and also that of wallpaper1 we can often change a room of bad proportions to one of seemingly good ones4 ,if a room is very low1 a stripe more or less marked in the design1 and the curtains straight to the floor1 will make it seem higher4 ,a high room may have the curtains reach only to the sills with a valance across the top4 ,this style may be used in a fairly low room if the curtain material is chosen with discretion and is not of a marked design4 ,if the windows are narrow they can be made to seem wider by having the rod for the side curtains extend about eight inches on each side of the window1 and the curtain cover the frame and a part of the wall4 ,this leaves all the window for light and air4 ,a valance connecting the side curtains and covering the top of the net curtains will also make the window seem broader4 ,a group of three windows can be treated as one by using only one pair of side curtains with a connecting ruffle1 and a pair of net curtains at each window4 ,curtains may hang in straight lines or be simply looped back1 but fancy festooning is not permissible4 ,there is another attractive method of dividing the curtains in halves1 the upper sections to hang so they just cover the brass rod for the lower sections1 which are pushed back at the sides4 ,these lower sections may have the rod on which they are run fastened to the window-sash if one wishes4 ,they will then go up with the window and of course keep clean much longer1 but to my mind it is not so alluring as a gently blowing curtain on a hot day4 ,i have seen a whole house curtained most charmingly in this manner1 with curtains of unbleached muslin edged with a narrow little ruffle4 ,they hung close to the glass and reached just to the sill with the lower part pushed back at the sides4 ,the outside view was most attractive1 and the inside curtains varied according to the needs of each room4 ,illustration3 ,a charming window treatment1 in a room whose color scheme is carried out in the garden1 giving a unique and delightful touch4 ,casement windows should have the muslin curtains drawn back with a cord or a muslin band1 and the side curtains should hang straight1 with a little top ruffle2 if the windows open into the room the curtains may be hung on the frames4 ,the muslin curtains may be left out entirely if one wishes4 ,net curtains on ,french doors should be run on small brass rods at top and bottom1 and the heavy curtains that are drawn together at night for privacy's sake should be so hung that they will not interfere with the opening of the door4 ,there should be plenty of room under all ruffles or shaped valances where the curtains are to be drawn to allow for easy working of the cords1 otherwise tempers are liable to be suddenly lost4 ,all windows over eighteen inches wide need two curtains1 and the average allowance of fullness is at least twice the width of the window for net and any very soft material1 while once and a half is usually enough for material with more body4 ,great care must be taken to measure curtains correctly and have them cut evenly4 ,it is also a good plan to allow for extra length1 which can be folded into the top hem and will not show1 but will allow for shrinking4 ,stenciling can be very attractively used for curtains and portires for country houses4 ,cheesecloth1 scrim1 aurora cloth1 pongee1 linen1 and velours1 are a few of the materials that can be used4 ,the design and kind used in a room should be chosen with due regard to its suitability4 ,a ,louis ,,xvi room could not possibly have arras cloth used in it1 while it would be charming and appropriate in a modern bungalow4 ,arras cloth with an appliqu design of linen couched on it makes beautiful curtains and portires to go with the ,mission or ,craftsman furniture4 ,there is an old farmhouse on ,long ,island that has been made over into a most delightful country house1 and the furnishing throughout is consistent and charming4 ,the curtains are reproductions of old designs in chintz and cretonne4 ,the living-room1 with its white paneling to the ceiling1 its wide fireplace1 old mahogany furniture1 and curtains gay with parrots and flowers1 hanging over cool white muslin1 is a room to conjure with4 ,in town houses the curtains and hangings must also harmonize with the style of furnishing4 ,when the windows are hung with soft colored brocade1 the portires are usually beautiful tapestry or rich toned velvets1 and care is always taken to have the balance of color kept and the color values correct4 ,there are silks and damasks and velvets1 and many lesser stuffs1 made for all the period styles1 whether carried out simply or elaborately1 and it is the art of getting the suitable ones for the different rooms which gives the air of harmony1 beauty1 and restfulness1 for which the word home stands4 ,in hanging these more formal curtains the shaped valance is usually used with the curtains hanging straight at the sides of the window1 so they can be drawn together at night4 ,the cords and pulleys should always be in perfect working order4 ,another method is to have the curtains simply parted in the center1 either with a valance or without1 and drawn back at the sides with heavy cords and tassels1 or bands of the stuff4 ,if a draped effect is desired great care must be taken not to have it too elaborate4 ,if the walls of a room are plain in color one may have either plain or figured hangings1 but if the wall covering is figured it gives a feeling of unrest if the curtains are also figured4 ,sometimes one sees bedrooms and small boudoirs where the walls and curtains show the same design1 but it must be done with skill1 or disaster is sure to follow4 ,plain casement cloth or the different ,sunfast fabrics are attractive with plain or figured papers1 especially in bedrooms of country houses4 ,if one has to live in the town house through the summer do not make the fatal mistake of taking down the curtains and living in bare discomfort during the hot season4 ,if the curtains are too handsome to be kept up1 buy a second set of inexpensive ones that can be washed without injury4 ,it is better that they should stop the dust1 and then go into the tub1 than that one's lungs should collect it all4 ,curtains are useful as well as ornamental1 and a house without them is as dreary as breakfast without coffee4 ,floors and ,floor ,coverings ,in planning a room the color values should be divided into the natural divisions of the heaviest1 or darkest1 part at the bottom1 which is the floor2 the medium color tone in the middle1 which is the wall2 and the lightest at the top1 which is the ceiling4 ,this keeps the room from seeming top-heavy and gives the necessary feeling of support for the wall and ceiling4 ,the walls and floor serve as a background and should not be insistant or startling in color2 and the size and height of the room1 the amount of wall space1 the position of doors1 windows and fireplace1 the quantity and quality of the light1 and the connecting rooms will all be factors in the color scheme and materials chosen4 ,the floor of a room must be right or all the character of the furnishings will be lost4 ,one should first see that it is in perfect condition4 ,if it is a hardwood or parquetry floor it should not be finished the bright and glaring yellow which is sometimes seen1 but should be slightly toned down before the finish is put on4 ,samples of different tones should be submitted to be tried with samples of the rug and stuffs to be used before the decision is made4 ,a wax finish is better than the usual coats of shellac1 for the wax has a soft and beautiful glow1 while shellac has a hard commercial glare4 ,a waxed floor1 if properly taken care of1 which is not difficult1 wears extremely well and does not have the distressingly shabby appearance of a partly worn shellaced floor4 ,if the floor is old and worn and is to be painted or stained all cracks should be filled1 and the color chosen should be a neutral color-in harmony with the rest of the room1 the wood shades usually being the best1 with the exception of cherry and the red tones of mahogany4 ,teak is a good tone for hard wood4 ,soft wood floors of such woods as pine1 fir1 and cypress can be made to have the appearance of hardwood if first scraped or sandpapered and then stained with an oil stain and finished with a thin coat of shellac and two coats of prepared floor wax4 ,the usual ways of using floor covering are3 one large rug which leaves a border of hard wood floor of about a foot all around it2 several small rugs placed with a well balanced plan upon the floor2 and carpet1 either seamless or of strips sewed together1 made into one rug or entirely covering the floor4 ,in the majority of cases the use of a single large plain rug is by far the best plan1 for it gives the feeling of an unobtrusive background whose beauty of color serves to bind the room in the unity of a well planned scheme2 and this sense of dignity and solidity goes a long way on the road to success4 ,it is one of the most satisfactory methods of covering a floor imaginable4 ,these plain carpets come in several grades and many colors and are woven in widths from nine to thirty feet which can be cut in any desired length4 ,this makes it possible to have a rug which will be a suitable size for a room4 ,the colors are very good1 especially the soft grays1 tans1 putty color1 and taupe4 ,there are also some good blues and greens1 a very beautiful dark blue having great possibilities4 ,there are also1 besides these wide carpets1 narrow carpets from twenty-seven inches to four feet wide which can be sewed together and made into rugs1 or the carpet can cover the entire floor4 ,in some cases this is the most attractive thing to do1 for it will make a room seem larger by carrying the vision all the way to the wall without the break of a border2 and it also covers a multitude of sins in the way of a rough floor4 ,in these days of vacuum cleaners the old terrors of dust have lost their sting4 ,a plain carpet or rug may be used with propriety in any room in the house1 provided the right color is chosen for the surroundings4 ,some people1 however1 prefer a figured carpet in the dining-room on account of the wear and tear around the table4 ,this risk is not very great if the rug is of good quality in the first place4 ,a two-toned all-over design is often chosen for halls and stairs because of the special wear which they receive1 and a ,chinese rug is a good selection to make with a stair carpet of soft blue and yellow ,chinese design to match4 ,a small1 figured1 all-over design is a good choice for a nursery4 ,bedrooms may have either one large rug or be covered entirely with carpet1 or have several rugs so placed that the floor is practically covered but is easily kept clean4 ,plain rugs are more restful in effect in bedrooms than figured rugs1 and with plain walls and chintz are fresh and charming4 ,these carpet rugs should be made with a flat binding which turns under and is sewed down1 as this looks far better and lies flatter on the floor than the usual over-and-over finish1 which is apt to stretch4 ,all rugs should be thoroughly stretched before they are delivered as otherwise they will not lie flat4 ,there is a kind of plain woven linen rug1 with a different colored border if desired1 which is very good to use in many country houses4 ,these rugs come in a large assortment of colors and sizes1 and1 when sufficient time is allowed1 they can be made in special sizes4 ,old-fashioned woven and hooked rag rugs are not appropriate in all kinds of rooms1 even in the country4 ,they should only be used in the simple farm house type