The woods chiefly used are : American walnut, dark oak, mahogany,
and stained wood. The painting of the wood-work corresponds in tone
with that of the furniture. The cornice and wainscot are also dark,
and would have a singularly bad effect if the walls were very light.
The great object is to avoid all violent contrasts, which are contrary to
good taste, and to choose shades that blend together and produce a
harmonious whole.
The chairs are in the square, solid styles, now so much in vogue,
with upholstering in embossed and gilded leather, or in the plain leather
that is the most generally liked. Brass or silver nails are used profusely
in upholstering leather furniture, and add to the solid and substan-
tial appearance of the articles. Try the chairs thoroughly before you
purchase, for the main object in the selection of dining room chairs
should always be solid comfort.
Extension tables are low and square-cornered, and are heavily carved.
Buffets are very large, and are in Queen Anne style, with quaint little
cupboards for the display of decorated china and silver.
Sideboards are in square, massive styles, with shelves and niches for
BED ROOMS. 167
china and different kinds of ware. The butler's tray and sideboard
are much enlivened by heavy, rich colored cloths worked in colors, and
dropping low over the sides, with heavy fringes, showing handsomely
against the dark woods.
Over the fire-place no arrangement will be found more picturesque
than the narrow high shelf, and the tiny cupboards and racks above it,
for the display of china too precious or too long-descended for daily
use ; in the center the mantel mirror with beveled edges, and smaller
bits of mirrors behind the open racks, again with the beveled edges,
whose jewel-like cut adds greatly to the brilliancy. On these open
racks may stand many little oddities, hardly appropriate to other rooms,
the odd mugs, brass or china candlesticks, porcelain pepper boxes, little
old-fashioned pitchers and decanters, bits of coral, shells, jars, and all
those quaint little things that one inherits or else " picks up."
It has been the custom to have pictures of still life in the dining room
— of game, fish, fruit. But this is hardly a cheerful view, to see repre-
sentations of the fish and game — that one is soon to eat — in all the
agony of death. This room seems to be the most suitable place for
family portraits — those of the last generation. Here they look down
from their frames, welcoming each meal, and the train of life it brings,
and exercise, as it were, a mute guardianship over thought and behav-
ior. Here also may be placed mottoes, flower pictures, and some vari-
eties of landscapes.
A screen is also quite necessary for the dining room, as the table is
often— nearly always — placed so that some one >must sit near the fire.
The prettiest for this purpose is a three-leaf folding Japanese screen ;
or a less expensive one may be made in many of the ways described.
Colored shades on the lamps, and a Japanese scroll on each side of the
fire-place, or on the door, give life and color ; a few tall growing plants
in large vases, a cheery hearth or bright stove, plenty of sunshine and
good cheer, will make the dining room the cheeriest in the house.
BED-ROOMS.
Page 148
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The woods chiefly used are : American walnut, dark oak, mahogany, and stained wood. The painting of the wood-work corresponds in tone with that of the furniture. The cornice and wainscot are also dark, and would have a singularly bad effect if the walls were very light. The great object is to avoid all violent contrasts, which are contrary to good taste, and to choose shades that blend together and produce a harmonious whole.
The chairs are in the square, solid styles, now so much in vogue, with upholstering in embossed and gilded leather, or in the plain leather that is the most generally liked. Brass or silver nails are used profusely in upholstering leather furniture, and add to the solid and substantial appearance of the articles. Try the chairs thoroughly before you purchase, for the main object in the selection of dining room chairs should always be solid comfort.
Extension tables are low and square-cornered, and are heavily carved. Buffets are very large, and are in Queen Anne style, with quaint little cupboards for the display of decorated china and silver.
Sideboards are in square, massive styles, with shelves and niches for
BED ROOMS. 167
china and different kinds of ware. The butler's tray and sideboard are much enlivened by heavy, rich colored cloths worked in colors, and dropping low over the sides, with heavy fringes, showing handsomely against the dark woods.
Over the fire-place no arrangement will be found more picturesque than the narrow high shelf, and the tiny cupboards and racks above it, for the display of china too precious or too long-descended for daily use ; in the center the mantel mirror with beveled edges, and smaller bits of mirrors behind the open racks, again with the beveled edges, whose jewel-like cut adds greatly to the brilliancy. On these open racks may stand many little oddities, hardly appropriate to other rooms, the odd mugs, brass or china candlesticks, porcelain pepper boxes, little old-fashioned pitchers and decanters, bits of coral, shells, jars, and all those quaint little things that one inherits or else " picks up."
It has been the custom to have pictures of still life in the dining room — of game, fish, fruit. But this is hardly a cheerful view, to see representations of the fish and game — that one is soon to eat — in all the agony of death. This room seems to be the most suitable place for family portraits — those of the last generation. Here they look down from their frames, welcoming each meal, and the train of life it brings, and exercise, as it were, a mute guardianship over thought and behavior. Here also may be placed mottoes, flower pictures, and some varieties of landscapes.
A screen is also quite necessary for the dining room, as the table is often— nearly always — placed so that some one >must sit near the fire. The prettiest for this purpose is a three-leaf folding Japanese screen ; or a less expensive one may be made in many of the ways described. Colored shades on the lamps, and a Japanese scroll on each side of the fire-place, or on the door, give life and color ; a few tall growing plants in large vases, a cheery hearth or bright stove, plenty of sunshine and good cheer, will make the dining room the cheeriest in the house.
BED-ROOMS.