The San Francisco call. [volume], June 23, 1901, Image 5

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
pTpEIS department, under
jj the able leadership of
o- Kate Greenleaf Locks,
"will be found of interest and
benefit to all clases. Whether
rich cr poor, thera is no rssson
•why your home should not ba
made beautiful by artistic ar
rangement and tHe proper out
lay of time and energ-y more
than by the expenditure of
meney. Correspondence is in
vited. Just address your let
ters to Kate Grsenlcaf Locke,
Sunday Call, and these ques
tions en making the home ar- .
tistic will be answered at
length in subsequent columns
of this department.
THE StrXDAir CAI/L.
and shadow: playing -through the ' ; rose-',
draped ¦ lattice > and ' the ; effect ', obtained 'of .
the ¦ curtains hanging , from* it \ to* the . floor -
were fascinating, beyond description.. ';,
' VThls ' original V and (charming 1 Idea 'would '"
be ' just fas ' attractive Fcarrled^ out In . pink -
or red roses, but the fact of having seen
it In yellow has lent an additional charm
to that color -for me ever, since.
The walls are hung with paper having
.a decided, tliough.softrblue- ground., and
over this are scattered . white Cherokee
roses with their cold 'green foliage. The
celling down to .the picture mold la the
•white of a shadow on the rosesi and the
carpet is a plain velvet in a deeper shade
of old blue.
The twin brass beds have valanced point
d'esprit covers over coverlets of lieht blue
III ill i|' i tlWldH*M*W—WWtHllHMW 'Hill i Till |i '
The walls are covered with morocco in
golden tan: the frieze is hung below the
picture mold and is. in Saracenic figures
and arabesques cut from the .leather,
which is brilliantly illuminated in reds,
blues and greens, and overlaid and inlaid
with gold and silver leaf. The effect- Is
that of jewels in a rich setting, and the
treatment is that given by the leather
workers of Cordova, in old Spa'n. several
hundred years . ago. Pieces of Cordova
leather which are still in existence are
said to be as brilliant and jewel-like as
when they wore first manipulated by
these wonderful artists.
An over-mantel leather panel on the
chimney breast is actually gorgeous in
effect. This work is in 'relief and repre
sents the heads of Amazons In silver
winged helmets, with glittering spears
and shields overlaid with pure metal In
gold and silver leaf. The faces, the beau
tifully modeled arms and hands holding
the spears, the horses', heads and flying
manes, stand boldly out, and, like the rls-^
ing sun in the. background, are wreathed'
with gold. This most . artistic and orig
inal piece of work, as well as the leather
frieze, was done by two California wom
en, who have been for years endeavoring
to solve the mystery Of Cordovan leather
work. That they have succeeded- is evi
denced by the . exceeding .beauty • of this
decoration. This panel, glowing with col
or, Is most charmingly set amid the deep
toned Oriental furnishings of the other
wise quiet room.
A Blue and Green Bedchamber.
, A bedchamber on the second floor is
also remarkable for its color. Blues and
eea greens are mingled in its furnishings
and decoration. The room. is large, being
18x20. The western exposure is a large
half-circular ' bay, having, five windows.
These are so curtained- as to 'give the ;
coolest and airiest • effect possible. .: Each
window has two full curtains of white
point d'esprit; these are tied backhand
disclose* sash curtains of pale green silk."
Over the narrow strip '.of wall between
each window a. full scarf of the green
tllk Is hung and caught in with the deli
cate tasseled cords of white silk, t which
hold the net drapery.-.
The den, like the oln roan of Mother
Goose fame who was once abroad on a
"misty, molsty morning." Is all "clothed
In leather."
The D?n.
The furniture for this somewhat me
dieval looking room is all of special, dp
sign and is of English oak, in accord with
the woodwork.
The tapestry hangings at the doors and
windows repeat the fleur de lis motif in
blues and greens and give a beautiful
completeness to the decorative scheme.
This du!i blue in the rouph plaster
frieze above the wainsccating of oak has
old silver fleurs.de lis in plaster relief as
a border; and the gleam of silver corre
sponds with that of the plates and pitch
ers on the upper shelf of the buffet.
the living room is In direct contrast to
It. beiny white and gold .in its decoration
and furnished with satin brocaded furni
ture in delicate pinks ar.d greens. Across
a wide ha!l paneled in English oak. with
rough plastered walls of a rich, strong
mulberry red, is the dining room in Gobe
lin b!ue.
