Miss Greenleaj 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 
The Living-Room 
I N many of the best houses of to-day’s designing the 
living-room is the dominating feature of the first 
floor plan, and even where the house itself is small, much 
of the floor space is advantageously given up to this most 
important room. It frequently combines parlor, library, 
sitting-room and occasionally billiard-room, and in the 
combination loses none of its own characteristics. A cer¬ 
tain dignity should be maintained in its color treatment 
and furnishing; light and delicate tints and fabrics will not 
be found well suited to its everyday uses, nor should it 
seem too formal for the comfort of daily living. 
Numerous requests for general suggestions regarding the 
decorating and furnishing of such rooms have come to this 
Department, and in answer to these the following sugges¬ 
tions are given: 
It must be borne in mind that the treatment of a living- 
room to be successful must be such as is wholly suited to 
the type of house of which it is a part; also the individual 
requirements of the family who will occupy it should be a 
factor in settling the question of its decoration and furnish¬ 
ing. For instance, where books form an important part 
of the lives of those who will live in it their disposal should 
be considered in the early planning of the room. Low 
book shelves extending around a portion, or the whole of 
the wall of a room—where the dimensions permit—are 
always good. In such a case, or where many books must 
find their place in the room, the choice of color and design 
for the wall covering and the fabric to be used for over¬ 
draperies and upholstery should be influenced by this 
effect; otherwise the various strong colors in the binding 
of the books will be found difficult to reconcile. 
Where tapestry paper is used, as shown in the illustration 
on this page, it should be dim and soft in color, the figure 
retreating well into the background. If—as 
is usually the case—it shows a variety of 
colors, these should melt one into the other, 
and the dull blues, greens and browns, and 
gray or tan of the background will be agree¬ 
ably repeated in the book covers. 
The standing woodwork of mahogany 
makes an attractive setting and is further 
complemented by some well chosen pieces 
of mahogany furniture. 
To build book shelves flush with the wall 
is a less usual method, but is found very 
effective and, when practical, often gives 
better results than any other treatment, as 
nothing is taken from the size of the room; 
the books becoming a part of the wall treat¬ 
ment, such wall space as may be unoccupied 
by the books should show a plain color. In 
an old or remodeled house there is often an 
unused doorway or window which can be util¬ 
ized by fitting the opening with book shelves; 
this supplies the effect referred to above. 
Where the house is designed along Colonial 
lines the decoration or furnishing of the 
When tapestry paper is used it should he subdued in color and pattern 
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