and in some bungalows1 and should be used with the simple styles of old furniture and never with fine examples1 whether copies or originals4 ,illustration3 ,this attractive ,colonial hallway shows a good arrangement of rugs4 ,the border on the portires spoils the effect1 but the lamp is well chosen4 ,the light in a room must be taken into account in choosing a rug1 and cold colors should not be used in north or cheerless rooms4 ,the theory of color in regard to light has been explained in other chapters1 very fully in the chapter on wallpapers1 and its principles should be applied to all questions of furnishing1 or disappointment will be the result4 ,illustration3 ,the ,oriental rug used on the stairs harmonizes with those used on the floor4 ,illustration3 ,this bed-room is a good example of a simple ,colonial bed-room1 and the rag rugs are in keeping with it4 ,the repeat design of the wallpaper ties the room into a unified whole4 ,the question of whether to use ,oriental rugs or plain rugs is one which many people find hard to solve4 ,one of the deciding factors is often finding just what is right for the room1 for really beautiful ,oriental rugs in large or carpet size are rare and also expensive1 but soft-toned ,persian rugs with their interesting floral designs1 and ,chinese rugs with their wonderful tones of blue and yellow are works of art and well worth the trouble necessary to discover them and the price asked4 ,they are best adapted to some libraries and halls and some dining-rooms1 but they should not be startling in either design or color4 ,to my mind ,oriental rugs are not well suited to the majority of living-rooms and bedrooms because of the constant and varied use of these rooms4 ,when ,oriental rugs are used there should be plenty of plain effect in the room2 the walls1 for instance1 should be plain4 ,i have never seen a room which was successful if both walls and rug were figured4 ,a fine tapestry may be used with ,oriental rugs1 but that is quite different from a figured wall4 ,if several rugs are to be used in one room they must be of the same color value and the same general color tone or the floor will appear uneven4 ,one does not wish to have a room give the uncomfortable effect of the rocky road to ,dublin4 ,a rug with a general blue tone must not be put with other rugs of many colors or an overpowering amount of red1 but should be matched in color by having blue the chief color of the other rugs also4 ,the color value1 too1 must be even1 for a light rug next to a dark has the same disagreeable effect4 ,it is impossible to have a beautiful room if the rug seems to rise up and smite you as you enter4 ,persian rugs with their conventional floral designs should not be used with the marked color and geometrical designs of ,caucasian rugs4 ,these points are important to remember and follow1 for otherwise unity of scheme for the room will be impossible4 ,if one has several fine rugs well matched in color value and design they should be placed with a due regard to the shape of the room and the position of the furniture4 ,a rug placed cat-a-cornered breaks up the structural plan of the room and makes it appear smaller than it really is4 ,the new lines formed are at odds with the lines of the walls and interfere with the sense of space by stopping the eye in its instinctive journey to the boundary of things4 ,oriental rugs should be tried if possible in the rooms in which they are to be used before the final choice is made1 and one must always try the rug with the light falling across the nap and also with the nap1 for one way makes the rug lighter and the other darker1 and one of the two may be just what is wanted4 ,if one owns a rug which seems far too bright to use it can be toned down1 but the owner must take the risk of its being spoiled in the process4 ,to me it does not seem a great risk1 because if the rug is so bright that it is absolutely nerve-destroying and useless1 and there is a chance that for a small sum it can be made charming1 why not take it8 ,i have never heard of one failing1 but ,i suppose some of them must or the stipulation would not be made4 ,if an ,oriental rug is used it should give the keynote for the color scheme1 and the design of the rug will decide whether there can be any figured material used in the room4 ,it is far easier to build up a scheme from a satisfactory rug than it is to try to fit one into a room which is otherwise finished4 ,one's field of choice is much wider4 ,samples of wallpaper1 curtain material and furniture coverings should always be tried with the rugs1 whether ,oriental or plain in color1 for the scheme of a room must be worked out as a whole1 not piece-meal4 ,each room must be considered in relation to the other rooms near it1 because1 although it may be beautiful in itself1 if it does not harmonize with the connecting rooms the whole effect will be a failure4 ,vistas from one room to another should be alluring and charming2 there should be no violent and clashing contrasts of color or styles of furniture or sudden change in the scale of furnishings4 ,one room cannot shake off its relationship to the rest of the house and be a success1 and floor coverings must bear their full share of responsibility in making the whole house beautiful4 ,the ,treatment of ,walls ,the walls of a house hold a most important place in the order of things and their treatment requires much thought4 ,the floor is the darkest color value in a room1 as it is the foundation1 and the walls come next in color value and consideration4 ,what ,i have said in other chapters about the necessity of connecting rooms being harmonious applies of course to the selection of wall coverings4 ,the first question to be settled is3 shall paint or paper be used8 ,if a house is new the walls are apt to settle a little making the plaster crack1 and it is far better in such a case to allow the walls to remain white for a year4 ,if the effect of plain white plaster strikes one as too cold one of the many water tints may be used as this will not interfere with any later scheme4 ,in houses that have been built for a number of years the walls are often so badly cracked and marred that to put them into condition for painting would be more expensive than preparing them for paper4 ,estimates should be given for both paint and paper4 ,when the plaster has done its worst and settled down to a quiet life the work of covering the walls appropriately begun4 ,plain walls1 whether painted1 tinted1 or papered1 are more restful in effect and form better backgrounds than figured walls4 ,this is not a question of the beauty of the design or the expense of the material1 but simply the fact that a plain surface is quiet1 while a figured wall1 even if only two-toned1 will at once assert itself more1 and so be less of a background4 ,if many pictures and mirrors are to be used1 or a figured rug and much furniture1 by all means have plain walls4 ,if one has some special object of great beauty and interest1 it should be treated with the dignity and honor it deserves and given a plain background4 ,a miscellaneous collection of lares and penates can be made to hold together better by having a plain wall of some soft neutral color rather than a figured paper1 which would only make the confusion more pronounced4 ,small rooms should have plain and light colored walls1 as they then appear larger4 ,plain walls give a wider scope in the matter of decoration1 for1 beside the possibilities of plain stuffs1 chintz and various striped silks and linen may be used which would be quite out of the question with figured walls1 more flowers may be used1 and lampshades1 always a bit assertive1 take their proper place in the scheme1 instead of making another distracting note4 ,illustration3 ,a built-in corner cupboard has an architecturally decorative value for it supplies a spot of color in the paneled walls4 ,the modern china closet is bad1 and the chairs have the failing of many reproductions1 the backs are a little too high for the width4 ,the question of paint or paper has often to be decided by circumstances1 such as the condition of the walls or the climate4 ,with paint one can have the exact shade desired and either a glossy or eggshell finish4 ,with paper it is often a matter of taking the nearest thing to the color wanted and changing the other colors to harmonize4 ,paint is better to use in a damp or foggy climate1 as paper may peel from the walls in the course of time4 ,illustration3 ,this fine well-curtained four poster1 once the property of ,lafayette1 the trundle-bed1 cradle1 chairs and table1 are all interesting1 but the wallpaper appears to be of the ugly time of about #ahhj4 ,something more appropriate should be chosen4 ,walls may be tinted or painted1 and paneled with strips of molding which are painted the wall color or a tone lighter or darker as the scheme requires4 ,also1 the wall inside the moulding may be a tone lighter than the wall outside1 or vice versa1 but the contrast must not be strong or the wall at once becomes uneven in effect and ceases to be a good background4 ,paintings may be paneled on the walls4 ,if one has only one suitable picture for the room it should be placed over the mantel1 or in some other position of importance1 making a centre of interest in the room4 ,using pictures and pieces of tapestry in this way is quite different from having the walls painted in two sharply contrasting colors1 because the paint gives the feeling of permanence while the picture is obviously an added decoration requiring a correct background4 ,i am speaking of the average house1 not of houses and palaces where the walls have been painted by great artists4 ,painted walls are appropriate for all manner of homes1 from the elaborate country or city house all through the list to the farm house or small bungalow1 but if1 for any reason1 one cannot have painted walls1 or prefers paper1 one need not forego the restful pleasure of plain backgrounds1 for there are many beautiful plain papers to be had4 ,personal taste usually decides whether paint or paper is to be used4 ,paint is thought by some to be too cold or hard in appearance 7it is only so when badly done or when disagreeable colors are chosen17 or it is considered too formal1 or1 with the memory of ,new ,england farm houses in mind1 too informal4 ,for those who wish paper1 the possibilities are very great if the paper is properly chosen4 ,the reason why so many people are disappointed with the effect of their newly papered rooms is that they judged the paper at the shop from one piece1 and did not realize that a design which appealed to them there might be overpowering when repeated again and again and again on the wall4 ,when choosing a figured paper several strips should be placed side by side to enable one to judge whether the horizontal repeat is as satisfactory and pleasant as the perpendicular4 ,when an acceptable one is found a large sample should be taken home to pin on the wall to show the effect in its future environment4 ,samples of the curtains and furniture coverings should also be tried with the sample of paper before the final choice is made4 ,if a paper with a decided figure is chosen pictures should be banished1 for their beauty will be killed by the repeated design4 ,the scale of the design in relation to the size of the room must also be taken into account4 ,a small room will be overpowered by a large figure1 but often the repeat of a small figure is quite correct in a large room as it gives an all-over1 unobtrusive effect4 ,if the wall space is much cut by doors and windows one should select a plain1 neutral toned