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-The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Art of Home Furnishing and

-Decoration, by Frank Alvah Parsons

-

-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and

-most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions

-whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms

-of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at

-www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you

-will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before

-using this eBook.

-

-Title: The Art of Home Furnishing and Decoration

-

-Author: Frank Alvah Parsons

-

-Release Date: February 27, 2022 [eBook #67518]

-

-Language: English

-

-Produced by: Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading

-             Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from

-             images generously made available by The Internet Archive)

-

-*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ART OF HOME FURNISHING

-AND DECORATION ***

-

-

-

-

-

-  _THE ART OF

-  HOME FURNISHING

-  AND DECORATION_

-

-

-  _By_

-  FRANK ALVAH PARSONS

-

-  President, New York School of Fine and Applied Art

-  Author of “Interior Decoration--Its Principles and Practice,” Etc.

-

-

-  PUBLISHED BY

-  Armstrong Cork Company

-  _Linoleum Department_

-  LANCASTER, PENNA., U. S. A.

-

-

-

-

-  SECOND EDITION

-

-  Copyright 1921 by

-  ARMSTRONG CORK COMPANY

-  _Linoleum Department_

-  LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA

-

-

-

-

-_FOREWORD_

-

-

-Frank Alvah Parsons, President of the New York School of Fine and

-Applied Art, is a leading American authority on interior decoration.

-He long since has amply demonstrated his wonderful faculty for turning

-his knowledge to the common good. We know of no man who, with voice

-and pen, has fought harder or more unceasingly for better taste, for

-richer, fuller home life.

-

-Mr. Parsons hardly can seem a stranger to the average reader of this

-book. Indeed, through his writings and lectures, he has become guide

-and counsellor and the personal friend of thousands of refined men and

-women, who have accepted the idea so well developed by Mr. Parsons in

-the following pages, that “Man is what he lives in;” that, generally

-speaking, man can be no greater or no less than the daily environment

-in which he works, thinks, and lives.

-

-We take great satisfaction and pleasure in announcing Mr. Parsons as

-the author of that section of this book which is entitled “The Art

-of Home Furnishing and Decoration.” It is written in Mr. Parson’s

-typically intimate and forceful style, and every paragraph is replete

-with information and suggestions of great value. We are sure that this

-book will hold your interest from the first to the last word, and that

-in the end you will look on the possibilities of your home and your

-life within it in a fresh and considerably enlarged perspective.

-

-After you have spent an hour with Mr. Parsons on the general theme of

-home furnishing and decoration, we believe that it will profit you to

-read what is written by ourselves in the latter part of the book on the

-specific subject of linoleum and its relation to the principles that

-Mr. Parsons has laid down.

-

-  ARMSTRONG CORK COMPANY

-

-

-

-

-_The Art of Home Furnishing and Decoration_

-

-FRANK ALVAH PARSONS

-

-

-Man is exactly what he lives in, for environment is the strongest

-possible factor in man’s development. One may be so long among loud

-noises, bad odors, inharmonious colors and wrong arrangements of

-things that one doesn’t mind them, because one has let them become

-an integral part of one’s self. They are there, and they are as bad

-as they were at first, but one has become immune to them. This being

-admitted, it follows, of course, that concordant sounds, agreeable

-odors, harmonious colors and pleasing arrangements have their immediate

-effects, but their tendency is toward refinement, culture and artistic

-appreciation instead of toward brutality, ignorance and indifference.

-It is certainly not hard to see what effect is produced by living in

-any wrong environment. As a person accustoms himself to it, he becomes

-like it. When he is like it, he will admire only its kind, and whatever

-he does will be as nearly like his environment as he himself is.

-

-The importance of thoroughly comprehending this truth cannot be

-overstated. The mental and artistic quality of the nation and even its

-physical comfort depend upon it. This viewpoint, being somewhat new

-to us, accounts for the upheaval in our ideas of what a home really

-is. Looking a little into this matter may perhaps stimulate us still

-further in our thinking, which will affect our way of doing whatever we

-attempt in the future.

-

-[Sidenote: The Home Molds Our Tastes and Lives]

-

-In the first place the home is the center of all life’s activities. We

-are born there, and long before we have seen the shop, the office, the

-church or even the school, our first impressions of the fundamentals of

-life have become fixed. These are exceedingly hard to efface.

-

-The school can hardly hope to counteract in the child’s mind the effect

-of hearing incorrect language spoken at home for six years; the church

-is greatly handicapped in its influence where wrong principles of life

-have determined habits during the first years; the artistic sense is

-practically dead and refinement of taste impossible in that child whose

-parents have given the usual wall papers, rugs, hangings, pictures and

-other objects of modern furnishing a chance to do their unrestricted

-work. Most of these have been made to sell, but not to people who use

-any judgment in buying. Occasionally we think of the durability or the

-comfort of an article, but how seldom of the colors, the patterns,

-the combinations of different periods with different meanings, all of

-which unite to make an unthinkable, inharmonious jumble which produces

-a reaction on an impressionable person little short of criminal. This

-being the case, is it any wonder that too frequently we are satisfied

-with inferior things or that we are not able to compete with other

-nations in creating better ones?

-

-This view of the home as an educator places it above any other

-institution in life and makes it worthy of the most careful and

-scientific study from several points of view. It might be well to

-consider here four of the most important of these.

-

-[Sidenote: Home Must Satisfy the Body]

-

-The first requisite of a house is physical comfort. Not only is this

-true of each article of furniture, but it is true also of the placing

-of each piece as it relates to the other pieces.

-

-Take, for instance, a divan, a chair, a table, a lamp, some books and

-a footstool. It is not enough that the chair, the divan and the stool

-should each be comfortable to the body, but comfort demands that each

-be so placed that one can use the divan or chair with the stool, while

-the books on a table with a lamp are placed so that one may lounge or

-sit and read without effort and without expending energy to assemble

-what is required. The best possible arrangement, you see, demands more

-skill than at first appears.

-

-[Sidenote: Home Must Satisfy the Mind]

-

-_Mental comfort_ is even more important to man in his home than

-physical comfort. He must, or should, find in his home an intellectual

-stimulus and a refining influence to complement the activities and

-struggles of his life outside, to calm and rest the tired nerves and to

-relieve the material or commercial stress which threatens entirely to

-destroy his power to see or know anything else. Unconsciously driven by

-this need he rushes from home to the club, to the theatre or elsewhere

-for diversion, amusement or rest. This is not as it should be, for in

-the right environment the home should furnish the rest and intellectual

-refreshment needed. Let us consider that there must be an expenditure

-of thought and skill in furnishing a home if it is to play its rightful

-part in the scheme of life.

-

-[Sidenote: Home Must Be Sanitary]

-

-Even then, there is another thing to consider. A man may succeed

-in accomplishing wonders in the realm of physical comfort, yet so

-completely ignore the question of sanitation as to menace the health

-of his family, if not to offend their sense of decent cleanliness.

-The horrors of Victorian plush upholstery, chenille portieres and

-nailed-down carpets are still fresh in the memory of some of us, and

-we have not yet been able to get a clear idea of a really clean thing

-because of the bad impression made on us by these conditions. Probably

-we never shall, until we succeed in effacing their memory by discarding

-the traditions they represent and adopting wholly different ideas in

-their places. Let us think of the question of _sanitation_ as a second

-necessity in considering any household problem.

-

-[Sidenote: Costly Things Not Always Best]

-

-It is perhaps unnecessary to look at this matter from the viewpoint

-of economics, but to me it seems very important. We cannot all afford

-to buy everything we see, desire or even appreciate. Realizing this,

-we lose enthusiasm and take almost anything. This is not necessary,

-nor is it wise. Good things are not all costly, nor are all cheap

-things equally bad. One might also add that frequently very costly

-things incline to be bad; at any rate, there is far greater danger of

-their being so because of the greater opportunity they afford for the

-expression of bad taste.

-

-Knowledge furnishes the greatest defense against bad things in any

-form. The more one knows, the more capable he is of selecting the best

-for his money and of using his selections in such a way as to suggest

-that much more was paid for them than they really cost.

-

-[Sidenote: An Artistic Home Means Enjoyable Living]

-

-Intelligent selection--the art of buying the most appropriate

-furnishings and decorations for the home--leads logically to

-intelligent decoration, the art of arranging the furnishings and

-decorations so as to make possible a thoroughly attractive home and

-keenly enjoyable living for the family.

-

-The introduction of the word “Art” always opens up a new field fraught

-with unpleasant possibilities. So many things masquerade under this

-name that we are almost deceived as to what it really is. Shall we not

-attack and dispose of some of these fallacies before attempting to see

-what it actually is?

-

-Because it is an art to _decorate_ we are apt to think that anything

-attached to or hung on to another thing is decoration, therefore

-artistic. Nothing could be further from the truth. Principles control

-decoration, and decoration is only possible when it conforms to these

-principles. In order to be decorative there must be something that

-requires decoration; that is, which is incomplete in itself. As soon

-as material of any kind is added after a thing is complete, the result

-becomes an aggregation, not a decoration.

-

-Most houses belong to this class because the owner refuses to stop when

-he is done. He may also have erred through having no place to decorate,

-his background being of such a kind that, struggle as it might, nothing

-could compete for attention, therefore could not become decorative by

-contrast. Simplicity in backgrounds is the foundation of decorative

-possibility.

-

-[Sidenote: No Room for Sentimentality]

-

-Oversentimentality is as bad as overdecoration. Sentiment is not

-only commendable but is an essential element that makes for human

-decency, but _sentimentality_, which by most people is thought to be

-the same thing, is unpleasant and unhealthy. Admiration, affection,

-veneration--each of these qualities has its place with all of us in

-its particular situation. This is well; but when, through association,

-we mistake an impersonal object for the real qualities of a person and

-begin to bestow adoration on it, then it is time to stop and think.

-

-To be sure, one respects some things in his grandfather and his

-other forebears. He is not insensible to the excellent points in his

-friends and associates. But if he is a wise man, he does not apply

-all his grandfather’s good qualities to all the furniture he uses,

-nor the excellent points in his friends to all the objects they have

-felt impelled to give him at one time or another for some sort of

-reason. If half the rubbish in every house in America that exists for

-solely sentimental reasons or because of a fear of being detected

-in its destruction were to be burned now, the next generation would

-have a much clearer vision of what art is, unhampered by sentimental

-misconception.

-

-A sentimental and an æsthetic feeling are quite distinct from each

-other. Who is there among us who does not love _nature_? The trees,

-the birds, the flowers--they seem to be a part of the great Divine

-scheme which calls for especial appreciation. This is also well; but

-nature is not art, neither is man’s imitation of it. Sometimes his

-interpretation of it is art, sometimes it is not. Not infrequently his

-conventionalization of nature and its adaptation to the material in

-which it is to be used become a decorative art; yet, even if this is

-accomplished, the thing may be spoiled in the use, and an inartistic

-whole may result. Just and reasonable homage to nature has impelled

-people to try in all sorts of ways to imitate it. This is not _art_.

-_Art is creation_, not imitation. One has but to reflect, and amazement

-must result when one realizes to what this impulse has led in every

-field of expression. Flowers have been painted on everything known,

-from the kitchen floor to the plush sofa pillow. The more like nature

-these decorations have appeared, the more artistic they were thought

-to be, when the truth was actually the reverse. The more natural these

-are, the more inappropriate they are as seen from any viewpoint.

-

-[Sidenote: Art Is Creative]

-

-Who is there that would not hesitate to sit down on, or put his foot

-on, a perfectly natural rose or lily? Where is there a human being that

-would care to lie down on a pillow with the painted face, even of an

-Indian, in the center? Who can see nature insulted in various objects

-by the sticking-in of pins or the driving-in of nails? The whole thing

-is too simple. Nature has its place, but it is not art, nor is the

-imitation of it art.

-

-This is so intimately associated with another fallacy that it should

-suggest it without comment. The appetites of man are ever insistent

-for attention. The desire for food, drink, shelter--these are physical

-appetites. They make their assertions naturally, and when normally

-treated bear their relation to the rest of life. But neither these nor

-the sensations attendant on them are art, nor should these senses be

-confounded with the artistic sense.

-

-Apples and pears look well on trees, in suitable receptacles or on

-tables. They are to eat. Imitations of them painted on plates seem to

-win admiration at once for their likeness to the real thing. The saliva

-flows in the mouth, the digestive organs begin their natural functions,

-and, while our sensations are purely physical, strangely enough many

-think this artistic. It is the hunger appetite being appeased, not the

-æsthetic.

-

-The atrocities committed in this field are innumerable. Exact copies

-of everything, from a bunch of grapes to an ostrich, may be found in

-one winter’s millinery display, while the real or copied forms of

-everything, from a dried fish to a gigantic moose head, may be seen in

-one dining-room at one time. This is not art. It is natural history and

-botany illustration in museum effect.

-

-[Sidenote: All Pictures Are Not Good]

-

-The hardest thing in the world to combat is a universal belief in the

-infallibility of pictures. These are necessary to convey ideas and they

-have a function to perform. They are interesting, they may even be

-amusing, but they are by no means always artistic. So great has been

-the belief in and admiration for pictures, that we have, as a nation,

-pretty nearly surrendered to the idea that drawing and picture-making

-alone is art. No greater mistake than this has ever been made. There

-are a thousand more bad pictures than there are good ones and a hundred

-bad ones used in houses where one good one appears. This is because we

-seem to have a kind of fear that there may be a vacant place on the

-wall, and also because the picture idea has become a mania.

-

-“Silence is golden,” but a blank space on a wall is often diamonds and

-emeralds compared to one filled with the average pictures that are

-hung, not to mention their frames. What shall we say of this phase

-of human dissipation, particularly when the frames are gilt ones? A

-person who allows himself to decorate his house with frames instead of

-pictures should be expected to hang his wardrobe in the front hall for

-the same purpose. The results of this mania should not be charged up to

-the credit side of art. Rather, the man afflicted with it is a slave to

-tradition.

-

-For the most difficult thing in the world is for a person to change

-his established way of thinking or of doing anything. It is so much

-easier to think as one’s grandfather did and to do as one’s father

-did than it is to think and do for one’s self. For this reason we are

-somewhat handicapped in getting at the essence of art and its practical

-applications to ordinary life. If mahogany was the favored wood in the

-last half of the eighteenth century, of course it is a good idea to use

-it for anything, anywhere, forever afterward, even though a much better

-substitute is at hand. If floors were hardwood or soft wood or stone,

-or even plastered with Oriental rugs bearing no relation to the rest

-of the house, there seems to be no reason why people should change the

-rugs or have another kind of floor.

-

-Examples of this adherence to tradition are so frequent and so deadly

-that to cite more would be a waste of time. Traditional belief that

-antiques are always good or that the work of some particular man is

-forever praiseworthy or that some particular article should always be

-used in some established way, has blinded us to the possibilities in

-the right use of new things in a progressive way. All this hinders a

-clear perception of what art really is.

-

-If these things which have been misnamed art are carefully removed

-from consciousness permanently, it is easy enough to see what art is,

-and then it becomes almost an unconscious process to apply it, whether

-the application is made to the house, to clothes, or to other personal

-forms of expression.

-

-[Sidenote: Art Is Expressing Yourself]

-

-In the first place, art is creation. It is the personal expression of

-the individual in any material or combination that completely conveys

-his conception of what he is trying to project.

-

-This connection generally expresses a need which he himself feels.

-It may be for a house, a living-room, a divan, a hat, a footstool, a

-typewriter or an automobile. In any case, there is a need for something

-for a particular use. This need should be the reason for the art

-expression. Spurred on by the need, a man creates something which will

-fill the need.

-

-This need is both functional or material and mental or artistic. One

-bar to seeing what art is rests in not recognizing this two-fold

-element in it. In so far as one is able to make a chair that fits the

-body, fulfils its special function as a dining-room chair, or a study

-chair, he has succeeded in creating the first artistic element. An

-object which does not do honestly and truthfully and sensibly what it

-purports to do cannot be artistic, no matter how it looks.

-

-[Sidenote: Art Is Beauty]

-

-The second element that enters into art is appearance or beauty. This

-element or quality is a little more difficult to define because it is

-relative, just as heat is, or as goodness is. What seems warm to one

-seems cold to another; what seems good to one may be bad to some one

-else; so, then, the standard of beauty depends entirely upon one’s

-own conception of it. This does not mean that anything that anybody

-considers beautiful is so, any more than it means that it is a warm day

-when the thermometer is at zero because somebody does not feel cold.

-It simply means that the person who judges may or may not have a right

-mental standard of what beauty really is. This standard may be acquired

-approximately by anyone, for it is determined by certain principles.

-If the principles of harmony are understood and applied, beauty will

-result.

-

-[Sidenote: The Function of a Room]

-

-Take, for instance, the problem of a particular room. The first

-question to ask one’s self is: “What is this room for?” If it is

-a dining-room, it is a place in which to eat in peace. If it is a

-living-room, it is to live in and should have a quiet, restful, refined

-and otherwise pleasant atmosphere. If it is a bedroom, it is to rest

-and sleep in. From whatever standpoint the room is viewed, the question

-of _use_ comes first. Anything in the dining-room that interferes

-with eating in peace is in bad taste. Whatever appears as decoration

-in the living-room that is unrestful, tawdry, common or unessential,

-is inartistic. If the bedroom contains anything that is out of tone

-with its general spirit, if it contains anything that makes for other

-than an atmosphere of calm contentment and deep, sound sleep, it

-should be removed at once. Let this point of view spur us on to make

-an investigation of our houses--room by room--and alter or remove

-everything that strikes a jarring note.

-

-Let us start with the bedroom. Are there spotted fabrics or papers

-on the wall, the spots on which one involuntarily counts, even after

-going to sleep? Are there a half dozen small pictures in black frames

-against a white background, so hung that successive steps are formed

-which resemble the front hall stairs? Are there other diverting and

-disturbing arrangements in the room that seem to invite us to close our

-eyes to avoid further annoyance? Much can be done in house decoration

-by elimination, and the strongest argument for this process will be

-found in submitting each room to the test as to the performance of its

-proper function.

-

-[Sidenote: The Language of Art]

-

-These elements, _fitness to use_ and _beauty_, which when combined

-make what is called the art of quality, must be made comprehensible by

-facts and truths which can be expressed in a language form that all

-may learn to understand. This art language is made up of color, form,

-line and texture, and depends for its efficiency on a knowledge of the

-principles which govern it and upon an appreciation for the niceties in

-its use. Anyone can learn the principles and will grow in appreciation

-as he makes a right use of what he knows. Of the qualities mentioned,

-color is the most interesting; at least, it is the easiest to see. At

-the same time it is the most misused. This is much too small a space in

-which to demonstrate with any thoroughness the color language idea, but

-two or three of the most important facts must be emphasized.

-

-[Sidenote: Use of Color To Express Personality]

-

-Nothing is more personal than color and nothing admits of expressing

-personality with clearer or more manifest charm. The normal

-colors--yellow, red, blue, green, orange and violet--may be used in

-illustration of this statement.

-

-Color has its source in light, and natural light comes from the sun.

-Yellow looks most like the sun, as it expresses the quality that the

-sun seems to give out. From the sun we are cheered, made light-hearted

-and receive new life. Yellow in a room should, under normal conditions,

-produce the same feelings where it is the basis for the wall color or

-is used in curtains or in other spots. Red suggests blood and fire.

-It is associated with activity, aggression and passion. It heats and

-stimulates. One who fails to react to color is not normal or is immune

-from overcontact, while one who simply likes or dislikes a color and,

-therefore, uses it or never does, misses the real chance to express

-ideas. If one prefers red, there is no proof in the fact that makes

-it incumbent on him to live surrounded by it. He may be erratic enough

-without it, or possibly he doesn’t need a stimulant. Need is the

-fundamental question rather than liking. It is a question of what one

-ought to have.

-

-It is interesting to know that the aggressive quality of red makes a

-room in which it is used smaller in appearance, and there are times

-when this is not desirable. Its warming quality is not needed in hot

-climates or during a warm season.

-

-Blue has an opposite effect from red. Its reactions are restraint,

-coolness, repose and distance. By association one thinks of a clear

-blue sky and the cool breezes from the blue waters of the ocean. This

-makes blue a suitable antidote for hot weather and a temperate force,

-useful in modifying some people’s dispositions. Green, which is a

-union of yellow and blue, expresses the qualities of both. Nothing

-could be more restful, soothing and agreeable than the cheering and

-cooling effects of a seat in the shade upon the green grass under

-luxuriant green trees, in the middle of a hot day. It is easy to see

-the practical application of this in decorative art.

-

-Violet or purple has the qualities of red and blue, while orange has

-the qualities of yellow and red. It is interesting to study the natural

-reactions shown by people of all ages and conditions to these colors

-as environments under different mental conditions. Incomplete as

-these suggestions are, they are probably sufficient to establish the

-point that personal qualities or individual character traits can be

-definitely expressed in color terms and that antidotes for an excess

-of certain qualities are just as possible where a knowledge of color

-exists.

-

-There is a second color quality that we must not ignore. If I think of

-one group of colors containing light pink, delicate blue, lavender,

-canary yellow and white as representing one idea, and dark crimson,

-heavy, dark green, blue with a rich dark purple and black as another

-group, I have a basis for comparison. If my problem of expression is

-the qualities that we generally attribute to youth, or the proper

-colors for a young girl’s bedroom, or for the lighter and more

-delicate things in life, I have no hesitation in choosing the first

-group. If, on the other hand, the problem is one of clothes for a

-person of mature age, or a color scheme for a library in an old English

-house, or some other problem in which the qualities required are

-dignity, quietness and stability, there should be no question as to the

-preference for the second group.

-

-This quality of light and darkness in color is called _value_ and must

-not be forgotten in using color as a language.

-

-There is no doubt that the third quality, called _intensity_, is the

-most important of all to a right understanding of interior decoration.

-This quality determines how brilliant or how forceful a color tone is.

-Softer and less aggressive tones are called _neutral_ or _neutralized

-colors_. The most important question in using color decoratively

-is that which relates to the distribution and correct placing of

-neutralized colors in their relation to the more intense ones. The

-grossest errors in the whole realm of color used in decoration are

-committed in this field. One or two principles that relate to this

-matter must always be carefully observed: “Backgrounds should be less

-intense in color than objects that are to appear against them in any

-decorative way.” From this it obviously follows that walls, ceilings

-and floors of houses must be less intense in color than hangings,

-upholsteries, small rugs, pictures and other decorative material. This

-is one of the most important points to remember in every color problem.

-

-There is a corollary to this which is equally important: “The larger

-the color area the less intense it should be, and the smaller the area,

-the more intense it may be.” According to this principle, hangings

-and large rugs must be less intense in color than sofa cushions, lamp

-shades and decorative bits of pottery and other materials. Keeping this

-relation of areas in mind is an aid in selecting any article for the

-house, as well as a help in choosing those things that are concerned

-with one’s personal appearance. A red necktie is more appealing than a

-red suit, so is a red flower or ribbon more decorative on a black hat

-than a gray one would be on a red hat.

-

-The slightest attempt at using color must disclose its power to express

-personality, its natural value feeling and its decorative dependence

-upon a proper distribution of intensities.

-

-[Sidenote: Use of Form To Express Ideas]

-

-While the principles of form are a little less apparent in their

-illustration to most of us than color, yet they are no less important

-in producing a harmonious whole. One of the first premises of

-decoration is the assumption that there is a definite form or shape

-upon which a decoration is to be applied. The direction of the bounding

-lines of this form determines the direction of the principal lines of

-the decorative matter which is to be applied on it.

