Architecture And The Furnishing Of A Room
CANDLESTICKS, lamps, and fixtures for gas and electricity must
accord with the lines of your architecture and furniture. The
mantelpiece is the connecting link between the architecture and the
furnishing of a room. It is the architect's contribution to the
furnishing, and for this reason the keynote for the decorator.
In
the same way lighting fixtures are links between the construction
and decoration of a room, and can contribute to, or seriously divert
from, the decorator's design.
It
is important that fixtures be so placed as to appear a part of the
decoration and not merely to illuminate conveniently a corner of the
room, a writing desk, table or piano.
In
planning your house after arranging for proper wall space for your
various articles of furniture, keep in mind always that lights will
be needed and must be at the same time conveniently placed and
distinctly decorative.
One
is astonished to see how often the careless placing of electric
fixtures upsets the actual balance of a room. Therefore keep in mind
when deciding upon the lighting of a room the following points:
first, fixtures must follow in line style of architecture and
furniture; second, the position of fixtures on walls must carry out
the architect's scheme of proportion, line and balance; third, the
material used in fixtures brass, gilded wood, glass or wrought iron
must contribute to the decorator's scheme of line and color; fourth,
as a contribution to color scheme the fixtures must be in harmony
with the color of the side walls, so as not to cut them up, and the
shade should be a light note of color, not one of the dark notes
when illuminated.
This brings us to the question of shades. The selecting of shapes
and colors for shading the lights in your rooms is of the greatest
importance, for the shades are one of the harmonics for striking
important color notes, and their value must be equal by day and by
night; that is, equally great, even if different. Some shades,
beautiful and decorative by daylight, when illuminated, lose their
color and become meaningless blots in a room.
The
dining room of this apartment is Italian Renaissance oak, almost
black from age, and carved.
The
seat pads and lambrequin over window are of deep red velvet. The
walls are stretched with dull red brocatelle (a combination of silk
and linen), very old and valuable. The chandelier is Italian carved
wood, gilded.
Attention is called to the treatment of the windows. No curtains are
used, instead, boxes are planted with ivy which is trained to climb
the green lattice and helps to temper the light, while the window
shades themselves are of a fascinating glazed linen, having a soft
yellow background and design of fruit and vines in brilliant colors.
We
have in mind a large silk lamp shade of faded sage green, mauve,
faun and a dull blue, the same combination appearing in the fringe
combination not only beautiful, but harmonizing perfectly with the
old Gothic tapestry on the nearby wall. Nothing could be more
decorative in this particular room during the day than the shade
described; but were it not for the shell pink lining, gleaming
through the silk of the shade when lighted, it would have no
decorative value at all at night.
In
ordering or making shades, be sure that you select colors and
materials, which produce a diffused light. A soft thin pink silk as
a lining for a silk or cretonne shade is always successful, and if a
delicate pink, never clashes with the colors on the outside. A white
silk lining is cold and unbecoming. A dark shade unlined, or a light
colored shade unlined, even if pink, unless the silk is shirred very
full, will not give a diffused, yellow light.
It
is because Italian parchment-paper produces the desired glow of
light that it has become so popular for making shades, and, coming
as it does in deep soft cream, it gives a lovely background for
decorations, which in line and color can carry out the style of your
room.
Figured Italian papers are equally popular for shades, but their
characteristic is to decorate the room by daylight only, and to
impart no quality to the light, which they shade. Unless in pale
colors, they stop the light, absolutely, throwing it down, if on a
lamp, and back against the wall, if on side brackets. Therefore
decorators now cut out the lovely designs on these figured papers
and use them as appliqués on a deep cream parchment background.
When you decide upon the shape of your shades do not forget that
successful results depend upon absolutely correct proportions.
Almost any shape, if well proportioned as to height and width, can
be made beautiful, and the variety and effect desired, may be
secured by varying the colors, the design of decoration, if any, or
the texture or the length of fringe.
The
"umbrella" shades with long chiffon curtains reaching to the table,
not unlike a woman's hat with loose-hanging veil, make a charming
and practical lamp shade for a boudoir or a woman's summer
sitting-room, especially if furnished in lacquer or wicker. It is a
light to rest or talk by, neither for reading nor writing.
The
greatest care is required in selecting shades for sidewall lights,
because they quickly catch the eye upon entering a room and
materially contribute to its appearance or detract from it.
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