The very need of ornament arises out of a certain innate
discontent with plain, smooth surface--_Lewis F. Day_
No kind of decorative art offers greater possibilities for touching
the right--or the wrong--chord than that which makes use of fabrics.
Portières, curtains, cushion covers, table runners and mats, lamp
shades, and many other furnishings, in which fabrics are involved,
present problems that quickly engage the interest of the amateur
decorator who wishes to avoid the commonplace and, when well worked
out, add greatly to the attractiveness of artistic surroundings. And
every house becomes a studio for problems peculiar to itself, when the
possibilities of development in this direction are realized. Here, as
everywhere else, decorative art is secondary to architectural design
and must never fail to acknowledge its dependence. Its glory is to
follow. To attempt to lead means miserable failure.
_Example of the Model House._--The wide doorways connecting the
hall, the living room, and dining-room of our model house made doors
undesirable and portieres necessary to assist in marking the division
between the rooms and to soften the lines of the wood finish. They were
made to harmonize with the colour scheme but were darker and richer
in tone. The multiple windows, with the absence of direct sunshine,
suggested the light style of drapery; and the preference given to
straight-lined, substantial furniture, made in the school shops, led as
a natural consequence to cushions and coverings of leather or coarse
fabric, in order to bear out the idea of simplicity, directness, and
durability in craftsmanship. Velvets and satins would have been out of
place.
_Utility to be Regarded._--The highly decorative function of such
accessories makes it doubly necessary to exercise care in selecting
materials, designing the ornamental features, and properly placing
the completed article, in order that the requirements of use be
not subordinated to the demands of art. It must never be forgotten
that utility is the basis of all true decoration. Portieres were
originally a substitute for doors--a means of closing an opening
between rooms. It must be possible always for them easily to serve
this purpose. Hence loops or rings, which slide easily over a pole,
should be used. Portières may properly be made of heavy cloth and
they may have a lining harmonizing or in pleasing contrast with the
tone of the principal fabric. They should always be at least opaque.
Window draperies, on the other hand, are not a substitute for shades
or curtains. They should not shut out the light but soften it. They
should, therefore, be made of light, washable, and durable material,
and be hung so that they can be easily taken down for cleaning. The
simplest style of hanging, by means of a brass rod and plain brackets,
is the best. Since there is no need of frequently sliding them over
the rod, it is well to hang them by means of a hem, stitched two or
three inches from the top of the drapery, through which the rod may
be easily pushed. Cushion covers and table runners, made of durable
material and decorated with colours that are washable, are manifestly
more serviceable than those that look fresh only when new, and hence
are more in keeping with the idea of sincerity in household decoration.
There is necessity for honesty in decoration as well as in plumbing if
it is to meet the tests with equal success.
[Illustration: Pillow Cover With Geometrical Designs Printed on Dyed
Cotton Cloth. Table Runner of Russian Crash with Block Printed and
Embroidered End Panels. Plate III]
How such decorative features are worked out from beginning to end, is
told in the following directions for a few practical problems which are
known to be practical, because they have been actually carried through
from the design to the completed article. This detailed and complete
explanation, with the accompanying illustrations, will suggest many
similar problems which every home offers.