-

-The bounding lines of a floor are generally straight and at right

-angles to each other. This fixes several important points regarding the

-disposition of rugs and furniture. Rugs that are placed at all sorts of

-angles on the floor and by their positions bid one go in any direction

-save the one he started to take are among the most disconcerting and

-distracting lines in a room arrangement. Place all rugs in accord with

-the bounding lines of a room and harmony is at once restored.

-

-One must conform to this principle also in placing furniture. Most

-pieces should be parallel with the sides of the room, even though they

-are not against the walls. Curved line chairs or other small objects

-sometimes lend themselves naturally to a diagonal placement. Care

-should be taken in grouping furniture to give the appearance of harmony

-with the room structure. Let us look after the piano that is placed

-catacorner in the living-room, and the bed, in the same position, in

-the bedroom.

-

-It is not unusual to see pictures strung over the walls in such a way

-that the line indicated from the top of one to another is a zigzag

-that illy suggests harmony with the structure of the wall. Triangular

-picture wires are ugly and distracting. Unless a picture is small

-enough to be hung with an invisible attachment at the back, it should

-be hung with one long wire passed through two screw eyes, one at each

-top corner of the frame, with one wire paralleling each side of the

-frame and going over a hook above. This not only harmonizes the wire

-with the frame, but with the doors, windows and the room structure.

-

-The choice and arrangement of essential materials in the room, so far

-as the aspect of beauty is concerned, will be treated in detail later

-on.

-

-[Sidenote: Size and Shape of Objects a Factor]

-

-The principle of consistently related shapes and sizes finds scores of

-applications in the arrangement of a room. Who has not wondered what to

-do with a round clock, when everything else adjacent to it was either

-square or rectangular in form? Where is there a house in which there is

-not a round or oval picture to be placed, or a chair of wholly curved

-lines, where all others are straight? The attempt to place one isolated

-round object on a wall is generally a failure, because there is nothing

-to relate it to any other nearby lines. Oval and curved objects must be

-repeated by others similar in form in other positions in the room if

-they are to become in any sense a part of the design.

-

-The second part of this principle--consistent sizes--is even more

-important and far-reaching than the first. To the architect, the

-decorator or the creator of any art object, this is a vital matter.

-Every interior, as well as exterior, architectural feature is thought

-of in relation to every other one in the matter of size.

-

-It is not uncommon to enter a room and find a chimney large enough

-for an Elizabethan banquet hall, while the room itself, in size,

-suggests a city flat. Nor is it less common to find a table or divan

-of gigantic proportions being required to live in harmony with chairs

-or other articles of various pigmy types. These unusual and unhappy

-relationships cannot conform to the principle of consistent sizes.

-

-In our use of hangings, upholstery, rugs, etc., the lack of feeling for

-consistent sizes is still more often apparent. Before discussing this,

-let us look for a moment at patterns and motifs as they are used in

-textiles, wall papers and rugs.

-

-For some unknown reason we have come to believe that there is no beauty

-in anything in which there is not a pattern plainly visible, forgetting

-that three-fourths of all wall and floor spaces are backgrounds on

-which to show other more important things, including people, who have

-some right to be exploited even against wall paper. There are some

-phases of the motif running through a design, that may be considered

-here in some detail.

-

-There are three distinct varieties of motif. First, the motif which

-aims to reproduce identically a natural object. Such things are rarely

-successful. The second is known as the abstract type, where the motif

-is of a form and color not derived from a natural source, being a

-matter of space and line arrangement, often resulting in geometric

-forms. The third, known as the conventional motif, takes a natural

-thing and attempts to translate it into form and color suited by

-its appearance and feeling to some particular material in which the

-design is developed. In the conventional design, beauty is attained by

-harmonizing the motif with the material on which the design is made,

-while the naturalistic motif strives to represent some natural thing

-and takes a chance on its being appropriate in the material in which it

-is to be rendered. Harmony in motifs means, first, a relation in this

-particular, from which it follows that a rug or floor which is entirely

-geometric in pattern cannot be used successfully with hangings which

-show a purely naturalistic design.

-

-Another opportunity for harmony is found in consistently related motifs

-as to size and shape. It frequently happens that the floor motif, for

-example, is small and delicate in size and refined in line treatment.

-If a person is naturally sensitive to color rather than form and he

-finds a rug or hangings pleasing in color, he is often satisfied. For

-harmony in relationship, however, he must ask if the motif in the rug

-and that in the hangings are consistent in size and shape with the

-floor and wall motifs.

-

-[Sidenote: Elements in a Room Must Balance]

-

-A third principle of form is known as _balance_. This is the principle

-of arrangement whereby attractions are equalized and through this

-equalization a restful feeling is obtained; that is, a feeling of

-equilibrium or safety. It is somewhat disconcerting to enter a

-small room and find a black piano across one corner and a delicate

-Hepplewhite chair in the opposite corner. One instinctively rushes

-to the aid of the chair. Attraction may be of color, size, shape or

-texture, and one learns only by constant practice to see and feel the

-attraction forces in different objects used.

-

-There are two types of balance to consider. The first one, known as

-_bi-symmetric_ balance, is the equalization of attractions on either

-side of a vertical center by using objects the same size, shape,

-color and texture. This is formal, dignified and safe, but lacks in

-some ways the delicacy and subtlety resulting from an attempt to get

-a less formal placing. Consider a vertical line drawn through the

-center of a chimney-piece placed in the middle of a wall space. On

-either side of the chimney-piece and equally distant from it may be

-placed two pictures similar in size, form and color, and the result is

-bi-symmetrical. If two similar candlesticks are placed one at either

-end of the chimney-piece and equidistant from the end, with a portrait

-in the center, there is still bi-symmetric arrangement. So long as this

-arrangement is maintained, bi-symmetry results.

-

-A second kind of balance is known as _occult_ balance. This term

-is used to signify that the balance is rather felt or sensed than

-exactly determined. If the same vertical line is drawn through the

-same chimney-piece, one picture is placed a certain distance from the

-left and two smaller pictures of unequal size are used on the right to

-balance this. The two pictures must be so placed that their attraction

-equals that of the larger one at the left. Similarly, if one large

-porcelain jar and two or three other articles are to be used, there

-must be a feeling of equal attraction on either side of the vertical

-line.

-

-To explain briefly the primary laws of balance we may give the rules:

-“Equal attractions balance each other at equal distances from the

-center.” And, conversely: “Unequal attractions balance each other at

-unequal distances from the center.”

-

-A third and a little more complicated law is stated as follows:

-“Unequal attractions balance each other at distances from the center

-which are in inverse ratio to their powers of attraction.” Translated,

-this means that objects with the strongest attractions tend to

-gravitate toward the central line, while less attractive ones tend to

-draw from this line.

-

-The application of the rules of balance not only to objects on the

-wall, but to the furniture when seen against the wall or against the

-floor, is essential to room composition. It is also essential that the

-floor, in its general appearance, should bear a balanced relation to

-the walls and to the hangings.

-

-There is no better place, perhaps, than at this point to make clear

-the relations of these three bounding surfaces. The ceiling should

-be unobtrusive, but keyed in color to the rest of the room. A

-perfectly white ceiling, except in a white room, or an over-ornamented

-ceiling anywhere is an annoyance to him who would see his friends

-or furnishings. A too-aggressive wall paper or other wall covering

-makes a bid for attention quite out of proportion to its rights as a

-background, while aggressive and over-assertive floors or rugs are

-in bad taste, particularly when they assume the prerogatives of the

-hostess in their attempt at attraction.

-

-[Sidenote: “Crawly” Pictures and Patterns Are Bad]

-

-The ceiling should be about as much lighter and less attractive than

-the walls, as the walls are lighter and less attractive than the

-floor. This is a balanced arrangement of ceilings, walls and floors.

-Operating exactly opposite to the principle of balance is one known

-as _movement_. This is calculated to cause unrest, excitement and

-similar sensations, by creating an interest which causes the eye to

-move from one thing to another. It is very desirable in many cases that

-movement, particularly of a violent type, should not occur. Allusion

-to stair arrangements in picture hangings has already been made. This

-is not conducive to sleep. Erratic crawling vine patterns, creeping up

-the curtains or the wall paper, are a little suggestive in the early

-morning hours if one chances to awake. Violent contrasting lines,

-created by bad furniture placing or by spotted wall papers or floor

-covering, also become tiresome and disturbing, except to those who by

-long contact with such things have become immune to their influence.

-Even such may suffer a subconscious disturbance, though they do not

-realize it.

-

-There is a certain monotony attendant on the continual presentation

-of one sound, one color or one form, for mental consideration. On the

-other hand, there is a complete disorganization of the powers of the

-human mind if a host of colors, forms or sounds are presented at one

-time. If one is poverty, the other is certainly gluttony, and neither

-should be accepted. It is through a judicious selection and arrangement

-that sufficient variety is obtained to give pleasure, while restraint

-results in making life humanly possible. It is very rarely that we err

-on the side of simplicity, but it is not at all unlikely that we may

-become flagrantly sumptuous, with an uncomfortable, tawdry result.

-

-[Sidenote: Emphasize Only Important Things in a Room]

-

-The principle known as _emphasis_ is one which we must regard as

-important. In a bedroom one ought to see a bed; it is vastly more

-important than the picture exhibition hung about it. In a dining-room

-a well-set table is the emphatic note, not the chenille curtains nor

-the products of the chase hung upon the wall. In the living-room the

-easy-chair, the divan, the bookcase, the beautiful portrait, lamp or

-picture--all these things should be emphasized by color, form or line,

-that their importance as related to other things in the room may be

-apparent at sight.

-

-Knowing this to be true, is it not strange that we still find people

-who are willing to emphasize the wall paper or the floor or the

-unpleasant ceiling decorations, to the absolute exclusion of anything

-else that may have to be used in the room? The relation of background

-to decorative objects cannot be insisted upon too much.

-

-[Sidenote: The Spirit of the Whole House Should Be the Spirit of Each

-Room]

-

-The final principle of form is known as unity. In this limited

-discussion only a word can be said of it. A room is a unit, so should a

-house be. It is impossible to look with equanimity from an Old English

-dining-room into a Louis XVI sitting-room. These styles are very far

-apart in their meaning and can only be harmonized by those who know

-how, when, where and how much of each element to use.

-

-It is just as impossible to make a unit out of a mixture of Fifteenth,

-Seventeenth and Nineteenth Century furniture, unless one knows how.

-Every article used in furnishing a house not only has its conventional

-value, but its design also. If one knows thoroughly the exact meaning

-and power of a Louis XVI chair, an Elizabethan table, an Italian

-console or a William and Mary bookcase, there is no doubt that these

-may be used successfully in one room.

-

-There are so many considerations in such a problem that it is

-insufficient to choose single objects for their value alone. Each thing

-must be chosen with a clear understanding of what room it is to go in

-and with what other things it is in the future to be associated. A

-failure to do this will certainly result in pandemonium.

-

-What shall we do with the things we have? Use them if we have to,

-destroy them if we are willing to--at least eliminate everything that

-is nonessential. The pernicious practice of giving everything one

-learns to dislike or that has become worn out, to the poor, does more

-to prevent them from enjoying a personal growth than any other one

-thing.

-

-Perhaps no better way to think of the principle of unity can be

-suggested than to quote the definition of an eminent Nineteenth Century

-historian: “A unit is that to which nothing can be added and from which

-nothing can be taken without interfering materially with the idea

-itself.”

-

-[Sidenote: Objects Should Look the Way They Feel]

-

-The question of _texture_ as a form of expression must not be omitted.

-Texture is that quality of an object which seems to convey the idea of

-how it feels. It is a combination of a degree of solidity, strength,

-roughness, coarseness, etc. One finds this quality in the grained

-effects of wood, in the weaves of different textiles, in the appearance

-of braided straws, and even in feathers and other materials.

-

-It is this sense of fitness in textural feeling that forbids the use

-of hard, harsh-grained oaks with the finer textures of mahogany and

-satin-wood. Disregarding this quality, people often combined the

-coarser, heavier and more-resisting woolens or linens with soft,

-impressionable and destructible silks or fine cottons. Harmony in the

-texture quality cannot fail to contribute to harmony in the finished

-unit.

-

-Such is the language of art expression in color, form, line and

-texture. The principles which govern the right selection and

-combination of all materials that go to make a house are the real

-guides to growth in artistic appreciation.

-

-[Sidenote: Good Taste the Final Criterion]

-

-Good taste, which is the final criterion in all art, is cultivated or

-improved in most people by a constant study and application of the

-principles which control artistic expression.

-

-Should we not, all of us, do well often to take time to remind

-ourselves of certain great established principles and to endeavor

-constantly to see more clearly and completely the principles that

-govern the expression of these truths? Thereby we may unconsciously

-form habits of thinking and of doing things that will not only make for

-broader and better personal growth, but will contribute to a higher

-type of national civilization. We have not to worry if all the powers

-of science are not directed to the development of so-called efficient

-service, in lines that are wholly material and commercial.

-

-We are extraordinarily committed to this propaganda, as a people, and

-we might ask ourselves whether we may not be developing this idea

-at the expense of mental and spiritual ideals that, after all, are

-the real things that not only determine what we actually are, but are

-the only things that are truly permanent. Life is certainly something

-beside machinery, raw materials and money, even granting these to be

-essentials.

-

-Perceiving the desirability of the art quality results generally in an

-effort to possess it, and that entails immediate action in two distinct

-ways. First, go out to find the simple, fundamental principles that

-control the language of color, form, line and texture; second, apply

-these principles at once in the home, in the shop, in clothes, in

-printed paper or in any concrete thing where interest and possibility

-are found. Through every application growth is assured.

-

-[Sidenote: Influence of Environment]

-

-Let us again remember that man is exactly what he lives in, for

-environment is the strongest possible factor in man’s development. Let

-us not forget that what man really is, is what his mind is, and this he

-must express in all he does.

-

-This places the importance of the home where it deserves to be and

-makes its furnishing one of the most serious and at the same time one

-of the most delightful things in life, never for an instant minimizing

-what has always been desirable, but vastly enlarging and ennobling the

-idea for which it stood.

-

-In recognizing anew the part art is to play in this matter, let us not

-forget that it in no way interferes with the three essential qualities

-that are inevitably factors in every home problem simple or elaborate,

-as the case may be.

-

-Perfect physical comfort is necessary, if only from the standpoint of

-more efficient service on our part and the relief it brings us, not

-to be constantly thinking how hard the bed is, how uncomfortable the

-chair seems, or how rough and uneven the floor feels. Art in no way

-interferes with physical comfort; in fact, it demands it, as an element

-of the eternal fitness of things.

-

-The nation is awake to the power of cleanliness as a factor in making

-an efficient physical, and thereby, indirectly, a finer mental being,

-as a contribution to modern civilization. Every article selected for

-the home should have this requirement considered. Including this in

-the art idea will remove the misapprehension under which some people

-labor, that art implies disorder at home, a dowdy or unkempt person and

-a disregard of nature’s most obvious laws. The first law of Heaven is

-order; it is no less so of art.

-

-Expense is the constant excuse of those who want better things but

-cannot afford them. There are as many bad expensive things as there

-are cheap ones. No home is too poor to have much better things, much

-better arranged, than it has, and no home is so rich that much of the

-furnishing might not well be publicly burned and the rest rearranged.

-

-From any standpoint, comfort, sanitation, economics or art, the home

-is to become the greatest moulding influence in human life. Shall

-we remain apathetic and indifferent to this most vital problem,

-satisfied to increase our bank account only, or shall we awaken now and

-contribute our mite to a fuller national life and a higher and happier

-existence? This certainly will not decrease our power to increase the

-bank account, but will enable us to do it with far less physical effort.

-

-[Sidenote: Floor Styles Change with the Customs]

-

-Traditions have generally obtained in each generation and fashion as to

-what materials should be used in various parts of the house and how to

-use them. The original ideas which went to establish these traditions

-or manners differed in their origins, but were always the logical

-outcomes of times in which they were developed. For instance, the walls

-of the house in the Italian Renaissance were of stone. Steel was not

-thought of and wood unsuited, while in American Colonial days wood was

-the most plentiful material and the quickest and easiest to handle in

-building in the manner in which the people lived.

-

-At various times climate, geography, religious and social customs and

-the developments of science or art have changed conditions, and with

-this, methods and materials have undergone similar changes.

-

-Floors, for example, have mostly been of clay, stone, tile or wood,

-dictated by one or more of the modifying influences of which we have

-spoken. Wood cannot take the place of stone, neither should it try to

-pretend to do so, but there is no denying that one is better than the

-other under certain conditions and that neither is the only good floor

-under all conditions.

-

-Linoleum as a floor is not a substitute for stone, wood, tile or clay.

-It is another material, recent in conception and suited to particular

-conditions, because of properties that neither stone, clay nor wood

-have in exactly the same proportions.

-

-[Sidenote: Where Linoleum May Be Suitable and Desirable]

-

-Like other floors in modern houses, linoleum ought to combine the

-qualities of sanitation, comfort, durability to fulfil completely its

-functions. When made to conform to these ends--as it does if properly

-designed, and then selected and arranged so as to harmonize perfectly

-with its surroundings--it is not only suitable but desirable. Linoleum

-is sanitary, because the most obvious thing about it is the ease with

-which it can be cleaned and kept clean.

-

-Linoleum is comfortable, because it is soft, quiet and resilient

-underfoot. It is economical, because it is durable.

-

-In parts of Europe, the artistic possibilities of linoleum have

-been developed to such a degree that many fine homes are furnished

-throughout with floors of that material. There is no reason why, in

-this country, the development of the art side of linoleum should not

-follow the general development of interior decoration. For patterns and

-colors, suitable for any scheme of house furnishing and decoration,

-seemingly, can be produced.

-

-

-

-

-_How To Select Linoleum Floors_

-

-KATHLEEN CLINCH CALKINS[1]

-

-

-While the principles and suggestions on home furnishing and decoration

-set forth by Mr. Parsons on the preceding pages are fresh in our minds,

-let us see how they may be applied specifically to the selection of

-floors in the modern home. According to Mr. Parsons, if properly

-designed and selected to harmonize with its surroundings, modern

-linoleum is not only suitable but desirable as a floor for every room

-in the house. Let us first define the various types of linoleum,

-and then, going from one room to another, learn how to use linoleum

-floors effectively and artistically, keeping in mind the fundamental

-principles that Mr. Parsons has explained to us.

-

-[Sidenote: What Linoleum Is]

-

-Linoleum was invented in England in 1863. The name comes from two Latin

-words, _linum_ (flax) and _oleum_ (oil). Thus linoleum takes its name

-from its principal ingredient, linseed oil. Before it can be used in

-making linoleum, however, the linseed oil must be oxidized by exposing

-it to the air until it hardens into a tough, rubber-like substance.

-The oxidized oil is then mixed with powdered cork, wood flour, various

-gums, and color pigments; and the resulting plastic mass is pressed on

-burlap by means of great rollers that exert a pressure of hundreds of

-pounds to the square inch. The “green linoleum” then passes into huge

-drying ovens, where it is hung up in festoons to cure and season. This

-curing process takes from one to six weeks, depending on the thickness

-of the material.

-

-There are several varieties of linoleum, designated as follows:

-

-(_a_) Plain linoleum--of solid color, without pattern--the heavier

-grades of which are used for covering the decks of battleships and

-hence are known as “battleship linoleum.”

-

-(_b_) Jaspe linoleum, which is like inlaid linoleum in that the colors

-run clear through the fabric. It is made in plain colorings, with a

-pleasing graining in two tones of the same color.

-

-(_c_) Inlaid linoleum, in which the colors of the pattern go through to

-the burlap back.

-

-(_d_) Granite linoleum, which is also a variety of inlaid. It has a

-mottled appearance, resembling terrazzo.

-

-(_e_) Printed linoleum, which is simply plain linoleum with a design

-printed on the surface with oil paint.

-

-Turn for a moment to the colorplates at the back of this book, and

-note the illustrations of various types of linoleum floors. Your local

-merchant has actual samples of linoleum, and will be glad to show you

-the different grades.

-

-[Sidenote: Used for Years in Europe]

-

-As Mr. Parsons has suggested, the use of linoleum floors all over the

-house is not new; it is one of the excellent ideas in home building

-that has come to us from Europe. There the designing of linoleum, for

-many years, has been given particular attention; and linoleum floors

-have found ready acceptance in bedrooms, living-rooms, dining-rooms,

-etc., not alone in homes of persons of moderate means, but just as

-frequently in those of the rich and well-to-do. European architects are

-accustomed to specify linoleum floors in new buildings instead of other

-materials less desirable.

-

-The European housewife takes particular pride in keeping her linoleum

-floors in spick-and-span condition by waxing and polishing them. And,

-as the years pass, linoleum floors soften in color and deepen in tone,

-taking on a finish not unlike that of wood which has been mellowed by

-age.

-

-[Sidenote: Growing Use in America]

-

-In America, the makers of Armstrong’s Linoleum were the first to

-give attention to the designing of linoleum patterns that would lend

-themselves to acceptable use in the modern American home. Skilled

-designers were brought from the best European establishments and given

-_carte blanche_ in the development of designs particularly appropriate

-to American ideas of home decoration and conditions of living. As a

-result, we can state with confidence that for beauty, attractiveness,

-and general utility the Armstrong floor designs now available are not

-excelled either in Europe or America.

-

-Miss Rene Stillman, a writer on interior decoration, in discussing

-recently in the Philadelphia _Public Ledger_ the change from unsanitary

-carpets to the use of fabric rugs speaks also of the change in

-linoleums and their relation to modern interior decoration. She says,

-... “and then the new linoleums, not the old kitchen kind, but modern

-floors which have become works of art, some of which are not unlike

-the floors in old palaces. Not long ago I went to an exhibit given by

-a number of prominent interior decorators. There I went through one of

-the most charmingly decorated houses you ever saw, and every floor had

-linoleum upon it. It was a house of Spanish architecture, and there was

-a central court, with fountains and foliage--an unpretentious, but very

-beautiful, little court. And, would you believe it? it was paved--I use

-the word advisedly--with linoleum of the large black-and-white blocks,

-for all the world like large black-and-white marble tiles. The other

-rooms were also covered with linoleum, which toned with the woodwork

-or the walls or the general scheme of the furnishings. But these rooms

-were also covered with fabric rugs, some of them large central rugs,

-allowing the linoleum floor to show about the edges. In other rooms,

-the rugs were smaller and scattered over a larger surface of the

-linoleum. Of course, it was very good linoleum, mostly cork I think,

-and the pattern went all the way through. I was charmed with the subtle

-colors, the often exquisite designs.”

-

-As a matter of fact, in the last few years many leading architects

-and interior decorators have used linoleum floors in homes they have

-planned, particularly because of the decorative effects it is possible

-to achieve with linoleum floors, as contrasted with other materials.

-Where the problem is to redecorate a house, linoleum is being more

-and more widely used to resurface worn wood floors. And, in many new

-homes, owners and architects have specified linoleum floors instead

-of wood; they have used linoleum not alone because of the economy in

-dollars and cents but because linoleum floors are so _very much easier

-to take care of_. Especially where the housewife has to do her own

-work, or good help is difficult to obtain, linoleum aids materially in

-solving this almost universal household problem.

-

-The portfolio of colorplates and black-and-white reproductions included

-with this book will give you an excellent idea of just how linoleum

-floors look in modern homes. If you are planning to build a new

-house, you owe it to yourself to investigate the possibilities that

-linoleum floors offer you in making the home unusually interesting and

-attractive.

