34 
House & Garden 
The SOFA as a DECORATIVE FEATURE 
Good Designs That Reproduce the Lines of Old Master Pieces 
Are Always In Good Taste 
MARY H. NQRTHEND 
A painted sofa, with bright chintz 
cushions, adds its color to the 
morning room in the John S. 
Laurence house at Topsfield, 
Mass. Lee Porter, decorator 
T HROUGH the fashion of incorporating 
bits of Colonial architecture and furniture 
into our 20th Century houses, we have realized, 
as never before, the worth of rare pieces that 
were carefully designed by the old masters. 
Fortunately, many of these have stood the test 
of years, and stand today as representative of 
periods to which we are constantly turning for 
correct copy. As we familiarize ourselves with 
them, we realize how deep and comprehensive 
was the knowledge of art among designers of 
furniture in those days. This is shown in the 
prevalence of correct lines, many of them so 
graceful that it would be an impossibility to 
excel them, even today, when we demand as 
never before correct furnishings in our homes. 
The interior decorator is cognizant of these 
facts, and when called upon to restore or create 
a room, and give to it a home-like atmosphere, 
naturally turns to these old masters for aid. 
Through them, he is enabled to 
produce a harmonious effect by re¬ 
moving incongruous bits, and re¬ 
placing them with those that corre¬ 
spond with the architectural period 
of the room. If he is an adept, 
the result will be charming. 
The rapid stride that has been 
made in interior decoration within 
the last few years, has proved with¬ 
out doubt that it is essential to have 
a few well selected pieces of furni¬ 
ture, instead of, as in olden times, 
a conglomerate mass of unrelated 
bits which give to the home a rest¬ 
less appearance. 
This means that not only the 
walls and ceilings should be taken 
into consideration, but that every 
feature that contributes to the finished whole, 
should be in harmonious accord. 
Let us take, for instance, a Louis Seize sofa. 
Place it against the wall of a room, and give 
it a tapestry background. Cover it with light 
blue brocade, pile it high with soft downy 
cushions of corresponding hue, and it immedi¬ 
ately adds a note of interest and color to the 
room that would be lost otherwise. 
(Continued on page 64) 
In the hallway 
oj the Boston 
home oj Mr 
George H .Swift 
an Am eric an 
Empire sofa of 
dignified lines 
is used against 
a background 
of white panel¬ 
ing. Little & 
Brown, archi¬ 
tects 
The line s of 
this Louis Seize 
sofa, its up¬ 
holstering of 
blue brocade 
and its tapestry 
b ackground 
make it a valu¬ 
able addition 
to a room. Lee 
Porter was the 
interior decora¬ 
tor 