paper4 ,it would be a fatal error to use a figured paper1 for the room would look restless and chaotic and probably out of balance4 ,if the windows are in groups and the doors balance each other the danger is lessened1 but not done away with4 ,one of the beautiful features in fine old ,colonial houses is this ordered position of doors1 but in many a modern house the doors have a trying way of appearing in a corner1 as if they were a bit ashamed of themselves2 and they have good cause to be1 for a badly placed door is a calamity4 ,if one is fortunate enough to plan one's own house1 this matter can be taken care of properly1 but in the average ready made house one has to try to make the doors less conspicuous by having them painted in very much the tone of the wall4 ,with a gray wall1 for instance1 there should have a slightly lighter tone of gray for the woodwork1 with a white and gray striped paper white paint may be used1 with a soft tan a deep old ivory1 and so on4 ,if a room is badly proportioned it can often be improved by the simple expedient of using a correct paper4 ,if the room is too high for its size the ceiling color may be brought down on the side wall for eighteen inches or so and finished with a moulding4 ,this stops the eye before it reaches the ceiling and so makes the room seem lower4 ,if the room is too low a striped paper may be used which will make the room seem higher by carrying the eye up to the ceiling where the paper is finished with a moulding4 ,vertical lines give the appearance of height1 horizontal lines of width4 ,striped paper should not be used in narrow halls1 for it makes them seem narrower and gives one the feeling of being in a cage4 ,two-toned striped papers of nearly the same color value1 such as gray and white1 yellow and cream-white1 and white and cream color1 are better to use than those of more marked contrast1 although some of the green and white and blue and white are charming and fresh looking for bedrooms4 ,black and white is too eccentric for the average house2 one should beware of all eccentric papers4 ,there are a few kinds of paper which should be left severely alone1 for they will spoil any room4 ,one of them has a plain general tone but a suggestion of other colors which give it a blurred and mottled appearance which is singularly disagreeable4 ,another is plain in color but has a lumpy effect like a toad's back1 and is really quite awful4 ,others are metallic papers1 and there is a heavy paper embossed in self color with a conventional design which is apt to have a shining surface4 ,papers with dashes and little flecks of gold should be avoided1 for the gold gives the wall an unstable and cheap appearance4 ,papers with small single figures repeated all over the surface are apt to look as if a plague of flies or beetles had arrived and are quite impossible to live with4 ,borders and cut out borders have a commonplace appearance and are not in the best of taste4 ,and then there are papers with vulgarity of design4 ,this quality is hard to define clearly1 for it may be only a slightly redundant curve or other lack of true feeling for the beauty of line1 or a bit too much1 or too little1 color1 or a bad combination of color1 or a lack of knowledge of the laws of balance and harmony and ornament1 or a wrong surface of texture to the paper4 ,but whatever the cause1 a vulgar paper will vulgarize any room1 no matter what is done in the way of furniture4 ,it will assert itself like an ill-bred person4 ,luckily both are easily recognized4 ,but the picture is not all dark by any means1 for some of the ,american made papers1 as well as the imported papers1 are very beautiful4 ,the makers are taking great pains to have fine designs and beautiful colors which will appeal to people of knowledge and taste4 ,the situation is much better than it was a few years ago4 ,some of the copies of old figured and scenic papers are exceptionally fine1 and can be used with great distinction in dining-rooms or halls with ivory or cream-white woodwork and wainscoting1 and ,georgian or ,colonial furniture4 ,one should not use pictures with these papers1 but mirrors are permissable and will have the best effect if placed on a wood-paneled over-mantel4 ,these papers come in tones of gray and white and also sepia4 ,oriental rugs1 if not of too conspicuous a design1 may be used with them1 but plain rugs are better with plain hangings and striped silk chair seats4 ,these papers are very attractive in country houses4 ,there are also colored scenic papers1 an especially fascinating one having a ,chinese design which could be used as a connected scene or in panels1 and would be lovely in a country house drawing-room or dining-room or hall4 ,it could also be used in a city house with beautiful effect if due thought be given to the question of hangings1 woodwork1 rug1 and furniture4 ,introduce a false note1 and a room of this kind is ruined4 ,these scenic papers come in sets1 but the copies of the other old papers come in the regular rolls4 ,some of the lovely old ,toile de ,jouy designs have been used for wall paper1 and these with other chintz designs1 can be softened in effect by a special method of glazing which makes them very harmonious and charming with antique furniture or reproductions of fine old models4 ,these old chintz papers are lovely for bedrooms or morning-rooms1 with fresh crisp muslin curtains and plain silk or linen or chambray side-curtains4 ,either painted or mahogany furniture could be employed4 ,a motif from the paper can be used for the furniture or it can simply be striped with the color chosen for the plain curtains4 ,some of the good and rather stunning bird design papers treated with this special glazing make beautiful halls with plain rugs and hangings and chair covers4 ,papers cost from about forty cents to several dollars a roll1 but the choice is large and attractive between one and three dollars a roll1 and there are also excellent ones for eighty-five cents4 ,it is almost impossible1 however1 to give a satisfactory list of prices as they vary in different parts of the country4 ,the reproductions of old scenic papers of which ,i have spoken are expensive1 costing about one hundred dollars a set1 but they may go down again now that the war is over4 ,the difference in expense between paint and paper is not very great1 in fact1 with the average paper at a dollar or a dollar and a half a roll1 paint is about the same1 or perhaps a bit cheaper if the walls are in fairly good condition4 ,it is a mistake to use inferior paper1 and there should never be more than a lining paper and the paper itself on the wall4 ,in some cases where there is only one paper of soft color on the wall1 with no lining paper1 this paper may be used as a lining paper if it is absolutely tight and firm4 ,the risk is that the new paste may loosen the old a bit and so let all come down4 ,old paper must be entirely removed if there are any marred places as they will show through the new and ruin the effect4 ,the amount of wall space and the quality and the quantity of the light are important factors in deciding the color scheme because by using them correctly we can brighten a cheerless1 dark room or soften the blaze in a too sunny one4 ,if the light is a cold dreary one from the north1 the room will be vastly improved if warm1 cheerful colors are used3 warm ivory1 deep cream color1 soft or bright yellow without any greenish tinge in it1 soft yellow pinks 7there is a hard pink which is very ugly71 yellow green 7but not olive71 and tones of golden tan4 ,it is the dash of yellow in these colors which makes them cheerful and gives the impression of sunlight4 ,tans should never come too close to brown for a dark room1 for nothing is more dreary or hopeless than a room done in that depressing color4 ,the beautiful tones of old oak1 or properly treated modern oak paneling1 are quite a different matter4 ,small amounts of red or orange will do wonders1 if used with discretion1 in brightening a dull room1 and are often just what are needed to bring out the beauty of the rest of the scheme2 but it is a great mistake to think that red walls and a great deal of red in the hangings and furniture covering will make a cheerful or pleasant room4 ,red absorbs light and is also an irritant to the eyes and nerves1 and1 unless it is used with great skill1 it is apt to look extremely commonplace and ugly or like an ostentatious hotel or public building4 ,few of us have large enough houses to make it possible to use red in great amounts1 and it is well for the average person to shun it and remember that in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred a red wall will spoil a room4 ,illustration3 ,there are few treatments for walls in a ,colonial dining-room that can compare with paneled walls1 or wainscoting with a decorative paper above4 ,the subject1 however1 must be in keeping4 ,this paper is extremely inappropriate1 and the center light is also badly chosen and could be eliminated4 ,cool colors should be used in bright and sunny rooms--blues1 greens1 grays1 grayish tans1 and those delightful colors1 old ivory1 and soft deep cream color and linen color4 ,colors with a tone of yellow in them are easier to use than cold blues and greens and violets1 for the yellow tinge1 be it ever so little1 brings them into relation with the majority of woods used in floors and furniture frames4 ,light colors make a room seem larger by apparently making the walls recede1 and dark colors make it seem smaller1 as they make us conscious of the walls and so seem to bring them nearer4 ,any very bright room may have dark walls to soften the glare1 but if it has to be used by artificial light it will then be heavy and cheerless in effect2 and so a better choice would be some soft neutral color of medium or lighter color values1 such as gray green1 and use awnings and dark shades4 ,this matter of color in relation to light is important to remember when planning one's house4 ,there is also another question which has great influence on one's choice of paper1 and that is the amount and kind of furniture to be used in the room4 ,georgian furniture calls for plain or paneled walls1 or if a figured paper is used it should be one of the old-fashioned designs or one of the striped papers4 ,old-fashioned chintz designs are also appropriate for bedrooms with mahogany or painted furniture4 ,plain or paneled walls1 striped paper1 and some of the fine floral designs1 which can also be used as panels1 and the charming ,toile de ,jouy designs1 are all appropriate when used with ,french furniture4 ,heavily made furniture like ,craftsman or ,mission needs the support of strong walls which may be rough-finished natural-colored or painted plaster1 or grass cloth1 or one of the many good plain papers of heavy texture4 ,there are also figured papers which are appropriate4 ,wicker furniture will go with almost any kind of attractive paper which is correct for the room1 but when there is much figure the cushions should be covered with plain stuff4 ,all-over stuffed furniture when covered with chintz looks best with plain walls4 ,painted furniture looks well with plain walls and chintz4 ,a motif from the chintz can be used on the furniture for the decoration1 but if the wall paper is figured the effect will be more restful if the furniture is only striped4 ,illustration3 ,this room is unattractive because of the poor arrangement of the furniture and the inappropriate bed-hangings4 ,the bed1 ,sheraton chair1 and card-table1 are all very good examples4 ,in summing up3 the important points which govern the choice and color of wall