September, 1916 
13 
as possible, and blue was chosen as the hap¬ 
piest color. The wall destined to serve as 
the background for the ornamentation was 
painted with a thin glaze of ultramarine over 
a very light blue ground, the best manner 
of obtaining a distinct blue effect with elec¬ 
tric lights. The walls are divided into archi¬ 
tectural panels, with unbleached fine parch¬ 
ment, on which is inscribed in handsome 
Roman letters the first part of Shelley's 
“Sensitive Plant.” The consideration of 
these panels and their inscription has very 
materially influenced the decoration of the 
walls. The motif which forms the keynote 
for the entire ornamentation and unites 
them into a whole, is a white star-shaped 
flower like a jessamine, which winds over 
a paler blue trellis work, and the spaces be¬ 
neath the panels are decorated with different 
flowers, blue delphiniums, red honeysuckles, 
mauve lilac, red and white roses, etc. Above 
the panels runs a frieze with white doves 
among greyish green willow branches. 
The Trellised Bed 
The bed is of carved oak and forms a link 
or a continuation of the decorative motif 
of the rest of the room. The trellis work, 
which on the walls was only painted imita¬ 
tion, has here become a reality, and the bed, 
in a way, marks the climax of the whole 
delightful decorative scheme. 
The dressing table, of which the back is 
seen in the photograph, has side drawers 
for “finely scented gloves and beautiful silk 
ribbons.” The top is decorated with cream- 
colored and red roses, covered with heavy 
plate glass so let in that it in no way offends 
the eye. Above the simple stone fireplace is 
a square niche with polished, well-designed 
wrought iron doors, and in the niche hangs 
a cross of crystal. Of furniture there are 
only two stools and a table with books, and 
the umesthetic but practical telephone by the 
side of the bed. The inner curtains are of 
blue silk, painted in a greyish green willow 
pattern, which continues the motif of the 
frieze. The curtains facing the street are 
of blue linen painted in a white and green 
hawthorne pattern, and they are the same 
in all the rooms in order to produce a restful 
and pleasing effect. The artificial light in 
the bedroom consists of small electric lamps 
of very slight power, in blue, bell shaped 
shades, one in front of each of the parch¬ 
ment panels. Over the dressing table hangs, 
in addition, a more powerful lamp in an 
alabaster bowl, suspended by a silken cord. 
The floor is polished oak parquetry 
Reserved Modernism 
The aim of this peculiar decorative 
scheme was to produce an altogether fresh 
and modern effect, mellowed by a sense of a 
certain mediaeval tradition, and which in 
spite of its resplendent coloring and prolific 
ornamentation should produce a feeling of 
deep, restful peace. Beyond a doubt, Sap¬ 
phire Lodge abounds in beauty, and is the 
characteristic outcome of 20th Century, 
beauty-seeking England. 
In many respects the trend of English 
interior decoration immediately preceding 
the war was that of legitimate adaptation. 
Old modes were brought up to date. The 
ultra motifs and colorings used by the 
Vienesse and stimulated by Bakst scarcely 
found a hearty reception. England has 
enough in her past to supply sufficient ma¬ 
terial for adaptation; and the attitude of 
the British decorators toward the modern¬ 
ists was distinctly reserved. 
In the dining-room , which is octagonal, the 
doors and all furniture are black picked out 
ivith orange. The paper is of Elizabethan 
origin and the cabinet shelves are covered 
with a gay orange velvet 
A Brangioyn desk and stool. They have a 
Jacobean note of sturdy simplicity; practical 
and yet of rare beauty, with perfect propor¬ 
tions and that harmony which characterizes 
all of their designer's ivorlc 
The completed Brangwyn bedroom, is a study 
in the combination of natural finished wood 
and painted panels. Here the writing desk 
is shown in position 
