The Studio yearbook of decorative art (1920)

ON THE DECORATION AND FURNISHING OF SMALL ROOMS
loose mirror on top. Other pieces giving use-
ful accommodationare illustrated on pages 12,
19, 20, and 25. Note that these are all de-
signed to stand off the floor on legs, bringing
the drawers to a convenient level for use,
while obviating any risk of dirt accumulating
beneath. The cupboards in the upper part of
these pieces would be fitted with sliding trays
or shelves, which are quite as useful as drawers
for storing most garments and cost much less
to make. Drawers are expensive and the
fewer one can do with the better. It will be
admitted that, apart from their usefulness,
such pieces are more interesting and attrac-
tive in appearance than the clumsy commer-
cial article usually met with. They would
give character to a room and be in scale with
other details. The dressing-table could either
consist of a chest of drawers, as already sug-
gested, or of a simple table with a loose mirror
or top, of the type shown on page 23.
If these observations are summarized it will
be seen that, with hanging-space provided
as suggested, the


THESE TWO DRAWINGS ILLUSTRATE
THE POSSIBILITY OF CONVERTING AN
UGLY AND ILL-PROPORTIONED WARD-
ROBE INTO A SIMPLE AND PLEASING
PIECE OF FURNITURE (PAGE 22)

only furniture ne-
cessary would be
a chest with mir-
ror, a bed and one chair. Why then indulge
in a “ suite complete” ? In time, no doubt, the
shops will awaken to these realities, and will
show sets of furniture from which a customer
can make a selection of the particular pieces
required.
With regard to beds it remains to be seen
whether comparative costs of production will
result in the re-introduction of metal into
favour. There is no reason why such bed-
steads should not be quite satisfactory ir
capably designed; but it is to be hoped that we
are not doomed to a revival of the terrible pro-
ductions sent forth from the Midlands in years
gone by. Most bedsteads made at present have
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