Household Decoration 



1035 



know, for what the room is used, whether it is naturally light or dark, 

 sunny or sunless, high or low, large or small, and what colors are present 

 in woodwork, floor, and furnishings. These are the considerations that 

 should influence interior decoration, for obviously if a room has any nat- 



Two shades of green Dull blue and gray Two shades of greenish gray 



Fig. 6. — Three good all-over patterns in two or three harmonious tones 



ural deficiencies in proportion, light, or harmony of furnishing, such faults 

 should be overcome if possible in the decoration. It is the same principle 

 that influences personal dressing: the tall woman chooses such styles of 

 clothing as make her appear shorter, the short woman tries to look a little 

 taller, the stout woman to look a little thinner, and the thin woman to 

 look a little stouter. A ready-made suit will fit tolerably well a woman 

 of average height and weight, but will not exactly fit any of the four 

 above-mentioned types. 



This is precisely the weak point of fads and novelties in decoration: 

 they are ideas for the average case that cannot in the very nature of things 

 take account of differ- 



ing conditions 



Com- 

 mon sense and reli- 

 ance on a few sound 

 principles are surer 

 guides than " the 

 latest thing." Grow- 

 ing tired of a wall 

 covering is nearly 

 always an admission 

 that it is designed 

 on a wrong principle. Moreover, if we wish really to be economic we 

 should use wall coverings that will stand the test of satisfaction for a long 

 period of time. Except for the sake of cleanliness, there is hardly more 

 sense in changing the wall paper every year than there would be in remov- 



FiG. 7. — An all-over pattern that connects is more pleasing 

 than one composed of separate spots 