Of course the : first . requisite . of a " bed
room Is a certain daintiness which; if ab-'
"sent from the arrangement and 'treatment.
¦of. other rooms, -will : not be so grossly
missed. - A sleeping room may be '.fur-
" nished and decorated in : strong colors, or
In delicate tones,, but toobtain a satisfac
tory results , v these colors, must " bq kept
clear and fresh in treatment." " English
bedrooms are more: ; nearly - ideal; In ' ar-'
• rangement, f I ; believe, than: any, in- the;
world, for they combine -with , extreme*.
. neatness a certain coziness : which , Is real
ly luxury. This i3 ; because they use: ere-'
tonnes arid dimities in warn." bright 'tints
for .upholstering and and be
cause • they' are not afraid of •• footstools ¦
; arid lounging chairs as Americans'
\ seem ilia?:- be. i :¦'.: In certain :, : French coun- V
h^jMRn*nHBBHdHnMnraj
I find that disaster lies In many of the
friezes which are brought by the paper
hangers with their handsoment papers.
The design for the side .wall will be Rood
and in perfect taste, when* io! before your
astonished eyes they will unroll a hideous
frieze of great scrolls and hieroglyphics'
In dazzling colors strongly mixed with
gold. This, they tellyou, Is to outline the
ere? my pround work in which dewy roses
trail, which has touched your imagination.
At once your 'dream of delicate harmo
nies and restful beauty, vanishes. , If you
are to be confronted constantly with this
glaring mixture of strong colors and arbi
trary lines you will never be able to see,
anything else In the room,' and . you arc
tempted to give up the whole scheme. V
will tell you a way out of this. dilemma;
buy the frieze (as your. tradesman prob
ably tells you he will not sell youthe pa
per without it) and burn it. Hang your
side wall paper. to the picture mold, then;
select any color. contained. in your paper
that you fancy and color your ceill^ig
down to the ¦ picture mold In ( thls\ plain
color. This effect * In a bedroomi Is most
•beautiful and restful. In such aTroom the
most exquisitely delicate result can be ob
tained by having the woodwork painted
ivory white, with what is called an "egg
shell" finish. A higher : gloss-' giving. '•' an
enamel surface is also handsome. • Softly
finished, (that is, oiled, wax'ed and rubbed
down) light woods can ; be substituted;
however, If preferred. • .'
The windows have long curtains of the
same with shorter muslin ones beneath,
and the couches and wicker chairs am up
nolstered in thechintz. In such chambers,
heavy old-fashioned pieces of mahogany
furniture ara placed, on the chiffoniers
and bureaus, antique brass, or crystal
knobs glitter again amid congenial sur
roundincs-
A chintz which recalls the flays of our
pro.il-prandmothers has birds of Para
dise in the most brilliant hues of green
and scarlet flitting over it. Bedrooms
hurg In' these expensive cottons have
brass beds with half canopies- from which
quaint curtains of flowered chintz de
pend.
In bedroom furnishings it is the 'fad of
the moment to "revisit the glimpses" of
one hundred years ago. Large Hgured pa
pers, chintz as stiff as oil cloth andwith
a dazzling glaze upon it, gigantic roses
which are supposed to have first flowered
forth in the brain of the late William
Morris, wander in exquisite shades over
the cretonnes and' dimities.
Our Grandmothers' Bedchambers.
. Ktich one of the numerous bedchambers
in this house Is a confection of delicate
colors, and the contrast of this styje of
furnishing with the heavy and rich effects
on the ground floor is one of its chiefest
charms. . . -
silk, and a beautiful flowered cretonne for
tho upholstery of couch and window s-eat
assists by its design and coloring to bring
the blue and green together.
A Guest Chamber in Yellow.
AVhen.'I was introduced to it T adm'red
it so extravagantly that* the fair house
holder whose* happy, conception ! It was
at once gave me permission to publish its
beauty to. fhe world.
