FURNITURE
Much of good sense and more that is nonsensical has been written about
furniture. Observation tends to justify belief that in general effect
the nonsense has proved more potent than its antithesis.
THE QUEST OF THE BEAUTIFUL
Originality has been preached, and we have seen the result in
abnormalities that conform to no conception of artistic or practical
quality ever recognized. Antique models have been glorified, with a
sequence of puny, spiritless imitations. Simplicity has been extolled,
and we find the word interpreted in clumsiness and crudity. Delicacy
of outline has been urged, and we triumph in the further
accomplishments of flimsiness and hopeless triviality.
And yet through all that has been preached, through all that has been
executed, there runs a vein of truth. Each age should express itself,
not merely the thought of centuries past; still, it can expect to do
little more than take from antecedent cycles those features that will
best serve the present, adding an original touch here and there. So
far, then, as we find in the furniture of the Georgian period, or of
Louis Quinze, or even of the ancient Greeks, such suggestions as will
help us to live this twentieth-century life more comfortably and
agreeably, we may with good conscience borrow or imitate.
ANCIENT DESIGNS
Some "very eminent authorities" assure us that many of the objects of
our admiration in museums and in private collections are remnants of
the furnishings of the common households of the olden times. If the
breadth of knowledge of the "eminent authorities" is indicated by this
assertion, they must have touched only the high places in history, so
far as it records social conditions. The truth is that the household
appurtenances which have survived to our time are mostly those of the
few and not of the many, of the palace and mansion and not of the cot.
These articles were costly then and they would be costly now, and very
often quite as useless as costly. They were not found in the cottage
of the older days, and they do not belong in the cottages of the
present.
Nevertheless, many of these old designs exemplify the elementary
essentials of furniture--good materials, gracefulness, and thorough
workmanship. These are qualities that are to be sought for the cottage
as well as for the mansion; and while they may add to the purchase cost
of the separate articles, it is possible to secure them at no great
increase for the whole over the cheaper goods, provided we guard
against the common error in housefurnishing--overpurchasing.
[Illustration: Good examples of Chippendale and old walnut.]
THE ARTS AND CRAFTS
What is known in America as the arts and crafts movement has, in its
sincere developments, sought to adapt the better qualities of the old
designs of furniture to the demands of modern conditions, artistic and
practical. Not always, however, has it been possible to distinguish
between the honest effort to enforce a better standard and the various
forms of charlatanry under which clumsy and unsightly creations have
been and are being worked off upon an ingenuous public at prices
proportioned to their degrees of ugliness. In colonial times many an
humble carpenter vainly scratched his noggin as he puzzled over the
hopeless problem of duplicating with rude tools and scant skill the
handiwork that graced the lordly mansions of merrie England; to-day
some wight who can scarcely distinguish a jackplane from a saw-buck
essays to "express himself" (at our expense) in furniture, repeating
all the gaucheries that the colonial carpenter could not avoid making.
MISSION FURNITURE
Others have set themselves to reproducing the so-called mission
furniture which the good priests of early California would have
rejoiced to exchange for the convenient modern furniture at which the
faddist sniffs. But most of us who stop to think, realize that there
is no magic virtue in antiquity of itself. The average man, at least,
cannot delude himself into the belief that there is comfort to be found
in a great deal of the harsh-angled stuff paraded as artistic.
Let us not be understood, however, as hinting that artistic qualities
must be disregarded. Though furniture should not be chosen for its
beauty or associations alone, it must not be considered at all if
beauty is absent.
COMFORT, AESTHETIC AND PHYSICAL
The first consideration of the home is comfort. Let no one dispute
that fact. But there is such a thing as being aesthetically as well as
physically comfortable. Conceptions of physical comfort differ with
individuals, but are usually well defined; some of us actually have no
conception whatever of aesthetic comfort. That is no reason why we
should not seek it. Probably we had a very faint idea of what good
music or good painting was like until we came to an acquaintance with
the masters; but we are surely not sorry to have progressed in
experience and feeling. And so it is that though we may not feel
specially urged to insist upon tasteful surroundings, the higher
instincts within us that persuade us to make the most of ourselves
demand that we shall not be content with mere physical comfort.
