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House Furnishing and Decorating: Ceilings

Ceilings. Various desirable effects may be produced in wall coverings by the treatment of the ceiling. Low rooms may be given an effect of greater height by the use of a two-toned paper in narrow, vertical stripes, carried clear to the ceiling without a "Vertical Stripes Carried Clear to the Ceiling." border, and by fastening the picture molding as close to the ceiling as it will go. On the other hand, rooms that are too narrow in proportion to other dimensions may be given a better effect by lowering the picture molding one to two feet or more and papering up to the molding, but not above, the upper part of the wall being whitewashed or calcimined in the same materials as the ceiling.

Ceilings that have rough or crooked places which cannot be repaired may be hung with a paper of the same quality as the walls, but usually of a lighter tint. The border may be put on around the edge of the ceiling instead of around the top of the wall, thus giving the room the effect of greater height.

Or ceilings may be whitewashed or calcimined, or tinted with water colors, with or without stenciled borders or frescoes.

Dadoes. The effect of any room may be improved by a chair rail around the walls three feet from the floor. Suitable material can be procured from dealers in picture moldings. This will, of course, be painted the same color as the woodwork.

On the wall below hang cotton or linen cloth previously painted with boiled linseed oil and well dried, or cheap ingrain paper, and when dry paint this wall covering the same color as the woodwork.

Or this dado may be developed with picture molding, the corners being mitered the same as picture frames.

With the aid of a homemade miterbox anyone who is handy with tools can do this work.

Test for Wall Paper. -To test green wall paper for the presence of arsenic in dangerous quantities dip a sample in aqua ammonia. If arsenic is present, the paper will turn from green to blue.

Or light a piece of the paper with a match, and when burning briskly blow it out. The presence of arsenic may be detected by an odor similar to that of garlic.

Wall Coverings - Cloth.-Various grades of prepared cloth wall coverings are obtainable, as silk, linen, and burlap. These are more expensive than paper, and are objected to by some on the ground that they catch dust and are unsanitary, unless regularly swept and dusted every day. But these materials when of good quality are very durable, and furnish perhaps the most artistic of all backgrounds for pictures and other decorations.

Burlap is more suitable for outer halls or rooms furnished with heavy oak or Mission furniture. Silks and linens harmonize with mahogany and with the lighter and more graceful furniture of parlors and drawing-rooms. To Color Walls. - The Arts-and- Crafts movement is introducing the custom of tinting walls in waterproof "Stencil Added Above." colors without the use of cloth or paper hangings, either in solid colors or with the addition of designs by means of stencils. The wall is usually tinted in a solid color, and the stencil added above the picture molding by way of border. "Protected by Means of a Dado."

Or the walls may be painted for half or two thirds of their height and HOUSE FURNISHING AND DECORATING sanded and tinted above, a light molding of simple design being used to divide the two surfaces. The molding should be painted the same color as the woodwork.

Or a chair rail and painted dado may be used, and the walls tinted above.

Stairways. - Paper for stairways may be the same as the hall paper.

It often becomes soiled along the bottom, and may be protected by means of a dado about three feet high carried around the hall and up the stairway, and surmounted by a light wooden molding painted to correspond to the adjacent woodwork, FLOOR COVERINGS The principal kinds of floor coverings in common use are rugs of various kinds, both Oriental and domestic; carpets, and oilcloths, including linoleum. Of carpets, the most important in the order of their value and desirability are Chenille Axminster, Wilton Axminster, Moquette, Velvet, Brussels, Tapestry Brussels, Ingrain or Kidderminster, two or three ply, Venetian, and old-fashioned rag carpet.