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CHAPTER XXV
PAINTED FURNITURE
Painted furniture is, at present, the vogue, so if you own a piece
made by the Adam brothers of England, decorated by the hand of
Angelica Kauffman, or Pergolesi, from Greek designs, now is the moment
to "star" it.
Different in decoration, but equal in charm, is the seventeenth and
eighteenth century painted lacquers of Italy, France, China and Japan.
In those days great masters laboured at cabinetmaking and decorating,
while distinguished artists carved the woodwork of rooms, and painted
the ceilings and walls of even private dwellings.
To-day we have reproductions (good and bad) of the veteran types, and
some commendable inventions, more or less classic in line, and
original in colouring and style of decoration. At times, one wishes
there was less evident effort to be original. We long for the repose
of classic colour schemes and classic line. In art, the line and the
combination of colours which have continued most popular throughout
the ages, are very apt to be those with which one can live longest and
not tire. For this reason, a frank copy of an antique piece of painted
furniture is generally more satisfactory than a modern original.
If you are using dull coloured carpets and hangings, have your modern
reproductions antiqued. If you prefer gay, cheering tones, let the
painted furniture be bright. These schemes are equally interesting in
different ways. It is stupid to decry new things, since every grey
antique had its frivolous, vivid youth.
One American decorator has succeeded in making the stolid,
uncompromising squareness of mission furniture take on a certain
lightness and charm by painting it black and discreetly lining it with
yellow and red. Yellow velour is used for the seat pads and heavy
hangings, thin yellow silk curtains are hung at the windows, and the
black woodwork is set off by Japanese gold paper. In a large house, or
in a summer home where there are young people coming and going, a
room decorated in this fashion is both gay and charming and makes a
pleasant contrast to darker rooms. Then, too, yellow is a lovely
setting for all flowers, the effect being to intensify their beauty,
as when flooded by sunshine.
Another clever treatment of the mission type, which we include under
the heading Painted Furniture, is to have it stained a rich dark
brown, instead of the usual dark green. Give your dealer time to order
your furniture unfinished from the factory, and have stained to your
own liking; or, should you by any chance be planning to use mission in
one of those cottages so often built in Maine, for summer occupancy,
where the walls are of unplastered, unstained, dove-tailed boards, and
the floors are unstained and covered with matting rugs, try using this
furniture in its natural colour—unfinished. The effect is
delightfully harmonious and artistic and quite Japanese in feeling.
In such a cottage, the living-room has a raftered ceiling, the
sidewalls, woodwork, settles by the fireplaces, open bookcases and
floor, are all stained dark walnut. The floor colour is very dark,
the sidewalls, woodwork and book shelves are a trifle lighter, and the
ceiling boards still lighter between the almost black, heavy rafters.
The mission furniture is dark brown, the hangings and cushions are of
mahogany-coloured corduroy, and the floor is strewn with skins of
animals. There are no pictures, the idea being to avoid jarring notes
in another key. Instead, copper and brass bowls contribute a note of
variety, as well as large jars filled with great branches of flowers,
gathered in the nearby woods. The chimney is exposed. It and the large
open fireplace are of rough, dark mottled brick.
A room of this character would be utterly spoiled by introducing white
as ornaments, table covers, window curtains or picture-mats; it is a
colour scheme of dull wood-browns, old reds and greens in various
tones. If you want your friends' photographs about you in such a room,
congregate them on one or two shelves above your books.
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