-

-[Sidenote: For the Hall]

-

-The hall is the first place in your home that visitors see. It must

-be kept speckless and spotless. A linoleum hall floor proclaims the

-neatness of the housewife to all visitors the moment they cross the

-threshold because it is so easy to keep such a floor fresh and inviting.

-

-And no matter what the decorative treatment of your hall, there are

-patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum that will harmonize perfectly with

-rugs, walls, and furniture. For a formal vestibule, there are exclusive

-designs that will appeal to all tastes. For instance, Pattern 350,

-which is a six-inch block design of alternate black and white squares,

-suggests marble tile. Or there is an interesting Persian tile, Pattern

-No. 232, in cream, red, and black. The newer designs in marble and

-tile inlaids permit many interesting combinations. In an entrance

-hall proper, you may prefer wood effects. There are several linoleum

-parquetries which, waxed and polished, make splendid floors for halls

-and reception rooms, as well as living- and dining-rooms.

-

-The durability of good linoleum should always be kept in mind. The

-number of footsteps it would take to wear it out cannot be estimated,

-and dripping umbrellas and wet rubbers do not damage it.

-

-[Sidenote: For the Living-Room]

-

-Linoleum for the living-room? Remember, we are now speaking of linoleum

-as a floor and not as a covering. There is a vital distinction. Over

-linoleum installed as a permanent floor, naturally, you will lay your

-fabric rugs, whether they are domestic or Oriental. And you will select

-your linoleum floor carefully, because it must serve as a background

-not only for the rugs placed upon it, but for all the furnishings of

-the room, just as the wall-covering is a background for the pictures

-or draperies hung against it. The general rule is that the linoleum

-floor should be darker in tone than the walls and woodwork. It is the

-foundation upon which the whole plan of furnishing is based. Thus

-you will select your linoleum floors, keeping in mind the type of

-furniture, the woodwork, and the general effect you wish to produce.

-

-For example, if the woodwork is dark and the furniture tends toward the

-massive in style, one of the darker tones of plain brown, the brown

-jaspe, or a parquetry linoleum floor is appropriate. If the woodwork

-is white or ivory, the floors may be selected in softer tones of gray,

-green, and light brown, depending on the character of the furnishings.

-

-[Sidenote: For the Dining-Room]

-

-Linoleum is truly the logical floor for the dining-room. Every

-practical consideration persuades its use. In the dining-room,

-cheerfulness and individuality are the prime requisites. A thoughtful

-selection of the floor in relation to the furnishings may be made to

-contribute not a little to the charm of a room. The newer linoleum

-designs offer many interesting suggestions; for instance, a marble

-tile, with contrasting interliners, or one of the carpet inlaids of

-all-over pattern, permits out-of-the-ordinary floor treatment. Pattern

-No. 201, a little three-inch tile of alternating black and gray blocks,

-is reminiscent of Italian influence. In the woods, Parquetry No. 600

-is particularly good. Or, for the average home, nothing is better than

-the jaspes in browns and grays, or a plain linoleum in appropriate

-coloring.

-

-In any room, a nice balance in the use of figured and plain surfaces

-is always desirable. For instance, if a plain coloring or a jaspe

-linoleum is used for the floor, figured rugs and wall coverings may

-well be chosen. If, however, a patterned linoleum floor is employed,

-the fabric rugs and wall coverings should be plainer, or of small

-all-over pattern. Avoid overemphasis of pattern or, conversely, too

-much monotony of plain surfaces.

-

-The cheerful tile designs in Armstrong’s Linoleum are particularly

-appropriate for the breakfast alcove or sun porch now found in many

-homes. In a recent issue of _The Delineator_, Martha Hill Cutler,

-writing on “Linoleum Floors--Durable, Smart,” after saying that

-“linoleum has now ‘arrived’ as an artistic as well as a practical

-possibility for every room in the house,” speaks particularly of the

-use of linoleum in the breakfast-room.

-

-She says, “In a breakfast-room or sun-parlor one can do daring things.

-There are fascinating possibilities in a linoleum design of brilliant

-colorings, the black-and-orange, for instance, the green-and-white,

-green-and-black, or blue-and-green.

-

-“Breakfast-rooms are almost always so small that rugs are not

-absolutely essential, but plain rugs against these brilliant tiles

-as backgrounds are very effective. Brilliantly colored curtains to

-harmonize, an unusual chintz or cretonne, and painted furniture can be

-combined with them with colorful results.”

-

-[Sidenote: For a Group of Rooms]

-

-By using the same linoleum floor through a series of rooms, it is

-possible to gain unity and a feeling of spaciousness. On the second

-floor, not infrequently the rooms open from a central hall or top

-stair landing. There are a number of colors and designs in Armstrong’s

-Linoleum that are specially suitable for groups of rooms because they

-lend themselves as a background for the draperies in each room, and yet

-bind all the rooms together as a unit. The gray jaspe, plain dark gray,

-and light gray linoleums are particularly appropriate with old Colonial

-painted woodwork in white, ivory, or soft gray; the brown jaspe, plain

-dark brown or tan, the parquetries, and certain carpet patterns are

-equally appropriate with oak, cypress, gum, or chestnut woodwork in the

-natural finish or painted woodwork in buff and tan.

-

-[Sidenote: For the Bedroom]

-

-For the bedroom, no floor is so sanitary and so easily cared for as

-linoleum. It appeals to the most fastidious. And linoleum is not a

-cold floor--in fact, it is as warm as any wood surface. We have said

-that linoleum is made largely of cork and linseed oil. Cork is widely

-used for heat insulating purposes. Engineers regard it as good, if not

-a better heat retainer than wood. And a linoleum floor has certain

-advantages over wood floors. There are no cracks or crevices to catch

-dust or harbor germs. The oxidized linseed oil, moreover, has known

-germicidal powers that actually tend to destroy bacteria.

-

-There are some very dainty small designs in delicate colors in

-Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum that are particularly suitable for

-bedrooms--blue-and-white, pink-and-white, green-and-blue, and

-green-and-white. Bedroom floors like these, or of plain light blue,

-rose, or light gray are very charming.

-

-Over the bedroom linoleum floor you will, of course, use small fabric

-rugs beside the bed, in front of the dressing table, or before the easy

-chair. You would not leave a wood floor bare. Let us emphasize again

-that linoleum is a floor--and not merely a floor-covering.

-

-Perhaps in your home bedroom floors have been a problem because they

-are of soft wood, which must be repainted frequently and which are

-always hard to keep looking well. Linoleum offers you new floors for

-old--and at relatively slight expense, far less than the cost of

-putting in new wood floors. Remember that linoleum floors do not need

-periodical refinishing, as does hardwood. This is an additional saving.

-

-[Sidenote: For the Sleeping-Porch]

-

-Many people do not consider a house complete nowadays unless it has a

-sleeping-porch. Here, again, to secure a thoroughly satisfactory floor

-is a problem. But linoleum solves it nicely and economically. Granite

-linoleums, which resemble terrazzo, or a neat tile effect will be

-especially pleasing.

-

-[Sidenote: For the Bathroom]

-

-Water is always being spilled upon the bathroom floor. It rots wood;

-it gets into the cracks of tiling and, in time, may cause the tiles

-to come up. What is needed in a bathroom, therefore, is a floor that

-is proof against moisture, easy to clean, sanitary, comfortable, and

-exceptionally durable. If laid properly--that is, cemented down with

-waterproof cement--a linoleum floor in a bathroom will last for years.

-The designs of Armstrong’s Linoleum which are offered for the bathroom

-combine cleanable, sanitary, comfortable, durable, and beautiful

-qualities in the highest degree.

-

-[Sidenote: For the Nursery]

-

-In decorating the children’s playroom, a linoleum floor, chosen in

-pattern to harmonize with the color scheme, gives one an opportunity

-to work out a charming relationship between the floor, the furniture,

-and the draperies, to suit the playroom idea. In Armstrong’s Linoleum,

-there are a score of designs in pleasing matting and wood effects and

-carpet patterns especially appropriate for such a room. And the floor

-need not be expensive--Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum will last through

-childhood’s romp and play. And, when the toys and games are put away

-for more mature interests, the room may be refurnished at slight

-expense.

-

-[Sidenote: For the Attic and Sewing-Room]

-

-In many homes, the attic is being changed from a store-room into an

-attractive, comfortable spare room at little expense. The skillful use

-of odd pieces of furniture, the pleasing blending of draperies, and the

-covering of the floor with an attractive linoleum pattern will easily

-make this room one of the most interesting in the home. Whether the

-room is used as an extra sleeping-room or for sewing, the advantages

-of a linoleum floor are obvious. It is so easy to clean; cuttings and

-threads are easily swept up; they do not stick to the smooth-surfaced

-linoleum. For a very small outlay, you can transform the attic in your

-home into a usable, attractive room.

-

-[Sidenote: For the Kitchen, Pantry and Laundry]

-

-If your kitchen or pantry floor is the kind that requires you to spend

-hours with water pail and scrubbing brush and back-breaking labor to

-keep it clean, it is time you change to a linoleum floor. And, even

-with linoleum floors, many women find it hard to get away from the

-scrubbing habit. Most people scrub linoleum entirely too frequently. A

-plain or inlaid linoleum floor should be thoroughly waxed with liquid

-floor wax. The wax provides a coating which prevents the dirt from

-being ground into the surface. Such a floor needs only to be swept and

-then wiped with a damp cloth, and the wax renewed every five to six

-weeks. Varnishing a printed linoleum floor will add to the life of the

-linoleum and make it easier to keep clean. All these considerations

-hold equally true for vestibule, laundry, and closets. There are many

-bright patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum for the kitchen or pantry from

-which you can make a selection that will exactly fit into your idea of

-what these rooms should look like.

-

-[Sidenote: The Advantages of Linoleum Floors]

-

-By way of summing up, consider for just a moment what the qualities are

-that you really need and demand in the floors in your home. Certainly,

-you want your floors to be durable. And is there any floor you can

-think of--cost considered--that can approach a good linoleum in wearing

-quality? Next, you demand sanitation. Do you know of any floor that

-excels linoleum in that respect? Most assuredly, you want floors that

-are easy to keep clean. Have you not found linoleum easy to clean? And

-you must have comfort. Is not linoleum easy underfoot?

-

-But, you say, we must have warmth, too. Certainly, you must. But you

-would hardly think of leaving the wood floor in your bedroom and

-living-room bare, would you? No, you use rugs. Follow the same course,

-then, with your linoleum floors; and you will find them equally as

-comfortable as hardwood. In fact, thickness for thickness, linoleum is

-a better non-conductor of heat than wood is.

-

-Then, finally, you demand beauty and economy in your floors--and justly

-so. As for color harmony, hardwood has distinct limitations. Shades of

-brown and tan are about the only colors that are available. But, with

-linoleum, the range of colors and patterns is well-nigh unlimited, and

-your floors can thus be made an integral part of your general color

-scheme. On this point, the colorplates that accompany this book speak

-for themselves.

-

-As to economy, linoleum floors of good quality are less expensive

-today than the cheapest hardwood. And they cost less to maintain,

-too. Given reasonable care and proper treatment, linoleum floors will

-last indefinitely, without the periodic refinishing that all hardwood

-requires.

-

-So you can see for yourself, once you analyze the subject, how

-remarkably linoleum does combine each and every one of the qualities

-you want the floors in your home to possess.

-

-[Sidenote: Bureau of Interior Decoration]

-

-Naturally, we want you to be thoroughly satisfied with your floors of

-Armstrong’s Linoleum--not only as to wearing quality but in respect

-to pattern and color as well. And, since the selection of suitable

-linoleum floors to harmonize with the different types of furnishings

-and color schemes involves the application of the principles of

-interior decoration, we have organized a Bureau of Interior Decoration

-to answer any questions you may care to ask about the use of

-Armstrong’s Linoleum in your home.

-

-If you are planning to refurnish or redecorate your home, write our

-Bureau of Interior Decoration, describing your furniture, wallpaper,

-rugs, and the color scheme you have in mind. Our Interior Decorator

-will be glad to make suggestions that may be helpful to you, and will

-send you lithographs of linoleum patterns that will make suitable

-floors for your home. There is no charge or implied obligation for this

-service.

-

-[Sidenote: How To Get Armstrong’s Linoleum]

-

-First, get in touch with the merchant in home furnishings with whom

-you are accustomed to trade. If he does not have on hand an adequate

-assortment of Armstrong patterns to suit your taste, ask him to show

-you his copy of the Armstrong Pattern Book, which contains colorplates

-of all of the two hundred and fifty designs and colorings in the

-Armstrong line. From this book, you can select your first, second, and

-third choice; and doubtless he will be glad to place an order for the

-pattern you desire.

-

-Certain patterns, including plain colorings, jaspes, and carpet

-inlaids, are carried in the factory in our Cut-Order Department; and

-the merchant can order exact room sizes for you.

-

-If, however, you have difficulty in getting just what you want, please

-write us, not forgetting to include the merchant’s name and address.

-Then we shall do all in our power to see that you can secure what you

-require through some good store near you.

-

-As manufacturers, we sell only through the regular trade channels,

-and, therefore, we cannot quote you prices. In fact, it is really to

-your advantage to buy through your dealer, as he purchases Armstrong’s

-Linoleum in large quantities, and thus the transportation charges are

-much less than if a small quantity of linoleum were shipped direct from

-the factory.

-

-[Sidenote: Our Guarantee]

-

-Every yard of Armstrong’s Linoleum is fully guaranteed to give

-satisfactory service. Your merchant will be authorized to make good to

-you any defect in manufacture, either by replacing the linoleum or by

-making an adjustment satisfactory to you.

-

-[1] _Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration._

-

-

-

-

-_How To Care for Linoleum Floors_

-

-

-A linoleum floor, properly cared for, is easier to clean and will

-retain its new and attractive appearance longer than any other kind

-of floor. Linoleum has a smooth, unbroken surface, without cracks and

-crevices to catch dirt and germs. In Armstrong’s Linoleum, the colors

-used are bright and clear and will retain their luster and brilliancy

-for years.

-

-As every housewife knows, linoleum floors require less attention than

-wood floors; but it is possible to lessen materially the work of caring

-for linoleum floors by observing the simple rules set forth in the

-paragraphs following.

-

-[Sidenote: Waxing Inlaid and Plain Linoleum]

-

-When you install a new inlaid, jaspe, or plain linoleum floor, it

-should first be washed carefully with tepid water and pure soap and

-then, before it is tracked up, waxed with a liquid floor wax, rubbing

-the wax in very thoroughly.

-

-After that, you will care for your linoleum floor just as you would for

-a waxed floor. A weighted brush, such as is used for wood floors, is

-convenient for polishing; or a heavy brick, wrapped in a soft cloth,

-will serve.

-

-The daily care of a waxed linoleum floor is simple. Ordinarily, all

-that is needed is to go over the floor around the fabric rugs with

-a dry mop. At doorways, or where the traffic is greatest, the wax

-coating will wear away, and should be renewed at those points as often

-as appearance demands. Given this sort of care, it is not necessary

-to scrub or wash linoleum floors, except at rare intervals. Muddy

-footprints may be wiped up with a damp cloth, as occasion requires.

-

-Any good floor wax, such as Johnson’s Liquid Wax or Old English

-Brightener, is suitable for use on linoleum floors. Most people prefer

-to use liquid wax because it is easier to apply than paste wax and

-permits evener distribution on the linoleum. Whether you use liquid or

-paste wax, apply it very sparingly and be sure to rub it in thoroughly.

-If you put the wax coating on too thick, it will not harden properly.

-As a result, the excess wax will absorb and hold the dirt. It will look

-greasy and unsightly, and the floor will remain in a slippery condition.

-

-[Sidenote: Varnishing Printed Linoleum]

-

-Many people find that printed linoleum wears better and retains its

-original freshness of coloring longer if given a coating of varnish

-or clear white shellac. It is economical to use only a high-grade

-waterproof varnish or a clear white shellac, as the cheaper grades are

-likely to scratch or turn white under water. Such varnishes as Valspar

-or “61” Floor Varnish are recommended.

-

-Before varnishing or shellacking, the linoleum must be cleaned

-carefully and should be thoroughly dried. The varnish should be applied

-as evenly as possible and allowed to dry twelve hours before the floor

-is used. At least two coats should be applied over new linoleum;

-thereafter, the varnish need be renewed but once or twice a year,

-according to the wear on the floor. Care should be used in revarnishing

-to avoid streaked and spotty effects.

-

-[Sidenote: Washing Linoleum]

-

-In the kitchen, pantry, or bathroom, where water is spilled and there

-is naturally more dirt, owing to the ordinary household activities,

-than on other floors of the house, washing linoleum will, at times,

-become necessary. However, going over the waxed linoleum floor with

-a dry or waxed mop will usually keep it clean. As previously stated,

-scrubbing linoleum should rarely be necessary. In washing the linoleum,

-warm, sudsy water, made with a mild soap, such as Ivory, will clean

-a linoleum floor thoroughly. It is best to wash and dry only about a

-square yard at a time, rinsing the linoleum with clear water and wiping

-it up thoroughly. Never flood the surface of the linoleum with water,

-nor allow the water to stand around the edges or seams.

-

-[Sidenote: Avoid Alkali Soaps and Powders]

-

-Contrary to the idea held by a good many housewives, certain advertised

-cleaning soaps and washing powders are not good to use on linoleum.

-Practically all of these cleansers contain strong alkali or caustics

-which are positively injurious. More harm is done to linoleum by the

-use of such agents than in any other way. The chemical action of these

-substances disintegrates the oxidized linseed oil and cork in linoleum

-just as it destroys the varnish on hardwood. A good rule is to avoid

-the use of soda, lye, or potash cleansing powders and strong scouring

-soaps altogether. A good mild soap is all that is necessary.

-

-[Sidenote: Polishing Linoleum]

-

-After washing with soap and water, inlaid linoleum, particularly,

-should be polished with a soft cloth or brush. The wax finish may be

-dulled somewhat by the washing, but is quickly restored by a brisk

-rubbing. Where the wax has been removed by washing, it should be

-renewed at once.

-

-[Sidenote: Heavy Furniture on Linoleum]

-

-The casters ordinarily used are apt to cut into linoleum if the

-furniture is heavy, therefore it is best to use glass or metal sliding

-shoes which have a wide bearing surface and no rough edges. They are

-made in several sizes, have a shank similar to that on a regular

-caster, and will fit the same sockets. Heavy felt casters may be

-purchased at the furniture stores which are also recommended for use on

-linoleum floors.

-

-Always lay a piece of carpet on the floor, or a board, just as over a

-hardwood floor, when moving very heavy furniture, to prevent marring

-the surface of the linoleum.

-

-

-

-

-_How To Lay Linoleum Floors_

-

-

-In the past, linoleum has been regarded by many as a temporary

-floor-covering. Not much care has been used in laying it. But you want

-well-finished floors in your home that will need a minimum amount of

-attention as the years go by. For this reason, we strongly recommend

-that you have your linoleum floors installed by the merchant from whom

-you buy the goods. Experience has taught their layers how to cut the

-linoleum so as to avoid waste and how to lay it to prevent buckling and

-cracking, conditions which result from faulty workmanship.

-

-[Sidenote: Skilled Workmanship Required]

-

-Insist that your linoleum be laid right. If the merchant does not

-employ skilled mechanics to do this work, go to a merchant who has

-a staff of layers and who will guarantee his laying. He will make a

-charge for the cost of labor and materials; but, in the long run, it

-will prove greater economy for you to pay well to have your linoleum

-laid properly than to have the laying done in a makeshift manner in

-order to save a few cents per yard.

-

-

-LAY LINOLEUM AS A PERMANENT FLOOR

-

-When you purchase a good grade of linoleum to be installed as a floor

-in your living-room, dining-room, or even in the kitchen or bathroom,

-naturally you desire to have it put down as a permanent floor. The

-most satisfactory way to install linoleum is to cement it down solidly

-over a lining of builders’ deadening felt paper. This will give you a

-permanent floor, smooth, firm, without cracks or crevices. Owing to the

-variations in moisture conditions, any wood underflooring will expand

-in summer and dry out in winter, leaving cracks. Linoleum cannot be

-cemented directly to such a wood underflooring without possibility of

-damage. One of the chief advantages of the felt lining is that it tends

-to take up this expansion and contraction, thus saving the linoleum

-floor from breaking or cracking. In addition, the felt acts as a

-cushion, deadening sound and adding to the warmth and comfort of the

-floor, making it delightful to walk or stand on.

-

-Should it become necessary, in time, to remove such a linoleum floor,

-this can be done easily, without damage to the linoleum.

-

-[Sidenote: Laying Linoleum Over Felt Paper]

-

-Leading contract linoleum layers and good stores have adopted the

-felt paper method of laying linoleum and recommend its use to their

-customers. A brief description is given here of this method in order

-that you may understand how the work should be done. If your merchant

-is not yet equipped to lay linoleum by this method, ask him to write

-for a copy of our linoleum layers’ handbook, “Detailed Directions for

-Laying and Caring for Linoleum,” which lists all of the materials and

-equipment needed, and includes illustrations showing the several steps

-in laying linoleum by this improved method. A copy of this handbook

-will also be sent to you, without charge, upon request.

-

-In cementing linoleum down over felt paper, the felt is first cut into

-lengths to go across the short way of the room. The quarter-round floor

-molding is removed, and the felt fitted snugly at each end. A linoleum

-paste is then applied to the undersurface of the felt, which is then

-rolled or pressed down until it adheres firmly to the floor.

-

-The lengths of the linoleum are next pressed in position crosswise to

-the direction of the felt strips, or the long way of the room. One

-piece is laid at a time. The surface of the felt under each strip of

-linoleum is well coated with paste, except for four to six inches along

-each end and side and along the seams, which spaces are left bare. The

-linoleum is put down and rolled. After the paste has begun to dry, the

-free edges of the linoleum are trimmed to fit neatly at all points.

-Then waterproof linoleum cement (a kind of glue) is applied to the felt

-along all edges and seams back under the linoleum for a distance of

-four to six inches. This cement makes the floor perfectly water-tight.

-Finally, the linoleum is well rolled with a heavy roller to insure

-perfect adhesion at all points.

-

-Weights, such as face brick or sand bags, are placed against each other

-lengthwise along all edges and seams to press the linoleum firmly

-against the felt while the cement dries. After twenty-four hours, the

-bricks are removed; and the floor is ready for use. The molding is

-put back into place, and the floor is cleaned thoroughly. If plain or

-inlaid linoleum has been laid, it should be waxed at once and polished.

-

-

-LAYING DIRECT ON WOOD FLOORS

-

-A less permanent way to install linoleum is to tack or nail it directly

-on the wood floor. Where a more or less temporary floor covering

-is desired, as in the cases of tenants on short leases, etc., this

-method may be made to suffice. However, wherever the linoleum is to be

-installed as a permanent floor, instead of wood or other floors, we

-strongly recommend that it be laid over felt paper as just described.

-

-Directions are given in the paragraphs following for laying linoleum

-directly on wood or concrete floors, without the use of a felt lining.

-This method is described at greater length in the handbook previously

-mentioned, “Detailed Directions for Laying and Caring for Linoleum,”

-but the main steps in the process are here fully outlined.