covering are the connecting rooms1 the amount and quality of light1 the size and shape of the room1 its use1 the furnishings which are to be used1 the condition of the walls1 and personal preference as to paint or paper4 ,do not be afraid of the idea that plain walls1 whether paint or paper1 may become tiresome1 for one can stand well planned monotony year in and year out with a cheerful heart4 ,if some rooms are to be papered with figured paper be sure the selection is made with care and with the idea in mind that a figured wall is in itself a decoration and should not have pictures crowded upon it4 ,artificial ,lighting ,to light a room successfully appropriate lights must be placed where they are needed to keep the feeling of balance and proportion and bring out the charm of the room by their relation to its furnishing4 ,they should also be so placed that the life of the household can go on as cheerfully and smoothly in the evening as in the day time4 ,the position and style of lighting fixtures is decided by the type of house1 the size and height of the rooms1 the amount of wall space1 the use for which the rooms are intended1 their style of furnishing1 the chief centers of interest1 such as mantels1 doors1 furniture1 and pictures of importance1 and also the manner in which the walls are treated1 whether paneled or papered4 ,if one is building a house one should give all possible data to the architect in regard to any special pieces of furniture or pictures which one may wish to use in certain places4 ,by doing this the tragedy of a slightly too small wall space will be escaped1 and the lights will be properly placed in the beginning4 ,one must always remember in planning the position of the lights for a room that the eye naturally seeks the brightest spot1 and badly placed lamps and sidelights will upset the balance of a room4 ,the room must not be glaringly bright1 but there should be a feeling of a certain evenness in the distribution of light4 ,a top light makes the light come from the wrong direction4 ,artificial light in a room should take its general idea from the lighting of the room in the day time4 ,the daylight comes from the windows1 the sides of the room1 and the decoration of the room is built up with that in mind2 so when we are planning the lighting scheme we should remember this and realize that the light should come from lamps placed advantageously on tables1 and wall lights placed slightly above eye level4 ,living-rooms should have a sufficient number of well placed sidelights to enhance the beauty of the room1 and they should be placed near centers of importance such as each side of the fireplace1 or wide door1 or on each side of some important picture or mirror4 ,if there is a group of two or three windows which need to be more convincingly drawn together to form a unit1 lights may be placed on each side of the group4 ,sidelights can be placed in the center of panels1 thus forming a decoration for the panel1 and1 flanking paintings or mirrors or tapestries1 make beautiful and formal rooms1 especially for the different periods of ,french1 ,english1 or ,italian decoration4 ,this treatment with simpler forms of fixtures may also be used in our charming1 but more or less nondescript1 chintz living-rooms and country house drawing-rooms or dining-rooms4 ,with a sufficient number of lamps in the room the side-or wall-lights need not be lighted during the average stay-at-home evenings but are ready if there is some special occasion for brilliancy4 ,there are some rooms which are much improved by having no side-lights at all1 all the light coming from lamps4 ,there should be plenty of floor sockets so placed that lamps may be used on tables near sofas and armchairs and on the writing table or large living-room table4 ,it is this proper placing of lamps which has so much to do with the charm and comfort of a room when evening comes4 ,in the average home there is no greater mistake in the matter of lighting than having a room lighted by chandelier or ceiling lights4 ,lights at the top of the room1 or a foot or two from the ceiling1 break up completely the artistic balance of the room by drawing attention to them as the brightest spot4 ,they make the room seem smaller both by day and night1 they cast ugly shadows1 they do not give sufficient or correct light for reading or writing1 and the glare above one's head is nerve destroying4 ,when the sun is directly overhead we hasten to put up sunshades1 so why should we deliberately reproduce in our homes the most trying position of light8 ,the fixtures also are usually extremely ugly4 ,one sees sometimes in private houses what is called the indirect method of lighting1 which is usually an alabaster bowl suspended by chains from the ceiling in which the lights are concealed4 ,the reflected light on the ceiling is supposed to give a suffused and bright light4 ,to my mind there is something extremely obnoxious about this method used in homes1 for it smacks of department stores and banks and public buildings generally4 ,and then1 too1 the light is unpleasant4 ,if ,i were the unfortunate possessor of such a light ,i should have it taken down and use the bowl on a high wrought iron tripod for growing ivy and ferns1 and thus try to get a little good from the ill wind that blew it there4 ,there are a few cases1 however1 where top lights may be used1 such as large drawing-or music-rooms1 rooms in which formal entertaining is to be done4 ,crystal ceiling lights are then best to use1 or chandeliers with crystal drops or pendants4 ,if these rooms are ,italian ,renaissance in style1 the center lights must naturally harmonize in period4 ,large halls with marble stairs and wrought-iron balustrade can have this elaborate kind of light1 but the average hall demands a simpler chandelier4 ,if one is to be used there are some very good copies of old ,colonial lights and lanterns1 but personally ,i prefer wall brackets and a dignified lamp1 or a floor lamp4 ,torchres or lacquered floor lamps may be used in pairs if the hall is large enough to have them placed properly4 ,in a long1 narrow hall they would look a bit like lamp posts4 ,rather close fitting round shades1 nearly the same size at top and bottom1 made of painted parchment give a decorative touch and sufficient light4 ,as one does not need an especially bright light in a hall1 a beautiful lamp can be made of one of the fine old alabaster vases which many people have by dropping an electric bulb in it4 ,placed on a consol table before a mirror it makes a delightful spot in the hall4 ,these lamps may also be used in other rooms where a light is needed for effect and not for use4 ,in placing lamps the charm and utility of a reflection in a mirror must not be overlooked4 ,a vestibule may have a lantern of some attractive design in harmony with the house1 or side lights1 if they can be so placed as not to be struck by the door4 ,dining-rooms are far more beautiful and also better lighted if sidelights are used1 with candles on the table1 rather than a drop light4 ,dining-room drop-lights or domes have all the disadvantages of other center lights and are extremely trying to the eyes of the diners1 as well as being unbecoming4 ,even when screened with thin silk drawn across the bottom there is something deadening to one's brain in having a light just over one's head4 ,side lights with the added charm of candles will give plenty of light4 ,it is a cause for thanksgiving that drop-lights over dining-tables are rarely seen now-a-days4 ,bedrooms should have a good light over the dressing table1 and to my mind1 two movable lights upon it1 which may be in the form of wired candlesticks or small lamps4 ,these are much more convenient than fixed lights4 ,there should be a light over any long mirror1 and one for the desk and sofa or chaise longue1 and one for the bedside table4 ,the dressing-room should be supplied with a light over the chiffonier and long mirror1 and there should also be a table light4 ,clothes closets should have simple lights4 ,and do not forget the kitchen if one wishes properly cooked meals4 ,a light so placed that it shines into the oven has saved many a burned dish1 and a light over the sink has saved many a broken one4 ,the servants' sitting-room should have a good reading lamp4 ,the question of the style of the fixtures is important1 for if they are badly chosen they will quite spoil an otherwise perfect room4 ,they must harmonize in period with the room1 and also with its scale of furnishing4 ,there is a wide choice in the shops1 and some of the designs are very good indeed1 having been carefully studied and adapted from beautiful museum specimens of old ,italian1 ,french1 ,english1 and ,spanish1 carvings and ornament4 ,some of our iron workers make very fine metal fixtures which are beautiful copies of old ,french and ,italian work4 ,there are graceful and sturdy designs1 elaborate and simple1 special period designs1 and many which are appropriate for rooms of no particular period4 ,there are charming lacquer sconces to go with lacquer furniture1 and old-fashioned prism candelabra and sconces1 and fixtures copied from choice old whale oil lamps in both brass and bronze4 ,there are suitable designs for each and every room4 ,the difficulty lies not in finding too few to choose from1 but too many1 and1 growing weary1 making a selection not quite so good as it should be4 ,one should take blue prints to the shop if possible1 but necessary measurements without fail4 ,one must know not only the width of the wall spaces1 but the width of the pictures and furniture to be put in the room1 or the calamity may happen of having the fixtures a bit too wide4 ,when fixtures are meant to be a special part of the decorative scheme1 and support and enhance pictures and tapestries1 they should have an appropriate decorative value also1 but in the average home it is better and safer to choose the simpler1 but still beautiful1 designs4 ,it is better to err on the side of simplicity than to have them too elaborate4 ,lamps should be chosen to harmonize with the room1 to add their usefulness and beauty to it as a part of the whole and be convincingly right both by day and night4 ,there are many possibilities for having lamps made of different kinds of pottery and porcelain jars2 some crackle-ware jars are very good in color4 ,chinese porcelain jars1 both single color and figured1 make lovely lamps4 ,old and valuable specimens should not be used in this way1 for they are works of art4 ,many modern jars are copies of the old and these should be used4 ,there are lacquer lamps1 bronze1 and brass1 and carved wood lamps1 and lovely ,wedgwood and alabaster vases4 ,there are charming little floor lamps1 some of wrought iron with smart little parchment shades1 some in ,sheraton design1 some in lacquer or painted wood1 which can be easily carried about to stand by bridge tables or a special chair4 ,there are dozens of different jars and lamps to use1 but the one absolutely necessary question to ask oneself is3 is it right for my purpose8 ,lamp shades are a part of the scheme of the room's decoration and should be chosen or made to order to achieve the desired effect4 ,special shades are made by many clever people to harmonize with any room or period and are apt to be far better than the ready made variety4 ,there are all manner of beautiful shades1 lace1 silk1 plain and painted parchment and paper1 mounted ,japanese prints1 embroidery1 and any number of other attractive combinations4 ,to be perfect1 beside the fine workmanship1 they must harmonize in line with the lamps on which they are to be used1 and harmonize