April, 1919 
19 
TENDENCIES IN MODERN DECORATION 
The Post-War Desire for Cheery Interiors and the Judicious Use of Color 
a Saner Basis for the Exercise of Taste 
AMI RONGE 
I T would be the sheerest folly to predict that 
any one style of decoration will be evolved 
from the maelstrom of the war. Since this was 
not merely an affair of one nation against an¬ 
other, but a war of many, the influence is scat¬ 
tered over several victorious nations and the 
styles they produced. 
We cannot say that there will be a prepon¬ 
derance of English interi¬ 
ors or of French or of 
American Colonial, or even 
a combination of all three. 
Since decoration is an 
eclectic matter, no hard 
and fast rules can be 
made. It is an expression 
of the manner of living. 
Consequently, if we have 
a French wave or a British 
infiltration, or a revival of 
the American Colonial— 
and many say that Ameri¬ 
can Colonial will be the 
favorite — it will be be¬ 
cause it best expresses the 
times. 
Of one thing, however, 
we are certain—the war 
having purged us of many 
false values has also given 
us a saner basis for the 
exercise of taste. Dis¬ 
crimination will have a 
raison’d’etre deeper than the passing fad. Good 
taste will be a human principle. We will 
decorate our homes because we intend to live 
in them. 
Among the obvious results will be that 
Americans who take pride in their homes will 
prefer having a few good pieces to many that 
are mediocre, will tend toward harmonious en¬ 
sembles and away from faddish conglomerates. 
We will not be able to afford fads. We will 
not be able to afford cheap products simply 
because they are cheap. We have learned that 
a ‘‘poor buy” in furniture is the worst sort of 
waste. 
Another natural result will be the desire for 
cheery interiors and the judicious use of color. 
These four years of war 
with their necessary econo¬ 
mies, inhibitions and losses 
have left us hungry for 
laughter, for the sort of 
cheer one finds in the room 
of bright tints. The night 
of the Mission is far spent, 
and the day of light, deli¬ 
cate furniture and color¬ 
ful walls is at hand. 
A third tendency that 
one can feel is a desire to 
furnish not only for this 
generation but for posteri¬ 
ty, to select slowly and to 
purchase with care. The 
orgy of buying which fol¬ 
lowed the armistice has 
slowed down to normal, 
but the interest in decora¬ 
tion is widening every day. 
Back of this desire for 
permanence and awakened 
interest in decoration lies 
In the Victoire Room, designed by John Wananiaker, there is an interesting fireside 
group of antique walnut chairs upholstered in dark brown velvet with smart little 
bookcases on either side 
The spirit of victory is the inspiration for the “toile de guerre,” 
designed by Jean Lauer, and used for curtains and slip covers, 
bound with blue taffeta 
The tri-color, lusty cock and Croix de Guerre are used in the 
design of the fabric. The tie-backs are blue taffeta with red and 
blue rosettes 