-

-[Sidenote: Preparation for Laying Linoleum]

-

-The floor should be perfectly dry and clean, the surface smooth and

-even. All cracks should be filled, nails should be removed, and the

-uneven edges of the boards planed off, if necessary. The quarter-round

-molding should be taken up carefully from the baseboard all around the

-room.

-

-In cold weather, linoleum becomes brittle. If you are laying your floor

-in winter, be sure to let the roll of linoleum stand on end in a warm

-room for at least forty-eight hours before unrolling it.

-

-[Sidenote: Laying the Linoleum]

-

-When ready to lay, first measure the linoleum carefully and, if

-possible, cut it to run lengthwise in the opposite direction from the

-boards in the floor. Trim it ¼ to ½ inch short at each end, just so

-the edge of the linoleum will be covered by the quarter-round molding

-when this is replaced. Along the side walls the linoleum should not be

-placed tight against the baseboard, but, just as at the end, a space

-of ¼ to ½ inch wide should be left. The edges of the linoleum at the

-seams, however, should be butted tightly against each other, with the

-pattern properly matched.

-

-Laid in this manner, the linoleum will have an opportunity to expand

-underneath the edge of the quarter-round molding. In replacing the

-quarter-round, do not fasten it down tight against the surface of the

-linoleum. The quarter-round must not bind the material at any point,

-but should be nailed to the baseboard in such manner as to permit the

-lifting out of the linoleum easily should retrimming become necessary.

-

-Should a buckle or air-bubble develop in the linoleum, it must be

-smoothed out, and the edge of the linoleum under the floor molding cut

-back a trifle, if needed to take up the expansion. _Do not put any

-brads in the linoleum during the expansion period._

-

-[Sidenote: Fitting Around Pipes and Projections]

-

-Care must be taken to fit the linoleum neatly around radiators, waste

-pipes, doorways, wall projections, etc. Where possible, the gas stove,

-kitchen range, and other movable equipment should be disconnected,

-and linoleum laid under it carefully to insure tight joints. Good

-workmanship in fitting adds much to the appearance of the linoleum

-floor.

-

-[Sidenote: Fastening Linoleum]

-

-In many cases it will be found that it is not necessary to fasten

-linoleum to the floor at all, when it has been laid under the

-quarter-round molding at the sides and ends. The molding itself will be

-all that is required to hold the material in place.

-

-Where it becomes necessary, however, to fasten the linoleum to wood

-floors, use No. 18, ¾-inch, wire brads. Never use carpet tacks. The

-brads should be set in ⅛ to ¼ inch from the edge and should be spaced

-about four inches apart along the edges and three inches apart on

-seams. The brads should be driven down until the heads are lost in the

-surface of the linoleum.

-

-

-LAYING LINOLEUM ON A CONCRETE FLOOR

-

-The only way to fasten linoleum to concrete in your laundry, entry-way,

-bathroom, or any other concrete floor, is by means of paste and

-waterproof cement. Here, again, it is advisable to have your linoleum

-cemented down over a lining of deadening felt paper, according to the

-method previously described. Again we recommend that you have this work

-done by your merchant’s experienced workmen. But should you decide

-to lay the material without the use of the felt lining, the following

-directions are given for your guidance.

-

-Please note that the linoleum should never be laid over concrete floors

-in basements which are in direct contact with the earth beneath unless

-the concrete has first been thoroughly waterproofed. The moisture in

-the earth will inevitably come up through the concrete and loosen the

-linoleum. Waterproofing a concrete floor must be done by a roofing or

-waterproofing contractor who understands thoroughly how to do this work.

-

-[Sidenote: Laying the Linoleum]

-

-The method of laying linoleum over a concrete floor is similar to the

-final operation of laying linoleum over felt, as described on pages 41

-to 42. Use Armstrong’s Linoleum Paste for pasting the centers of the

-linoleum strips to the concrete, and Armstrong’s Waterproof Linoleum

-Cement for gluing the edges and seams to the concrete floor, so as to

-prevent water from getting underneath the fabric.

-

-After removing all dirt and dust and filling the expansion joints with

-plaster of Paris, apply Armstrong’s Linoleum Paste to the concrete

-floor with a wide brush to within four to six inches of each side and

-end of the linoleum strip, which space is left bare for the later

-application of the cement. Put the width of linoleum in place and roll

-it out at once, before the paste dries. Repeat the same operation with

-the succeeding strips of linoleum, butting the edges of the strips

-together tightly. Trim the ends to fit snugly against the wall. Then

-lift the edges of the strips of linoleum along the sides and ends and

-apply Armstrong’s Waterproof Linoleum Cement with a paint brush to

-the concrete floor as far back as the paste will permit. Remove any

-cement that gets on the surface at once with alcohol. Finally, roll the

-linoleum with an iron roller to insure perfect adhesion.

-

-Weights, such as pressed brick, sandbags, or other heavy objects,

-should then be placed along all seams and edges, and allowed to remain

-for not less than twenty-four hours.

-

-[Illustration: _Look for the CIRCLE “A” trademark on the burlap back_]

-

-[Illustration:_The green tile surrounding the blazing fire in this

-comfortable modern home has been chosen to harmonize with the green

-carpet-patterned linoleum. A touch of the complementary red, and the

-blues and yellows are blended in the fabrics to make the room cheerful.

-It is not overcrowded with furniture, but rather is arranged to give

-a spacious, open effect. Comfort and utility are two of the primary

-requisites of every living-room, characteristics not only of this room,

-but also of the floor of Armstrong’s Linoleum, Carpet Inlaid Pattern

-752._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]

-

-[Illustration: _The color note of this young girl’s room has been

-carried into the floor--Armstrong’s Blue Jaspé Linoleum. It aids

-materially in contributing a bright, personal touch to the room.

-Combined with attractive draperies, painted furniture, and simple rugs,

-any of the jaspé or plain light-colored linoleums will give a similar

-charming effect; these, together with the interesting carpet inlaids or

-matting patterns, offer a wide opportunity for originality in selecting

-a distinctive floor as the starting-point in the decorative scheme._

-ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]

-

-[Illustration: _Here the gray jaspé linoleum floor has been used to

-group the entire second floor suite as a decorative unit. The gray

-jaspé is particularly pleasing as a background for fabric rugs and

-other furnishings. Such a floor is always perfectly sanitary, and,

-waxed occasionally, is always attractive in appearance._ ARMSTRONG

-BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]

-

-[Illustration: _In many homes the attic is being changed from a

-store-room into an attractive, comfortable spare room, and at little

-expense. In this attic the outlay was slight. A skillful use of odd

-pieces of furniture and the pleasing blending of the draperies and

-coverings with the attractive carpet pattern of the printed linoleum

-floor have made this room one of the most interesting in the home. In

-such a room Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum will give splendid service for

-years, and also aids materially in the working-out of the decorative

-plan._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]

-

-[Illustration: _This bedroom is bright and comfortable, and still has

-enough restraint to give a feeling of peace and repose. The curtains,

-paper, and decorations are in perfect harmony with the pleasing carpet

-pattern of the linoleum floor, which blends with the fabric rugs and

-serves as a background for the entire color scheme._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU

-OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]

-

-[Illustration: _In this comfortable, home-like, hall living-room

-the floor of Armstrong’s Parquetry Linoleum, Pattern No. 690, makes

-a definite contribution to the pleasing decorative scheme. The

-furnishings are simple, not expensive, but have been selected because

-of their color values and their relation to each other. And the

-parquetry linoleum is not only less costly than wood, but it is more

-sanitary and much easier to take care of._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR

-DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]

-

-[Illustration: _Both the color and the texture of objects used in a

-child’s room should suggest cleanliness, freshness, cheerfulness and

-durability. At the same time they should represent his interests and

-his pleasures. To all these ends linoleum is expressly adapted. The

-walls, furniture, hangings and toys in this room have been selected to

-harmonize with these ideas and with the linoleum floor, which is ivory,

-turquoise blue and light gray in color._]

-

-[Illustration: _The color combination rather than expensive furnishings

-makes these bungalow rooms inviting. Floors of Armstrong’s Brown Jaspé

-Linoleum, brown furniture, and tan walls make a good background for the

-color of the curtains, cushions, vases, and lampshade. The decorative

-value of books is well demonstrated in this picture._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU

-OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]

-

-[Illustration: _Beauty and good taste are at once apparent in this

-well-appointed home. The floor is not oak, as one might suppose,

-but is Armstrong’s Parquetry Linoleum, as beautiful in its graining

-as hardwood, and more comfortable to walk on. The cost is cut in

-half. These permanent linoleum floors will never require expensive

-refinishing._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]

-

-[Illustration: _In this cheery dining-room the early American furniture

-is happily combined with the Chinese rug and the brown jaspé linoleum

-floor (Color No. 11). One feels that this room has been planned in

-good taste and that the linoleum floor has contributed its part to the

-atmosphere of refinement. More comfortable than wood, and easier to

-keep clean, permanently laid linoleum floors have their place in the

-modern home._--ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]

-

-[Illustration: _Plain dark gray linoleum makes an appropriate floor

-for old-fashioned houses--either in new-old houses, or to replace the

-worn floors of houses being remodelled. In this stately Colonial home,

-the linoleum harmonizes with the beautiful ivory woodwork, and makes a

-perfect background for the Oriental rugs._]

-

-[Illustration: _An atmosphere of simple elegance is attained by the

-beautifully proportioned wall spaces, and the slender-legged French

-furniture used in this room. In harmony is the gray Jaspé Linoleum

-which, waxed and polished, makes a perfect floor. Because of its

-neutrality, it is not only a good background for the furniture, but

-likewise for the rug and fabrics employed to make the room bright and

-attractive._]

-

-[Illustration: _In this dining-room, the soft brown linoleum floor

-blends with the beautiful wood of the Sheraton furniture, the colorful

-draperies, and the fine rug. Linoleum is the logical floor for the

-dining-room, because it is so easy to care for. It is a quiet floor;

-also a particular advantage._]

-

-[Illustration: _In this home of evident culture and refinement,

-linoleum floors were installed in every room, instead of wood. In

-the living-room, the plain floor, and the unobtrusive walls and

-curtains, are in pleasing balance with the figured Oriental rugs and

-upholsteries. The smooth surface of the floor, without cracks or

-crevices, suggests a feeling of fastidious cleanliness. An atmosphere

-of restfulness pervades the room._]

-

-[Illustration: _This interesting use, after the European manner, of a

-carpet inlaid linoleum floor through hall and living-room, illustrates

-how effectively a pattern can be employed in floors, as well as on

-walls and in hangings. The small all-over design gives the effect of

-a rich carpet, and yet the floor is sanitary, easy to care for, and

-durable._]

-

-[Illustration: _This sun parlor shows the decorative value of a

-linoleum floor. Here a marble design has been combined with a plain

-linoleum border. The charm of the room is due to the happy relation

-of the floor design and the interior architecture, as well as to the

-arrangement of the furniture. Neither too much nor too little is

-used--so that a spacious effect is obtained._]

-

-*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ART OF HOME FURNISHING AND

