Correspondence 
REDECORATING A COUNTRY HOUSE 
Mrs. W. W. G., writes: This spring we are to move into an 
old-fashioned country house to be entirely redecorated and so 
appeal to you for assistance in ideas. The ceilings are all very 
low, will hardly permit of any frieze work, although I feel I must 
have it in the dining-room which is a very long room facing south 
and west with a large southern bay window; the furniture is of 
the Mission and can use either a red or green rug. Would this mean 
either red or green paper and what color stain for wood finish ? 
Would like plate shelf and very narrow strip for paneling. Hall 
is nine feet wide and extends from front to rear doors; have grass 
furniture and think plain green cartridge paper with woodwork 
painted white; have plain green carpet for hall and stairs; hall 
extends through center of house. Living-room faces west and 
north with four windows; furniture all mahogany. I have old 
rose velour draperies I would like to use, colors of rug in harmony 
with same. How would old rose cartridge or figured paper do 
with either mahogany finish wood or painted plain white, or what 
do you suggest ? Den or library with a great many books. This 
room faces north and east, has two or three windows, furniture 
of leather and Mission, with rugs; floors all to be stained a dark 
mahogany. This room has a double doorway to the living-room 
with tapestry lining of velour drapery facing this room; what do 
you think of plain green cartridge paper ? We have many Christy, 
Remington, etc., pictures for this room and hall and think they 
look better hung over the plain red or green papers. Any ideas 
or suggestions you may give me through your paper would be 
very much appreciated I assure you. 
Answer: There are many possibilities for good treatment in 
the old-fashioned country house you describe. To begin with I 
would advise your using an ivory enamel for the finish of wood¬ 
work throughout. You will find it quite a simple matter to have 
an effective frieze and yet keep an unbroken wall surface, making 
your angle mold serve as picture rail. Taking your rooms as you 
give them in your letter, I would say in regard to the dining-room 
that you would obtain an excellent effect by using the stag frieze 
about your upper wall, covering the lower wall with the soft green 
cartridge paper or with paper showing a two-tone stripe. This 
will harmonize well with the ivory woodwork and also be in keep¬ 
ing with your rug as described. Since your ceilings are very low, 
your plate shelf could be set at the joining of frieze and wall cov¬ 
ering. For your hall I would suggest a tan paper showing two 
tones in stripe effect. Here you will not require any effect of 
frieze. The woodwork to be treated with the ivory white enamel. 
Your green carpet for stair and hall will look well with the paper 
suggested. For your living-room facing west and north, I would 
suggest an English paper, showing a large conventional design in 
poppies in pale shades of old rose and green leaves. This paper 
cuts out admirably giving an attractive edge, which can lap over 
the paper on lower wall. For this lower wall, I recommend a 
soft green paper of solid color. This will make a good setting 
for your mahogany furniture and harmonize with your drapery 
and rugs. The price of the English block paper is eighty cents 
per roll of eight yards; the lower wall-paper is fifty cents per roll 
of eight yards. For the library it would be perhaps an attractive 
variety to stain the standing woodwork. You have not mentioned, 
however, the character of the wood, therefore I am unable to 
suggest a definite treatment. If this is cleansed of its present 
finish I would suggest that you treat it with a rich brown stain, 
finished with a dull surface. Cover your wall with yellow tan 
paper, choosing a shade to harmonize with the hall covering. 
Since the room is of northern and eastern exposure this will be 
preferable to the green you suggest. The ceiling tint should be of 
the yellow. This scheme of decoration will make a good setting 
for the Mission furniture. I would advise you against staining 
your floors mahogany, as it is quite impossible to get good service 
from a floor so treated. A rich brown stain would be preferable, 
finished with a good floor finish. If you had mentioned the color¬ 
ing of your tapestry, I could have helped you more advantageously 
in the decoration of this room. You will find that the yellow-tan 
background will be effective for your Christy and Remington 
pictures. These should be framed in flat, dark wood frames, 
matching the finish of the woodwork, if you use a stain here. How¬ 
ever, even if the woodwork is of white, these frames must be dark. 
FIXTURES AND HARDWARE 
B. says: In planning my house, I feel that the fixtures and 
hardware are a very important part of the decorative scheme. 
Will you furnish me with some information in regard to where 
I can send for cuts and prices ? I live in a small town and am out 
of line with this sort of thing. 
Answer: If you will send a self-addressed envelope, I will 
forward you the name and addresses of firms who will supply you 
with information that you desire. You are quite right in your 
thought that fixtures and hardware are important items in the 
decorative scheme of a room. 
JAPANESE FURNISHINGS 
Mrs. L. of New Orleans, writes: I always read your answers 
and enjoy them; they have helped me out of many problems, so I 
come to you personally with some questions. First, would you 
send me the address of the firms carrying the Japanese furnishings 
and where could I get a soft cover for a Japanese couch; it has 
puzzled me so much to know what kind of material to use ? 
My living-room and dining-room are papered in the shade of 
yellow I enclose and the furniture I have is all old Mission in the 
weathered oak, and I want to ask you about the color of my 
curtains. My dining-room has one window on the side, and three 
leaded high windows at the end with china closet built below; now 
I have some pretty cream curtain material (see sample enclosed) 
which I had thought of using and appliqueing brown designs on 
the hem in Arts and Crafts figures (could you tell me where I 
could get any, or of what material to use) and then at the high 
windows use peacock blue in raw silk. My living-room has a 
casement window, a side window and a double front door with two 
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