HOUSE AND GARDEN 
March, 1913 
agreeable to one’s physiological and esthetic sensibilities. One 
can read with comfort anywhere in the room, and the source 
itself can be regarded fixedly without the least squinting, brow- 
puckering or annoyance. Furthermore, the color of the light 
from the decorator’s standpoint is ideal—suggesting the warmth 
of the candle, so aptly termed “the sunshine of night.” It is a 
light which in revealing detail in decoration does so gracefully. 
The harsh gold high lights of picture-frames or braziers are 
softened, and the 
cloisonne vase is 
imbued with an 
exquisite surface 
“depth” enhanc¬ 
ing its charm to 
a very great de¬ 
gree. 
But even a 
lighting unit so 
versatile in its 
function does not 
alone meet all the 
requirements o f 
the living - room. 
One’s imagination 
is stimulated by 
variety in any 
form. Unques¬ 
tionably lighting 
which nightly dis¬ 
closes the same 
placement of pic¬ 
tures and decora¬ 
tion, very much as 
they appear un¬ 
der well-modulat¬ 
ed daylight con¬ 
ditions, weakens 
in its appeal as 
does anything 
which savors of 
monotony. Quite 
frequently the 
light may dupli¬ 
cate the attrac¬ 
tions of the open 
fireplace— 
“Where glowing 
embers through 
the room 
Teach light to 
counterfeit a 
gloom.” 
For such light¬ 
ing, rich in that 
depth of shadow, 
so essential to the 
pictorial value of 
an artistic interi¬ 
or, the individual 
table lamp, as shown in the illustration above, is most appropriate. 
Bearing in mind that the photograph representing the general 
lighting of the interior should really appear much brighter, the 
different effect of table lamp and ceiling light is quite typical. 
In looking rapidly from left to right, some idea of the changed 
appearance of the room may be gained. What actually transpires 
when one turns out the upper and lights the lower lamp is first, 
an apparent increase in space relation, and of distance in the room. 
The brightness of the side wall fades, and is replaced by a 
mysterious veil of shadow beneath which the walls recede, giving 
to the illusion a semblance of perspective which is decidedly at¬ 
tractive. Old familiar objects are not quite so recognizable; their 
subdued aspect adds a new charm, and everything in the room is 
conducive to repose—if the light is right. 
The table lamp shown is one of many types. By virtue of its 
high pedestal it distributes the light over a wide area. If a longer 
exposure had 
been made, the 
floor would ap¬ 
pear as bright as 
the table top, 
even to the door- 
w a y , and in 
choosing table 
lamps it is well to 
remember this 
point—the higher 
the pedestal the 
wider the area of 
distributed light. 
The limitation of 
pedestal height is 
indicated by the 
upper photograph 
on page 169, 
showing how the 
lower portion of 
the art-glass-rim 
cuts off the light, 
so that the read¬ 
er's eyes are in 
shadow while the 
page is adequately 
lighted. 
Some portable 
lamps are so faul¬ 
ty in construction 
that the lamps 
themselves are a 
constant factor of 
annoyance 
to those seated 
about the table. 
In such cases it is 
best to cover the 
bottom of the 
large art glass 
shade with fine 
linen, stretched by 
lacing on a wire 
hoop, which in 
turn is secured 
within the shade 
rim by small 
wires placed at in¬ 
frequent intervals. 
This diffusing 
screen entirely hides the ugly unfinished mechanism of the lamp 
and enables a layer of amber film to be placed atop it, obtaining 
thereby the visual comfort of the oil lamp. Perhaps it may then 
be necessary to use larger bulbs, consuming a bit more energy, 
but in such extreme cases it is generally found more economical 
to pay the difference to the lighting company than to the oculist. 
And the cost of the extra light is not apt to be great. 
( Continued, on page 219) 
On turning out the center light the brightness of the side wall fades, giving an atmosphere of repose 
and a consequent apparent increase in space. The contrasting effects of the two systems may be 
obtained by comparing this and the opposite illustration 
