June, i p i 6 
51 
THE DECORATIVE VALUE OF WROUGHT IRON 
WORK AND TILE 
AGNES FOSTER 
There are often times when you are undecided about a color scheme, or the suitability of a 
piece of furniture. In such cases you want advice. Why not write to House & Garden for it? 
The address is 440 Fourth Avenue, New York City. 
By the use of tile inserts and tile 
figures the fireplace in this nursery has 
been given genuine interest 
M 
ANY admiring and covetous glances 
have we given the pieces of wrought 
iron work in the museums here and 
abroad, or in Spanish towns where every 
other window has its beautiful iron grille, or 
in Italy where well-hood and lanterns boast 
their bits of intricate wrought iron work, or 
again in France where the balustrades of cha¬ 
teaux are fit copy in design for generations 
to follow. 
At last this wrought iron has come into 
its own again, not only at the hands of the 
architect, who has appreciated but used the 
medium sparingly, but through that new be¬ 
ing of true service, the decorator. In a hun¬ 
dred ways, each appro¬ 
priate and of real deco¬ 
rative value, the deco- , 
rator has worked 
wrought iron into her 
schemes for porches 
and gardens, for living- 
rooms and halls. 
What could be more 
appropriate as lighting 
fixtures than torch 
brackets of Tudor rose 
design against a Caen 
stone wall in an en¬ 
trance hallway? Or in 
an oak paneled living- 
room, side fixtures of 
oak leaves, virile and 
bold in design? Sup¬ 
planting side fixtures 
iron torches may be 
placed on either side of 
the chimney breast or at 
the foot of the stairs. 
Such treatment does 
not require a large or 
elaborate room or fur¬ 
nishings. 
Although wrought 
iron unpainted looks 
best against oak or 
stone or walnut, it looks 
well, when finished in 
soft dull colors, against 
any painted wall sur¬ 
face. To lighten and 
create spots of interest 
turns of the iron mav 
Made in America after 
a Spanish pattern, a 
ivall bracket of wrought 
iron with a basin mid¬ 
way for vines, $50 
The glazed tile radiator grille has 
distinctly decorative possibilities 
be gilded a rich, warm gold. The reddish 
cast of the iron itself carries along this color 
tone. 
The best iron work is not heavy and crude; 
it is of the most intricate and delicate design. 
There is a subtle fascination in the branches 
of iron flowers twined, as gracefully as Nature 
does it herself, around simple, straight, heavy 
uprights. 
Lanterns on high standards of iron have a 
look of Venice about them. They may be 
used as torcheres in a hall with a hanging 
iron lantern at the stairs landing. A simple 
straight back, Italian chair and perhaps a 
small bench—and we have created a hall with 
a true Italian spirit. 
And what is nicest to 
contemplate we may 
have all these at a 
possible price. 
In front of a French 
fj window, that the sil- 
J houette may be given 
/ full value, a wrought 
iron aquarium stand 
may well be placed. The 
iron is moulded into 
graceful curves. An¬ 
other equally attractive 
piece is a plant stand. 
The top holds a painted 
tin basin in which are 
pots of ivy. A painted 
wire basket, whose 
handle forms a com¬ 
fortable perch for a 
gay porcelain bird, can 
be overgrown with a 
tangle of ivy vines. 
The wrought iron work 
below is carried out 
in the graceful twists 
and convolutions of the 
vine itself. A similar 
stand holds a copper 
basin for plants. 
For a side wall 
Used as an aquarium bracket comes a Span- 
stand or for flowers, ish pattern piece that, 
this type of wrought hurrah! is made in 
iron workmanship is America. It fastens 
coming into vogue, $25 {Continued on page 70) 
The torcheres will find 
a dozen decorative uses 
in a house, especially in 
a paneled hallway, $60. 
The flower stand with 
a copper basin can be 
used on the porch, $60 
Although it would require a large hallway to suit a tile fountain of this size 
indoors, it is equally appropriate for the porch wall or as a garden terminal 
Painted tin with wire 
handles forms the upper 
part. It comes separate 
and, not including the 
porcelain bird, sells for 
$5. The wrought iron 
stand costs $30 