-DECORATION ***

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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 67518 ***
+
+  _THE ART OF
+  HOME FURNISHING
+  AND DECORATION_
+
+
+  _By_
+  FRANK ALVAH PARSONS
+
+  President, New York School of Fine and Applied Art
+  Author of “Interior Decoration--Its Principles and Practice,” Etc.
+
+
+  PUBLISHED BY
+  Armstrong Cork Company
+  _Linoleum Department_
+  LANCASTER, PENNA., U. S. A.
+
+
+
+
+  SECOND EDITION
+
+  Copyright 1921 by
+  ARMSTRONG CORK COMPANY
+  _Linoleum Department_
+  LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA
+
+
+
+
+_FOREWORD_
+
+
+Frank Alvah Parsons, President of the New York School of Fine and
+Applied Art, is a leading American authority on interior decoration.
+He long since has amply demonstrated his wonderful faculty for turning
+his knowledge to the common good. We know of no man who, with voice
+and pen, has fought harder or more unceasingly for better taste, for
+richer, fuller home life.
+
+Mr. Parsons hardly can seem a stranger to the average reader of this
+book. Indeed, through his writings and lectures, he has become guide
+and counsellor and the personal friend of thousands of refined men and
+women, who have accepted the idea so well developed by Mr. Parsons in
+the following pages, that “Man is what he lives in;” that, generally
+speaking, man can be no greater or no less than the daily environment
+in which he works, thinks, and lives.
+
+We take great satisfaction and pleasure in announcing Mr. Parsons as
+the author of that section of this book which is entitled “The Art
+of Home Furnishing and Decoration.” It is written in Mr. Parson’s
+typically intimate and forceful style, and every paragraph is replete
+with information and suggestions of great value. We are sure that this
+book will hold your interest from the first to the last word, and that
+in the end you will look on the possibilities of your home and your
+life within it in a fresh and considerably enlarged perspective.
+
+After you have spent an hour with Mr. Parsons on the general theme of
+home furnishing and decoration, we believe that it will profit you to
+read what is written by ourselves in the latter part of the book on the
+specific subject of linoleum and its relation to the principles that
+Mr. Parsons has laid down.
+
+  ARMSTRONG CORK COMPANY
+
+
+
+
+_The Art of Home Furnishing and Decoration_
+
+FRANK ALVAH PARSONS
+
+
+Man is exactly what he lives in, for environment is the strongest
+possible factor in man’s development. One may be so long among loud
+noises, bad odors, inharmonious colors and wrong arrangements of
+things that one doesn’t mind them, because one has let them become
+an integral part of one’s self. They are there, and they are as bad
+as they were at first, but one has become immune to them. This being
+admitted, it follows, of course, that concordant sounds, agreeable
+odors, harmonious colors and pleasing arrangements have their immediate
+effects, but their tendency is toward refinement, culture and artistic
+appreciation instead of toward brutality, ignorance and indifference.
+It is certainly not hard to see what effect is produced by living in
+any wrong environment. As a person accustoms himself to it, he becomes
+like it. When he is like it, he will admire only its kind, and whatever
+he does will be as nearly like his environment as he himself is.
+
+The importance of thoroughly comprehending this truth cannot be
+overstated. The mental and artistic quality of the nation and even its
+physical comfort depend upon it. This viewpoint, being somewhat new
+to us, accounts for the upheaval in our ideas of what a home really
+is. Looking a little into this matter may perhaps stimulate us still
+further in our thinking, which will affect our way of doing whatever we
+attempt in the future.
+
+[Sidenote: The Home Molds Our Tastes and Lives]
+
+In the first place the home is the center of all life’s activities. We
+are born there, and long before we have seen the shop, the office, the
+church or even the school, our first impressions of the fundamentals of
+life have become fixed. These are exceedingly hard to efface.
+
+The school can hardly hope to counteract in the child’s mind the effect
+of hearing incorrect language spoken at home for six years; the church
+is greatly handicapped in its influence where wrong principles of life
+have determined habits during the first years; the artistic sense is
+practically dead and refinement of taste impossible in that child whose
+parents have given the usual wall papers, rugs, hangings, pictures and
+other objects of modern furnishing a chance to do their unrestricted
+work. Most of these have been made to sell, but not to people who use
+any judgment in buying. Occasionally we think of the durability or the
+comfort of an article, but how seldom of the colors, the patterns,
+the combinations of different periods with different meanings, all of
+which unite to make an unthinkable, inharmonious jumble which produces
+a reaction on an impressionable person little short of criminal. This
+being the case, is it any wonder that too frequently we are satisfied
+with inferior things or that we are not able to compete with other
+nations in creating better ones?
+
+This view of the home as an educator places it above any other
+institution in life and makes it worthy of the most careful and
+scientific study from several points of view. It might be well to
+consider here four of the most important of these.
+
+[Sidenote: Home Must Satisfy the Body]
+
+The first requisite of a house is physical comfort. Not only is this
+true of each article of furniture, but it is true also of the placing
+of each piece as it relates to the other pieces.
+
+Take, for instance, a divan, a chair, a table, a lamp, some books and
+a footstool. It is not enough that the chair, the divan and the stool
+should each be comfortable to the body, but comfort demands that each
+be so placed that one can use the divan or chair with the stool, while
+the books on a table with a lamp are placed so that one may lounge or
+sit and read without effort and without expending energy to assemble
+what is required. The best possible arrangement, you see, demands more
+skill than at first appears.
+
+[Sidenote: Home Must Satisfy the Mind]
+
+_Mental comfort_ is even more important to man in his home than
+physical comfort. He must, or should, find in his home an intellectual
+stimulus and a refining influence to complement the activities and
+struggles of his life outside, to calm and rest the tired nerves and to
+relieve the material or commercial stress which threatens entirely to
+destroy his power to see or know anything else. Unconsciously driven by
+this need he rushes from home to the club, to the theatre or elsewhere
+for diversion, amusement or rest. This is not as it should be, for in
+the right environment the home should furnish the rest and intellectual
+refreshment needed. Let us consider that there must be an expenditure
+of thought and skill in furnishing a home if it is to play its rightful
+part in the scheme of life.
+
+[Sidenote: Home Must Be Sanitary]
+
+Even then, there is another thing to consider. A man may succeed
+in accomplishing wonders in the realm of physical comfort, yet so
+completely ignore the question of sanitation as to menace the health
+of his family, if not to offend their sense of decent cleanliness.
+The horrors of Victorian plush upholstery, chenille portieres and
+nailed-down carpets are still fresh in the memory of some of us, and
+we have not yet been able to get a clear idea of a really clean thing
+because of the bad impression made on us by these conditions. Probably
+we never shall, until we succeed in effacing their memory by discarding
+the traditions they represent and adopting wholly different ideas in
+their places. Let us think of the question of _sanitation_ as a second
+necessity in considering any household problem.
+
+[Sidenote: Costly Things Not Always Best]
+
+It is perhaps unnecessary to look at this matter from the viewpoint
+of economics, but to me it seems very important. We cannot all afford
+to buy everything we see, desire or even appreciate. Realizing this,
+we lose enthusiasm and take almost anything. This is not necessary,
+nor is it wise. Good things are not all costly, nor are all cheap
+things equally bad. One might also add that frequently very costly
+things incline to be bad; at any rate, there is far greater danger of
+their being so because of the greater opportunity they afford for the
+expression of bad taste.
+
+Knowledge furnishes the greatest defense against bad things in any
+form. The more one knows, the more capable he is of selecting the best
+for his money and of using his selections in such a way as to suggest
+that much more was paid for them than they really cost.
+
+[Sidenote: An Artistic Home Means Enjoyable Living]
+
+Intelligent selection--the art of buying the most appropriate
+furnishings and decorations for the home--leads logically to
+intelligent decoration, the art of arranging the furnishings and
+decorations so as to make possible a thoroughly attractive home and
+keenly enjoyable living for the family.
+
+The introduction of the word “Art” always opens up a new field fraught
+with unpleasant possibilities. So many things masquerade under this
+name that we are almost deceived as to what it really is. Shall we not
+attack and dispose of some of these fallacies before attempting to see
+what it actually is?
+
+Because it is an art to _decorate_ we are apt to think that anything
+attached to or hung on to another thing is decoration, therefore
+artistic. Nothing could be further from the truth. Principles control
+decoration, and decoration is only possible when it conforms to these
+principles. In order to be decorative there must be something that
+requires decoration; that is, which is incomplete in itself. As soon
+as material of any kind is added after a thing is complete, the result
+becomes an aggregation, not a decoration.
+
+Most houses belong to this class because the owner refuses to stop when
+he is done. He may also have erred through having no place to decorate,
+his background being of such a kind that, struggle as it might, nothing
+could compete for attention, therefore could not become decorative by
+contrast. Simplicity in backgrounds is the foundation of decorative
+possibility.
+
+[Sidenote: No Room for Sentimentality]
+
+Oversentimentality is as bad as overdecoration. Sentiment is not
+only commendable but is an essential element that makes for human
+decency, but _sentimentality_, which by most people is thought to be
+the same thing, is unpleasant and unhealthy. Admiration, affection,
+veneration--each of these qualities has its place with all of us in
+its particular situation. This is well; but when, through association,
+we mistake an impersonal object for the real qualities of a person and
+begin to bestow adoration on it, then it is time to stop and think.
+
+To be sure, one respects some things in his grandfather and his
+other forebears. He is not insensible to the excellent points in his
+friends and associates. But if he is a wise man, he does not apply
+all his grandfather’s good qualities to all the furniture he uses,
+nor the excellent points in his friends to all the objects they have
+felt impelled to give him at one time or another for some sort of
+reason. If half the rubbish in every house in America that exists for
+solely sentimental reasons or because of a fear of being detected
+in its destruction were to be burned now, the next generation would
+have a much clearer vision of what art is, unhampered by sentimental
+misconception.
+
+A sentimental and an æsthetic feeling are quite distinct from each
+other. Who is there among us who does not love _nature_? The trees,
+the birds, the flowers--they seem to be a part of the great Divine
+scheme which calls for especial appreciation. This is also well; but
+nature is not art, neither is man’s imitation of it. Sometimes his
+interpretation of it is art, sometimes it is not. Not infrequently his
+conventionalization of nature and its adaptation to the material in
+which it is to be used become a decorative art; yet, even if this is
+accomplished, the thing may be spoiled in the use, and an inartistic
+whole may result. Just and reasonable homage to nature has impelled
+people to try in all sorts of ways to imitate it. This is not _art_.
+_Art is creation_, not imitation. One has but to reflect, and amazement
+must result when one realizes to what this impulse has led in every
+field of expression. Flowers have been painted on everything known,
+from the kitchen floor to the plush sofa pillow. The more like nature
+these decorations have appeared, the more artistic they were thought
+to be, when the truth was actually the reverse. The more natural these
+are, the more inappropriate they are as seen from any viewpoint.
+
+[Sidenote: Art Is Creative]
+
+Who is there that would not hesitate to sit down on, or put his foot
+on, a perfectly natural rose or lily? Where is there a human being that
+would care to lie down on a pillow with the painted face, even of an
+Indian, in the center? Who can see nature insulted in various objects
+by the sticking-in of pins or the driving-in of nails? The whole thing
+is too simple. Nature has its place, but it is not art, nor is the
+imitation of it art.
+
+This is so intimately associated with another fallacy that it should
+suggest it without comment. The appetites of man are ever insistent
+for attention. The desire for food, drink, shelter--these are physical
+appetites. They make their assertions naturally, and when normally
+treated bear their relation to the rest of life. But neither these nor
+the sensations attendant on them are art, nor should these senses be
+confounded with the artistic sense.
+
+Apples and pears look well on trees, in suitable receptacles or on
+tables. They are to eat. Imitations of them painted on plates seem to
+win admiration at once for their likeness to the real thing. The saliva
+flows in the mouth, the digestive organs begin their natural functions,
+and, while our sensations are purely physical, strangely enough many
+think this artistic. It is the hunger appetite being appeased, not the
+æsthetic.
+
+The atrocities committed in this field are innumerable. Exact copies
+of everything, from a bunch of grapes to an ostrich, may be found in
+one winter’s millinery display, while the real or copied forms of
+everything, from a dried fish to a gigantic moose head, may be seen in
+one dining-room at one time. This is not art. It is natural history and
+botany illustration in museum effect.
+
+[Sidenote: All Pictures Are Not Good]
+
+The hardest thing in the world to combat is a universal belief in the
+infallibility of pictures. These are necessary to convey ideas and they
+have a function to perform. They are interesting, they may even be
+amusing, but they are by no means always artistic. So great has been
+the belief in and admiration for pictures, that we have, as a nation,
+pretty nearly surrendered to the idea that drawing and picture-making
+alone is art. No greater mistake than this has ever been made. There
+are a thousand more bad pictures than there are good ones and a hundred
+bad ones used in houses where one good one appears. This is because we
+seem to have a kind of fear that there may be a vacant place on the
+wall, and also because the picture idea has become a mania.
+
+“Silence is golden,” but a blank space on a wall is often diamonds and
+emeralds compared to one filled with the average pictures that are
+hung, not to mention their frames. What shall we say of this phase
+of human dissipation, particularly when the frames are gilt ones? A
+person who allows himself to decorate his house with frames instead of
+pictures should be expected to hang his wardrobe in the front hall for
+the same purpose. The results of this mania should not be charged up to
+the credit side of art. Rather, the man afflicted with it is a slave to
+tradition.
+
+For the most difficult thing in the world is for a person to change
+his established way of thinking or of doing anything. It is so much
+easier to think as one’s grandfather did and to do as one’s father
+did than it is to think and do for one’s self. For this reason we are
+somewhat handicapped in getting at the essence of art and its practical
+applications to ordinary life. If mahogany was the favored wood in the
+last half of the eighteenth century, of course it is a good idea to use
+it for anything, anywhere, forever afterward, even though a much better
+substitute is at hand. If floors were hardwood or soft wood or stone,
+or even plastered with Oriental rugs bearing no relation to the rest
+of the house, there seems to be no reason why people should change the
+rugs or have another kind of floor.
+
+Examples of this adherence to tradition are so frequent and so deadly
+that to cite more would be a waste of time. Traditional belief that
+antiques are always good or that the work of some particular man is
+forever praiseworthy or that some particular article should always be
+used in some established way, has blinded us to the possibilities in
+the right use of new things in a progressive way. All this hinders a
+clear perception of what art really is.
+
+If these things which have been misnamed art are carefully removed
+from consciousness permanently, it is easy enough to see what art is,
+and then it becomes almost an unconscious process to apply it, whether
+the application is made to the house, to clothes, or to other personal
+forms of expression.
+
+[Sidenote: Art Is Expressing Yourself]
+
+In the first place, art is creation. It is the personal expression of
+the individual in any material or combination that completely conveys
+his conception of what he is trying to project.
+
+This connection generally expresses a need which he himself feels.
+It may be for a house, a living-room, a divan, a hat, a footstool, a
+typewriter or an automobile. In any case, there is a need for something
+for a particular use. This need should be the reason for the art
+expression. Spurred on by the need, a man creates something which will
+fill the need.
+
+This need is both functional or material and mental or artistic. One
+bar to seeing what art is rests in not recognizing this two-fold
+element in it. In so far as one is able to make a chair that fits the
+body, fulfils its special function as a dining-room chair, or a study
+chair, he has succeeded in creating the first artistic element. An
+object which does not do honestly and truthfully and sensibly what it
+purports to do cannot be artistic, no matter how it looks.
+
+[Sidenote: Art Is Beauty]
+
+The second element that enters into art is appearance or beauty. This
+element or quality is a little more difficult to define because it is
+relative, just as heat is, or as goodness is. What seems warm to one
+seems cold to another; what seems good to one may be bad to some one
+else; so, then, the standard of beauty depends entirely upon one’s
+own conception of it. This does not mean that anything that anybody
+considers beautiful is so, any more than it means that it is a warm day
+when the thermometer is at zero because somebody does not feel cold.
+It simply means that the person who judges may or may not have a right
+mental standard of what beauty really is. This standard may be acquired
+approximately by anyone, for it is determined by certain principles.
+If the principles of harmony are understood and applied, beauty will
+result.
+
+[Sidenote: The Function of a Room]
+
+Take, for instance, the problem of a particular room. The first
+question to ask one’s self is: “What is this room for?” If it is
+a dining-room, it is a place in which to eat in peace. If it is a
+living-room, it is to live in and should have a quiet, restful, refined
+and otherwise pleasant atmosphere. If it is a bedroom, it is to rest
+and sleep in. From whatever standpoint the room is viewed, the question
+of _use_ comes first. Anything in the dining-room that interferes
+with eating in peace is in bad taste. Whatever appears as decoration
+in the living-room that is unrestful, tawdry, common or unessential,
+is inartistic. If the bedroom contains anything that is out of tone
+with its general spirit, if it contains anything that makes for other
+than an atmosphere of calm contentment and deep, sound sleep, it
+should be removed at once. Let this point of view spur us on to make
+an investigation of our houses--room by room--and alter or remove
+everything that strikes a jarring note.
+
+Let us start with the bedroom. Are there spotted fabrics or papers
+on the wall, the spots on which one involuntarily counts, even after
+going to sleep? Are there a half dozen small pictures in black frames
+against a white background, so hung that successive steps are formed
+which resemble the front hall stairs? Are there other diverting and
+disturbing arrangements in the room that seem to invite us to close our
+eyes to avoid further annoyance? Much can be done in house decoration
+by elimination, and the strongest argument for this process will be
+found in submitting each room to the test as to the performance of its
+proper function.
+
+[Sidenote: The Language of Art]
+
+These elements, _fitness to use_ and _beauty_, which when combined
+make what is called the art of quality, must be made comprehensible by
+facts and truths which can be expressed in a language form that all
+may learn to understand. This art language is made up of color, form,
+line and texture, and depends for its efficiency on a knowledge of the
+principles which govern it and upon an appreciation for the niceties in
+its use. Anyone can learn the principles and will grow in appreciation
+as he makes a right use of what he knows. Of the qualities mentioned,
+color is the most interesting; at least, it is the easiest to see. At
+the same time it is the most misused. This is much too small a space in
+which to demonstrate with any thoroughness the color language idea, but
+two or three of the most important facts must be emphasized.
+
+[Sidenote: Use of Color To Express Personality]
+
+Nothing is more personal than color and nothing admits of expressing
+personality with clearer or more manifest charm. The normal
+colors--yellow, red, blue, green, orange and violet--may be used in
+illustration of this statement.
+
+Color has its source in light, and natural light comes from the sun.
+Yellow looks most like the sun, as it expresses the quality that the
+sun seems to give out. From the sun we are cheered, made light-hearted
+and receive new life. Yellow in a room should, under normal conditions,
+produce the same feelings where it is the basis for the wall color or
+is used in curtains or in other spots. Red suggests blood and fire.
+It is associated with activity, aggression and passion. It heats and
+stimulates. One who fails to react to color is not normal or is immune
+from overcontact, while one who simply likes or dislikes a color and,
+therefore, uses it or never does, misses the real chance to express
+ideas. If one prefers red, there is no proof in the fact that makes
+it incumbent on him to live surrounded by it. He may be erratic enough
+without it, or possibly he doesn’t need a stimulant. Need is the
+fundamental question rather than liking. It is a question of what one
+ought to have.
+
+It is interesting to know that the aggressive quality of red makes a
+room in which it is used smaller in appearance, and there are times
+when this is not desirable. Its warming quality is not needed in hot
+climates or during a warm season.
+
+Blue has an opposite effect from red. Its reactions are restraint,
+coolness, repose and distance. By association one thinks of a clear
+blue sky and the cool breezes from the blue waters of the ocean. This
+makes blue a suitable antidote for hot weather and a temperate force,
+useful in modifying some people’s dispositions. Green, which is a
+union of yellow and blue, expresses the qualities of both. Nothing
+could be more restful, soothing and agreeable than the cheering and
+cooling effects of a seat in the shade upon the green grass under
+luxuriant green trees, in the middle of a hot day. It is easy to see
+the practical application of this in decorative art.
+
+Violet or purple has the qualities of red and blue, while orange has
+the qualities of yellow and red. It is interesting to study the natural
+reactions shown by people of all ages and conditions to these colors
+as environments under different mental conditions. Incomplete as
+these suggestions are, they are probably sufficient to establish the
+point that personal qualities or individual character traits can be
+definitely expressed in color terms and that antidotes for an excess
+of certain qualities are just as possible where a knowledge of color
+exists.
+
+There is a second color quality that we must not ignore. If I think of
+one group of colors containing light pink, delicate blue, lavender,
+canary yellow and white as representing one idea, and dark crimson,
+heavy, dark green, blue with a rich dark purple and black as another
+group, I have a basis for comparison. If my problem of expression is
+the qualities that we generally attribute to youth, or the proper
+colors for a young girl’s bedroom, or for the lighter and more
+delicate things in life, I have no hesitation in choosing the first
+group. If, on the other hand, the problem is one of clothes for a
+person of mature age, or a color scheme for a library in an old English
+house, or some other problem in which the qualities required are
+dignity, quietness and stability, there should be no question as to the
+preference for the second group.
+
+This quality of light and darkness in color is called _value_ and must
+not be forgotten in using color as a language.
+
+There is no doubt that the third quality, called _intensity_, is the
+most important of all to a right understanding of interior decoration.
+This quality determines how brilliant or how forceful a color tone is.
+Softer and less aggressive tones are called _neutral_ or _neutralized
+colors_. The most important question in using color decoratively
+is that which relates to the distribution and correct placing of
+neutralized colors in their relation to the more intense ones. The
+grossest errors in the whole realm of color used in decoration are
+committed in this field. One or two principles that relate to this
+matter must always be carefully observed: “Backgrounds should be less
+intense in color than objects that are to appear against them in any
+decorative way.” From this it obviously follows that walls, ceilings
+and floors of houses must be less intense in color than hangings,
+upholsteries, small rugs, pictures and other decorative material. This
+is one of the most important points to remember in every color problem.
+
+There is a corollary to this which is equally important: “The larger
+the color area the less intense it should be, and the smaller the area,
+the more intense it may be.” According to this principle, hangings
+and large rugs must be less intense in color than sofa cushions, lamp
+shades and decorative bits of pottery and other materials. Keeping this
+relation of areas in mind is an aid in selecting any article for the
+house, as well as a help in choosing those things that are concerned
+with one’s personal appearance. A red necktie is more appealing than a
+red suit, so is a red flower or ribbon more decorative on a black hat
+than a gray one would be on a red hat.
+
+The slightest attempt at using color must disclose its power to express
+personality, its natural value feeling and its decorative dependence
+upon a proper distribution of intensities.
+
+[Sidenote: Use of Form To Express Ideas]
+
+While the principles of form are a little less apparent in their
+illustration to most of us than color, yet they are no less important
+in producing a harmonious whole. One of the first premises of
+decoration is the assumption that there is a definite form or shape
+upon which a decoration is to be applied. The direction of the bounding
+lines of this form determines the direction of the principal lines of
+the decorative matter which is to be applied on it.
+
+The bounding lines of a floor are generally straight and at right
+angles to each other. This fixes several important points regarding the
+disposition of rugs and furniture. Rugs that are placed at all sorts of
+angles on the floor and by their positions bid one go in any direction
+save the one he started to take are among the most disconcerting and
+distracting lines in a room arrangement. Place all rugs in accord with
+the bounding lines of a room and harmony is at once restored.
+
+One must conform to this principle also in placing furniture. Most
+pieces should be parallel with the sides of the room, even though they
+are not against the walls. Curved line chairs or other small objects
+sometimes lend themselves naturally to a diagonal placement. Care
+should be taken in grouping furniture to give the appearance of harmony
+with the room structure. Let us look after the piano that is placed
+catacorner in the living-room, and the bed, in the same position, in
+the bedroom.
+
+It is not unusual to see pictures strung over the walls in such a way
+that the line indicated from the top of one to another is a zigzag
+that illy suggests harmony with the structure of the wall. Triangular
+picture wires are ugly and distracting. Unless a picture is small
+enough to be hung with an invisible attachment at the back, it should
+be hung with one long wire passed through two screw eyes, one at each
+top corner of the frame, with one wire paralleling each side of the
+frame and going over a hook above. This not only harmonizes the wire
+with the frame, but with the doors, windows and the room structure.
+
+The choice and arrangement of essential materials in the room, so far
+as the aspect of beauty is concerned, will be treated in detail later
+on.
+
+[Sidenote: Size and Shape of Objects a Factor]
+
+The principle of consistently related shapes and sizes finds scores of
+applications in the arrangement of a room. Who has not wondered what to
+do with a round clock, when everything else adjacent to it was either
+square or rectangular in form? Where is there a house in which there is
+not a round or oval picture to be placed, or a chair of wholly curved
+lines, where all others are straight? The attempt to place one isolated
+round object on a wall is generally a failure, because there is nothing
+to relate it to any other nearby lines. Oval and curved objects must be
+repeated by others similar in form in other positions in the room if
+they are to become in any sense a part of the design.
+
+The second part of this principle--consistent sizes--is even more
+important and far-reaching than the first. To the architect, the
+decorator or the creator of any art object, this is a vital matter.
+Every interior, as well as exterior, architectural feature is thought
+of in relation to every other one in the matter of size.
+
+It is not uncommon to enter a room and find a chimney large enough
+for an Elizabethan banquet hall, while the room itself, in size,
+suggests a city flat. Nor is it less common to find a table or divan
+of gigantic proportions being required to live in harmony with chairs
+or other articles of various pigmy types. These unusual and unhappy
+relationships cannot conform to the principle of consistent sizes.
+
+In our use of hangings, upholstery, rugs, etc., the lack of feeling for
+consistent sizes is still more often apparent. Before discussing this,
+let us look for a moment at patterns and motifs as they are used in
+textiles, wall papers and rugs.
+
+For some unknown reason we have come to believe that there is no beauty
+in anything in which there is not a pattern plainly visible, forgetting
+that three-fourths of all wall and floor spaces are backgrounds on
+which to show other more important things, including people, who have
+some right to be exploited even against wall paper. There are some
+phases of the motif running through a design, that may be considered
+here in some detail.
+
+There are three distinct varieties of motif. First, the motif which
+aims to reproduce identically a natural object. Such things are rarely
+successful. The second is known as the abstract type, where the motif
+is of a form and color not derived from a natural source, being a
+matter of space and line arrangement, often resulting in geometric
+forms. The third, known as the conventional motif, takes a natural
+thing and attempts to translate it into form and color suited by
+its appearance and feeling to some particular material in which the
+design is developed. In the conventional design, beauty is attained by
+harmonizing the motif with the material on which the design is made,
+while the naturalistic motif strives to represent some natural thing
+and takes a chance on its being appropriate in the material in which it
+is to be rendered. Harmony in motifs means, first, a relation in this
+particular, from which it follows that a rug or floor which is entirely
+geometric in pattern cannot be used successfully with hangings which
+show a purely naturalistic design.
+
+Another opportunity for harmony is found in consistently related motifs
+as to size and shape. It frequently happens that the floor motif, for
+example, is small and delicate in size and refined in line treatment.
+If a person is naturally sensitive to color rather than form and he
+finds a rug or hangings pleasing in color, he is often satisfied. For
+harmony in relationship, however, he must ask if the motif in the rug
+and that in the hangings are consistent in size and shape with the
+floor and wall motifs.
+
+[Sidenote: Elements in a Room Must Balance]
+
+A third principle of form is known as _balance_. This is the principle
+of arrangement whereby attractions are equalized and through this
+equalization a restful feeling is obtained; that is, a feeling of
+equilibrium or safety. It is somewhat disconcerting to enter a
+small room and find a black piano across one corner and a delicate
+Hepplewhite chair in the opposite corner. One instinctively rushes
+to the aid of the chair. Attraction may be of color, size, shape or
+texture, and one learns only by constant practice to see and feel the
+attraction forces in different objects used.
+
+There are two types of balance to consider. The first one, known as
+_bi-symmetric_ balance, is the equalization of attractions on either
+side of a vertical center by using objects the same size, shape,
+color and texture. This is formal, dignified and safe, but lacks in
+some ways the delicacy and subtlety resulting from an attempt to get
+a less formal placing. Consider a vertical line drawn through the
+center of a chimney-piece placed in the middle of a wall space. On
+either side of the chimney-piece and equally distant from it may be
+placed two pictures similar in size, form and color, and the result is
+bi-symmetrical. If two similar candlesticks are placed one at either
+end of the chimney-piece and equidistant from the end, with a portrait
+in the center, there is still bi-symmetric arrangement. So long as this
+arrangement is maintained, bi-symmetry results.
+
+A second kind of balance is known as _occult_ balance. This term
+is used to signify that the balance is rather felt or sensed than
+exactly determined. If the same vertical line is drawn through the
+same chimney-piece, one picture is placed a certain distance from the
+left and two smaller pictures of unequal size are used on the right to
+balance this. The two pictures must be so placed that their attraction
+equals that of the larger one at the left. Similarly, if one large
+porcelain jar and two or three other articles are to be used, there
+must be a feeling of equal attraction on either side of the vertical
+line.
+
+To explain briefly the primary laws of balance we may give the rules:
+“Equal attractions balance each other at equal distances from the
+center.” And, conversely: “Unequal attractions balance each other at
+unequal distances from the center.”
+
+A third and a little more complicated law is stated as follows:
+“Unequal attractions balance each other at distances from the center
+which are in inverse ratio to their powers of attraction.” Translated,
+this means that objects with the strongest attractions tend to
+gravitate toward the central line, while less attractive ones tend to
+draw from this line.
+
+The application of the rules of balance not only to objects on the
+wall, but to the furniture when seen against the wall or against the
+floor, is essential to room composition. It is also essential that the
+floor, in its general appearance, should bear a balanced relation to
+the walls and to the hangings.
+
+There is no better place, perhaps, than at this point to make clear
+the relations of these three bounding surfaces. The ceiling should
+be unobtrusive, but keyed in color to the rest of the room. A
+perfectly white ceiling, except in a white room, or an over-ornamented
+ceiling anywhere is an annoyance to him who would see his friends
+or furnishings. A too-aggressive wall paper or other wall covering
+makes a bid for attention quite out of proportion to its rights as a
+background, while aggressive and over-assertive floors or rugs are
+in bad taste, particularly when they assume the prerogatives of the
+hostess in their attempt at attraction.
+
+[Sidenote: “Crawly” Pictures and Patterns Are Bad]
+
+The ceiling should be about as much lighter and less attractive than
+the walls, as the walls are lighter and less attractive than the
+floor. This is a balanced arrangement of ceilings, walls and floors.
+Operating exactly opposite to the principle of balance is one known
+as _movement_. This is calculated to cause unrest, excitement and
+similar sensations, by creating an interest which causes the eye to
+move from one thing to another. It is very desirable in many cases that
+movement, particularly of a violent type, should not occur. Allusion
+to stair arrangements in picture hangings has already been made. This
+is not conducive to sleep. Erratic crawling vine patterns, creeping up
+the curtains or the wall paper, are a little suggestive in the early
+morning hours if one chances to awake. Violent contrasting lines,
+created by bad furniture placing or by spotted wall papers or floor
+covering, also become tiresome and disturbing, except to those who by
+long contact with such things have become immune to their influence.
+Even such may suffer a subconscious disturbance, though they do not
+realize it.
+
+There is a certain monotony attendant on the continual presentation
+of one sound, one color or one form, for mental consideration. On the
+other hand, there is a complete disorganization of the powers of the
+human mind if a host of colors, forms or sounds are presented at one
+time. If one is poverty, the other is certainly gluttony, and neither
+should be accepted. It is through a judicious selection and arrangement
+that sufficient variety is obtained to give pleasure, while restraint
+results in making life humanly possible. It is very rarely that we err
+on the side of simplicity, but it is not at all unlikely that we may
+become flagrantly sumptuous, with an uncomfortable, tawdry result.
+
+[Sidenote: Emphasize Only Important Things in a Room]
+
+The principle known as _emphasis_ is one which we must regard as
+important. In a bedroom one ought to see a bed; it is vastly more
+important than the picture exhibition hung about it. In a dining-room
+a well-set table is the emphatic note, not the chenille curtains nor
+the products of the chase hung upon the wall. In the living-room the
+easy-chair, the divan, the bookcase, the beautiful portrait, lamp or
+picture--all these things should be emphasized by color, form or line,
+that their importance as related to other things in the room may be
+apparent at sight.
+
+Knowing this to be true, is it not strange that we still find people
+who are willing to emphasize the wall paper or the floor or the
+unpleasant ceiling decorations, to the absolute exclusion of anything
+else that may have to be used in the room? The relation of background
+to decorative objects cannot be insisted upon too much.
+
+[Sidenote: The Spirit of the Whole House Should Be the Spirit of Each
+Room]
+
+The final principle of form is known as unity. In this limited
+discussion only a word can be said of it. A room is a unit, so should a
+house be. It is impossible to look with equanimity from an Old English
+dining-room into a Louis XVI sitting-room. These styles are very far
+apart in their meaning and can only be harmonized by those who know
+how, when, where and how much of each element to use.
+
+It is just as impossible to make a unit out of a mixture of Fifteenth,
+Seventeenth and Nineteenth Century furniture, unless one knows how.
+Every article used in furnishing a house not only has its conventional
+value, but its design also. If one knows thoroughly the exact meaning
+and power of a Louis XVI chair, an Elizabethan table, an Italian
+console or a William and Mary bookcase, there is no doubt that these
+may be used successfully in one room.
+
+There are so many considerations in such a problem that it is
+insufficient to choose single objects for their value alone. Each thing
+must be chosen with a clear understanding of what room it is to go in
+and with what other things it is in the future to be associated. A
+failure to do this will certainly result in pandemonium.
+
+What shall we do with the things we have? Use them if we have to,
+destroy them if we are willing to--at least eliminate everything that
+is nonessential. The pernicious practice of giving everything one
+learns to dislike or that has become worn out, to the poor, does more
+to prevent them from enjoying a personal growth than any other one
+thing.
+
+Perhaps no better way to think of the principle of unity can be
+suggested than to quote the definition of an eminent Nineteenth Century
+historian: “A unit is that to which nothing can be added and from which
+nothing can be taken without interfering materially with the idea
+itself.”
+
+[Sidenote: Objects Should Look the Way They Feel]
+
+The question of _texture_ as a form of expression must not be omitted.
+Texture is that quality of an object which seems to convey the idea of
+how it feels. It is a combination of a degree of solidity, strength,
+roughness, coarseness, etc. One finds this quality in the grained
+effects of wood, in the weaves of different textiles, in the appearance
+of braided straws, and even in feathers and other materials.
+
+It is this sense of fitness in textural feeling that forbids the use
+of hard, harsh-grained oaks with the finer textures of mahogany and
+satin-wood. Disregarding this quality, people often combined the
+coarser, heavier and more-resisting woolens or linens with soft,
+impressionable and destructible silks or fine cottons. Harmony in the
+texture quality cannot fail to contribute to harmony in the finished
+unit.
+
+Such is the language of art expression in color, form, line and
+texture. The principles which govern the right selection and
+combination of all materials that go to make a house are the real
+guides to growth in artistic appreciation.
+
+[Sidenote: Good Taste the Final Criterion]
+
+Good taste, which is the final criterion in all art, is cultivated or
+improved in most people by a constant study and application of the
+principles which control artistic expression.
+
+Should we not, all of us, do well often to take time to remind
+ourselves of certain great established principles and to endeavor
+constantly to see more clearly and completely the principles that
+govern the expression of these truths? Thereby we may unconsciously
+form habits of thinking and of doing things that will not only make for
+broader and better personal growth, but will contribute to a higher
+type of national civilization. We have not to worry if all the powers
+of science are not directed to the development of so-called efficient
+service, in lines that are wholly material and commercial.
+
+We are extraordinarily committed to this propaganda, as a people, and
+we might ask ourselves whether we may not be developing this idea
+at the expense of mental and spiritual ideals that, after all, are
+the real things that not only determine what we actually are, but are
+the only things that are truly permanent. Life is certainly something
+beside machinery, raw materials and money, even granting these to be
+essentials.
+
+Perceiving the desirability of the art quality results generally in an
+effort to possess it, and that entails immediate action in two distinct
+ways. First, go out to find the simple, fundamental principles that
+control the language of color, form, line and texture; second, apply
+these principles at once in the home, in the shop, in clothes, in
+printed paper or in any concrete thing where interest and possibility
+are found. Through every application growth is assured.
+
+[Sidenote: Influence of Environment]
+
+Let us again remember that man is exactly what he lives in, for
+environment is the strongest possible factor in man’s development. Let
+us not forget that what man really is, is what his mind is, and this he
+must express in all he does.
+
+This places the importance of the home where it deserves to be and
+makes its furnishing one of the most serious and at the same time one
+of the most delightful things in life, never for an instant minimizing
+what has always been desirable, but vastly enlarging and ennobling the
+idea for which it stood.
+
+In recognizing anew the part art is to play in this matter, let us not
+forget that it in no way interferes with the three essential qualities
+that are inevitably factors in every home problem simple or elaborate,
+as the case may be.
+
+Perfect physical comfort is necessary, if only from the standpoint of
+more efficient service on our part and the relief it brings us, not
+to be constantly thinking how hard the bed is, how uncomfortable the
+chair seems, or how rough and uneven the floor feels. Art in no way
+interferes with physical comfort; in fact, it demands it, as an element
+of the eternal fitness of things.
+
+The nation is awake to the power of cleanliness as a factor in making
+an efficient physical, and thereby, indirectly, a finer mental being,
+as a contribution to modern civilization. Every article selected for
+the home should have this requirement considered. Including this in
+the art idea will remove the misapprehension under which some people
+labor, that art implies disorder at home, a dowdy or unkempt person and
+a disregard of nature’s most obvious laws. The first law of Heaven is
+order; it is no less so of art.
+
+Expense is the constant excuse of those who want better things but
+cannot afford them. There are as many bad expensive things as there
+are cheap ones. No home is too poor to have much better things, much
+better arranged, than it has, and no home is so rich that much of the
+furnishing might not well be publicly burned and the rest rearranged.
+
+From any standpoint, comfort, sanitation, economics or art, the home
+is to become the greatest moulding influence in human life. Shall
+we remain apathetic and indifferent to this most vital problem,
+satisfied to increase our bank account only, or shall we awaken now and
+contribute our mite to a fuller national life and a higher and happier
+existence? This certainly will not decrease our power to increase the
+bank account, but will enable us to do it with far less physical effort.
+
+[Sidenote: Floor Styles Change with the Customs]
+
+Traditions have generally obtained in each generation and fashion as to
+what materials should be used in various parts of the house and how to
+use them. The original ideas which went to establish these traditions
+or manners differed in their origins, but were always the logical
+outcomes of times in which they were developed. For instance, the walls
+of the house in the Italian Renaissance were of stone. Steel was not