In the first p'aee v the wallpaper was a
dream, but a ; dream which, she informed
me, may. become a rrallty for any one.
who'. will: send to New York for it nnd pay
the {price, which,- by the way. Is not a
very extravagant' one. On an ivory-white,
ground yellow -i ose3," not quite so large as
cabbages, but the size of an ordinary let
tuce head, 'trailed \wlth spray-like green
stemsand delicate leaves'frbm the picture
molding to ; the. dado. v.Thls dado was -a
thing of beauty never to be forgotten, for
it represented a green : lattice-work,
through which, the roses clambered In;
and out," and gave . to : the j room the look
of being half a' garden and wholly en
chanting. The ceiling and frieze were- In
plain yellow, ¦ the ' picture molding in un
glazed ivory.whlte, as was the rest of. the
woodwork In -the room. • '
. The dressing' table and brass bed were
draped in sheer "white dimity— dimity as
fine and thlh as organdie; on the floor
was : an ' India matting, which; had been
stained a rich, soft yellow and then var
nished.' The wicker furniture was finished
in the Sams way, and the chairs: and
couch -.were' covered with .an -exquisite
chintz, which fairly . reproduced • the ' pat-'
tern of the" wallpaper." >_?*; ";¦'¦¦
: Being an artist in ceramics, she had ob
tained an effect . which {would .'; be denied
the ; ordinary, woman. . She had painted for
her washstand- and- again for her/dressing
tablo 'a porcelain set in roses, which <' were -
the" exact : counterpart : of r the ones onHha
paper.' ".'. J '. 4 ¦: ' '¦¦¦¦'¦ ',* -
But the crowning touch to: the room
was a trlumph'of that ."Infinite capacity
for taklng^palns". which savors of genius.
The ':. two * long.; French * windows,; which
opened; out on a balcony, had -for thei™
interior decoration; curtains of .dimity. At
the v top » of , each \ , of „ these windows '.' and
abpve the glass doors, agalriBt 4 whlch hung
the 5 white •curtains,'; . was ar stationary
panel of glass two feet high and the i width ;
of - the i window, ir Through ¦ this '¦¦.. showed
"clearly, a green lattice-work (exactly^ like
the one Ion the dado),: whichO was built on
the outside ! of ; the window at the ;top/'A
climbing yellow | rose (the | real thing .this
time) had been carefully/ trained 'over the
balcony,^ so" as to run' In •' a'nd'out ; through
this^lattice. • r ..' ¦ ,
:v- From? tbe inside of ; the • room the '- sun
try houses a hfeh mark of artistic furnish
ing and coloring' has" be9h reached, but
they have not attained the solid comfort
that should also be a feature.
A noticeable fault to the. American
woman is the utter ¦ absence of 'rocking
chairs. The Russians, who are said ,to
enjoy most fully the luxuries of. life, and
to remain indifferent to what we consider
the necessities, do not. evidently, consider
the dainty bed chamber as an essential
part of an establishment. The woes of ali
American woman who has rented a fur
nished house in St. Petersburg have been
related, and I think one of the hardest
things she had 'to endure was to find that
in a palace of a-ljouse where magnificent
paintings and superb Oriental rugs adorn
ed the walls of the salon, there was not
ore inhabitable bedroom., that the former
occupants had binpn In the habit; of sleep
ing on the couches and ri.-h ' rugs .' of the
lower floor and stufflncr their hair brushes,
combings,' etc., behind the tapestries. In
contrast to this poverty of comfort and
noauty I will deFcribe jone of the airiest
and daintiest bedrooms that. -It .has ever
been * my fortune to see. , It is* pcarcely
necesrary to add that it forms part of an
American home.
The deception Boom.
- The reception room which opens out of
The endeavor to subordinate . the vivid
green of the billiard table, which Is a
feature of this room, has resulted in . a
thoughtful shading and mingling of rich
tones which makes the room fairly pal
pitate with color and - yet lends It the
eoftened charm of an old Persian ruff.
The peculiar coloring of the curtains
adds much to the charm of the room and
Is evidence of artistic feeling In .the dec
orator. It is as beautiful as It Is unus
ual. A grayish figured net Is used in full,
straight scarfs against the glass and over
this Is hung mouse-colored velour— a
mouse color shot -with a i yellow light—
lined -with gold colored satin.>The tender
suggestion of gray melts charmingly into
the yellow and serves thoroughly to bring
out the reddish tones of the mahogany.
Thus, although the room Is exception
ally long and rather heavily furnished
with much mahogany, has dark polished
floors and a profusion of rich, dark Turk
ish rugs. It Is, owing to the disposition of
its windows and the perfect harmony of
glowing colors used in Its . decoration,
beautifully lighted and cheerfulto a de
gree.
The walls are covered with a "Morris"
paper of pumpkin yellow, unglazed, with
Irregular arabesques in velvety brown
scattered over It. The celling, finished in
rough plaster and heavily beamed, 'is
toned a deep, plain yellow; the woodwork
is old mahogany finish. •
The living room Is forty feet long and
Is finished at one end with an Immense
rounded bay window. An alcoved recess
oti the south side Is all of glass and holds
the tea. table and Its adjuncts. Three
windows run across the front or east side
and eliding doors are the excuse for
a wide arch into th« reception room at
this end.
