HOUSE AND GARDEN 
NE, I9II 
427 
outset two observations may be 
made: first, this is the most recent 
of all rooms to be developed, and 
consequently it possesses the ele¬ 
ment of novelty so dear to us 
Americans; and second, it is one of 
the most felicitous of all ideas for 
summer decoration, and should en¬ 
thusiastically be appropriated for 
the treatment of rooms in summer 
residences, though not necessarily 
confined thereto. In this connection 
we may also add that blue is the 
coldest of all colors, an additional 
argument for summer use. Psycho¬ 
logically indoors and outdoors 
become merged and linked to¬ 
gether, so to speak, by this 
bird motif, birds on the sway¬ 
ing branches and birds in the 
quiet room, birds when you 
go out and birds when you 
come in. The transition is not 
great, whether one sleeps on 
the veranda or sleeps in the 
room. There is a certain 
unity about the environment 
in either case. 
Let us leave the out-of-door 
birds behind as they are very 
well able to take care of them¬ 
selves, and enter the blue bird 
room, which is more depend¬ 
ent upon our helpful ministra¬ 
tions. Some one 
has said that 
comparisons are 
odious; whether 
that is true or 
not, it is certain 
that they are 
elusive. To what 
shall we com¬ 
pare the walls of 
a blue bird 
room? Here let 
us remark that 
there are differ¬ 
ent blue bird 
rooms, because 
there are differ¬ 
ent blue bird pa¬ 
pers and fur¬ 
nishings. This 
allows for f u r- 
ther individual¬ 
ity and shades of 
expression even 
in a b?ltie bird 
room. The walls 
of one room for 
example will 
suggest the ef¬ 
fect of a blos¬ 
soming garden 
in the early 
morning, or at 
One of the severely conventionalized papers that would 
be at its best only where it does not appear in large 
masses 
Nor is there any lack of opportunity to carry out in the bureau fittings 
—hatpin holder, pin-tray, etc.—the blue bird motif in color and form 
White enameled furniture, of wood, willow or wicker, is best for furnishing the blue bird room; 
for the floor covering a blue-and-white rag rug with a blue bird end border is available 
twilight, or on a dull and misty day 
when the body of the paper suggests 
an atmospheric haze against which 
the slender branches stand in relief, 
bearing their fluttering blue birds 
which are the chief motif of the de¬ 
sign. A very charming frieze in the 
same general tones carries the slen¬ 
der stems about the room. And on 
these twigs are perched cosy groups 
of blue birds as if nesting time were 
approaching, and one might almost 
fancv he could hear them billing 
and cooing. Lest the above outlines 
might convey an impression of som¬ 
breness, with the birds against 
the haze, it should be explained 
that the yellow blossoms im¬ 
part the necessary touch of 
brightness and warmth. 
It will be noted that the 
paper above described is not 
unduly conventional. It has 
something of the irregularity 
and freedom of the garden. 
One might fancy be could 
separate the branches and walk 
through. Another paper, how¬ 
ever, is more conventional. It 
is what is known as a stencil 
paper. It has stereotyped, 
regularly recurring rows of 
leaves, flowers and blue birds. 
The birds are perched in pairs 
one on each side 
of a convention¬ 
al leaf. The 
horizontal lines 
of birds are a 
foot apart. The 
birds and flow¬ 
ers are in a de¬ 
cided blue, while 
the leaves are in 
a dark neutral 
green. The 
strength and 
comparative se¬ 
verity of this 
design might 
render it oppres¬ 
sive if presented 
in too great a 
mass, though it 
is f o u n d effec¬ 
tive w he n em¬ 
ployed with ap- 
p r o p r i a t e re¬ 
strictions. When 
used above a 
wainscoting the 
effect is rather 
rich. The lower 
wall should be 
white. In a small 
roo m in an 
apartment, t h e 
