There is nothing more indicative of refinement and genuine culture in
a family than bright, cheerful and tastefully decorated chambers.
Tasteful decorations do not necessarily mean expense, but in no place
are the taste and ingenuity of the housekeeper so much called upon
as in the bed-room furnishing, and its many accessories. A sleeping
chamber with be-ruffled pillow-cases and showy furniture speaks poorly
for the occupants, unless the room be well and neatly furnished, with
plenty of toilet conveniences and articles necessary to one's comfort.
Most all ladies prefer the rug and oiled floor to carpets. If the floor
be laid in Southern pine, it should be oiled once or twice and then
varnished with shellac, its appearance being much improved by this
168 HOUSE FURNISHING.
finish. Bordered center-carpets or rugs, either large or small, square or
oblong, may be arranged in such positions as will be comfortable to the
feet. These rugs are as picturesque and fashionable as they are whole-
some and tidy. Covers for the floors should be much darker than the
furniture and the upholstery goods, and yet not antagonistic to them in
their hues and blendings. But if carpets are chosen, in preference to
rugs, select some pretty wood or flower pattern, in light shades, for this
room should have only light and bright colors. Nothing either dark or
somber is in place here. Blue combined with pink is very pretty ; a
scarlet and gray ; a deep red and very light blue ; olive and gold ; or
light blue with touches of dark red, and green and gold ; all these, with
their many attendant colors, are especially pretty for bed-rooms. Two
colors suitably carried out in carpets and wall-paper are more desirable
than several.
Dark furniture can be used with nearly all of the colors mentioned,
but for a pink or blue room, the lighter shades are prettiest.
Cretonne, in rose and gray, or in pale blue and rose, and chintzes of
various combined but harmonious colors, are chosen for light woods,
and if there be a wicker lounge in the apartment, square pillows of cre-
tonne or other decorative fabric should invite one to pleasant repose.
With the light woods, especially for cottage or summer rooms, Canton
matting is often used, either in plain colors or in block patterns of red
and white, blue and white, or green and white, or in small figured
designs in green, black, and brown on the cream-colored or natural
groundwork.
The bed was once spotlessly white, but with the fashionable taste for
color comes a change in bed coverings. Antique lace, Nottingham
lace, darned net, linen applique, figured muslins and Swiss muslin
draperies are used over silk or silesia, and equally popular ones are
shown in chintzes, printed dimities and French cambrics. The bed-
covers are often of cretonne also, but oftener of coarse white linen, with
the edges embroidered m soft porcelain colors in Holbein stitch or in
South Kensington ornamentation. Watteau colors that correspond
with the chintzes are always in good taste and are used for curtains,
bed-room screens, chair and divan covers, and also for tidies or table
spreads.
Page 149
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
There is nothing more indicative of refinement and genuine culture in a family than bright, cheerful and tastefully decorated chambers. Tasteful decorations do not necessarily mean expense, but in no place are the taste and ingenuity of the housekeeper so much called upon as in the bed-room furnishing, and its many accessories. A sleeping chamber with be-ruffled pillow-cases and showy furniture speaks poorly for the occupants, unless the room be well and neatly furnished, with plenty of toilet conveniences and articles necessary to one's comfort.
Most all ladies prefer the rug and oiled floor to carpets. If the floor be laid in Southern pine, it should be oiled once or twice and then varnished with shellac, its appearance being much improved by this
finish. Bordered center-carpets or rugs, either large or small, square or oblong, may be arranged in such positions as will be comfortable to the feet. These rugs are as picturesque and fashionable as they are wholesome and tidy. Covers for the floors should be much darker than the furniture and the upholstery goods, and yet not antagonistic to them in their hues and blendings. But if carpets are chosen, in preference to rugs, select some pretty wood or flower pattern, in light shades, for this room should have only light and bright colors. Nothing either dark or somber is in place here. Blue combined with pink is very pretty ; a scarlet and gray ; a deep red and very light blue ; olive and gold ; or light blue with touches of dark red, and green and gold ; all these, with their many attendant colors, are especially pretty for bed-rooms. Two colors suitably carried out in carpets and wall-paper are more desirable than several.
Dark furniture can be used with nearly all of the colors mentioned, but for a pink or blue room, the lighter shades are prettiest.
Cretonne, in rose and gray, or in pale blue and rose, and chintzes of various combined but harmonious colors, are chosen for light woods, and if there be a wicker lounge in the apartment, square pillows of cretonne or other decorative fabric should invite one to pleasant repose. With the light woods, especially for cottage or summer rooms, Canton matting is often used, either in plain colors or in block patterns of red and white, blue and white, or green and white, or in small figured designs in green, black, and brown on the cream-colored or natural groundwork.
The bed was once spotlessly white, but with the fashionable taste for color comes a change in bed coverings. Antique lace, Nottingham lace, darned net, linen applique, figured muslins and Swiss muslin draperies are used over silk or silesia, and equally popular ones are shown in chintzes, printed dimities and French cambrics. The bedcovers are often of cretonne also, but oftener of coarse white linen, with the edges embroidered in soft porcelain colors in Holbein stitch or in South Kensington ornamentation. Watteau colors that correspond with the chintzes are always in good taste and are used for curtains, bed-room screens, chair and divan covers, and also for tidies or table spreads.