in color and style with the room1 and have an absolute lack of frills and furbelows4 ,the shade for a reading lamp should spread enough to allow the light to shine out4 ,lamp shades simply for illuminating purposes may be any desired shape if in harmony with the shape of the lamp4 ,lacquered painted tin shades are liked by some for lamps on writing tables4 ,there should be a certain amount of uniformity in the style of the shades in a room1 although they need not be exactly alike4 ,too much variety is ruinous to the effect of simple charm in the room4 ,the chintz which is used for curtains will supply a motif for the painted shades if one wishes them1 but if there is a great deal of chintz1 plain shades will be more attractive4 ,side lights may have little screens or shades1 as one prefers1 or none may be used4 ,in that case the bulbs may be toned down by using ground glass and painting them with a thin coat of raw umber water color paint4 ,bedroom shades follow the same rule of appropriateness that applies to the other shades in the house4 ,there should be several sets of candle shades for the dining-room4 ,there is really no reason why so many houses should be so badly lighted4 ,often simply rearranging the lamps and changing the shape of the shades will do wonders in the way of improvement4 ,radical changes in the wiring should be carefully thought out so there will be no mistakes to rectify4 ,painted ,furniture ,the love of color which is strong in human nature is shown in the welcome which has been given to painted furniture4 ,if we turn back to review the past we find this same feeling cropping out in the different periods and in the different grades of furniture4 ,the furniture of the ,italian ,renaissance was often richly gilded and painted2 the carved swags of fruit1 arabesques1 and the entwined human figures1 were painted in natural colors1 or some of the important lines of the furniture were picked out with color or gold1 or both4 ,as the influence of the ,renaissance spread to ,france and ,england1 changed by the national temperament of the different countries1 we find their furniture often blossoming into color--not covered by a solid coat of paint but picked out here and there by lines and accenting points4 ,during the time of ,louis ,,xiv everything was ablaze with gold and glory1 but later1 during the reigns of ,louis ,,xv and ,louis ,,xvi1 a gentler1 more refined love of color came uppermost1 and the lovely painted furniture was made which has given so much inspiration to our modern work4 ,the simpler forms of the ,louis ,,xv period1 and the beautiful furniture of the ,louis ,,xvi period1 were often painted soft tones of ivory1 blue1 green1 or yellow1 and decorated with lovely branches of flowers1 birds1 and scenery where groups of people by ,fragonard and other great painters disported with all their eighteenth century charm4 ,these decorations were usually painted on reserves of old ivory with the ground color outside of some soft tone4 ,martin1 the inventor of famous vernis ,martin1 flourished at this time1 and the glow of his beautiful amber-colored finish decorated many a piece of furniture from sewing boxes to sedan chairs4 ,in ,england the vogue of painted furniture was given impetus by the genius of the ,adam ,brothers and the beautiful work of ,angelica ,kaufmann1 ,cipriani1 and ,pergolesi4 ,in both ,france and ,england there was at this time the comprehension and appreciation of beauty and good taste combined with a carefree gaiety which made the ineffable charm of the eighteenth century a living thing4 ,there are some of our modern workmen and painters of furniture who feel this so thoroughly that their work is very fine1 but the majority have no knowledge or understanding of the period1 and1 although they may copy the lovely things of that time1 the essence1 the true spirit1 is lacking4 ,cabinet making and painting in those days was a beloved and honored craft2 to-day1 alas1 it is too often a matter of union rules4 ,chinese lacquer1 while not strictly coming under the head of painted furniture1 was another branch of decorated furniture which was in great demand at this time4 ,the design in gold was done on a black or red or green ground and was beautiful in effect4 ,illustration3 ,the delicacy of the painting and the graceful proportions of these reproductions are in the true spirit of ,adam4 ,illustration3 ,a three-chair settee of the ,sheraton period1 lacquered1 and with cane seat4 ,it would be appropriate for a living-room or hall4 ,illustration3 ,a wing-chair with a painted frame is comfortable and harmonizes with painted furniture4 ,illustration3 ,this simple slat-backed chair can be made most attractive at small expense with paint and a motif from the chintz for decoration4 ,while the upper classes were having this beautiful furniture made for their use1 the peasant class was serenely going on its way decorating its furniture according to its own ideas and getting charming results4 ,the designs were usually conventionalized field flowers done with great spirit and charm4 ,from the peasants of ,brittany and ,flanders and ,holland have come down to us many beautiful marriage chests and other pieces of furniture which are simple and straightforward and a bit crude in their design and color1 but which have done much to serve as a help and guide in our modern work4 ,the supply of painted furniture to-day is inspired by these different kinds of the great periods of decoration4 ,there are many grades and kinds in the market1 some very fine1 keeping up the old traditions of beauty1 some charming and effective in style and color1 but with a modern touch1 and some very very bad indeed2 and when they are bad they are horrid4 ,i have said a great deal in other chapters on this subject1 but ,i cannot too often urge those of my readers who have the good fortune to live near one of our great art museums to study for themselves the precious specimens of the great days of genius4 ,it will give a standard by which to judge modern work1 and it is only by keeping our ideals and demands high that we can save a very beautiful art from deteriorating into a commercial affair4 ,when selecting painted furniture1 one can often have some special color scheme or decoration carried out at a little extra expense2 and this is well worth while1 for it takes away the ready made feeling and gives the touch of personality which adds so much to a home4 ,one must see that the furniture is well made1 that the painting and finishing are properly done1 and that the decoration is appropriate4 ,if the furniture is of one of the ,french periods1 it should be one of the simpler styles and should be painted one of the soft ground colors used at the time1 and the decoration should have the correct feeling--flowers and birds like those on old ,french brocade or toile de ,jouy or old prints4 ,the striping should be done in some contrasting color or in the wonderful brownish black which they used4 ,the design may be taken from the chintz or brocade chosen for the room1 but the painting must be done in the manner of the period4 ,this holds true of any ,english period chosen1 such as ,adam furniture or the painted furniture of ,sheraton4 ,there are several firms who make a specialty of this fine grade of furniture1 but it is not made by the car load2 in fact it is usually special order work4 ,the kind one finds most often in the shops is furniture copied from the simpler ,georgian styles or simple modern pieces slightly reminiscent of ,craftsmen furniture1 but not heavy or awkward in build4 ,this furniture is painted in different stock colors and designs1 or can be painted according to the purchaser's wishes as a special order4 ,these stock designs are often stenciled1 but some of them have an effective charm and are suitable to country houses1 and also many city ones4 ,when there is much chintz used1 the furniture will often be more attractive if it is only striped with the chief color used in the room4 ,the designs which are to be avoided are of the ,art ,nouveau and ,cubist variety1 roses that look like cabbages gone crazy1 badly conventionalized flowers1 and crude and revolting color schemes4 ,it sounds as if it should not be necessary to warn people against these monstrosities1 and ,i have never heard of any one who buys them1 but some one must do so or they would not be in the shops4 ,attractive and inexpensive painted furniture can be made to be used in simple surroundings by buying slat-backed chairs with splint seats and a drop-leaf pine table and having them painted the desired ground color and then striped and decorated with a motif from the chintz to be used in the room4 ,a country house dining-room or bedroom could be most charmingly fitted up in this way1 chintz cushions could be used on the chairs1 and candle shades could be made to match4 ,one can sometimes find a bed or chest of drawers or other piece of furniture which is a bit shopworn and can be had for a bargain4 ,old bureaus can be made to serve as chests of drawers by taking the mirror off and using it as a wall mirror4 ,in many houses there are old sets of ugly furniture which can be made useful and often attractive by having the jigsaw carving removed and painting them4 ,in a set of this kind1 which ,i was doing over for a client1 there happened to be two beds with towering headboards1 quite impossible to use1 but ,i combined the two footboards1 thus making one attractive bed4 ,the furniture was painted a soft pumpkin yellow1 striped with blue and with little1 old-fashioned nosegays1 and a lovely linen with yellow and cream stripes and baskets of flowers was used and turned a dark and dreary room into a cheerful and pretty one4 ,one can find some kind of suitable painted furniture for nearly every room in the average modern house4 ,people everywhere are turning away more and more from the heavy1 depressing effects of a few years ago2 but unless they know the ground they are walking on they must tread with care4 ,the style chosen must be appropriate and in scale with the style of house4 ,the fine examples would look quite out of place in a bungalow or very simple house1 and the simple kind founded on peasant designs would not be suitable in rooms with paneled walls and lovely taffeta curtains4 ,in ,georgian and simple ,french designs there are fascinating examples of chairs1 settees and tables1 corner cupboards and sideboards1 beds and dressing-tables and chests of drawers1 mirrors and footstools and candlesticks1 everything both big and little which can be used in almost any of our charming rooms in the average house1 with their fresh chintz and taffeta and well planned color schemes4 ,lacquered furniture is more formal than the average painted furniture1 and often one or two pieces are sufficient for a room4 ,a beautiful lacquered cabinet with its fascinating mounts and its soft1 wonderful red or black and gold tones is a thing to conjure with4 ,lacquered furniture is lovely for some dining-rooms and morning-rooms4 ,the tables should always be protected with glass tops1 which also applies to other painted furniture4 ,one or two pieces of painted furniture may be used in a room with other furniture if they happen to be just the thing needed to complete the scheme4 ,a console table1 for instance1 with a mirror over it and sidelights1 might be just the touch needed between two windows hung with plain taffeta curtains4 ,like all good things there must be restraint in using it1 but there are few things that have greater possibilities than painted furniture when properly used4 ,synopsis of ,period ,styles as an ,aid in ,buying ,furniture4 ,when trying to select furniture for the home1 people often become bewildered by the amount and variety to be found in the shops1 and1 not knowing exactly what to look for in the different styles1 make an inappropriate or bad selection4 ,one does not have to be so very learned to have things right1 but there are certain anachronisms which cry to heaven and a little knowledge in advance goes a long way4 ,a purchaser should also know something about the construction and grade of the furniture he wishes to buy4 ,there are good designs in all the grades1 which1 for the sake of convenience1 may be divided into the expensive1 the medium in price1 and the cheap4 ,the amount one wishes to spend will decide the grade1 and one naturally must not expect to find all the beauties and virtues of the first in the last4 ,the differences in these grades lie chiefly in the matters of the fit and balance of doors and drawers2 the joining of corners where1 in the better grade1 the interior blocks used to keep the sides from spreading are screwed as well as glued2 the selection of well seasoned wood of fine grain2 careful matching of figures made by the grain of the wood in veneer2 panels properly made and fitted so they will not shrink or split2 careful finish both inside and out1 and the correct color of the stain used2 appropriate hardware2 hand or machine or applied carving4 ,in the cheap grades it is best to leave carving out of the question entirely1 for it is sure to be bad4 ,then there are the matters of the correctness of design and detail1 in which all the knowledge one has collected of period furniture will be called upon2 and in painted furniture the color of the background and the charm and execution of the design must be taken into account1 whether it is done by hand or stenciled4 ,nearly all kinds of woods are used1 the difference in cost being caused by the grade and amount of labor needed1 the kind of wood chosen and its abundance and the fineness of grain and the seasoning4 ,mahogany costs more than stained birch1 and walnut than gum wood1 but there are certain people who for some strange reason feel that they are getting something a little smarter and better if it is tagged birch mahogany than if it were simply called birch4 ,some of the furniture is well stained and some shockingly done1 the would-be mahogany being either a dead and dreary brown or a most hideous shade of red1 a very ,bolshevik among woods4 ,one must remember that the mahogany of the #ahth century1 the best that there has ever been1 was a beautiful glowing golden brown1 and when a red stain was used it was only a little to enhance the richness of the natural color of the wood1 more of a suggestion than a blazing fact4 ,the wood was carefully rubbed with oil and pumice1 and the shellac finish was rubbed to a soft glow4 ,modern furniture1 especially in the medium and cheap grades1 is apt to look as if it were encased in a hard and shining armor of varnish4 ,illustration3 ,this chair with its silk damask covering edged with gimp1 the shape of the underframing and arms1 and the dull gold carved ornaments1 shows many characteristics of the ,italian ,renaissance4 ,illustration3 ,an elaborately carved ,chippendale chair1 with late ,queen ,anne influence in the shape of the back4 ,petit point covering which was so popular in her day is now wonderfully reproduced4 ,illustration3 ,this ,chippendale pie crust tip table shows the tripod base with claw feet and the carved edge which gives it its name1 and which was carved down to the level1 never applied4 ,a genuine antique pie crust table is very valuable4 ,illustration3 ,this fine example of a ,queen ,anne lacquered chair shows the characteristic splat and top curve1 the slip seat narrower at the back than front with rounded corners1 and cabriole legs4 ,beside this practical knowledge one should have a general idea of the artistic side or the appearance of the different period styles and the manner in which they were used4 ,to achieve this1 one must study the best examples it is possible to find in originals1 pictures1 and properly made reproductions4 ,many of the plates in this book are from extremely valuable originals and should be studied carefully as they give a fine idea of some of the chief points in the different styles4 ,one should also go to libraries and ,art ,museums whenever possible and study their collections4 ,the more knowledge gained the more ease one will have in furnishing one's home whether there is everything to buy1 or one is planning to add a few articles to complete a charming interior1 or1 with an eye to a future plan1 is buying good things piece by piece and slowly eliminating the bad4 ,it is this knowledge which will help you to study your own possessions and decide what is needed and what will be correct to buy4 ,that1 is one of the most important points1 to have a well thought out plan1 and never to be haphazard in your purchases4 ,very few of us have houses completely furnished in one period1 but we do try to have a certain unity of spirit kept throughout the whole1 whether it be ,french1 ,italian1 ,english1 or our own charming ,colonial4 ,there can be a great variety in any one of these divisions1 and suitable furniture can be found for all rooms1 from the simplest kind to the most elaborate4 ,it is easier to find good reproductions in the ,english periods of ,jacobean1 ,charles ,,ii1 ,william and ,mary1 ,queen ,anne1 and the ,georgian time1 and the ,french periods of ,louis ,,xv and ,louis ,,xvi4 ,illustration3 ,the upholstery of this ,sheraton chair is fastened on with brass-headed tacks placed in festoons4 ,illustration3 ,notice the curved seat of this ,hepplewhite chair4 ,illustration3 ,the wheel back design was often used by ,adam4 ,the arms1 the curve of the seat and carving1 the tapering reeded legs1 and the angle of the back legs should all be noticed4 ,illustration3 ,as ,chippendale did not use this style of leg they show that the chair was probably reconstructed from two old chairs4 ,if one wishes a house furnished in the ,gothic period it will be necessary to have nearly all the different pieces made to order1 as there are few reproductions made4 ,as our modern necessities of furniture were not known in those days1 the designs would have to be carried out more in the spirit of the style than the letter1 and one must be certain to have advice and designs from some person who thoroughly understands the period and who will see that the whole is properly carried out4 ,gothic days were rough and strenuous1 and the furniture was strong and heavy and was made chiefly of oak with no varnish of any kind4 ,the characteristic lines of the furniture and the designs for carving were architectural1 and a careful study of the ,gothic cathedrals of ,france1 ,belgium1 and ,england will give a very satisfactory idea of this wonderful time4 ,the idea of the pointed arch1 rose window1 trefoil1 quatrefoil1 animal grotesques1 and geometric designs1 as well as the beautiful linen-fold design1 were all adapted for use as carving in the panels of the furniture of the day1 which consisted of chests that served as seats1 buffets1 armoires1 screens1 trestle tables1 as well as the choir stalls of churches4 ,this style is appropriate to large and dignified country houses4 ,the architect must see that the background is correct4 ,the ,renaissance period should not be attempted as a style to furnish one's house unless it can be carried out properly4 ,the house should be large and architecturally correct1 and there should be at least a near relation of a ,fortunatus purse to draw upon4 ,it is one of the magnificent and dignified periods1 and makeshifts and poor copies have a pitiful appearance and are really time and money wasted4 ,much of the furniture of the ,renaissance was architectural in design1 many chests and cupboards and cabinets having the appearance of temple faades4 ,the carving was in both low and high relief and was extremely beautiful1 but in the later part of the period became too ornate4 ,walnut and chestnut were the chief woods used1 and there was much inlay of tortoise shell1 ivory1 brass1 mother-of-pearl1 lapis-lazuli1 and fine woods4 ,there was much gilding1 and paint was also used1 and the metal mounts were of the finest workmanship4 ,the bronze andirons1 knockers1 candlesticks1 of this time have never been equalled4 ,there was a strong feeling of balance in the decorations1 and the chief motifs were the acanthus beautifully carved1 conventionalized flowers and fruit1 horns of plenty1 swags and wreaths of fruit and flowers1 the scroll1 dolphin1 human figure1 and half figure ending in fanciful designs of foliage4 ,beautiful and fascinating arabesques were carved and painted on the walls and pilasters4 ,the chief pieces of furniture were magnificently carved chests and coffers which were also sometimes gilded and painted1 oblong tables with elaborately carved supports at each end1 usually with a connecting shelf on which were smaller carved supports4 ,the chairs were high backed with much carving and gilding1 and there were others of simpler form with leather or tapestry or damask seats and backs4 ,the ,savanarola chair was in the form of a curved ,x with seat and back of velvet or leather or sometimes wood on which a cushion was used4 ,mirror frames were magnificently carved and gilded and picked out with color4 ,the rooms were a fitting background for all this splendor1 for the woodwork and walls were paneled and carved and painted1 the work often being done by the greatest painters of the day4 ,the ,french ,renaissance followed the general line of the ,italian but was lighter and less architectural in its furniture designs and ornament4 ,chairs were slowly becoming more common1 and rooms began to be more livable4 ,illustration3 ,this ,jacobean buffet is finely reproduced with the exception of the spiral carving of the legs1 which is too sharp and thin1 and gives the appearance of inadequate support4 ,the split spindle ornament was much used on furniture of the period4 ,the ,english ,renaissance was of slow growth and was always marked by a certain ,english sturdiness1 which is one of the reasons why it is more easily used in our modern houses4 ,it began in the time of ,henry ,,viii and lasted through the ,tudor and ,jacobean periods4 ,illustration3 ,a style that harmonizes with ,chippendale furniture4 ,illustration3 ,this style of mirror was popular in the early nineteenth century4 ,illustration3 ,the painted scene is often an important feature4 ,illustration3 ,the ,empire style has columns at the sides and gilt ornaments4 ,the best modern copies of ,renaissance furniture are not to be found in every shop and are usually in the special order class4 ,there are some makers in ,america1 however1 who make extraordinarily fine copies1 and there is the supply from ,europe of fine copies and faked originals--a guaranteed original is a very rare and expensive thing4 ,the period of ,louis ,,xiv in ,france was another magnificent period and should not be used in small or simple houses4 ,louis ,,xiv furniture was large and massive1 lavish in gilding and carving and ornament1 but had dignity as well as splendor4 ,the ,gobelin and ,beauvais ,tapestry ,works produced their wonderful series of tapestries1 and ,boulle inlay of brass and tortoise shell was lavished on furniture1 and the ormolu mounts were beautiful and elaborate4 ,all workmanship was of the highest4 ,during the early part of the period the legs of chairs and tables were straight and square in shape1 sometimes tapering1 and much carved1 and had underframing4 ,later they were curved and