DOI article:
Wainwright, Shirley B.: On the decoration & furnishing of small rooms
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41870#0026
ON THE DECORATION AND FURNISHING OF SMALL ROOMS
8 could be carried out in several ways. Painted lines or strips of paper
pasted on would give the effect; but inascheme such astheoneon page 7,
a better result would be obtained by using thin strips of wood.
The treatment of floors is a difficulty as the cost of carpets nowadays is
very heavy. As they entail a considerable amount of work when cleaning
operations are inprogress, thereisadditionalreasonforconsideringto what
extent they can be dispensed with entirely. If the floors are in reasonably
good condition they can be stained and polished, or creosoted and waxed.
In time a good surface will be obtained and the floors can readily be kept
clean and in order. If one or two small rugs are laid down the general
effect will prove quite satisfactory. For dining-rooms and bedrooms in
particular this treatment has much to recommend it, as there is little op-
portunity for the accumulation of dust and dirt under dining-tables and
beds. As an alternative to a polished floor, linoleum (preferably a black or
dark blue colour) may be used, and possesses similar advantages in the way
of easy cleaning. If a carpet is preferred, a plain neutral tint will be found
to give the best results as it will not show the dirt readily, will not appre-
ciably lose colour when exposed to the sun, and will tend to make the
rooms appear larger. A patterned square has the reverse effect. With the
right neutral tones on walls and floor one can venture on rich decorative
notes of colour in the curtains and other accessories, and it will be found
comparatively easy to dispose these into a harmonious scheme. The neu-
tral tones will give value to such colour notes and will hold them together
in a nicely balanced effect.
Excellent fabrics, fortunately, are to be had nowadays and are extremely
useful in providing interesting colour combinations. They should be
made the most of, for many of them are not much more costly than they
were before the war, and are therefore, comparatively speaking, economi-
cal to use for such purposes, for instance, as in the curtained recesses on
pages 19 and 21, or in the piece of furniture illustrated on page 15.
In order to get the utmost value
from a colour scheme, care should be
taken in the selection and placing of
ornaments and pictures. In several
of the illustrations some attempt
has been made to indicate the im-
portance of these accessories in the
general scheme. Note, for instance,
the value of the yellow bowl in the
group on page 5, and its effect in
conjunction with the grey and brown
tones. Good pottery, obtainable at
H
8 could be carried out in several ways. Painted lines or strips of paper
pasted on would give the effect; but inascheme such astheoneon page 7,
a better result would be obtained by using thin strips of wood.
The treatment of floors is a difficulty as the cost of carpets nowadays is
very heavy. As they entail a considerable amount of work when cleaning
operations are inprogress, thereisadditionalreasonforconsideringto what
extent they can be dispensed with entirely. If the floors are in reasonably
good condition they can be stained and polished, or creosoted and waxed.
In time a good surface will be obtained and the floors can readily be kept
clean and in order. If one or two small rugs are laid down the general
effect will prove quite satisfactory. For dining-rooms and bedrooms in
particular this treatment has much to recommend it, as there is little op-
portunity for the accumulation of dust and dirt under dining-tables and
beds. As an alternative to a polished floor, linoleum (preferably a black or
dark blue colour) may be used, and possesses similar advantages in the way
of easy cleaning. If a carpet is preferred, a plain neutral tint will be found
to give the best results as it will not show the dirt readily, will not appre-
ciably lose colour when exposed to the sun, and will tend to make the
rooms appear larger. A patterned square has the reverse effect. With the
right neutral tones on walls and floor one can venture on rich decorative
notes of colour in the curtains and other accessories, and it will be found
comparatively easy to dispose these into a harmonious scheme. The neu-
tral tones will give value to such colour notes and will hold them together
in a nicely balanced effect.
Excellent fabrics, fortunately, are to be had nowadays and are extremely
useful in providing interesting colour combinations. They should be
made the most of, for many of them are not much more costly than they
were before the war, and are therefore, comparatively speaking, economi-
cal to use for such purposes, for instance, as in the curtained recesses on
pages 19 and 21, or in the piece of furniture illustrated on page 15.
In order to get the utmost value
from a colour scheme, care should be
taken in the selection and placing of
ornaments and pictures. In several
of the illustrations some attempt
has been made to indicate the im-
portance of these accessories in the
general scheme. Note, for instance,
the value of the yellow bowl in the
group on page 5, and its effect in
conjunction with the grey and brown
tones. Good pottery, obtainable at
H