The Living: Boom.
To proceed with my description. There
are effects in this house which will have
almost a startling novelty to some minds.
&s for Instance the mingling in one of
the bedrooms of seagreen with a soft and
delicate shade of old blue: the .Introduc
tion Into the living room . of the crass,
startling green of a billiard table: the
use of dark green silk sash curtains un
der white organdy, etc
Y HAVE recently been privileged to cx-
I amine a luxurious and most artistic
j ally conceived home, and, as I felt
JL that tbe taste displayed in its furnish
ing and decoration would be an in
spiration to others, I requested that I
might be allowed to describe it in det.iil
to rny readers. There are many people
•who have the money with which to buy
a beautiful home, but as they have natu
rally never made a study of effects in
housentting and furnishing they can
only phice themselves helplessly in the
hands of the professional deeorater. Alas,
the decorator's ideas may be utterly at
variance with lhe owner's Individual con
ception of what the interior of his house
should be. and the result is that he pays
for what he does not want. The decorator
possibly has worked for such and such a
successful firm for a number of years. Hi
has always trimmed his silken window
draperies with little tasseled fringes,
therefore he will continue so to trim
them. He has always hung: these draper
ies with a stiff interlining which lakes
all softness and natural fall from the
drapery, and shrugs his shoulders at the
ridiculous suggestion that the stuff should
t*e allowed to hang softly against tbe win
dow, lit* has never heard of introducing
e&tfe curtains in warm, bright Unts o(
Ihla MSUt «£aJRst th» lower half of tfc*
window under white lace or muslin. anJ,
ihrrtfun?, he eoofiV at *uch tin t»nu»va«
Uun, It tW* not m»Kt? any ditfcretu'e to
him ifcut this* *Uk will tone the light of iht»
lOvni t« a i*yf». tfoUciuu* yellow gluw, a
treey i»;«k. a preen which i* i*»<? *s»me
effect asi KunUcht pt&ytng through ew?n
tol!A3«t it ha* never been dime lit U;«
Ituuicn h* hs* urrangv-l ami. therefore 1 , it
pew will be.
It would probably not occur to him that
a window which h«* an objectionable oui
Idttk can bo mude Jb<? muut ttltracth'e OM
in the hecte liy veiling It with yellow »*ilk.
i.nd by Introdadhg over ihts « graceful
iron gtiiUwotk. over the upper half «"»'
tat-h. A sLetr across tin? b^Uoia of th<«
grill holding potivd plants with n«r>\ rtctt*
cate foliage ocrr.p'otcs most charmhiKly
t*n- upptr half of this objectionable w';i»
dow. and heavier plants on a wider shelf
at the sill xv'H al?"» catch th* miinfc suti-
I'pht which fal's through the yellow silk.
T r^reat that it i? improbable that he will
think of small devices which dn fo much
toward lendinp a cbarm to a home, bo
cause these iuea.s are much more likely
to eraamie from r.n Ingenious woman's
mind. The «nwtu>fi who wiU think out
thepe things for herself and who .is alto
ready to receive and assimilate sugges
tions can afford to dispense with the ex
pensive an<l arbitrary vaste of others and
Fhe will in this way throw off the stiffness
¦uhich envelops like a pall many hand-
FOTPelv furnished rooms. If artists would
lend themselves to this work of benutjfy-
Jrp interiors, as Raphael and Michael
"Angelo' did with their cartoons for tapes
tries and their mural paintings, ah. then
we would have homes to charm the eye
and the senses. But men of genius who
have made a life study of the effects of
lights and shades, of backgrounds, of the
necessary prominence of certain shapes
to give character to an arrangement can
not afford to expend themselves on house
decorations. However, we can profit by
what they teach us. A woman who is
beautifying her home can make a study
for herself of these things and she will
feel amply repaid for her work by the
'beauty she will create around her. Tho
woman who really means to have an artis
tic home will not permit the folds of her
¦window draperies to be festooned with
mathematical precision in exact Imitation
of the time-honored drapery on hearses.
Finicky, little tasseled fringes will grate
on her nerves, and although most of the
drapery In the conservative, elegant, old
homes of her friends Is so decorated, she
will have none of them. She will not
think of having knotted rope portieres
suggest In her rooms a sleeping or a parlor
car, but ehe will shake off all tradition
and work things out on artistic lines for
herself.
5
*-;.¦>
THE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL