The household (of the Detroit free press)

For library and dining room, deep tones of olive, sage, Indian red and Antwerp blue, with lines and touches of dull gold, are introduced. For the bedroom and sitting room are cream, amber, fawn, blue, rose and pale olive, with traceries of contrasting hues. For the parlor are heavier papers, with traceries of dull gold, and with dado and freize picked out in Pompeiian red and China blue. Whatever the color to be carried out in the parlors it should be reproduced in the wall paper and ceiling — providing the ceiling is decorated. When the rooms are small it is best to simply tint the ceiling and not make any attempt at decorating it. One of the prettiest designs for a small room is that of a greenish-yellow tint, with wild grasses struggling through it, the ceiling a pale green, and the dado design of lilies in the same greenish tint combined with grayish shades. But whatever paper is selected, be governed by the style of the room and do not make the walls seem to hold first place ; as they should be merely subordinate, a background, and not the most prominent feature. CARPETS AND RUGS. Next to the paper hanging is considered the subject of carpets. In designs for floor coverings there is a tendency toward bright colors and French patterns. The gigantic bouquets and grotesque medallion patterns of former days have disappeared, and in their stead are artistic designs in soft, low tones. For these backgrounds, olive, India red, old blue or maroon is preferred, on which the designs are traced, although many of these are used in plain colors, without designs, with perhaps the addition of a border in tapestry. Flower designs are shown in wreaths of roses, sprays of apple blossoms and clusters of conventionalized passion flowers and leaves. The newest are mixtures of Japanese, Egyptian, Persian and Moorish ideas. They come in small floral figures, on peculiarly-toned grounds, in which the greens are all olive and the browns bronze or golden. In ingrain carpets may be found the body Brussels designs and colors, producing Persian effects, with Egyptian figures in golden brown over the surface ; others are in red and green, red and white, blue and white, or blue and ivory. Some show three or four tints of brown, and still others have floral designs and odd conceits over the corded surface in some rich dark, medium or light shade of the brown, slate, green, gold or mode hues. Such carpets can be used for bed-rooms and dining-rooms, the larger designs being considered appropriate for the two latter named rooms.