The Editor will gladly answer queries pertaining to individual problems of interior decoration and furnishing. When an immediate reply is 
desired, please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope 
Reception Hall and Library 
1 WOULD like to have some assistance from 
House & Garden in the matter of interior 
decoration. 
My dining-room has oak furniture, wall paper 
in grape design in browns with a glint of gold. I 
wish to keep that as it is. 
My library is 14 x 20 ft., two windows,—one 
south, the other east. I wish to build a bay- 
window with fireplace in center and windows 
on each side, at the east end of the room which 
is fourteen feet wide Advise whether fireplace 
should be all brick, built to ceiling, or shall I use 
a white wooden mantel to match white wood¬ 
work ; also as to wall decorations. 
My reception hall lies north of the library; 
it also has white woodwork. How shall I decorate 
it? As they open into each other I would like 
the same coloring for both. Hardwood floors and 
rugs on the floors, mahogany furniture in both 
rooms. The rug in library has a great deal of old 
blue. Rugs in reception hall will go with any 
color. Double doors between reception hall and 
library, also between library and dining-room. 
We are pleased to send you the follow¬ 
ing suggestions for the treatment of your 
library and reception hall, noting that 
the grape design in brown, gold, and 
olive green has been used in your dining¬ 
room. 
We recommend for the wall of both 
reception hall and library a bronze paper. 
This you will find will harmonize beauti¬ 
fully with that used in the dining-room. 
While the effect oi this paper is practically 
two-toned in certain lights, one finds a 
glint of dull old blue and yellow under-; 
lying the bronze. The design of the 
paper is modified Colonial and very 
attractive. 
The ceiling tint should extend at 
least 18 inches from the ceiling angle, and 
be finished by the picture rail. This tint 
must be quite yellow in tone, like the 
sample we send you. This, you will find, 
will sufficiently lighten the room. 
The same color should be used in the 
draperies at the windows of the reception 
hall, and in the library dull blue will be 
found particularly harmonious with the 
wall covering and also with the rug you 
describe. 
Regarding the mantel, we would 
advise that you treat this with the ivory 
white enamel, matching the woodwork. 
We send you some simple designs of 
mantels which are pure Colonial, and 
would be suitable to your rooms. These 
can be purchased ready to set in place. 
In the Shops 
A /T ANY shops are this season offering 
some delightful decorative sug¬ 
gestions of brass and copper in the 
Lamp shades of raffia or wicker go well with 
a pottery base 
form of candelabra, candlesticks, trays, 
loving cups,—which latter, by the way, 
may be converted into the body of a most 
artistic lamp,—desk sets, picture frames 
and book racks. There are few rooms 
the beauty of which will not be enhanced 
by the introduction of one or more of 
these pieces. The prices are by no means 
prohibitive. For lamps made from loving 
cups, or where plain porcelain jars form 
the body, shades of raffia or wicker, 
loosely woven and lined with a plain 
colored silk, are particularly decorative. 
Plaster pieces in medallions, broken 
friezes and figures prove good investments, 
giving an excellent decorative return. 
A very charming treatment of a 
Madonna and Child in a medallion relief 
shows the ivory tone of the plaster 
against a strong blue background, this 
effect being obtained by staining the 
plaster. 
Window Shades 
I WOULD be very glad if House & Garden 
would inform me of the best window shades 
to use. I would like something that will obscure 
the light, and also show the correct color for my 
house. The exterior is painted maroon with 
ivory white trim. 
We are pleased to send you samples 
of a duplex shade material, having the 
two faces in different colors. These 
shades are very satisfactory and by using 
them the necessity of double shades is 
done away with. 
As the exterior body of your house is 
maroon with ivory trim, you could use 
the ivory on the street side, or have the 
shade made especially to match the color 
of the house, using the ivory for the 
interior; otherwise the interior could be in 
a soft tone of leaf green. 
These shades will be found to obscure 
the light wholly. They are put up with 
the best rollers, and if correct and accurate 
measurements are supplied, there is no 
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