Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 8, Number 18, DeMotte, Jasper County, 31 March 1938 — Household Hints [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Household Hints

By BETTY WELLS

HE’S a man, but he didn’t take “Front Page” seriously. So he’s a quiet sort, doing a good job and finding life too pleasant to be hard-boiled about it. Which is probably why he'd bother to ask us about a problem in his living room that is concerning him and his wife these winter nights. He enclosed a sketch of the room with these questions: Where should a pickled pine mantel be placed? What w'ould be the best furniture arrangement? Should the two fireside chairs have matching covering? What color should draperies be? To begin with, they have an Oriental rug that is predominantly rust. The walls are white and the balance of the furniture is walnut with a rust sofa. We suggested that the mantel (A) go on the long unbroken wall with

the two fireside chairs (B) flanking it and the coffee table (C) between them. The’ sofa (D) could then face the. fireplace with the end table (E) at one end and the drum table (F) at the other end in front of the double windows. The secretary (G) we’d have at the end of the room and the radio (H) as indicated. Side chairs (I) and an extra easy chair (J) could be added. As for colors, we suggested either jade or turquoise for draperies, in a plain fabric and draped widely to one side, the long part coming in the corner of the room. The fireside chairs could be in this same clear plain color and the extra easy chair (J) could be in a stripe repeating the other tones in the room. For accessories we advised big dramat-ic-pieces of copper, and for flowers fine,clear yellows. In fact the odd corner of the room would be a grand place for a table (K) to hold a big bowl for yellow, flowers. • * • Political Reverberations Napoleon did as much to fashions m furniture as he did to the map of Europe. For, as furniture and decoration have been doing since the beginnings of civilization, they reflected under Napoleon the politics of the Directory and the Empire. After the short-lived Directory period, it became smart to be warlike, even in furnishings. Spears and shields were seen everywhere in gilded metal ornament or wood. Bedrooms became soldier’s tents, with great lengths of material draped on walls and over beds to simulate a canvas shelter; bedposts were surmounted by Greek helmets, tables and stools were drums, some stools having drum cords stretched around yellow hide. There was another influence* at work, too, in the minds of men and in the decorations of their abodes. They were over and done with the soft, lovely curves and elegance of the Kings Louis and through with comfort and ease. Their furniture, therefore, was angular and it must be admitted, extremely uncomfortable. A wit of the time said. “A thousand precautions are needed to avoid being bruised by the ’most gentle use of your furniture!’’ We

don’t, luckily, have to worry much about discomfort today. Even the most angular Napoleonic bed will yield gracefully to the wonders of a good spring and mattress. The Empire period designers, Percier and Fontaine, gave more than a nod to the Classical Greeks. So furniture appeared with crossed swords and spears, triumphal palms and Victory shown with widespread wings. Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt was reflected in the furniture —upright cobra symbols flourished in chair and bed legs; the Goddess Isis was seen in motifs on furniture, Caryatids supported chairs and tables; there were lion heads and huge paws and Egyptian winged animals. Mahogany and ebony were the popular woods and painted furniture was “all the rage!” Bronze decorations were seen everywhere painted a flat gilt. The Empire period can fit into our modern picture if we can pick and choose. There won’t be any “war** in your living room if you select the best of this period, and it has a way of fitting in nicely with other period furniture, too, as well as with modern. C By Betty Well*.—WNXJ Service.

Their Problem Was One of Arrangement.

Napoleon Left His Mark on Furniture.