Therefore we may need to look a bit beyond our definite inward
aspirations, and we should not disdain to follow others so far as they
adhere to certain well-authenticated canons of good taste.
OLDER MODELS IN FURNITURE
Study of the older models of furniture is bound to prove suggestive,
and it is better to secure from the library or bookseller a book by
some authority than to depend upon dealers' catalogues, which are not
always edifying. English models affecting present-day outfitting date
back as far as the Elizabethan period, approximately 1558-1603.
Following there came the Early Jacobean, the Early Queen Anne, and the
Georgian. The last includes the work of Chippendale, Heppelwhite,
Sheraton, and the Adams, all of whom executed some beautiful designs.
The so-called colonial furniture belongs also to the Georgian period,
as does the "Debased Empire," corresponding to or following the Empire
styles in France. In the latter country the periods of vogue are known
as Francis Premier, Henri Deux, Henri Quatre, Louis Treize, Louis
Quatorze, Louis Quinze, and Louis Seize. Under the designation of the
"Quaint style" W. Davis Benn groups the "Liberty," Morris, and arts and
crafts designs. Mr. Benn's "Styles in Furniture" will be found helpful
in both text and illustration to those who would learn to distinguish
between the products of the various periods.
[Illustration: A Chippendale secretary.]
MAHOGANY AND OAK
Mahogany and oak are the best materials for furniture. The former is
cleverly imitated in a mahoganized birch, which presents a pleasing
appearance and sometimes deceives those who are not familiar with the
beautiful rich tones of the genuine article. Mahogany adapts itself to
almost any sensible style of interior decoration, is likely to be of
careful manufacture, and is almost invariably cherished for its beauty.
Like other highly finished woods it takes on a bluish tint in damp
weather, and if not well protected, will demand attention more
frequently than other materials. But if its purchase can be afforded
the care given it will scarcely be begrudged. The eggshell (dull)
finish requires less attention than the higher polish.
Next in degree to mahogany, oak in the golden, weathered, or fumed
effect is handsome and durable, while it is somewhat less expensive.
The moment one drops below genuine mahogany, however, a wary eye must
be kept upon construction. There are shifts innumerable to make cheap
furniture that has an alluring appearance, and the variety of design in
the moderate-priced materials will lead to confusion for those who do
not exert a Spartan discrimination.
SUBSTANTIALITY
To insure satisfaction there must first of all be substantiality--a
quality which affects both comfort and appearance. A chair may be
beautiful, it may be comfortable, at the time of purchase, but if it be
not substantial its glories will soon depart. A superficial view
cannot be conclusive. The carefully made article built upon slender
lines is often quite as strong as a more rugged creation hastily put
together. The chair that is properly constructed may be almost as
solid as if it were of one piece, and still not require a block and
tackle to move it. The strongest article is made entirely of wood, and
we find some of the old models so sturdily built that no rounds were
required between the legs. In chiffoniers, dressers, or side-boards a
handsome exterior should not blind us to cheaply constructed drawers.
The latter should be of strong material, properly fitted, and well
sealed. There need be no sagging, jamming, or accumulation of dust in
drawers that are well constructed.
SUPERFLUITY
California, with its pretty little bungalows, not only has pointed out
to us the possibility of living satisfactorily in a small number of
rooms, but has shown us something in the way of simple furnishings.
Not until we see what may be "done without" do we realize how much that
is superfluous crowds our floors.
A pretty good rule is to test everything first by its usefulness; if it
is not useful, we may dispense with its purchase. Even at that, it may
be necessary to demand that the article shall be not only useful but
absolutely indispensable, for between the beguiling advertisement and
the crafty salesman, almost anything that is manufactured may be proved
necessary. At the best we shall probably purchase a-plenty, and the
question of when a house reaches the point of overfurnishing is a
difficult one to settle. Let one of us, for instance, venture at
midnight into a dark room--be the apartment ever so large--with nothing
but a rocker in it, and the impression may be gained that the place has
been turned into a furniture warehouse. And some persons--none of us,
to be sure!--are never happy while any of the floor or wall space is
unoccupied. So the world goes. But if nine out of ten persons bought
only what they could not do without, what they did purchase could be of
a great deal better quality.
