PIPE ORGAN AND TRIM IN PRIVATE MUSIC ROOAI C)F A NEW KKNTUCKY HOME 



' V ;;^i;;^iaABiia5tMTOit!J?Bilili^i*i^W^^ 



^ Hardwood for Interior Decoration 



Here are some pictures from a new Kentucky home that are 

 offered as an adornment to this tale, and to illustrate an idea, 

 which should be of value to the hardwood trade in exact proportion 

 to the extent to which it arouses interest and action. 



The idea is that there is a splendid boosting opportunity before 

 the trade for pushing hardwood to more extensive use in interior 

 decoration, as well as for trim and the generally accepted (or lim- 

 ited) run of millwork. And along with the idea it is desired to 

 predicate the following propositions: 



1. — That the best way to boost is to create more business instead 

 of trying to get more of the other fellow's trade. 



2. — That the people are spending a million dollars a day now for 

 imported luxuries, a part of which might better be spent in building 

 more luxuriant homes. 



3. — That there is room for wonderful development in the use of 

 hardwood for interior decoration as well as trim. 



4. — That a good way to help bring about a greater use of hard- 

 wood for interior decoration is through exploiting examples of the 

 attractive use of it in interior woodwork. 



5. — That it is desire and not necessity that is mother to the 

 biggest trade. 



A recent press bulletin from the Bureau of Statistics at Wash- 

 ington tells us that the people of this country are now importing 

 articles classed as luxuries at the rate of a million dollars' worth 

 a day. This may not appear at first glance to have any connection 

 with the use of hardwood for interior decoration. But just the 

 same it has bearing in more than one place on the idea it is desired 

 to advocate here of the hardwood trade making concerted effort to 

 get more of Its product used for finishing the interior of homes and 

 public buildings. 



It shows in the first place that the people of this country indulge 

 in many luxuries. That being true, and being a habit that is 



—26— 



growing right along, what better idea is there than to direct this 

 habit toward more worthy things — toward the building of bigger, 

 better and more luxuriant homes? That is but one place it has 

 bearing, though, and another is in this: The average home, as well 

 as the furniture that goes into it, is in a way an example of luxury, 

 of catering to desire, not resulting from necessity. True, every 

 man must have some kind of a home, and some furniture, but those 

 that necessity alone would call for would be considered very meager 

 indeed. The average man builds a better home or buys better 

 furniture because he has come to desire it, and it is therefore luxury 

 and not necessity. So, it being evident from this that it is desire 

 which begets the best part of the trade, it logically follows that the 

 way to get a bigger trade is to create more desire. 



The common way of making people want things in the mercantUe 

 world today is to exploit before their eyes in some form or other 

 those things calculated to appeal. Therefore the hardwood trade 

 should be able to arouse more interest and desire by displaying 

 attractive examples of interior decoration made with wood used in 

 various forms, for, just as the printing of attractive pictures of 

 houses and detailing the plans of same has helped encourage build- 

 ing and enlarge the volume of sales in structural lumber, so should 

 the showing of attractive interior woodwork enlarge calls for more. 



And here's another bearing of this luxury matter: While this 

 article was in course of preparation, there came to hand an issue 

 of the Saturday Evening Post in which a writer on the subject of 

 antiques tells of wealthy Americans going abroad and not only pay- 

 ing fabulous sums for the antique in furniture, but actually taking 

 the woodwork out of the interior of old English homes, bringing it 

 here and installing it as a fit setting for the furniture at a cost of 

 from seven to ten thousand dollars per room for this old woodwork 

 alone. That is what makes up part of those imports that are 

 classed as luxuries. 



