INSIDE THE 
HOUSE 
Timely Suggestions and 
Answers to Correspondents 
The editor will gladly answer queries pertaining to individual problems of interior decoration and furnishing. When an immediate reply is desired, a self-addressed 
stamped envelope should be enclosed. This department zvill also purchase any of the articles here described for subscribers living at a distance or will furnish the names of the 
places where they may be obtained. 
Small Decorative Lamp Shades 
AMP shades can be either purely 
decorative or else distinctly useful, 
and the problem is to make them both. 
The shape depends largely upon the ca¬ 
pacity in which they are used. Thus, a 
rather flat, flaring shape always gives a 
broader shed of light, and in libraries 
these are the most practical kind to use. 
Stretched, two-toned silk, with gold 
guimpe at the top and bottom, and a broad 
fringe as a finish, gives a handsome effect 
and also provides a good reading light. 
Such shades are best when made of dull 
gold or soft rose color; if of tan they may 
be interlined with a rose or orange silk, 
and thus, when lighted, give a warm, rich 
glow, and unlighted, the color is neutral 
and unobtrusive. Green and blue shades 
give a most unbecoming light, and the 
effect when lighted is a dirty gray. A 
shade of an orange color will lend an air 
of piquancy to an otherwise drab room. 
The illustrations used here are of 
shades where direct light is not relied 
upon, or in any case a small amount of 
light, such as one desires for a bedside 
lamp. These may be very decorative, re¬ 
peating and emphasizing the color to be 
brought out in the room. 
The group of three is designed to be 
used in a bedroom where a vari-colored 
cretonne is employed and the rose tones 
of the other decorations need emphasizing. 
The larger shade is for the bedside stand, 
the smaller pair for the dresser. They 
are hexagonal and covered with finely 
shirred rose India silk, which is drawn up 
to the center of the top, forming a radiat¬ 
ing figure. The prong to fit over the elec¬ 
tric bulb is dropped an inch and a half so 
there will be no danger of rotting from 
over-heat. A pretty, old-rose fringe is 
used at the bottom, and at the top the 
fringe itself is cut away, leaving only the 
heading, which, carefully sewed on to 
avoid raveling, makes an adequate finish. 
Dimensions of the larger are seven and a 
half inches across the bottom and five and 
three-quarters at the top, and six inches 
high. The smaller are three and three- 
quarters at the bottom, three at the top, 
and three and a quarter high. Wire 
frames for these can easily be made, and 
the shades may or may not be lined. 
Having the top covered, they give a soft 
glow all over the room, and one needs 
only the light downwards. 
A rather striking shade is made up on 
paper; the straight cylinder shape is in¬ 
teresting. The background is ivory 
white with black figures and bands. Used 
with a plain, white-painted standard, it is 
very attractive, although not as durable 
as a silk shade. 
For use with black and gold Chinese 
decorated standard there is a shade of 
yellow, lacquered chintz of Chinese de¬ 
sign. Orange lacquer has been used, so 
that when the lamp is lit the colors are 
A serviceable vase in which to place orchids is an 
Italian milk bottle, varieties of which are being 
shown in the shops 
rich and glowing, from a delicate yellow 
to a deep orange. The frame is oblong, 
but hexagonal in shape. It is finished 
with dull-gold guimpe, and has no lining. 
This same idea of a lacquered chintz 
shade can be used on a large lamp, each 
of the six faces framing a Japanese scene. 
It is always a problem how to shade 
side fixtures. The regulation little, round 
silk shade is apt to look silly and tawdry 
on a dignified bracket, especially when it 
is a double fixture. A suitable and un¬ 
usual shield may be made of plain, shirred 
silk edged with gilt or silver galoon to 
match the finish of the fixture itself. A 
fascinating shield mav be made by using a 
Renaissance design of cretonne, stretching 
it tightly over the wire frame, and making 
it large enough to cover both lights. It 
should be bent at the sides so as to hide 
the bulbs. This also can be finished in 
lacquer, which gives a translucent light 
and shows up the figures when lit. Used 
in a blue dining-room, the blue-green of 
the peacocks in the shield illustrated is 
really lovely. 
The same shield can be used on a 
branched candlestick of brass on the serv¬ 
ing table. It will keep the glare from 
the eyes of the diners and at the same time 
give a suitable light at the sideboard. 
Such shields are distinctly decorative in 
character. 
Lamp shades so often become grimy 
and dusty, although the materials them¬ 
selves are in good condition. They can 
be freshened and be made quite gay and 
bright again by dipping them in naphtha. 
Especially is this true of the guimpes and 
fringes. Brush them well first, and give 
them a good sunning afterwards. 
A shade of Empire shape — not flaring — 
is excellent when used on a high-floor 
standard and also on lights not used for 
reading. They are beautiful if made of 
damask or rich, figured silk. 
Always line a shade with a very light 
color—almost white, as a darker color 
will absorb the light. A dead white 
lining, however, is apt to look crude with 
a rich color, so it is preferable to use a 
color delicately toned to the silk used for 
the outside. 
Chintz shades are used for bedrooms 
and summer places. There is being 
shown one of oval shape, on either side of 
which is a medallion figure of gay, old- 
fashioned flowers. The background is 
golden. A pert little rucbe of pinked 
sateen edges it top and bottom. Linen and 
sateen are a good combination to use, and 
if of the best quality, the sateen does not 
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