io68 The Cornell Reading-Courses 



light to look in and persons to look out. Whatever we can do to induce 

 oxirselves to look out to nature more constantly will be for the good of 

 our souls and of our nervous systems. A room appears larger if it includes 

 some of the view. Curtains should be pushed aside with this in mind, 

 and not drawn across the window except for reasons of privacy or because 

 of an unsightly outlook. Long lace curtains drawn across the windows 

 and hanging to the floor, muffling both light and view with their showy 

 patterns, are gradually disappearing because our point of view concerning 

 the use of curtains has changed. The object of curtains is to soften the 

 structural shape of the window. In the living-room this is appropriately 

 done by plain or neatly figured scrim or net curtains, having a hemstitched 

 border and hanging to the sill. 



Every picture that finds its way into the living-room should have some 

 dignified and permanent meaning. The fact that poorly drawn charcoal 

 pictures or weakly painted water-color scenes have been executed by 

 members of the family or by near friends is not sufficient recommendation 

 for using them as decoration. Such pictures can impart neither a serious 

 nor an inspiring message. If original paintings are used, they must be 

 better than most amateurs can produce or than most of us can afford to 

 own. Fancy heads are also usually insipid and meaningless. Better a 

 few neatly framed magazine pict\u"es showing the work of good artists 

 than a bushel of poor homemade productions. The magazine pictures 

 may be either in color or in monotone and may represent the work of old 

 or of new masters. 



Amateur photography furnishes one good source for personal, home- 

 made pictures; these should consist, not of set groups of individuals wear- 

 ing clothes that will soon look out of date, but of views and bits of scenery 

 that are always in fashion. Sepia prints with tan-colored mats and neat 

 brown frames, recording familiar scenes or the memories of pleasant trips, 

 will prove a constant source of pleasure to the family. A mere snapshot 

 having high artistic value in composition, showing sunlight and shadows, 

 for instance, may be enlarged and become really a work of fine art. 



Family portraits should not be used in the living-room unless they have 

 real artistic value. Photographs of persons are kept in better condition 

 in a desk drawer, where they are at hand when wanted. If a few of these 

 are to be kept in sight, they should be put under glass and arranged in 

 an orderly way over the desk or in some personal comer of the room. 

 They are more appropriate in a study, office, den, or rest room, if there 

 be such a place. 



The use of white mats on picttires should be avoided when possible. 

 In general, white is very conspicuous in a room furnished in tones. Pictures 

 in browns, grays, and colors, with tinted mats and brown, gray, or gilt 