+thought of and wood unsuited, while in American Colonial days wood was
+the most plentiful material and the quickest and easiest to handle in
+building in the manner in which the people lived.
+
+At various times climate, geography, religious and social customs and
+the developments of science or art have changed conditions, and with
+this, methods and materials have undergone similar changes.
+
+Floors, for example, have mostly been of clay, stone, tile or wood,
+dictated by one or more of the modifying influences of which we have
+spoken. Wood cannot take the place of stone, neither should it try to
+pretend to do so, but there is no denying that one is better than the
+other under certain conditions and that neither is the only good floor
+under all conditions.
+
+Linoleum as a floor is not a substitute for stone, wood, tile or clay.
+It is another material, recent in conception and suited to particular
+conditions, because of properties that neither stone, clay nor wood
+have in exactly the same proportions.
+
+[Sidenote: Where Linoleum May Be Suitable and Desirable]
+
+Like other floors in modern houses, linoleum ought to combine the
+qualities of sanitation, comfort, durability to fulfil completely its
+functions. When made to conform to these ends--as it does if properly
+designed, and then selected and arranged so as to harmonize perfectly
+with its surroundings--it is not only suitable but desirable. Linoleum
+is sanitary, because the most obvious thing about it is the ease with
+which it can be cleaned and kept clean.
+
+Linoleum is comfortable, because it is soft, quiet and resilient
+underfoot. It is economical, because it is durable.
+
+In parts of Europe, the artistic possibilities of linoleum have
+been developed to such a degree that many fine homes are furnished
+throughout with floors of that material. There is no reason why, in
+this country, the development of the art side of linoleum should not
+follow the general development of interior decoration. For patterns and
+colors, suitable for any scheme of house furnishing and decoration,
+seemingly, can be produced.
+
+
+
+
+_How To Select Linoleum Floors_
+
+KATHLEEN CLINCH CALKINS[1]
+
+
+While the principles and suggestions on home furnishing and decoration
+set forth by Mr. Parsons on the preceding pages are fresh in our minds,
+let us see how they may be applied specifically to the selection of
+floors in the modern home. According to Mr. Parsons, if properly
+designed and selected to harmonize with its surroundings, modern
+linoleum is not only suitable but desirable as a floor for every room
+in the house. Let us first define the various types of linoleum,
+and then, going from one room to another, learn how to use linoleum
+floors effectively and artistically, keeping in mind the fundamental
+principles that Mr. Parsons has explained to us.
+
+[Sidenote: What Linoleum Is]
+
+Linoleum was invented in England in 1863. The name comes from two Latin
+words, _linum_ (flax) and _oleum_ (oil). Thus linoleum takes its name
+from its principal ingredient, linseed oil. Before it can be used in
+making linoleum, however, the linseed oil must be oxidized by exposing
+it to the air until it hardens into a tough, rubber-like substance.
+The oxidized oil is then mixed with powdered cork, wood flour, various
+gums, and color pigments; and the resulting plastic mass is pressed on
+burlap by means of great rollers that exert a pressure of hundreds of
+pounds to the square inch. The “green linoleum” then passes into huge
+drying ovens, where it is hung up in festoons to cure and season. This
+curing process takes from one to six weeks, depending on the thickness
+of the material.
+
+There are several varieties of linoleum, designated as follows:
+
+(_a_) Plain linoleum--of solid color, without pattern--the heavier
+grades of which are used for covering the decks of battleships and
+hence are known as “battleship linoleum.”
+
+(_b_) Jaspe linoleum, which is like inlaid linoleum in that the colors
+run clear through the fabric. It is made in plain colorings, with a
+pleasing graining in two tones of the same color.
+
+(_c_) Inlaid linoleum, in which the colors of the pattern go through to
+the burlap back.
+
+(_d_) Granite linoleum, which is also a variety of inlaid. It has a
+mottled appearance, resembling terrazzo.
+
+(_e_) Printed linoleum, which is simply plain linoleum with a design
+printed on the surface with oil paint.
+
+Turn for a moment to the colorplates at the back of this book, and
+note the illustrations of various types of linoleum floors. Your local
+merchant has actual samples of linoleum, and will be glad to show you
+the different grades.
+
+[Sidenote: Used for Years in Europe]
+
+As Mr. Parsons has suggested, the use of linoleum floors all over the
+house is not new; it is one of the excellent ideas in home building
+that has come to us from Europe. There the designing of linoleum, for
+many years, has been given particular attention; and linoleum floors
+have found ready acceptance in bedrooms, living-rooms, dining-rooms,
+etc., not alone in homes of persons of moderate means, but just as
+frequently in those of the rich and well-to-do. European architects are
+accustomed to specify linoleum floors in new buildings instead of other
+materials less desirable.
+
+The European housewife takes particular pride in keeping her linoleum
+floors in spick-and-span condition by waxing and polishing them. And,
+as the years pass, linoleum floors soften in color and deepen in tone,
+taking on a finish not unlike that of wood which has been mellowed by
+age.
+
+[Sidenote: Growing Use in America]
+
+In America, the makers of Armstrong’s Linoleum were the first to
+give attention to the designing of linoleum patterns that would lend
+themselves to acceptable use in the modern American home. Skilled
+designers were brought from the best European establishments and given
+_carte blanche_ in the development of designs particularly appropriate
+to American ideas of home decoration and conditions of living. As a
+result, we can state with confidence that for beauty, attractiveness,
+and general utility the Armstrong floor designs now available are not
+excelled either in Europe or America.
+
+Miss Rene Stillman, a writer on interior decoration, in discussing
+recently in the Philadelphia _Public Ledger_ the change from unsanitary
+carpets to the use of fabric rugs speaks also of the change in
+linoleums and their relation to modern interior decoration. She says,
+... “and then the new linoleums, not the old kitchen kind, but modern
+floors which have become works of art, some of which are not unlike
+the floors in old palaces. Not long ago I went to an exhibit given by
+a number of prominent interior decorators. There I went through one of
+the most charmingly decorated houses you ever saw, and every floor had
+linoleum upon it. It was a house of Spanish architecture, and there was
+a central court, with fountains and foliage--an unpretentious, but very
+beautiful, little court. And, would you believe it? it was paved--I use
+the word advisedly--with linoleum of the large black-and-white blocks,
+for all the world like large black-and-white marble tiles. The other
+rooms were also covered with linoleum, which toned with the woodwork
+or the walls or the general scheme of the furnishings. But these rooms
+were also covered with fabric rugs, some of them large central rugs,
+allowing the linoleum floor to show about the edges. In other rooms,
+the rugs were smaller and scattered over a larger surface of the
+linoleum. Of course, it was very good linoleum, mostly cork I think,
+and the pattern went all the way through. I was charmed with the subtle
+colors, the often exquisite designs.”
+
+As a matter of fact, in the last few years many leading architects
+and interior decorators have used linoleum floors in homes they have
+planned, particularly because of the decorative effects it is possible
+to achieve with linoleum floors, as contrasted with other materials.
+Where the problem is to redecorate a house, linoleum is being more
+and more widely used to resurface worn wood floors. And, in many new
+homes, owners and architects have specified linoleum floors instead
+of wood; they have used linoleum not alone because of the economy in
+dollars and cents but because linoleum floors are so _very much easier
+to take care of_. Especially where the housewife has to do her own
+work, or good help is difficult to obtain, linoleum aids materially in
+solving this almost universal household problem.
+
+The portfolio of colorplates and black-and-white reproductions included
+with this book will give you an excellent idea of just how linoleum
+floors look in modern homes. If you are planning to build a new
+house, you owe it to yourself to investigate the possibilities that
+linoleum floors offer you in making the home unusually interesting and
+attractive.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Hall]
+
+The hall is the first place in your home that visitors see. It must
+be kept speckless and spotless. A linoleum hall floor proclaims the
+neatness of the housewife to all visitors the moment they cross the
+threshold because it is so easy to keep such a floor fresh and inviting.
+
+And no matter what the decorative treatment of your hall, there are
+patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum that will harmonize perfectly with
+rugs, walls, and furniture. For a formal vestibule, there are exclusive
+designs that will appeal to all tastes. For instance, Pattern 350,
+which is a six-inch block design of alternate black and white squares,
+suggests marble tile. Or there is an interesting Persian tile, Pattern
+No. 232, in cream, red, and black. The newer designs in marble and
+tile inlaids permit many interesting combinations. In an entrance
+hall proper, you may prefer wood effects. There are several linoleum
+parquetries which, waxed and polished, make splendid floors for halls
+and reception rooms, as well as living- and dining-rooms.
+
+The durability of good linoleum should always be kept in mind. The
+number of footsteps it would take to wear it out cannot be estimated,
+and dripping umbrellas and wet rubbers do not damage it.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Living-Room]
+
+Linoleum for the living-room? Remember, we are now speaking of linoleum
+as a floor and not as a covering. There is a vital distinction. Over
+linoleum installed as a permanent floor, naturally, you will lay your
+fabric rugs, whether they are domestic or Oriental. And you will select
+your linoleum floor carefully, because it must serve as a background
+not only for the rugs placed upon it, but for all the furnishings of
+the room, just as the wall-covering is a background for the pictures
+or draperies hung against it. The general rule is that the linoleum
+floor should be darker in tone than the walls and woodwork. It is the
+foundation upon which the whole plan of furnishing is based. Thus
+you will select your linoleum floors, keeping in mind the type of
+furniture, the woodwork, and the general effect you wish to produce.
+
+For example, if the woodwork is dark and the furniture tends toward the
+massive in style, one of the darker tones of plain brown, the brown
+jaspe, or a parquetry linoleum floor is appropriate. If the woodwork
+is white or ivory, the floors may be selected in softer tones of gray,
+green, and light brown, depending on the character of the furnishings.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Dining-Room]
+
+Linoleum is truly the logical floor for the dining-room. Every
+practical consideration persuades its use. In the dining-room,
+cheerfulness and individuality are the prime requisites. A thoughtful
+selection of the floor in relation to the furnishings may be made to
+contribute not a little to the charm of a room. The newer linoleum
+designs offer many interesting suggestions; for instance, a marble
+tile, with contrasting interliners, or one of the carpet inlaids of
+all-over pattern, permits out-of-the-ordinary floor treatment. Pattern
+No. 201, a little three-inch tile of alternating black and gray blocks,
+is reminiscent of Italian influence. In the woods, Parquetry No. 600
+is particularly good. Or, for the average home, nothing is better than
+the jaspes in browns and grays, or a plain linoleum in appropriate
+coloring.
+
+In any room, a nice balance in the use of figured and plain surfaces
+is always desirable. For instance, if a plain coloring or a jaspe
+linoleum is used for the floor, figured rugs and wall coverings may
+well be chosen. If, however, a patterned linoleum floor is employed,
+the fabric rugs and wall coverings should be plainer, or of small
+all-over pattern. Avoid overemphasis of pattern or, conversely, too
+much monotony of plain surfaces.
+
+The cheerful tile designs in Armstrong’s Linoleum are particularly
+appropriate for the breakfast alcove or sun porch now found in many
+homes. In a recent issue of _The Delineator_, Martha Hill Cutler,
+writing on “Linoleum Floors--Durable, Smart,” after saying that
+“linoleum has now ‘arrived’ as an artistic as well as a practical
+possibility for every room in the house,” speaks particularly of the
+use of linoleum in the breakfast-room.
+
+She says, “In a breakfast-room or sun-parlor one can do daring things.
+There are fascinating possibilities in a linoleum design of brilliant
+colorings, the black-and-orange, for instance, the green-and-white,
+green-and-black, or blue-and-green.
+
+“Breakfast-rooms are almost always so small that rugs are not
+absolutely essential, but plain rugs against these brilliant tiles
+as backgrounds are very effective. Brilliantly colored curtains to
+harmonize, an unusual chintz or cretonne, and painted furniture can be
+combined with them with colorful results.”
+
+[Sidenote: For a Group of Rooms]
+
+By using the same linoleum floor through a series of rooms, it is
+possible to gain unity and a feeling of spaciousness. On the second
+floor, not infrequently the rooms open from a central hall or top
+stair landing. There are a number of colors and designs in Armstrong’s
+Linoleum that are specially suitable for groups of rooms because they
+lend themselves as a background for the draperies in each room, and yet
+bind all the rooms together as a unit. The gray jaspe, plain dark gray,
+and light gray linoleums are particularly appropriate with old Colonial
+painted woodwork in white, ivory, or soft gray; the brown jaspe, plain
+dark brown or tan, the parquetries, and certain carpet patterns are
+equally appropriate with oak, cypress, gum, or chestnut woodwork in the
+natural finish or painted woodwork in buff and tan.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Bedroom]
+
+For the bedroom, no floor is so sanitary and so easily cared for as
+linoleum. It appeals to the most fastidious. And linoleum is not a
+cold floor--in fact, it is as warm as any wood surface. We have said
+that linoleum is made largely of cork and linseed oil. Cork is widely
+used for heat insulating purposes. Engineers regard it as good, if not
+a better heat retainer than wood. And a linoleum floor has certain
+advantages over wood floors. There are no cracks or crevices to catch
+dust or harbor germs. The oxidized linseed oil, moreover, has known
+germicidal powers that actually tend to destroy bacteria.
+
+There are some very dainty small designs in delicate colors in
+Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum that are particularly suitable for
+bedrooms--blue-and-white, pink-and-white, green-and-blue, and
+green-and-white. Bedroom floors like these, or of plain light blue,
+rose, or light gray are very charming.
+
+Over the bedroom linoleum floor you will, of course, use small fabric
+rugs beside the bed, in front of the dressing table, or before the easy
+chair. You would not leave a wood floor bare. Let us emphasize again
+that linoleum is a floor--and not merely a floor-covering.
+
+Perhaps in your home bedroom floors have been a problem because they
+are of soft wood, which must be repainted frequently and which are
+always hard to keep looking well. Linoleum offers you new floors for
+old--and at relatively slight expense, far less than the cost of
+putting in new wood floors. Remember that linoleum floors do not need
+periodical refinishing, as does hardwood. This is an additional saving.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Sleeping-Porch]
+
+Many people do not consider a house complete nowadays unless it has a
+sleeping-porch. Here, again, to secure a thoroughly satisfactory floor
+is a problem. But linoleum solves it nicely and economically. Granite
+linoleums, which resemble terrazzo, or a neat tile effect will be
+especially pleasing.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Bathroom]
+
+Water is always being spilled upon the bathroom floor. It rots wood;
+it gets into the cracks of tiling and, in time, may cause the tiles
+to come up. What is needed in a bathroom, therefore, is a floor that
+is proof against moisture, easy to clean, sanitary, comfortable, and
+exceptionally durable. If laid properly--that is, cemented down with
+waterproof cement--a linoleum floor in a bathroom will last for years.
+The designs of Armstrong’s Linoleum which are offered for the bathroom
+combine cleanable, sanitary, comfortable, durable, and beautiful
+qualities in the highest degree.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Nursery]
+
+In decorating the children’s playroom, a linoleum floor, chosen in
+pattern to harmonize with the color scheme, gives one an opportunity
+to work out a charming relationship between the floor, the furniture,
+and the draperies, to suit the playroom idea. In Armstrong’s Linoleum,
+there are a score of designs in pleasing matting and wood effects and
+carpet patterns especially appropriate for such a room. And the floor
+need not be expensive--Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum will last through
+childhood’s romp and play. And, when the toys and games are put away
+for more mature interests, the room may be refurnished at slight
+expense.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Attic and Sewing-Room]
+
+In many homes, the attic is being changed from a store-room into an
+attractive, comfortable spare room at little expense. The skillful use
+of odd pieces of furniture, the pleasing blending of draperies, and the
+covering of the floor with an attractive linoleum pattern will easily
+make this room one of the most interesting in the home. Whether the
+room is used as an extra sleeping-room or for sewing, the advantages
+of a linoleum floor are obvious. It is so easy to clean; cuttings and
+threads are easily swept up; they do not stick to the smooth-surfaced
+linoleum. For a very small outlay, you can transform the attic in your
+home into a usable, attractive room.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Kitchen, Pantry and Laundry]
+
+If your kitchen or pantry floor is the kind that requires you to spend
+hours with water pail and scrubbing brush and back-breaking labor to
+keep it clean, it is time you change to a linoleum floor. And, even
+with linoleum floors, many women find it hard to get away from the
+scrubbing habit. Most people scrub linoleum entirely too frequently. A
+plain or inlaid linoleum floor should be thoroughly waxed with liquid
+floor wax. The wax provides a coating which prevents the dirt from
+being ground into the surface. Such a floor needs only to be swept and
+then wiped with a damp cloth, and the wax renewed every five to six
+weeks. Varnishing a printed linoleum floor will add to the life of the
+linoleum and make it easier to keep clean. All these considerations
+hold equally true for vestibule, laundry, and closets. There are many
+bright patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum for the kitchen or pantry from
+which you can make a selection that will exactly fit into your idea of
+what these rooms should look like.
+
+[Sidenote: The Advantages of Linoleum Floors]
+
+By way of summing up, consider for just a moment what the qualities are
+that you really need and demand in the floors in your home. Certainly,
+you want your floors to be durable. And is there any floor you can
+think of--cost considered--that can approach a good linoleum in wearing
+quality? Next, you demand sanitation. Do you know of any floor that
+excels linoleum in that respect? Most assuredly, you want floors that
+are easy to keep clean. Have you not found linoleum easy to clean? And
+you must have comfort. Is not linoleum easy underfoot?
+
+But, you say, we must have warmth, too. Certainly, you must. But you
+would hardly think of leaving the wood floor in your bedroom and
+living-room bare, would you? No, you use rugs. Follow the same course,
+then, with your linoleum floors; and you will find them equally as
+comfortable as hardwood. In fact, thickness for thickness, linoleum is
+a better non-conductor of heat than wood is.
+
+Then, finally, you demand beauty and economy in your floors--and justly
+so. As for color harmony, hardwood has distinct limitations. Shades of
+brown and tan are about the only colors that are available. But, with
+linoleum, the range of colors and patterns is well-nigh unlimited, and
+your floors can thus be made an integral part of your general color
+scheme. On this point, the colorplates that accompany this book speak
+for themselves.
+
+As to economy, linoleum floors of good quality are less expensive
+today than the cheapest hardwood. And they cost less to maintain,
+too. Given reasonable care and proper treatment, linoleum floors will
+last indefinitely, without the periodic refinishing that all hardwood
+requires.
+
+So you can see for yourself, once you analyze the subject, how
+remarkably linoleum does combine each and every one of the qualities
+you want the floors in your home to possess.
+
+[Sidenote: Bureau of Interior Decoration]
+
+Naturally, we want you to be thoroughly satisfied with your floors of
+Armstrong’s Linoleum--not only as to wearing quality but in respect
+to pattern and color as well. And, since the selection of suitable
+linoleum floors to harmonize with the different types of furnishings
+and color schemes involves the application of the principles of
+interior decoration, we have organized a Bureau of Interior Decoration
+to answer any questions you may care to ask about the use of
+Armstrong’s Linoleum in your home.
+
+If you are planning to refurnish or redecorate your home, write our
+Bureau of Interior Decoration, describing your furniture, wallpaper,
+rugs, and the color scheme you have in mind. Our Interior Decorator
+will be glad to make suggestions that may be helpful to you, and will
+send you lithographs of linoleum patterns that will make suitable
+floors for your home. There is no charge or implied obligation for this
+service.
+
+[Sidenote: How To Get Armstrong’s Linoleum]
+
+First, get in touch with the merchant in home furnishings with whom
+you are accustomed to trade. If he does not have on hand an adequate
+assortment of Armstrong patterns to suit your taste, ask him to show
+you his copy of the Armstrong Pattern Book, which contains colorplates
+of all of the two hundred and fifty designs and colorings in the
+Armstrong line. From this book, you can select your first, second, and
+third choice; and doubtless he will be glad to place an order for the
+pattern you desire.
+
+Certain patterns, including plain colorings, jaspes, and carpet
+inlaids, are carried in the factory in our Cut-Order Department; and
+the merchant can order exact room sizes for you.
+
+If, however, you have difficulty in getting just what you want, please
+write us, not forgetting to include the merchant’s name and address.
+Then we shall do all in our power to see that you can secure what you
+require through some good store near you.
+
+As manufacturers, we sell only through the regular trade channels,
+and, therefore, we cannot quote you prices. In fact, it is really to
+your advantage to buy through your dealer, as he purchases Armstrong’s
+Linoleum in large quantities, and thus the transportation charges are
+much less than if a small quantity of linoleum were shipped direct from
+the factory.
+
+[Sidenote: Our Guarantee]
+
+Every yard of Armstrong’s Linoleum is fully guaranteed to give
+satisfactory service. Your merchant will be authorized to make good to
+you any defect in manufacture, either by replacing the linoleum or by
+making an adjustment satisfactory to you.
+
+[1] _Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration._
+
+
+
+
+_How To Care for Linoleum Floors_
+
+
+A linoleum floor, properly cared for, is easier to clean and will
+retain its new and attractive appearance longer than any other kind
+of floor. Linoleum has a smooth, unbroken surface, without cracks and
+crevices to catch dirt and germs. In Armstrong’s Linoleum, the colors
+used are bright and clear and will retain their luster and brilliancy
+for years.
+
+As every housewife knows, linoleum floors require less attention than
+wood floors; but it is possible to lessen materially the work of caring
+for linoleum floors by observing the simple rules set forth in the
+paragraphs following.
+
+[Sidenote: Waxing Inlaid and Plain Linoleum]
+
+When you install a new inlaid, jaspe, or plain linoleum floor, it
+should first be washed carefully with tepid water and pure soap and
+then, before it is tracked up, waxed with a liquid floor wax, rubbing
+the wax in very thoroughly.
+
+After that, you will care for your linoleum floor just as you would for
+a waxed floor. A weighted brush, such as is used for wood floors, is
+convenient for polishing; or a heavy brick, wrapped in a soft cloth,
+will serve.
+
+The daily care of a waxed linoleum floor is simple. Ordinarily, all
+that is needed is to go over the floor around the fabric rugs with
+a dry mop. At doorways, or where the traffic is greatest, the wax
+coating will wear away, and should be renewed at those points as often
+as appearance demands. Given this sort of care, it is not necessary
+to scrub or wash linoleum floors, except at rare intervals. Muddy
+footprints may be wiped up with a damp cloth, as occasion requires.
+
+Any good floor wax, such as Johnson’s Liquid Wax or Old English
+Brightener, is suitable for use on linoleum floors. Most people prefer
+to use liquid wax because it is easier to apply than paste wax and
+permits evener distribution on the linoleum. Whether you use liquid or
+paste wax, apply it very sparingly and be sure to rub it in thoroughly.
+If you put the wax coating on too thick, it will not harden properly.
+As a result, the excess wax will absorb and hold the dirt. It will look
+greasy and unsightly, and the floor will remain in a slippery condition.
+
+[Sidenote: Varnishing Printed Linoleum]
+
+Many people find that printed linoleum wears better and retains its
+original freshness of coloring longer if given a coating of varnish
+or clear white shellac. It is economical to use only a high-grade
+waterproof varnish or a clear white shellac, as the cheaper grades are
+likely to scratch or turn white under water. Such varnishes as Valspar
+or “61” Floor Varnish are recommended.
+
+Before varnishing or shellacking, the linoleum must be cleaned
+carefully and should be thoroughly dried. The varnish should be applied
+as evenly as possible and allowed to dry twelve hours before the floor
+is used. At least two coats should be applied over new linoleum;
+thereafter, the varnish need be renewed but once or twice a year,
+according to the wear on the floor. Care should be used in revarnishing
+to avoid streaked and spotty effects.
+
+[Sidenote: Washing Linoleum]
+
+In the kitchen, pantry, or bathroom, where water is spilled and there
+is naturally more dirt, owing to the ordinary household activities,
+than on other floors of the house, washing linoleum will, at times,
+become necessary. However, going over the waxed linoleum floor with
+a dry or waxed mop will usually keep it clean. As previously stated,
+scrubbing linoleum should rarely be necessary. In washing the linoleum,
+warm, sudsy water, made with a mild soap, such as Ivory, will clean
+a linoleum floor thoroughly. It is best to wash and dry only about a
+square yard at a time, rinsing the linoleum with clear water and wiping
+it up thoroughly. Never flood the surface of the linoleum with water,
+nor allow the water to stand around the edges or seams.
+
+[Sidenote: Avoid Alkali Soaps and Powders]
+
+Contrary to the idea held by a good many housewives, certain advertised
+cleaning soaps and washing powders are not good to use on linoleum.
+Practically all of these cleansers contain strong alkali or caustics
+which are positively injurious. More harm is done to linoleum by the
+use of such agents than in any other way. The chemical action of these
+substances disintegrates the oxidized linseed oil and cork in linoleum
+just as it destroys the varnish on hardwood. A good rule is to avoid
+the use of soda, lye, or potash cleansing powders and strong scouring
+soaps altogether. A good mild soap is all that is necessary.
+
+[Sidenote: Polishing Linoleum]
+
+After washing with soap and water, inlaid linoleum, particularly,
+should be polished with a soft cloth or brush. The wax finish may be
+dulled somewhat by the washing, but is quickly restored by a brisk
+rubbing. Where the wax has been removed by washing, it should be
+renewed at once.
+
+[Sidenote: Heavy Furniture on Linoleum]
+
+The casters ordinarily used are apt to cut into linoleum if the
+furniture is heavy, therefore it is best to use glass or metal sliding
+shoes which have a wide bearing surface and no rough edges. They are
+made in several sizes, have a shank similar to that on a regular
+caster, and will fit the same sockets. Heavy felt casters may be
+purchased at the furniture stores which are also recommended for use on
+linoleum floors.
+
+Always lay a piece of carpet on the floor, or a board, just as over a
+hardwood floor, when moving very heavy furniture, to prevent marring
+the surface of the linoleum.
+
+
+
+
+_How To Lay Linoleum Floors_
+
+
+In the past, linoleum has been regarded by many as a temporary
+floor-covering. Not much care has been used in laying it. But you want
+well-finished floors in your home that will need a minimum amount of
+attention as the years go by. For this reason, we strongly recommend
+that you have your linoleum floors installed by the merchant from whom
+you buy the goods. Experience has taught their layers how to cut the
+linoleum so as to avoid waste and how to lay it to prevent buckling and
+cracking, conditions which result from faulty workmanship.
+
+[Sidenote: Skilled Workmanship Required]
+
+Insist that your linoleum be laid right. If the merchant does not
+employ skilled mechanics to do this work, go to a merchant who has
+a staff of layers and who will guarantee his laying. He will make a
+charge for the cost of labor and materials; but, in the long run, it
+will prove greater economy for you to pay well to have your linoleum
+laid properly than to have the laying done in a makeshift manner in
+order to save a few cents per yard.
+
+
+LAY LINOLEUM AS A PERMANENT FLOOR
+
+When you purchase a good grade of linoleum to be installed as a floor
+in your living-room, dining-room, or even in the kitchen or bathroom,
+naturally you desire to have it put down as a permanent floor. The
+most satisfactory way to install linoleum is to cement it down solidly
+over a lining of builders’ deadening felt paper. This will give you a
+permanent floor, smooth, firm, without cracks or crevices. Owing to the
+variations in moisture conditions, any wood underflooring will expand
+in summer and dry out in winter, leaving cracks. Linoleum cannot be
+cemented directly to such a wood underflooring without possibility of
+damage. One of the chief advantages of the felt lining is that it tends
+to take up this expansion and contraction, thus saving the linoleum
+floor from breaking or cracking. In addition, the felt acts as a
+cushion, deadening sound and adding to the warmth and comfort of the
+floor, making it delightful to walk or stand on.
+
+Should it become necessary, in time, to remove such a linoleum floor,
+this can be done easily, without damage to the linoleum.
+
+[Sidenote: Laying Linoleum Over Felt Paper]
+
+Leading contract linoleum layers and good stores have adopted the
+felt paper method of laying linoleum and recommend its use to their
+customers. A brief description is given here of this method in order
+that you may understand how the work should be done. If your merchant
+is not yet equipped to lay linoleum by this method, ask him to write
+for a copy of our linoleum layers’ handbook, “Detailed Directions for
+Laying and Caring for Linoleum,” which lists all of the materials and
+equipment needed, and includes illustrations showing the several steps
+in laying linoleum by this improved method. A copy of this handbook
+will also be sent to you, without charge, upon request.
+
+In cementing linoleum down over felt paper, the felt is first cut into
+lengths to go across the short way of the room. The quarter-round floor
+molding is removed, and the felt fitted snugly at each end. A linoleum
+paste is then applied to the undersurface of the felt, which is then
+rolled or pressed down until it adheres firmly to the floor.
+
+The lengths of the linoleum are next pressed in position crosswise to
+the direction of the felt strips, or the long way of the room. One
+piece is laid at a time. The surface of the felt under each strip of
+linoleum is well coated with paste, except for four to six inches along
+each end and side and along the seams, which spaces are left bare. The
+linoleum is put down and rolled. After the paste has begun to dry, the
+free edges of the linoleum are trimmed to fit neatly at all points.
+Then waterproof linoleum cement (a kind of glue) is applied to the felt
+along all edges and seams back under the linoleum for a distance of
+four to six inches. This cement makes the floor perfectly water-tight.
+Finally, the linoleum is well rolled with a heavy roller to insure
+perfect adhesion at all points.
+
+Weights, such as face brick or sand bags, are placed against each other
+lengthwise along all edges and seams to press the linoleum firmly
+against the felt while the cement dries. After twenty-four hours, the
+bricks are removed; and the floor is ready for use. The molding is
+put back into place, and the floor is cleaned thoroughly. If plain or
+inlaid linoleum has been laid, it should be waxed at once and polished.
+
+
+LAYING DIRECT ON WOOD FLOORS
+
+A less permanent way to install linoleum is to tack or nail it directly
+on the wood floor. Where a more or less temporary floor covering
+is desired, as in the cases of tenants on short leases, etc., this
+method may be made to suffice. However, wherever the linoleum is to be
+installed as a permanent floor, instead of wood or other floors, we
+strongly recommend that it be laid over felt paper as just described.
+
+Directions are given in the paragraphs following for laying linoleum
+directly on wood or concrete floors, without the use of a felt lining.
+This method is described at greater length in the handbook previously
+mentioned, “Detailed Directions for Laying and Caring for Linoleum,”
+but the main steps in the process are here fully outlined.
+
+[Sidenote: Preparation for Laying Linoleum]
+
+The floor should be perfectly dry and clean, the surface smooth and
+even. All cracks should be filled, nails should be removed, and the
+uneven edges of the boards planed off, if necessary. The quarter-round
+molding should be taken up carefully from the baseboard all around the
+room.
+
+In cold weather, linoleum becomes brittle. If you are laying your floor
+in winter, be sure to let the roll of linoleum stand on end in a warm
+room for at least forty-eight hours before unrolling it.
+
+[Sidenote: Laying the Linoleum]
+
+When ready to lay, first measure the linoleum carefully and, if
+possible, cut it to run lengthwise in the opposite direction from the
+boards in the floor. Trim it ¼ to ½ inch short at each end, just so
+the edge of the linoleum will be covered by the quarter-round molding
+when this is replaced. Along the side walls the linoleum should not be
+placed tight against the baseboard, but, just as at the end, a space
+of ¼ to ½ inch wide should be left. The edges of the linoleum at the
+seams, however, should be butted tightly against each other, with the
+pattern properly matched.
+
+Laid in this manner, the linoleum will have an opportunity to expand
+underneath the edge of the quarter-round molding. In replacing the
+quarter-round, do not fasten it down tight against the surface of the
+linoleum. The quarter-round must not bind the material at any point,
+but should be nailed to the baseboard in such manner as to permit the
+lifting out of the linoleum easily should retrimming become necessary.
+
+Should a buckle or air-bubble develop in the linoleum, it must be
+smoothed out, and the edge of the linoleum under the floor molding cut
+back a trifle, if needed to take up the expansion. _Do not put any
+brads in the linoleum during the expansion period._
+
+[Sidenote: Fitting Around Pipes and Projections]
+
+Care must be taken to fit the linoleum neatly around radiators, waste
+pipes, doorways, wall projections, etc. Where possible, the gas stove,
+kitchen range, and other movable equipment should be disconnected,
+and linoleum laid under it carefully to insure tight joints. Good
+workmanship in fitting adds much to the appearance of the linoleum
+floor.
+
+[Sidenote: Fastening Linoleum]
+
+In many cases it will be found that it is not necessary to fasten
+linoleum to the floor at all, when it has been laid under the
+quarter-round molding at the sides and ends. The molding itself will be
+all that is required to hold the material in place.
+
+Where it becomes necessary, however, to fasten the linoleum to wood
+floors, use No. 18, ¾-inch, wire brads. Never use carpet tacks. The
+brads should be set in ⅛ to ¼ inch from the edge and should be spaced
+about four inches apart along the edges and three inches apart on
+seams. The brads should be driven down until the heads are lost in the
+surface of the linoleum.
+
+
+LAYING LINOLEUM ON A CONCRETE FLOOR
+
+The only way to fasten linoleum to concrete in your laundry, entry-way,
+bathroom, or any other concrete floor, is by means of paste and
+waterproof cement. Here, again, it is advisable to have your linoleum
+cemented down over a lining of deadening felt paper, according to the
+method previously described. Again we recommend that you have this work
+done by your merchant’s experienced workmen. But should you decide
+to lay the material without the use of the felt lining, the following
+directions are given for your guidance.
+
+Please note that the linoleum should never be laid over concrete floors
+in basements which are in direct contact with the earth beneath unless
+the concrete has first been thoroughly waterproofed. The moisture in
+the earth will inevitably come up through the concrete and loosen the
+linoleum. Waterproofing a concrete floor must be done by a roofing or
+waterproofing contractor who understands thoroughly how to do this work.
+
+[Sidenote: Laying the Linoleum]
+
+The method of laying linoleum over a concrete floor is similar to the
+final operation of laying linoleum over felt, as described on pages 41
+to 42. Use Armstrong’s Linoleum Paste for pasting the centers of the
+linoleum strips to the concrete, and Armstrong’s Waterproof Linoleum
+Cement for gluing the edges and seams to the concrete floor, so as to
+prevent water from getting underneath the fabric.
+
+After removing all dirt and dust and filling the expansion joints with
+plaster of Paris, apply Armstrong’s Linoleum Paste to the concrete
+floor with a wide brush to within four to six inches of each side and
+end of the linoleum strip, which space is left bare for the later
+application of the cement. Put the width of linoleum in place and roll
+it out at once, before the paste dries. Repeat the same operation with
+the succeeding strips of linoleum, butting the edges of the strips
+together tightly. Trim the ends to fit snugly against the wall. Then
+lift the edges of the strips of linoleum along the sides and ends and
+apply Armstrong’s Waterproof Linoleum Cement with a paint brush to
+the concrete floor as far back as the paste will permit. Remove any
+cement that gets on the surface at once with alcohol. Finally, roll the
+linoleum with an iron roller to insure perfect adhesion.
+
+Weights, such as pressed brick, sandbags, or other heavy objects,
+should then be placed along all seams and edges, and allowed to remain
+for not less than twenty-four hours.
+
+[Illustration: _Look for the CIRCLE “A” trademark on the burlap back_]
+
+[Illustration:_The green tile surrounding the blazing fire in this
+comfortable modern home has been chosen to harmonize with the green
+carpet-patterned linoleum. A touch of the complementary red, and the
+blues and yellows are blended in the fabrics to make the room cheerful.
+It is not overcrowded with furniture, but rather is arranged to give
+a spacious, open effect. Comfort and utility are two of the primary
+requisites of every living-room, characteristics not only of this room,
+but also of the floor of Armstrong’s Linoleum, Carpet Inlaid Pattern
+752._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _The color note of this young girl’s room has been
+carried into the floor--Armstrong’s Blue Jaspé Linoleum. It aids
+materially in contributing a bright, personal touch to the room.
+Combined with attractive draperies, painted furniture, and simple rugs,
+any of the jaspé or plain light-colored linoleums will give a similar
+charming effect; these, together with the interesting carpet inlaids or
+matting patterns, offer a wide opportunity for originality in selecting
+a distinctive floor as the starting-point in the decorative scheme._
+ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _Here the gray jaspé linoleum floor has been used to
+group the entire second floor suite as a decorative unit. The gray
+jaspé is particularly pleasing as a background for fabric rugs and
+other furnishings. Such a floor is always perfectly sanitary, and,
+waxed occasionally, is always attractive in appearance._ ARMSTRONG
+BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _In many homes the attic is being changed from a
+store-room into an attractive, comfortable spare room, and at little
+expense. In this attic the outlay was slight. A skillful use of odd
+pieces of furniture and the pleasing blending of the draperies and
+coverings with the attractive carpet pattern of the printed linoleum
+floor have made this room one of the most interesting in the home. In
+such a room Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum will give splendid service for
+years, and also aids materially in the working-out of the decorative
+plan._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _This bedroom is bright and comfortable, and still has
+enough restraint to give a feeling of peace and repose. The curtains,
+paper, and decorations are in perfect harmony with the pleasing carpet
+pattern of the linoleum floor, which blends with the fabric rugs and
+serves as a background for the entire color scheme._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU
+OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _In this comfortable, home-like, hall living-room
+the floor of Armstrong’s Parquetry Linoleum, Pattern No. 690, makes
+a definite contribution to the pleasing decorative scheme. The
+furnishings are simple, not expensive, but have been selected because
+of their color values and their relation to each other. And the
+parquetry linoleum is not only less costly than wood, but it is more
+sanitary and much easier to take care of._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR
+DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _Both the color and the texture of objects used in a
+child’s room should suggest cleanliness, freshness, cheerfulness and
+durability. At the same time they should represent his interests and
+his pleasures. To all these ends linoleum is expressly adapted. The
+walls, furniture, hangings and toys in this room have been selected to
+harmonize with these ideas and with the linoleum floor, which is ivory,
+turquoise blue and light gray in color._]
+
+[Illustration: _The color combination rather than expensive furnishings
+makes these bungalow rooms inviting. Floors of Armstrong’s Brown Jaspé
+Linoleum, brown furniture, and tan walls make a good background for the
+color of the curtains, cushions, vases, and lampshade. The decorative
+value of books is well demonstrated in this picture._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU
+OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _Beauty and good taste are at once apparent in this
+well-appointed home. The floor is not oak, as one might suppose,
+but is Armstrong’s Parquetry Linoleum, as beautiful in its graining
+as hardwood, and more comfortable to walk on. The cost is cut in
+half. These permanent linoleum floors will never require expensive
+refinishing._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _In this cheery dining-room the early American furniture
+is happily combined with the Chinese rug and the brown jaspé linoleum
+floor (Color No. 11). One feels that this room has been planned in
+good taste and that the linoleum floor has contributed its part to the
+atmosphere of refinement. More comfortable than wood, and easier to
+keep clean, permanently laid linoleum floors have their place in the
+modern home._--ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _Plain dark gray linoleum makes an appropriate floor
+for old-fashioned houses--either in new-old houses, or to replace the
+worn floors of houses being remodelled. In this stately Colonial home,
+the linoleum harmonizes with the beautiful ivory woodwork, and makes a
+perfect background for the Oriental rugs._]
+
+[Illustration: _An atmosphere of simple elegance is attained by the
+beautifully proportioned wall spaces, and the slender-legged French
+furniture used in this room. In harmony is the gray Jaspé Linoleum
+which, waxed and polished, makes a perfect floor. Because of its
+neutrality, it is not only a good background for the furniture, but
+likewise for the rug and fabrics employed to make the room bright and
+attractive._]
+
+[Illustration: _In this dining-room, the soft brown linoleum floor
+blends with the beautiful wood of the Sheraton furniture, the colorful
+draperies, and the fine rug. Linoleum is the logical floor for the
+dining-room, because it is so easy to care for. It is a quiet floor;
+also a particular advantage._]
+
+[Illustration: _In this home of evident culture and refinement,
+linoleum floors were installed in every room, instead of wood. In
+the living-room, the plain floor, and the unobtrusive walls and
+curtains, are in pleasing balance with the figured Oriental rugs and
+upholsteries. The smooth surface of the floor, without cracks or
+crevices, suggests a feeling of fastidious cleanliness. An atmosphere
+of restfulness pervades the room._]
+
+[Illustration: _This interesting use, after the European manner, of a
+carpet inlaid linoleum floor through hall and living-room, illustrates
+how effectively a pattern can be employed in floors, as well as on
+walls and in hangings. The small all-over design gives the effect of
+a rich carpet, and yet the floor is sanitary, easy to care for, and
+durable._]
+
+[Illustration: _This sun parlor shows the decorative value of a
+linoleum floor. Here a marble design has been combined with a plain
+linoleum border. The charm of the room is due to the happy relation
+of the floor design and the interior architecture, as well as to the
+arrangement of the furniture. Neither too much nor too little is
+used--so that a spacious effect is obtained._]
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 67518 ***
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-<p style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Art of Home Furnishing and Decoration, by Frank Alvah Parsons</p>

