The Art of Interior Decoration | Page 2

day!
We give a broad outline of the historical periods in furnishing, with a
view to quick reference work.
The thirty-two illustrations will be analysed for the practical instruction
of the reader who may want to furnish a house and is in search of
definite ideas as to lines of furniture, colour schemes for upholstery and
hangings, and the placing of furniture and ornaments in such a way as
to make the composition of rooms appear harmonious from the artist's
point of view.
The index will render possible a quick reference to illustrations and

explanatory text, so that the book may be a guide for those ambitious to
try their hand at the art of interior decoration.
The manner of presentation is consciously didactic, the authors
believing that this is the simplest method by which such a book can
offer clear, terse suggestions. They have aimed at keeping "near to the
bone of fact" and when the brief statements of the fundamental laws of
interior decoration give way to narrative, it is with the hope of opening
up vistas of personal application to embryo collectors or students of
periods.

CONTENTS
FOREWORD
CHAPTER I.
HOW TO REARRANGE A ROOM
Method of procedure.--Inherited eyesores.--Line.--Colour.--Treatment
of small rooms and suites.--Old ceilings.--Old floors.--To paint brass
bedsteads.--Hangings.--Owning two or three antique pieces of furniture,
how proceed.--Appropriateness to setting.--How to give your home a
personal quality.
CHAPTER II.
HOW TO CREATE A ROOM
Mere comfort.--Period rooms.--Starting a collection of antique
furniture.--Reproductions.--Painted furniture.--Order of procedure in
creating a room.--How to decide upon colour scheme.--Study
values.--Period ballroom.--A distinguished room.--Each room a stage
"set."--Background.--Flowers as decoration.--Placing
ornaments.--Tapestry.--Tendency to antique tempered by vivid Bakst
colours.

CHAPTER III.
HOW TO DETERMINE CHARACTER OF HANGINGS AND
FURNITURE-COVERING FOR A GIVEN ROOM
Silk, velvet, corduroy, rep, leather, use of antique silks, chintz.--When
and how used.
CHAPTER IV.
THE STORY OF TEXTILES
Materials woven by hand and machine, embroidered, or the
combination of the two known as Tapestry.--Painted tapestry.--Art
fostered by the Church.--Decorated walls and ceilings, 13th century,
England.
CHAPTER V.
CANDLESTICKS, LAMPS, FIXTURES FOR GAS AND
ELECTRICITY, AND SHADES
Fixtures, as well as mantelpiece, must follow architect's scheme.--Plan
wall space for furniture.--Shades for lights.--Important as to line and
colour.
CHAPTER VI.
WINDOW SHADES AND AWNINGS
Coloured gauze sash-curtains.--Window shades of glazed linen, with
design in colours.--Striped canvas awnings.
CHAPTER VII.
TREATMENT OF PICTURES AND PICTURE FRAMES

Selecting pictures.--Pictures as pure decoration.--"Staring" a
picture.--Restraint necessary in hanging pictures.--Hanging miniatures.
CHAPTER VIII.
TREATMENT OF PIANO CASES
Where interest centres abound piano.--Where piano is part of ensemble.
CHAPTER IX.
TREATMENT OF DINING-ROOM BUFFETS AND
DRESSING-TABLES
Articles placed upon them.
CHAPTER X.
TREATMENT OF WORK TABLES, BIRD CAGES, DOG BASKETS,
AND FISH GLOBES
Value as colour notes.
CHAPTER XI.
TREATMENT OF FIREPLACES
Proportions, tiles, andirons, grates.
CHAPTER XII.
TREATMENT OF BATHROOMS
A man's bathroom.--A woman's bathroom.--Bathroom
fixtures.--Bathroom glassware.
CHAPTER XIII.

PERIOD ROOMS
Chiselling of
metals.--Ormoulu.--Chippendale.--Colonial.--Victorian.--The art of
furniture making.--How to hang a mirror.--Appropriate furniture.--A
home must have human quality, a personal note.--Mrs. John L.
Gardner's Italian Palace in Boston.--The study of colour
schemes.--Tapestries.--A narrow hall.
CHAPTER XIV.
PERIODS IN FURNITURE
The story of the evolution of periods.--
Assyria.--Egypt.--Greece.--Rome.--France.
--England.--America.--Epoch-making styles.
CHAPTER XV.
CONTINUATION OF PERIODS IN FURNITURE
Greece.--Rome.--Byzantium.--Dark Ages.--Middle
Ages.--Gothic.--Moorish.--Spanish.--Anglo-Saxon.--Cæsar's
Table.--Charlemagne's Chair.--Venice.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE GOTHIC PERIOD
Interior decoration of Feudal Castle.--Tapestry.--Hallmarks of Gothic
oak carving.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE RENAISSANCE
Italy.--The Medici.--Great architects, painters, designers, and workers
in metals.--Marvellous pottery.--Furniture inlaying.--Hallmarks of

Renaissance.--Oak carving.--Metal work.--Renaissance in Germany
and Spain.
CHAPTER XVIII.
FRENCH FURNITURE
Renaissance of classic period.--Francis I, Henry II, and the
Louis.--Architecture, mural decoration, tapestry, furniture, wrought
metals, ormoulu, silks, velvets, porcelains.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE PERIODS OF THE THREE LOUIS
How to distinguish them.--Louis XIV.--Louis XV.--Louis
XVI.--Outline.--Decoration.--Colouring.--Mural Decoration.--Tapestry.
CHAPTER XX.
CHARTS SHOWING HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF FURNITURE
French and English.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE MAHOGANY PERIOD
Chippendale.--Heppelwhite.--Sheraton.--The Adam
Brothers.--Characteristics of these and the preceding English periods;
Gothic, Elizabethan, Jacobean, William and Mary, Queen
Anne.--William Morris.--Pre-Raphaelites.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE COLONIAL PERIOD
Furniture.--Landscape paper.--The story of the evolution of wall

decoration.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE REVIVAL OF DIRECTOIRE AND EMPIRE FURNITURE
Shown in modern painted furniture.
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE VICTORIAN PERIOD
Architecture and interior decoration become unrelated.--Machine-made
furniture.--Victorian cross-stitch, beadwork, wax and linen
flowers.--Bristol glass.--Value to-day as notes of variety.
CHAPTER XXV.
PAINTED FURNITURE
Including "mission" furniture.--Treatment of an unplastered
cottage.--Furniture, colour-scheme.
CHAPTER XXVI.
TREATMENT OF AN INEXPENSIVE BEDROOM
Factory furniture.--Chintz.--The cheapest
mirrors.--Floors.--Walls.--Pictures.--Treatment of old floors.
CHAPTER XXVII.
TREATMENT OF A GUEST ROOM
Where economy is not a matter of importance.--Panelled walls.--Louis
XV painted furniture.--Taffeta curtains and bed-cover.--Chintz
chair-covers.--Cream net sash-curtains.--Figured linen window-shades.

CHAPTER XXVIII.
A MODERN HOUSE IN WHICH GENUINE JACOBEAN
FURNITURE Is APPROPRIATELY SET
Traditional colour-scheme of crimson and gold.
CHAPTER XXIX.
UNCONVENTIONAL BREAKFAST-ROOMS AND SPORTS
BALCONIES
Porch-rooms.--Appropriate furnishings.--Colour schemes.
CHAPTER XXX.
SUN-ROOMS
Colour schemes according to climate and season.--A small, cheap,
summer house converted into one of some pretentions by altering vital
details.
CHAPTER