No bit of furniture should be purchased for which there is not a
suitable place in the house. A piece may be very attractive in the
salesroom, and its practical qualities may appear irresistible, while
on our own floors it may be perfectly incongruous and perhaps, on
account of its enforced location, almost useless.
If for no other reason, we should go slow with our purchases because we
cannot know the real needs of our home until we have lived in it.
Experience will make some articles superfluous and substitute what we
had not thought to want. There should be a regular saving fund or
appropriation for keeping up the house fittings, and usually it is
found that this fund grows more steadily if we have some definite
purchases in view. Leave some things to be "saved up for"; there will
be less likelihood then of your being included in that large class to
which the newspaper "small ads" appeal--"those who wish to trade what
they don't want for what they do want."
HALL FURNITURE
In a hall of the simpler sort the only requirements are a high-backed
chair or settee, a table for _cartes de visite_, an umbrella
receptacle, and a mirror wall hanger with hooks for the use of guests.
The time-honored halltree is no more, and long may it rest in peace.
If there had been no other reasons for its passing, its abuse in the
average household made it an eyesore. Intended only for the
convenience of the transient guest, its hooks were usually preëmpted by
the entire outer wardrobe of the family. A good plan is to have a coat
closet built in, under the stairway or elsewhere near the place of
egress, leaving the few inconspicuous hooks in the hall to afford ample
provision for visitors. An appropriation of $50 to $100 will fit up a
small hall very satisfactorily. A pretty hanging lantern of hammered
copper, with open bottom and globe of opalescent glass, will add more
than its cost of $12.50 to the good impression the hall is to make upon
those it receives.
THE FAMILY CHAIRS
Some good folk would banish the rocker unceremoniously from the living
room, and we might not miss it so much as we think. It is the
adaptability of the rocker to comforting positions, rather than a love
of rocking, that endears the chair to the majority, and when the same
qualities are found in the reclining or easy chair we can well spare
the projections that menace skirts and polished furniture, not to speak
of the space they take up.
As a general thing it is the man of the house whose comfort is most
sedulously looked after. For him the easy chair, the slippers, the
reading lamp, the smoking outfit, the house jacket, the evening paper.
This fact is mentioned in no carping spirit. Far be it from one of the
less worthy sex to quarrel with the fate that has been ordained for us
by our helpmeets; the latter should not be deprived of a whit of the
joy that comes from viewing the lord of the household agreeably
situated, and in that blissful state which breeds a kindly spirit
toward all human kind, including milliners and ladies' tailors.
But too frequently the mistress of the household is supposed to pick up
her comfort at odd times, or more likely there isn't any supposition at
all. For her, for the master, and for the other members of the family,
there must be a personal interest in the living room, and this is best
represented by the most comfortable chair to be had. As persons are
built of different heights and breadths, so the chairs should be.
While the slender chap can snuggle down in the most capacious easy
chair, the stout lady may be embarrassed when she finds the one single
seat at hand proffering only a scanty breadth. One may well provide
for these contingencies, for of course it is not always possible to
select our acquaintances in accordance with the capacity of our
furniture. Heights, too, should be varied somewhat, though it must be
confessed that the joy of life (for others) is much increased by the
sight of a six-foot (tall) gentleman of dignity gradually unfolding
himself from the chair that was purchased for the particular use of
Gwendolyn Ermyntrude, aged six.
THE TABLE
If the living room, among its other uses, takes the place of the
library, the selection of a suitable library table will be a good test
of the homemaker's discrimination. The quality of this table should be
at least equal to the best we have to show. Whether it shall be
squared, or oblong with oval ends, depends upon tastes; by all means it
should be get-at-able. That's what a library table is for. Good
designs in "arts and crafts" may be had as low as $16.50 in a small
size; 72-inch, about $50. Golden oak costs less, mahogany considerably
more.
THE DAVENPORT
The davenport in mahogany or oak, in a plain or striped velour
tapestry, felt filled, with good springs, built on straight lines with
claw feet, broad arms, and heavy back, is a good article and will not
leave much change out of a $50 bill. That represents a fair price for
a fair quality, and it would be better to do without the davenport than
to go in for something too cheap. The sort that have detached cushions
in soft leather are very nice and practically dustless. The same is
true of easy chairs so provided. A handsome weathered-oak davenport
with cushions of this kind will be found marked somewhere about $65,
while half that price pays for an easy chair of the same style. The
cushions are filled with felt. Springs and fillings in davenports,
easy chairs, and couches should be most thoroughly investigated. If
there are carvings they must be subjected to the severest tests of
appropriateness, and in no event should they be where they will come in
frequent contact with other articles or with persons.