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-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and

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-<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: The Art of Home Furnishing and Decoration</p>

-<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Frank Alvah Parsons</p>

-<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: February 27, 2022 [eBook #67518]</p>

-<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p>

-  <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</p>

-<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ART OF HOME FURNISHING AND DECORATION ***</div>

-

-

-<h1>  <i><span class="smcap">The Art of<br />

-  Home Furnishing<br />

-  and Decoration</span></i></h1>

-

-

-<p class="center p0 p2">  <i><span class="small">By</span></i><br />

-  FRANK ALVAH PARSONS</p>

-

-<p class="center p0 small">  President, New York School of Fine and Applied Art<br />

-  Author of “Interior Decoration&mdash;Its Principles and Practice,” Etc.</p>

-

-

-<p class="center p0 p4">  PUBLISHED BY<br />

-<span class="big">Armstrong Cork Company</span><br />

-<span class="small"><i>Linoleum Department</i></span><br />

-  <span class="smcap">Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Penna.</abbr>, <abbr title="United States of America">U. S. A.</abbr></span>

-</p>

-

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-

-

-<p class="center p0 p4">  SECOND EDITION</p>

-<hr class="r5" />

-<p class="center p0 small">  Copyright 1921 by<br />

-  <span class="smcap">Armstrong Cork Company</span><br />

-  <i>Linoleum Department</i><br />

-  <span class="smcap">Lancaster, Pennsylvania</span>

-</p>

-

-

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<h2 class="nobreak bt bb" id="FOREWORD"><i>FOREWORD</i></h2>

-</div>

-

-

-<p>Frank Alvah Parsons, President of the New York School of Fine and

-Applied Art, is a leading American authority on interior decoration.

-He long since has amply demonstrated his wonderful faculty for turning

-his knowledge to the common good. We know of no man who, with voice

-and pen, has fought harder or more unceasingly for better taste, for

-richer, fuller home life.</p>

-

-<p><abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons hardly can seem a stranger to the average reader of this

-book. Indeed, through his writings and lectures, he has become guide

-and counsellor and the personal friend of thousands of refined men and

-women, who have accepted the idea so well developed by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons in

-the following pages, that “Man is what he lives in;” that, generally

-speaking, man can be no greater or no less than the daily environment

-in which he works, thinks, and lives.</p>

-

-<p>We take great satisfaction and pleasure in announcing <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons as

-the author of that section of this book which is entitled “The Art

-of Home Furnishing and Decoration.” It is written in <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parson’s

-typically intimate and forceful style, and every paragraph is replete

-with information and suggestions of great value. We are sure that this

-book will hold your interest from the first to the last word, and that

-in the end you will look on the possibilities of your home and your

-life within it in a fresh and considerably enlarged perspective.</p>

-

-<p>After you have spent an hour with <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons on the general theme of

-home furnishing and decoration, we believe that it will profit you to

-read what is written by ourselves in the latter part of the book on the

-specific subject of linoleum and its relation to the principles that

-<abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons has laid down.</p>

-

-<p class="right p0">

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Armstrong Cork Company</span></span><br />

-</p>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span></p>

-

-<h2 class="nobreak bt" id="The_Art_of_Home_Furnishing_and_Decoration"><i>The Art of Home Furnishing and Decoration</i></h2>

-</div>

-

-<p class="center p0 bb big">FRANK ALVAH PARSONS</p>

-

-

-<p>Man is exactly what he lives in, for environment is the strongest

-possible factor in man’s development. One may be so long among loud

-noises, bad odors, inharmonious colors and wrong arrangements of

-things that one doesn’t mind them, because one has let them become

-an integral part of one’s self. They are there, and they are as bad

-as they were at first, but one has become immune to them. This being

-admitted, it follows, of course, that concordant sounds, agreeable

-odors, harmonious colors and pleasing arrangements have their immediate

-effects, but their tendency is toward refinement, culture and artistic

-appreciation instead of toward brutality, ignorance and indifference.