carved1 a kind of elaborate cabriole leg1 and had carved underframing4 ,toward the end of the period the curved leg and underframing became much simpler1 some of the furniture having no underframing1 and slowly the style merged into that of the ,regency and ,louis ,,xv4 ,the illustrations for the long chapter on ,louis ,,xiv show some very fine examples of both the grand and simple form of chair1 and also show that comfort was becoming more of a fact4 ,the materials used for upholstery were brocades of large pattern1 tapestries1 and splendid velvets4 ,tables1 chests1 armoires1 desks1 console tables1 mirrors1 screens1 all were carved or painted or inlaid1 gilded and mounted with wonderful metal mounts4 ,there is great danger1 in buying furniture for both this period and the ,renaissance1 that the reproductions chosen may be too florid1 the gilding too bright1 the carving too ornate1 with an indescribable vulgarity of line in place of the beauty of line which the best originals have4 ,some of the best makers are1 however1 making some very fine reproductions of the simpler forms of this time which are beautiful to use in houses of fair size and importance4 ,if one wishes to use ,louis ,,xv furniture it is better to choose the simpler and more beautiful designs rather than the over-elaborate rococo4 ,the period was a long one1 sixty-nine years1 and began with a reminiscence of the grandeur and dignity of the time of ,louis ,,xiv1 which was soon lost in the orgy of curves and excessive ornament of the rococo portion2 and toward the end came the reaction to simpler and finer taste which reached its perfection in the next reign of ,louis ,,xvi4 ,the legs of the furniture of ,louis ,,xv time were curved and carved1 light and slender1 and had no underframes or stretchers4 ,the frames which showed around the upholstery or cane were carved elaborately and later more simply 7see illustration at end of chapter on ,louis ,,xv74 ,walnut1 chestnut1 ebony1 and some mahogany were used4 ,some of the furniture was veneered1 and there was a great deal of gilding used and also much painted furniture4 ,the ormolu mounts were most elaborate1 curved and ornate like the carving1 and were used wherever possible4 ,the brocades used for furniture coverings were lovely in color and design4 ,garlands1 flowers1 lace and ribbon effects1 baskets of flowers1 shells1 curled endive1 feathers1 scrolls1 all were used1 as well as pastoral scenes by ,boucher and ,watteau for tapestry and paintings4 ,comfort had made a long step forward4 ,the period of ,louis ,,xvi was much more beautiful in style than the preceding one1 as it was more restrained and exquisite because of the use of the straight line or a gracious1 simple curve4 ,this comparative simplicity does not come from lack of true feeling for beauty but rather because of it4 ,the sense of proper proportion was shown in both the furniture and the room decoration4 ,the backs of chairs and settees were round or rectangular1 and the legs were square1 round1 or fluted1 and were tapering in all cases4 ,the fluting was sometimes filled with metal husks at top and bottom1 leaving a plain stretch between4 ,walnut and mahogany were much used and were beautifully polished1 but had no vulgar and hard varnished glare4 ,there was wonderful inlay and veneer1 and much of the furniture was enamelled in soft colors and picked out with gold or some harmonizing color4 ,gilding was also used for the entire frame4 ,the metal mounts were very fine4 ,brocades of lovely color and designs of flowers1 bowknots1 wreaths1 festoons1 lace1 feathers1 etc42 chintz1 the lovely toil de ,jouy1 which is so well copied nowadays2 soft toned taffeta1 ,gobelin and ,beauvais and ,aubusson tapestries1 were all used for hanging and furniture coverings4 ,cane also became much more popular4 ,walls were paneled with moldings1 and fluted pilasters divided too large spaces into good proportions4 ,tapestry and paintings were paneled on the walls1 and the colors chosen for the backgrounds were light and soft4 ,the charm and beauty of this style as well as its dignity make it one which may be used in almost any modern house1 as it ranges from simplicity to a beautiful restrained elaborateness suitable to the formal rooms4 ,illustration3 ,the modern style of mirror is brought into harmony with the eighteenth century dressing-table by means of carving4 ,illustration3 ,this ,william and ,mary settee would be delightful in a country house4 ,there are chairs to match it4 ,the change from ,louis ,,xvi to the ,empire was a violent one both politically and artistically4 ,the influence of the great days of the ,roman empire and the mystery of ancient ,egypt stirred ,napoleon's imagination and formed his taste4 ,empire furniture was solid and heavy1 with little or no carving1 and much ornamentation of metal mounts4 ,mahogany was chiefly used1 and some furniture was gilded or bronzed4 ,round columns finished with metal capitals and bases appeared on large desks and other pieces of furniture4 ,chairs were solid1 many of them throne-like in design1 and many with elaborately carved arms in the form of swans and sphinxes1 and metal ornaments4 ,the simpler form of chair1 which was copied and used extensively in ,america1 as a dining-chair1 often had a curved back and graceful lines4 ,furniture coverings were very bright satins and velvets brocaded with the ,emperor's favorite emblems1 the bee1 torch1 wreath1 anthemion4 ,it is a heavy and gaudy style and must be used with great discretion4 ,american ,empire furniture was far simpler and is better suited to many ,american homes4 ,in buying it1 however1 one must be careful to select copies from the earlier part of the time1 for it fast deteriorated into heavy and vulgar curves4 ,this ,american ,empire furniture is often shown in the shops under the name of ,colonial1 which is a misnomer1 as we had ceased to be colonies years before it came into existence4 ,it was used during the first half of the nineteenth century4 ,illustration3 ,these chairs are reproductions of designs by the ,adam ,brothers4 ,they are of satinwood1 covered with damask4 ,this design was also used by ,hepplewhite4 ,illustration3 ,the first day beds1 or chaise longue1 were made during the ,jacobean period4 ,as will be seen1 this stretcher1 as they were also called1 has ,charles ,,ii influence in its carving and ,spanish feet4 ,when we come to ,english furniture1 ,i think we all take heart of grace a little1 for there is something about its sturdiness that seems to appeal to our ,american sense of appropriateness4 ,by inheritance we have more of the ,english point of view about the standards of life and living and we seem to settle down with more comfort in a house furnished in any one of the ,english periods than we do with any of the other great styles4 ,the ,english ,renaissance is often called the age of oak1 and all through the long years of its slow development this oaken bond1 so to speak1 gave it a certain unity which makes it possible to use much of the furniture of its different divisions together4 ,there are many fine reproductions made of the ,tudor and ,elizabethan times1 but from the early ,stuart days1 the time of ,james ,i onward1 good reproductions become more plentiful4 ,this does not mean1 however1 that one is safe in buying anything called ,jacobean or ,queen ,anne or ,georgian4 ,one must still be careful and go armed with as much knowledge as possible4 ,for instance1 do not buy any ,tudor1 ,elizabethan1 ,jacobean1 or ,charles ,,ii furniture made of mahogany or with a high polish4 ,do not buy any with finicky or delicate brass handles4 ,this may seem an unnecessary warning1 but ,i have seen dainty oval ,hepplewhite handles used on a heavy ,jacobean chest4 ,this does not happen often1 but a word to the wise--4 ,the handles which were used were some times of iron and sometimes of brass1 often with a little design etched on them1 and the drop handles were either oblong or round rings1 or pear- or tear-shaped drops with either a round or oblong plate4 ,h-hinges of iron were used4 ,chairs of the time of ,james ,i1 which are much like those of ,louis ,,xiii in ,france1 were square and strong with plain or spiral turned legs1 and stretchers1 and had seats and half backs covered with needlework1 leather1 velvet1 or damask4 ,they would make very comfortable dining chairs and would harmonize with sturdy gate-legged tables1 or the long narrow tables which show the influence of ,elizabeth's time in the carved drum or acorn-like bulbs of the legs4 ,a court-cupboard would make a beautiful sideboard1 and one of the long tables spoken of above would make an appropriate serving-table4 ,carved chests1 and screens covered with leather or needlework1 may be used in rooms of this kind1 and for modern comfort one may add stuffed chairs and sofas if the proper materials for coverings are chosen4 ,there are some very fine copies made of old needlework of different kinds and also of damasks and other stuffs4 ,one must have the right background for all this1 oak paneled walls and tapestry and plain or figured velvet or damask hangings4 ,there are also some finely designed heavy linens which are correct to use4 ,the furniture of ,cromwell's time was much like that of the time of ,james ,i and ,charles ,i1 but was simplified wherever possible4 ,there were no pomps and vanities in those stern days4 ,when ,charles ,,ii came to the throne1 there was a reaction against ,puritan gloom which showed in the furniture being of a more elaborate design4 ,chair backs were high and narrow with carved and pierced panels of wood1 or carved backs with cane panels1 and the carved front rail carried out the feeling and balanced the carved top rail4 ,the crown and rose and shell were used1 supported by cherubs and opposed ,s curves4 ,the illustration opposite page #fe will give a very good idea of the general style4 ,upholstery was also used1 and day-beds and high-boys made their appearance4 ,the chests of earlier days became chests of drawers4 ,rooms were paneled in oak1 and much beautiful tapestry was used4 ,walnut began to take the place of oak in the later days of ,charles ,,ii and those of ,james ,,ii1 and introduced the age of walnut which lasted through the reigns of ,william and ,mary and ,queen ,anne4 ,the furniture of the early days of ,william and ,mary was much like that of the time of ,charles ,,ii4 ,the chair backs remained high and narrow1 but the carving slowly grew simpler and the caning at last went entirely across the back4 ,many of the early chairs had three carved splats or balusters in the back1 and a feature which added greatly to comfort was the slight curve the backs were given instead of the perfectly straight backs of ,jacobean days4 ,dutch influence at least conquered the old style1 and the more characteristic furniture of ,william and ,mary was made4 ,a rather elaborate form of the cabriole leg was used1 ending in a species of hoof with a scroll-like stretcher between the front legs and curved stretchers connecting all four legs4 ,the cabriole leg became simpler as time passed until in the days of ,queen ,mary it became the one we all know so well in the ,dutch chairs and the early work of ,chippendale4 ,illustration3 ,these copies of rare old pieces of furniture are of the best4 ,the choice of wood1 the carving1 the inlay1 all show the highest ideals4 ,the ,chinese ,chippendale table shows the pagoda effect1 and the ,hepplewhite desk has the charm of a secret drawer4 ,there was much beautiful marquetry used2 in fact it is a marked characteristic of much of the furniture of ,william and ,mary4 ,after she died in #afid1 