26 
House & Garden 
COLOR TONES IN PAINTED FURNITURE 
One Painted Piece Will Lighten a Heavy Room and a Number 
of Them Affords Excellent Color Schemes 
MARY H. NORTHEND 
L ike a page gleaned 
^ from an old-time 
romance reads the story 
of decorated furniture. 
Royalty, especially in 
the middle ages, rev¬ 
eled in its bright colors, 
and placed in their pal¬ 
aces cabinets and chests 
showing rich scarlet and 
bright hues, worked out 
in heraldic designs. 
During the regime of 
William and Mary deco¬ 
rated furniture was used 
extensively, continuing 
in favor when Queen 
Arme took the throne. 
This queen, fond of 
bright colors, was re¬ 
sponsible for the broad 
scope of brilliant deco¬ 
rations which were in 
keeping with the extrav¬ 
agance of the age. The 
master craftsman, at¬ 
tracted by the artistic in¬ 
fluence of color, conveyed 
this thought into new 
designs. 
The Color Revival 
Then the fashion 
passed, and gorgeous old 
pieces were tucked away 
under the eaves, considered valueless. The 
Victorian era came in and massive furniture 
replaced the more delicate designs. But to¬ 
day the modern decorator sees the desirability 
of using harmonious colors, and where could 
they better be found than in painted furniture ? 
The revival in color naturally brought a re¬ 
vival in the use of peasant furniture and to¬ 
grounds of yellows, 
bright blue, and some¬ 
times black are applied, 
brightening the line and 
floral decorations in con¬ 
trasting tones. Their ap¬ 
propriateness for rooms 
where light, dainty fur¬ 
niture is applicable has 
caused a demand for 
them and householders 
are searching the attics 
to discover old ancestral 
bits that can be scraped 
and redecorated. 
Adaptable Pieces 
Early American fur¬ 
niture lends itself to this 
type more readily than 
any other, both in repro¬ 
ductions and antiques; 
for here solid colors are 
generally applied with 
contrasting decorations 
of conventional flowers, 
in garland spots, and 
borders. Countless and 
bewildering are the many 
designs that are being 
constantly reproduced by 
modern artists, and these 
in their finish represent 
the work of the ancients 
much more brilliantly, 
as scientists are bringing out not only more 
permanent, but a better variety of colors than 
those formerly used. Often single pieces may 
be obtained, so odd in construction that they 
mingle consistently with the furnishing of even 
a conservative room. 
Black and gold is an Oriental combination 
that is particularly effective, although many 
On the landing between two floors painted furniture can be used to create a writing room. 
The furniture is white with bright color decorations and white and black velour pads. 
Chamberlain Dodds, decorator 
day novelties are continually being designed 
which lend unusual charm to a room, by cre¬ 
ating a cheerful atmosphere. Original designs 
by the Italian, Dutch, and Bavarian peasants 
are being copied. These pieces have a distinct 
charm, as they differ in character from the or¬ 
dinary painted furniture and are easily identi¬ 
fied by their original coloring—solid back¬ 
For a girl’s room white enamel beds decorated with flower sprays 
suitable. The corner desk acnd curtains bear the same motif 
Black and white can be used successfidly in a bedroom when some 
other color is introduced to lighten the severity of the contrast 
