DOI article:
On the interior arrangement and decoration of the house
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19423#0026
Interior Arrangement and Decoration
room is a case in point.
Here is a large, L-shaped
room, of no less than
fifteen feet in height. The
scheme of decoration in-
cludes, as shown, a struc-
tural ingle, large enough
to occupy the entire area
of the wing of the room,
the upper part being turned
into a chamber, somewhat
after the manner of a
musicians' gallery, ap-
proached at the left by a
stairway.
But proportion is not
a question merely of
regulating the sub-divi-
sions of spaces ; it is one
also of the correct amount
respectively of ornamented
dining room designed by w. flockhart, f.r.i.b.a. and plain Surfaces that
executed by j. s. henry, ltd. , ,
go to make up the most
pleasing sum-total result.
contrast shocks and startles. That which provides This is a point which does not always receive the
a gentle stimulus to the imagination is agreeable ; attention it deserves. The tendency in decorating
anything beyond this is apt to become an annoy- is to err rather on the side of overdoing than of
ance. Over-severity has the effect of repelling, over-severity. Even with a limited purse the
while what is too lavish savours of vulgarity and temptation seems to be to make the biggest show
ostentation. for one's money, at the expense of quality, not
And next, as to proportions. In small rooms, that of quantity. But it should be borne in
since their tendency is to
give a sense of cramped
and dwarfed space, an
arrangement that shall
counteract this impression
and shall increase their
apparent size is usually an
improvement. Whereas
large rooms, if they be very
vast, are apt to give a
sense of vacancy and lone-
liness. Therefore (except
indeed in cases where they
be intended for public
purposes) they may some-
times be made to look
smaller than they really
are, without loss, at any
rate, if indeed the process
be not rather a posi-
tive advantage. Messrs.
Liberty's design (p. 16) for
1 . . . dining room in fumed oak designed and executed
an ingle end in a dining- by wylie & lochhead, ltd.
io
room is a case in point.
Here is a large, L-shaped
room, of no less than
fifteen feet in height. The
scheme of decoration in-
cludes, as shown, a struc-
tural ingle, large enough
to occupy the entire area
of the wing of the room,
the upper part being turned
into a chamber, somewhat
after the manner of a
musicians' gallery, ap-
proached at the left by a
stairway.
But proportion is not
a question merely of
regulating the sub-divi-
sions of spaces ; it is one
also of the correct amount
respectively of ornamented
dining room designed by w. flockhart, f.r.i.b.a. and plain Surfaces that
executed by j. s. henry, ltd. , ,
go to make up the most
pleasing sum-total result.
contrast shocks and startles. That which provides This is a point which does not always receive the
a gentle stimulus to the imagination is agreeable ; attention it deserves. The tendency in decorating
anything beyond this is apt to become an annoy- is to err rather on the side of overdoing than of
ance. Over-severity has the effect of repelling, over-severity. Even with a limited purse the
while what is too lavish savours of vulgarity and temptation seems to be to make the biggest show
ostentation. for one's money, at the expense of quality, not
And next, as to proportions. In small rooms, that of quantity. But it should be borne in
since their tendency is to
give a sense of cramped
and dwarfed space, an
arrangement that shall
counteract this impression
and shall increase their
apparent size is usually an
improvement. Whereas
large rooms, if they be very
vast, are apt to give a
sense of vacancy and lone-
liness. Therefore (except
indeed in cases where they
be intended for public
purposes) they may some-
times be made to look
smaller than they really
are, without loss, at any
rate, if indeed the process
be not rather a posi-
tive advantage. Messrs.
Liberty's design (p. 16) for
1 . . . dining room in fumed oak designed and executed
an ingle end in a dining- by wylie & lochhead, ltd.
io