February, 1912 
at 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 61 
There is a definite sense of spaciousness, homelikeness and beauty combined that lends an unusual charm to this room and its various details 
A City Apartment 
By Harry Martin Yeomans 
T IS a pleasure to come across such an attrac- 
tive apartment as the one shown in the ac- 
companying illustrations, which demonstrates 
what can be accomplished with an old- 
brought to bear in decorating rooms, where 
existing conditions have to be met and these concrete facts 
molded into such shape as to form a fitting background for 
the furnishings selected and the occupants. 
The walls of the good-sized, rectangular 
living-room were hung with a restful, neutral 
green paper, which faded, as most papers do, 
just enough to further neutralize the green and 
make a most harmonious background. ‘The 
woodwork in the apartment was of the ordi- 
nary stock patterns, which, of course, could not 
be changed; so the only thing to do was to 
blot it out as much as possible by painting it 
a slightly darker green than the walls, thus 
bringing them into harmony and at the same time not em- 
phasizing the woodwork. 
The old Italian straight-backed chairs, the carved mar- 
riage-chest, the table and the carved and gilded candle- 
sticks and sconces, give an Italian feeling to this room; but 
on looking farther we see that a Chinese teakwood console, 
chairs and stands, as well as Chinese porcelain vases, em- 
broideries and brass candelabras, have been happily com- 
bined with the Italian furniture. 
fashioned apartment when artistic taste is 
Apartment Plan 
It may seem a bit far- 
fetched to think of bringing together Italian furniture and 
articles from the Orient, and when it is mentioned, one is 
apt to think of Turkish spearheads and the obsolete cosey- 
corner. But in this room a subtle and harmonious com- 
bination of furniture of different kinds has been accom- 
plished by choosing pieces, as they were picked up one by 
one, having the same strong structural lines in common, 
never losing sight of the fact that although a 
piece of furniture may be individually beauti- 
ful, it must harmonize with its surroundings 
and become a part of the room. For these 
reasons the Italian and Chinese pieces go well 
together, and they are further brought into re- 
lationship by the woods being of the same 
color and being covered with a fabric of the 
same tone. 
The large north window contains rectangu- 
lar leaded-glass panes, with a coat of arms of 
colored glass set in each section. When a window is treated 
in this way it is so decorative that nothing is required in the 
way of draperies, with the exception of a heavy curtain to 
be drawn in the evening. Underneath this long window is 
a built-in seat, raised one step above the level of the floor, 
where one can pass a quiet hour with a book. ‘The space 
below the seat has been fitted with six good-sized drawers, 
which afford a convenient storage place, which is usually in 
