December, 1915 
63 
The Principles of Elegance 
and Good Taste in Furnishing 
The Home or Apartment 
INTERIOR DECORATION 
Its Principles and Practice 
By FRANK ALVAH PARSONS 
President of the New York School of Fine 
and Applied Arts 
Of This Book the New York Times says: 
“ This work, written by a recognized authority, may 
he summed up as a standard hook of information for 
the general public. It is exceedingly simple in its 
statements of basic principle, explains the principles 
of color, form, balance, the uses of various textures, 
scales and motifs. He goes into the vexing ‘little 
things of modern house decoration and takes up the 
famous ‘periods. ‘Interior decoration is a volume 
for the average householder—the man or woman, 
whether with large or small expenditure, who wants 
to learn the principles on which a living place may he 
made beautiful. It is very beautifully illustrated. 
69 Illustrations Net, $3.00 
Doubleday, c Page & Company, Garden City, N. Y. 
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Garden. 
Name ... 
Address. . 
H ere is a type of the letters 
that come to the Reader’s Service of 
House & Garden. Our help is open for you 
to take advantage of. What do you want 
to know ? 
Dear Sirs : — 
I have frequently noticed your kind offer to 
be helpful to your readers in the planning of 
a house and garden. In the early spring, I 
intend to build an all year round house, with 
garage, upon a two acre lot, located about two 
miles from the city, and of which, as you 
suggest, I beg to enclose a sketch. The lot is 
about 160 feet in front and rear by about 575 
feet in depth. I intend soon to employ an 
architect, but am now quite undecided as to 
the style of the house, which on account of the 
high elevation of the lot, I am told, should be 
low in appearance. I do not like a one-story 
bungalow. I am equally unsettled as to the 
arrangement of the grounds. If possible, I 
would like to build a wooden house which 
contains a generous sized living room, a din¬ 
ing room and kitchen downstairs, and four 
bed rooms upstairs, at a cost of about $7,000. 
I would be obliged to you for any sugges¬ 
tions you may give me as to the house and 
materials, as well as the grounds upon which I 
would like, among the other appropriate 
things, a small vegetable garden. 
Thanking you in advance for your courtesy, 
I beg to remain 
Very truly yours, 
( Signed) A. K. 
Reader’s Service 
House & Garden 
440 Fourth Avenue New York 
I spend $350,000,000 a year. 
My business is with women. 
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They can afford to buy anything 
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To give authority to my recommendations, to 
know what these women should get for their 
money, to learn how I may best spend their 
money, I depend largely upon a monthly fashion 
magazine. 
That magazine is Le Costume 
Royal. 
And I am the dressmaker. 