BOOKCASES
Bookcases in weathered oak, with the top sections of the doors in
leaded glass, seem worth the prices at $28 for 30-inch, $43.50 for
4-foot, and $47.50 for 5-foot; yet a simple 30-inch golden oak case
"made in Grand Rapids," and of which no one need be ashamed, costs but
$14. Sectional cases are very convenient, and are now being designed
in artistic styles, but are not yet altogether approvable for the
parlor or living room. For the library simply, they are to be
recommended. Bookcases and other heavy pieces should either set
solidly upon the floor or have sufficient open space beneath them to
permit cleaning. Unless their contents are (mistakenly) hidden by
curtains, the bookcases should not be placed in too strong sunlight, as
some bindings fade rapidly. Nor should they be near the heat
radiators, or against a wall that may possess moisture. The piano,
too, must be protected against too great heat or moisture, and in a
stone or brick house should be placed against a partition rather than
the outside wall.
SUNDRIES
Useful, but not life-or-death essentials, are a tabouret at, say,
$3.25, a footrest for a little less, and a magazine rack for $5 or $10.
The problem of keeping periodicals in easy reach without too much of a
"litter'ry" effect has not yet been solved. The open rack is the best
compromise between sightliness and utility, because it is more apt to
be used than the more ambitious arrangements with doors. In the
general treatment of the living room the piano and its case are not to
be overlooked, and the presence of a piano also suggests the music
cabinet, with its problem similar to that of the magazine rack. As
music is not kept so well "stirred up," however, the cabinet with a
tight door is "indicated."
WILLOW FURNITURE
Willow furniture is used extensively in some country homes. It is made
of the French willow, and is not so cheap but is stronger than rattan.
Best rockers in this material sell at about $20. They are hardly to be
considered in the permanent furnishings of the home, though there is no
denying their cleanliness, coolness, and comfort, especially in summer.
THE DINING TABLE
For the dining room the sensible preference seems to be for a round
table with straight lines of under construction. The pillar base gives
least interference with personal comfort, but even at that seems to be
unescapable. What has been said elsewhere about the choice of woods
applies here also. The high cost of a large-size mahogany table,
however, will probably enable us to see some of the special beauties of
golden oak. A six-foot round table in the latter wood is priced at
about $20. Medium height chairs, with cane seats, $2.75; leather,
$3.25. Sideboards are now usually built in; otherwise the buffet
table, free from excessive ornamentation, is given preference.
[Illustration: The dining room.]
DISCRIMINATION IN CHOICE
A great deal of the factory-made furniture of the day is the veriest
trash. The best feature of it is that it cannot last long and will not
survive to disgrace us in the eyes of a later and perhaps more
discriminating generation. For those who reside in flats, and are
deprived of the inducement to plan for permanence, small blame can
attach for hesitancy in making investments in the better sort of
furniture that their tastes would lead them to choose. This is the
penalty they pay for evading the responsibilities of genuine home life
in a house.
But good furniture is being built in these days. It is not confined to
hand work, or to the products of long-haired folk who set up a religion
of cabinet-making. In every city there are several grades of furniture
dealers. At the one extreme there is the house that handles nothing
but trash; at the other the house that handles no trash at all. The
latter is the obvious choice; and if we pay a bit more for
safety--well, do we not pay for our insurance against fire, and
burglars, and other things?
If our house has been planned on a scale commensurate with our means,
we shall find it no extravagance to complete the larger work of
outfitting with articles that will bring pleasure and not vexation,
that will need no apologies. Surely no employment could be more
interesting than the choice of these belongings which shall in many
ways influence ourselves and those about us.
There is such a range of styles and costs that if we approach the
problem intelligently we may "express ourselves" quite as accurately as
though we were amateur craftsmen. Indeed, we must express ourselves,
whether we determine to do so or not; for if we simply follow our
cruder instincts, as the child selects its toys, do we not reveal the
absence of any real artistic self whatever?