the white jasmine flower and green leaves were not used so much1 and the sea-weed pattern and acanthus became more popular4 ,illustration3 ,an exceptionally fine reproduction of a ,sheraton chest of drawers4 ,illustration3 ,the walnut used in this adaptation of the ,william and ,mary period is very fine4 ,shaving-glasses were used throughout the eighteenth century4 ,the cup-and-ball design of turned legs with curved stretchers was used for chairs1 settees1 tables1 cabinets4 ,china cupboards with their double-hooded tops and soft colored brocade linings were used to display the wonderful china collections so much in vogue4 ,there was much upholstered furniture covered with beautiful petit-point1 which is perfectly reproduced nowadays1 but is naturally expensive4 ,silks1 velvets1 and damasks were also used1 and ,queen ,mary had a beautiful chintz bed4 ,the handles used were of various kinds1 the favorite being the drop from a round or star-shaped boss4 ,the furniture was beautifully polished but did not have a bright gloss4 ,when ,anne came to the throne in #agjb1 the ,english cabinet maker had became an expert craftsman1 and we have the beginning of the finest period of ,english cabinet-making1 which later1 in the ,georgian period1 blossomed into its full glory4 ,the furniture of this time was of walnut4 ,the chairs had a narrow1 fairly high back1 with a central splat spoon-shaped and later fiddle-shaped4 ,the corners of the back were always rounded4 ,the cabriole legs were often carved with a shell on the knees1 the acanthus being used in the more elaborate pieces of furniture1 and ended chiefly in a club foot4 ,stretchers became less common1 but if they were used were pushed back and did not form such an important part of the chair design4 ,seats were broader at the front than at the back1 and all furniture showed a real desire for comfort and convenience4 ,marquetry and lacquer were both in great favor1 and there are wonderful examples of both reproduced1 but especially lacquer4 ,petit-point1 damask1 velvet1 and chintz were all used for upholstery and hangings4 ,chintz was becoming more plentiful1 but it was not until the ,georgian period that it reached its perfection4 ,the ,georgian period covers the work of ,chippendale1 the ,adam ,brothers1 ,hepplewhite1 and ,sheraton1 who gave to the eighteenth century its undying decorative fame4 ,illustration3 ,a glassed-in sun-porch furnished with comfortable wicker furniture adds much to the joy of life4 ,when ,chippendale began his fine work1 the ,dutch influence of ,queen ,anne's reign was still strong1 and this shows in his furniture2 but his genius lightened and improved it4 ,the characteristics of his style which remained fairly stable through his different phases were the use of mahogany1 a certain squareness and solidity of design which has no appearance of heaviness because of the fine proportions1 chair backs with a center splat reaching to the seat4 ,the curving top rail always had curving up corners 7see drawings page #hd74 ,the center splat was solid at first1 but soon was pierced and carved1 and went through the many developments of his style such as ribbon-back1 ,chinese1 and ,gothic4 ,in some chairs he also used horizontal rails1 and what are called all-over backs4 ,the legs of his earlier furniture were cabriole1 and later they were straight4 ,he used much and beautiful carving1 gave great attention to the beauty of the wood and the perfection of workmanship and finish4 ,chippendale's settees were at first designed like two chair backs side by side1 and if a larger settee was made either a third chair back of the same design or a different but harmonizing one was used4 ,his dining-tables were made up of two center pieces with wide flaps on each side1 and two semicircular tables1 and all four pieces could be fastened together into one long table by brass fasteners4 ,the end pieces were used as side tables or sideboards1 for the sideboard as we know it did not come until later4 ,he also made oblong sidetables1 some with marble tops1 which were used as sideboards with wine-coolers placed underneath1 and usually a large tea-caddy or tea box on top4 ,the beds which ,chippendale made were large and elaborate four-posters1 with beautiful carved cornices and posts4 ,the curtains hung from the inside of the cornice1 and silks or chintz were used for the curtains4 ,his mirror frames were very elaborately carved1 and in his rococo period were fairly fantastic with dripping water1 ,chinese pagodas1 rocks1 birds with long beaks1 and figures4 ,they were gilded1 and some were left in the natural mahogany4 ,he made folding card-tables with saucer-like places at the corners for candles1 and later when the candle-stand came into fashion1 the tables were made without them4 ,illustration3 ,an admirable example of the ,sheraton style mahogany settee with original silk covering4 ,illustration3 ,while this nest of mahogany tables is attractive in the room its appearance in the picture is of an inappropriate and heavy mission table4 ,illustration3 ,a lamp would be an addition to this corner4 ,the footstool is ,victorian and a bit clumsy4 ,there are many fine reproductions of ,chippendale's furniture made which carry out the spirit of his work4 ,in the medium and inexpensive grades1 however1 there is danger of bad carving1 a clumsy thickening of proportions1 a jumble of his different periods1 and too red a stain and too high a varnish glitter4 ,good examples can be found in these grades1 but one must spend time looking for them1 and perhaps it may be necessary to have them rubbed down with powdered pumice and linseed oil4 ,if one uses ,chippendale furniture1 or that of any of the other ,georgian makers1 the walls should not be covered with a modern design of wall paper4 ,plain walls or molding may be used1 or one of the fine old designs of figured paper1 and this must be used with great discretion and is better if there is a wainscot4 ,chippendale was very fond of using morocco1 but damask and velvet and chintz may also be used4 ,the chintzes were charming in design1 and many good copies are made4 ,illustration3 ,this is in reality a moderate-sized room1 yet the open arrangement and the clear center give the impression of great space4 ,the curve of the fireplace and the oak panelling are simple ,tudor4 ,the furniture is a mixture of many kinds4 ,illustration3 ,the wallpaper border1 the bedspread1 the table cover1 and the curtains are all wrong in this room4 ,the ,empire bed is good but should not have castors4 ,the ,adam ,brothers1 of whom ,robert was the more important1 showed strong classical influence in their work1 and much of it resembles that of ,louis ,,xvi1 which was influenced from the same source4 ,chairs had square or round or oval backs1 and they also used a lyre-shaped splat which was copied later by ,sheraton4 ,often the top rail was decorated by small and charming painted panels4 ,these little panels were also used in the center of cobweb caning in chair backs and settees4 ,legs of chairs and tables were tapering and round or square and often reeded or fluted4 ,adam used much mahogany and kept its beautiful golden brown tone 7not the dead brown called ,adam too often in the shops71 and also satin-wood and painted wood4 ,the best artists of the day did the painting4 ,wedgwood medallions were introduced into the more important pieces of furniture4 ,painted placques1 lovely festoons1 and charming groups of figures1 vases of flowers1 and ,wedgwood designs1 and designs radiating from a center1 as on semicircular console table tops1 are all characteristic of his work4 ,he also used much inlay4 ,as ,adam usually planned all the furniture and the interior of the house1 even to the door-knobs1 he kept the feeling of unity in both background and furnishings4 ,illustration3 ,the ,hancock desk was a design greatly favored in ,america in the eighteenth century4 ,this fine example dates from about #agej4 ,illustration3 ,the general proportions1 the broken pediment and torch or flame ornaments and drops1 large brasses1 and cabriole legs all show that this splendid example of a highboy belongs to the same time as the desk1 about #agej4 ,hepplewhite's furniture has much of the delicacy of ,adam's work1 by whom1 without doubt1 he was influenced1 as he was also by the ,french styles of the time4 ,luckily his own personality and sense of beauty and ingenuity were strong enough to develop a marked and beautiful style of his own4 ,his favorite chair back was shield-shaped 7see page #hc71 and he also used heart-shaped and wheel backs1 either round or oval1 and charmingly painted little panels4 ,the three feathers of the ,prince of ,wales was a favorite design4 ,he also made ladder-back chairs1 usually with four rails4 ,on much of his furniture the legs tapered on the inside edge only and were put in at a slight angle which gave security both in fact and appearance4 ,he also used reeded legs4 ,his console and other tables are beautiful in design and workmanship1 being painted usually in different forms of the radiating fan design1 or inlaid with beautiful colored woods4 ,the inlay used was often oval in shape1 sometimes only a line and sometimes panels of different woods or matched veneer4 ,the handles used were round or oval4 ,he made sofas and settees with either chair-back backs or all upholstered with the frame showing and the covering tacked on with brass tacks close together4 ,his cabinets are fascinating1 with their beautiful inlay and delicate strap work over the glass4 ,he made four-post beds with fluted posts1 and chests of drawers and little work tables and candle-stands and screens2 and one thing we must be deeply grateful to him for is that he developed the sideboard into a really useful and beautiful piece of furniture4 ,he made nearly everything in the way of necessities1 and all show the marks of his taste4 ,his dining-tables were on the plan of those of ,chippendale but lighter in effect with tapering legs instead of the long cabriole leg ending in claw feet4 ,his mirrors were usually oval with charming festoons4 ,his favorite woods were mahogany and satin-wood1 and he used many fine woods for inlay4 ,chintz and taffeta and fine velvet are all appropriate to use4 ,in his best designs ,sheraton was much influenced by ,adam and ,hepplewhite and the style of ,louis ,,xvi1 but like them he also developed his own special and beautiful style4 ,he used mahogany and a great deal of satin-wood of beautiful grain and of a delightful straw color1 which was often veneered on oak frames4 ,he was exceedingly fond of inlay1 and his designs called for inlaid panels1 borders1 and festoons4 ,he used the shell1 bell-flower1 fan1 etc41 all carried out in fine colored woods4 ,he also used much painted furniture1 and often designed white and gold furniture for drawing-rooms4 ,his characteristic chair back was rectangular in shape with a central splat resting on a rail a few inches above the seat 7see page #hc74 ,this splat was in many different forms1 both inlaid and painted4 ,the legs of his furniture were tapering and either square or reeded1 the square usually being inlaid4 ,he made beautiful sideboards which were inlaid and finished with a brass rail around the sides and back of the top1 and round or oval or lion's-head handles with rings4 ,he also designed most graceful inlaid knife boxes4 ,like ,hepplewhite1 he designed all kinds of furniture both large and small1 and1 until his deterioration came when he designed his astonishing ,empire furniture1 his style is full of beauty and charm and delicacy1 and is copied very successfully by our modern makers4