-It is certainly not hard to see what effect is produced by living in

-any wrong environment. As a person accustoms himself to it, he becomes

-like it. When he is like it, he will admire only its kind, and whatever

-he does will be as nearly like his environment as he himself is.</p>

-

-<p>The importance of thoroughly comprehending this truth cannot be

-overstated. The mental and artistic quality of the nation and even its

-physical comfort depend upon it. This viewpoint, being somewhat new

-to us, accounts for the upheaval in our ideas of what a home really

-is. Looking a little into this matter may perhaps stimulate us still

-further in our thinking, which will affect our way of doing whatever we

-attempt in the future.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">The Home Molds Our Tastes and Lives</div>

-

-<p>In the first place the home is the center of all life’s activities. We

-are born there, and long before we have seen the shop, the office, the

-church or even the school, our first impressions of the fundamentals of

-life have become fixed. These are exceedingly hard to efface.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span></p>

-

-<p>The school can hardly hope to counteract in the child’s mind the effect

-of hearing incorrect language spoken at home for six years; the church

-is greatly handicapped in its influence where wrong principles of life

-have determined habits during the first years; the artistic sense is

-practically dead and refinement of taste impossible in that child whose

-parents have given the usual wall papers, rugs, hangings, pictures and

-other objects of modern furnishing a chance to do their unrestricted

-work. Most of these have been made to sell, but not to people who use

-any judgment in buying. Occasionally we think of the durability or the

-comfort of an article, but how seldom of the colors, the patterns,

-the combinations of different periods with different meanings, all of

-which unite to make an unthinkable, inharmonious jumble which produces

-a reaction on an impressionable person little short of criminal. This

-being the case, is it any wonder that too frequently we are satisfied

-with inferior things or that we are not able to compete with other

-nations in creating better ones?</p>

-

-<p>This view of the home as an educator places it above any other

-institution in life and makes it worthy of the most careful and

-scientific study from several points of view. It might be well to

-consider here four of the most important of these.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Home Must Satisfy the Body</div>

-

-<p>The first requisite of a house is physical comfort. Not only is this

-true of each article of furniture, but it is true also of the placing

-of each piece as it relates to the other pieces.</p>

-

-<p>Take, for instance, a divan, a chair, a table, a lamp, some books and

-a footstool. It is not enough that the chair, the divan and the stool

-should each be comfortable to the body, but comfort demands that each

-be so placed that one can use the divan or chair with the stool, while

-the books on a table with a lamp are placed so that one may lounge or

-sit and read without effort and without expending energy to assemble

-what is required. The best possible arrangement, you see, demands more

-skill than at first appears.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span></p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Home Must Satisfy the Mind</div>

-

-<p><i>Mental comfort</i> is even more important to man in his home than

-physical comfort. He must, or should, find in his home an intellectual

-stimulus and a refining influence to complement the activities and

-struggles of his life outside, to calm and rest the tired nerves and to

-relieve the material or commercial stress which threatens entirely to

-destroy his power to see or know anything else. Unconsciously driven by

-this need he rushes from home to the club, to the theatre or elsewhere

-for diversion, amusement or rest. This is not as it should be, for in

-the right environment the home should furnish the rest and intellectual

-refreshment needed. Let us consider that there must be an expenditure

-of thought and skill in furnishing a home if it is to play its rightful

-part in the scheme of life.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Home Must Be Sanitary</div>

-

-<p>Even then, there is another thing to consider. A man may succeed

-in accomplishing wonders in the realm of physical comfort, yet so

-completely ignore the question of sanitation as to menace the health

-of his family, if not to offend their sense of decent cleanliness.

-The horrors of Victorian plush upholstery, chenille portieres and

-nailed-down carpets are still fresh in the memory of some of us, and

-we have not yet been able to get a clear idea of a really clean thing

-because of the bad impression made on us by these conditions. Probably

-we never shall, until we succeed in effacing their memory by discarding

-the traditions they represent and adopting wholly different ideas in

-their places. Let us think of the question of <i>sanitation</i> as a

-second necessity in considering any household problem.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Costly Things Not Always Best</div>

-

-<p>It is perhaps unnecessary to look at this matter from the viewpoint

-of economics, but to me it seems very important. We cannot all afford

-to buy everything we see, desire or even appreciate. Realizing this,

-we lose enthusiasm and take almost anything. This is not necessary,

-nor is it wise. Good things are not all costly, nor are all cheap

-things equally bad. One might also<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span> add that frequently very costly

-things incline to be bad; at any rate, there is far greater danger of

-their being so because of the greater opportunity they afford for the

-expression of bad taste.</p>

-

-<p>Knowledge furnishes the greatest defense against bad things in any

-form. The more one knows, the more capable he is of selecting the best

-for his money and of using his selections in such a way as to suggest

-that much more was paid for them than they really cost.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">An Artistic Home Means Enjoyable Living</div>

-

-<p>Intelligent selection&mdash;the art of buying the most appropriate

-furnishings and decorations for the home&mdash;leads logically to

-intelligent decoration, the art of arranging the furnishings and

-decorations so as to make possible a thoroughly attractive home and

-keenly enjoyable living for the family.</p>

-

-<p>The introduction of the word “Art” always opens up a new field fraught

-with unpleasant possibilities. So many things masquerade under this

-name that we are almost deceived as to what it really is. Shall we not

-attack and dispose of some of these fallacies before attempting to see

-what it actually is?</p>

-

-<p>Because it is an art to <i>decorate</i> we are apt to think that

-anything attached to or hung on to another thing is decoration,

-therefore artistic. Nothing could be further from the truth. Principles

-control decoration, and decoration is only possible when it conforms

-to these principles. In order to be decorative there must be something

-that requires decoration; that is, which is incomplete in itself. As

-soon as material of any kind is added after a thing is complete, the

-result becomes an aggregation, not a decoration.</p>

-

-<p>Most houses belong to this class because the owner refuses to stop when

-he is done. He may also have erred through having no place to decorate,

-his background being of such a kind that, struggle as it might, nothing

-could compete for attention, therefore could not become decorative by

-contrast. Simplicity in backgrounds is the foundation of decorative

-possibility.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span></p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">No Room for Sentimentality</div>

-

-<p>Oversentimentality is as bad as overdecoration. Sentiment is not only

-commendable but is an essential element that makes for human decency,

-but <i>sentimentality</i>, which by most people is thought to be

-the same thing, is unpleasant and unhealthy. Admiration, affection,

-veneration&mdash;each of these qualities has its place with all of us in

-its particular situation. This is well; but when, through association,

-we mistake an impersonal object for the real qualities of a person and

-begin to bestow adoration on it, then it is time to stop and think.</p>

-

-<p>To be sure, one respects some things in his grandfather and his

-other forebears. He is not insensible to the excellent points in his

-friends and associates. But if he is a wise man, he does not apply

-all his grandfather’s good qualities to all the furniture he uses,

-nor the excellent points in his friends to all the objects they have

-felt impelled to give him at one time or another for some sort of

-reason. If half the rubbish in every house in America that exists for

-solely sentimental reasons or because of a fear of being detected

-in its destruction were to be burned now, the next generation would

-have a much clearer vision of what art is, unhampered by sentimental

-misconception.</p>

-

-<p>A sentimental and an æsthetic feeling are quite distinct from each

-other. Who is there among us who does not love <i>nature</i>? The

-trees, the birds, the flowers&mdash;they seem to be a part of the great

-Divine scheme which calls for especial appreciation. This is also

-well; but nature is not art, neither is man’s imitation of it.

-Sometimes his interpretation of it is art, sometimes it is not. Not

-infrequently his conventionalization of nature and its adaptation to

-the material in which it is to be used become a decorative art; yet,

-even if this is accomplished, the thing may be spoiled in the use, and

-an inartistic whole may result. Just and reasonable homage to nature

-has impelled people to try in all sorts of ways to imitate it. This

-is not <i>art</i>. <i>Art is creation</i>, not imitation. One has

-but to reflect, and amazement must result when one realizes to what

-this impulse has led in every<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span> field of expression. Flowers have been

-painted on everything known, from the kitchen floor to the plush sofa

-pillow. The more like nature these decorations have appeared, the more

-artistic they were thought to be, when the truth was actually the

-reverse. The more natural these are, the more inappropriate they are as

-seen from any viewpoint.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Art Is Creative</div>

-

-<p>Who is there that would not hesitate to sit down on, or put his foot

-on, a perfectly natural rose or lily? Where is there a human being that

-would care to lie down on a pillow with the painted face, even of an

-Indian, in the center? Who can see nature insulted in various objects

-by the sticking-in of pins or the driving-in of nails? The whole thing

-is too simple. Nature has its place, but it is not art, nor is the

-imitation of it art.</p>

-

-<p>This is so intimately associated with another fallacy that it should

-suggest it without comment. The appetites of man are ever insistent

-for attention. The desire for food, drink, shelter&mdash;these are physical

-appetites. They make their assertions naturally, and when normally

-treated bear their relation to the rest of life. But neither these nor

-the sensations attendant on them are art, nor should these senses be

-confounded with the artistic sense.</p>

-

-<p>Apples and pears look well on trees, in suitable receptacles or on

-tables. They are to eat. Imitations of them painted on plates seem to

-win admiration at once for their likeness to the real thing. The saliva

-flows in the mouth, the digestive organs begin their natural functions,

-and, while our sensations are purely physical, strangely enough many

-think this artistic. It is the hunger appetite being appeased, not the

-æsthetic.</p>

-

-<p>The atrocities committed in this field are innumerable. Exact copies

-of everything, from a bunch of grapes to an ostrich, may be found in

-one winter’s millinery display, while the real or copied forms of

-everything, from a dried fish to a gigantic moose head, may be seen in

-one dining-room at one time. This is not art. It is natural history and

-botany illustration in museum effect.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span></p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">All Pictures Are Not Good</div>

-

-<p>The hardest thing in the world to combat is a universal belief in the

-infallibility of pictures. These are necessary to convey ideas and they

-have a function to perform. They are interesting, they may even be

-amusing, but they are by no means always artistic. So great has been

-the belief in and admiration for pictures, that we have, as a nation,

-pretty nearly surrendered to the idea that drawing and picture-making

-alone is art. No greater mistake than this has ever been made. There

-are a thousand more bad pictures than there are good ones and a hundred

-bad ones used in houses where one good one appears. This is because we

-seem to have a kind of fear that there may be a vacant place on the

-wall, and also because the picture idea has become a mania.</p>

-

-<p>“Silence is golden,” but a blank space on a wall is often diamonds and

-emeralds compared to one filled with the average pictures that are

-hung, not to mention their frames. What shall we say of this phase

-of human dissipation, particularly when the frames are gilt ones? A

-person who allows himself to decorate his house with frames instead of

-pictures should be expected to hang his wardrobe in the front hall for

-the same purpose. The results of this mania should not be charged up to

-the credit side of art. Rather, the man afflicted with it is a slave to

-tradition.</p>

-

-<p>For the most difficult thing in the world is for a person to change

-his established way of thinking or of doing anything. It is so much

-easier to think as one’s grandfather did and to do as one’s father

-did than it is to think and do for one’s self. For this reason we are

-somewhat handicapped in getting at the essence of art and its practical

-applications to ordinary life. If mahogany was the favored wood in the

-last half of the eighteenth century, of course it is a good idea to use

-it for anything, anywhere, forever afterward, even though a much better

-substitute is at hand. If floors were hardwood or soft wood or stone,

-or even plastered with Oriental rugs bearing no relation to the rest

-of the house, there seems to be no reason why people should change the

-rugs or have another kind of floor.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span></p>

-

-<p>Examples of this adherence to tradition are so frequent and so deadly

-that to cite more would be a waste of time. Traditional belief that

-antiques are always good or that the work of some particular man is

-forever praiseworthy or that some particular article should always be

-used in some established way, has blinded us to the possibilities in

-the right use of new things in a progressive way. All this hinders a

-clear perception of what art really is.</p>

-

-<p>If these things which have been misnamed art are carefully removed

-from consciousness permanently, it is easy enough to see what art is,

-and then it becomes almost an unconscious process to apply it, whether

-the application is made to the house, to clothes, or to other personal

-forms of expression.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Art Is Expressing Yourself</div>

-

-<p>In the first place, art is creation. It is the personal expression of

-the individual in any material or combination that completely conveys

-his conception of what he is trying to project.</p>

-

-<p>This connection generally expresses a need which he himself feels.

-It may be for a house, a living-room, a divan, a hat, a footstool, a

-typewriter or an automobile. In any case, there is a need for something

-for a particular use. This need should be the reason for the art

-expression. Spurred on by the need, a man creates something which will

-fill the need.</p>

-

-<p>This need is both functional or material and mental or artistic. One

-bar to seeing what art is rests in not recognizing this two-fold

-element in it. In so far as one is able to make a chair that fits the

-body, fulfils its special function as a dining-room chair, or a study

-chair, he has succeeded in creating the first artistic element. An

-object which does not do honestly and truthfully and sensibly what it

-purports to do cannot be artistic, no matter how it looks.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Art Is Beauty</div>

-

-<p>The second element that enters into art is appearance or beauty. This

-element or quality is a little more difficult to define because it is

-relative, just as heat is, or as goodness is. What seems warm to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span> one

-seems cold to another; what seems good to one may be bad to some one

-else; so, then, the standard of beauty depends entirely upon one’s

-own conception of it. This does not mean that anything that anybody

-considers beautiful is so, any more than it means that it is a warm day

-when the thermometer is at zero because somebody does not feel cold.

-It simply means that the person who judges may or may not have a right

-mental standard of what beauty really is. This standard may be acquired

-approximately by anyone, for it is determined by certain principles.

-If the principles of harmony are understood and applied, beauty will

-result.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">The Function of a Room</div>

-

-<p>Take, for instance, the problem of a particular room. The first

-question to ask one’s self is: “What is this room for?” If it is

-a dining-room, it is a place in which to eat in peace. If it is a

-living-room, it is to live in and should have a quiet, restful, refined

-and otherwise pleasant atmosphere. If it is a bedroom, it is to rest

-and sleep in. From whatever standpoint the room is viewed, the question

-of <i>use</i> comes first. Anything in the dining-room that interferes

-with eating in peace is in bad taste. Whatever appears as decoration

-in the living-room that is unrestful, tawdry, common or unessential,

-is inartistic. If the bedroom contains anything that is out of tone

-with its general spirit, if it contains anything that makes for other

-than an atmosphere of calm contentment and deep, sound sleep, it

-should be removed at once. Let this point of view spur us on to make

-an investigation of our houses&mdash;room by room&mdash;and alter or remove

-everything that strikes a jarring note.</p>

-

-<p>Let us start with the bedroom. Are there spotted fabrics or papers

-on the wall, the spots on which one involuntarily counts, even after

-going to sleep? Are there a half dozen small pictures in black frames

-against a white background, so hung that successive steps are formed

-which resemble the front hall stairs? Are there other diverting and

-disturbing arrangements in the room that seem to invite us to close our

-eyes to avoid further<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span> annoyance? Much can be done in house decoration

-by elimination, and the strongest argument for this process will be

-found in submitting each room to the test as to the performance of its

-proper function.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">The Language of Art</div>

-

-<p>These elements, <i>fitness to use</i> and <i>beauty</i>, which

-when combined make what is called the art of quality, must be made

-comprehensible by facts and truths which can be expressed in a language

-form that all may learn to understand. This art language is made up

-of color, form, line and texture, and depends for its efficiency on a

-knowledge of the principles which govern it and upon an appreciation

-for the niceties in its use. Anyone can learn the principles and will

-grow in appreciation as he makes a right use of what he knows. Of the

-qualities mentioned, color is the most interesting; at least, it is the

-easiest to see. At the same time it is the most misused. This is much

-too small a space in which to demonstrate with any thoroughness the

-color language idea, but two or three of the most important facts must

-be emphasized.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Use of Color To Express Personality</div>

-

-<p>Nothing is more personal than color and nothing admits of expressing

-personality with clearer or more manifest charm. The normal

-colors&mdash;yellow, red, blue, green, orange and violet&mdash;may be used in

-illustration of this statement.</p>

-

-<p>Color has its source in light, and natural light comes from the sun.

-Yellow looks most like the sun, as it expresses the quality that the

-sun seems to give out. From the sun we are cheered, made light-hearted

-and receive new life. Yellow in a room should, under normal conditions,

-produce the same feelings where it is the basis for the wall color or

-is used in curtains or in other spots. Red suggests blood and fire.

-It is associated with activity, aggression and passion. It heats and

-stimulates. One who fails to react to color is not normal or is immune

-from overcontact, while one who simply likes or dislikes a color and,

-therefore, uses it or never does, misses the real chance to express

-ideas. If one prefers red, there is no proof in the fact that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span> makes

-it incumbent on him to live surrounded by it. He may be erratic enough

-without it, or possibly he doesn’t need a stimulant. Need is the

-fundamental question rather than liking. It is a question of what one

-ought to have.</p>

-

-<p>It is interesting to know that the aggressive quality of red makes a

-room in which it is used smaller in appearance, and there are times

-when this is not desirable. Its warming quality is not needed in hot

-climates or during a warm season.</p>

-

-<p>Blue has an opposite effect from red. Its reactions are restraint,

-coolness, repose and distance. By association one thinks of a clear

-blue sky and the cool breezes from the blue waters of the ocean. This

-makes blue a suitable antidote for hot weather and a temperate force,

-useful in modifying some people’s dispositions. Green, which is a

-union of yellow and blue, expresses the qualities of both. Nothing

-could be more restful, soothing and agreeable than the cheering and

-cooling effects of a seat in the shade upon the green grass under

-luxuriant green trees, in the middle of a hot day. It is easy to see

-the practical application of this in decorative art.</p>

-

-<p>Violet or purple has the qualities of red and blue, while orange has

-the qualities of yellow and red. It is interesting to study the natural

-reactions shown by people of all ages and conditions to these colors

-as environments under different mental conditions. Incomplete as

-these suggestions are, they are probably sufficient to establish the

-point that personal qualities or individual character traits can be

-definitely expressed in color terms and that antidotes for an excess

-of certain qualities are just as possible where a knowledge of color

-exists.</p>

-

-<p>There is a second color quality that we must not ignore. If I think of

-one group of colors containing light pink, delicate blue, lavender,

-canary yellow and white as representing one idea, and dark crimson,

-heavy, dark green, blue with a rich dark purple and black as another

-group, I have a basis for comparison. If my problem of expression is

-the qualities that we generally attribute to youth, or the proper

-colors for a young girl’s<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span> bedroom, or for the lighter and more

-delicate things in life, I have no hesitation in choosing the first

-group. If, on the other hand, the problem is one of clothes for a

-person of mature age, or a color scheme for a library in an old English

-house, or some other problem in which the qualities required are

-dignity, quietness and stability, there should be no question as to the

-preference for the second group.</p>

-

-<p>This quality of light and darkness in color is called <i>value</i> and

-must not be forgotten in using color as a language.</p>

-

-<p>There is no doubt that the third quality, called <i>intensity</i>,

-is the most important of all to a right understanding of interior

-decoration. This quality determines how brilliant or how forceful

-a color tone is. Softer and less aggressive tones are called

-<i>neutral</i> or <i>neutralized colors</i>. The most important

-question in using color decoratively is that which relates to the

-distribution and correct placing of neutralized colors in their

-relation to the more intense ones. The grossest errors in the whole

-realm of color used in decoration are committed in this field. One or

-two principles that relate to this matter must always be carefully

-observed: “Backgrounds should be less intense in color than objects

-that are to appear against them in any decorative way.” From this it

-obviously follows that walls, ceilings and floors of houses must be

-less intense in color than hangings, upholsteries, small rugs, pictures

-and other decorative material. This is one of the most important points

-to remember in every color problem.</p>

-

-<p>There is a corollary to this which is equally important: “The larger

-the color area the less intense it should be, and the smaller the area,

-the more intense it may be.” According to this principle, hangings

-and large rugs must be less intense in color than sofa cushions, lamp

-shades and decorative bits of pottery and other materials. Keeping this

-relation of areas in mind is an aid in selecting any article for the

-house, as well as a help in choosing those things that are concerned

-with one’s personal appearance. A red necktie is more appealing than a

-red suit,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span> so is a red flower or ribbon more decorative on a black hat

-than a gray one would be on a red hat.</p>

-

-<p>The slightest attempt at using color must disclose its power to express

-personality, its natural value feeling and its decorative dependence

-upon a proper distribution of intensities.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Use of Form To Express Ideas</div>

-

-<p>While the principles of form are a little less apparent in their

-illustration to most of us than color, yet they are no less important

-in producing a harmonious whole. One of the first premises of

-decoration is the assumption that there is a definite form or shape

-upon which a decoration is to be applied. The direction of the bounding

-lines of this form determines the direction of the principal lines of

-the decorative matter which is to be applied on it.</p>

-

-<p>The bounding lines of a floor are generally straight and at right

-angles to each other. This fixes several important points regarding the

-disposition of rugs and furniture. Rugs that are placed at all sorts of

-angles on the floor and by their positions bid one go in any direction

-save the one he started to take are among the most disconcerting and

-distracting lines in a room arrangement. Place all rugs in accord with

-the bounding lines of a room and harmony is at once restored.</p>

-

-<p>One must conform to this principle also in placing furniture. Most

-pieces should be parallel with the sides of the room, even though they

-are not against the walls. Curved line chairs or other small objects

-sometimes lend themselves naturally to a diagonal placement. Care

-should be taken in grouping furniture to give the appearance of harmony

-with the room structure. Let us look after the piano that is placed

-catacorner in the living-room, and the bed, in the same position, in

-the bedroom.</p>

-

-<p>It is not unusual to see pictures strung over the walls in such a way

-that the line indicated from the top of one to another is a zigzag

-that illy suggests harmony with the structure of the wall. Triangular

-picture wires are ugly and distracting. Unless a picture is small

-enough to be hung with an invisible attachment<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span> at the back, it should

-be hung with one long wire passed through two screw eyes, one at each

-top corner of the frame, with one wire paralleling each side of the

-frame and going over a hook above. This not only harmonizes the wire

-with the frame, but with the doors, windows and the room structure.</p>

-

-<p>The choice and arrangement of essential materials in the room, so far

-as the aspect of beauty is concerned, will be treated in detail later

-on.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Size and Shape of Objects a Factor</div>

-

-<p>The principle of consistently related shapes and sizes finds scores of

-applications in the arrangement of a room. Who has not wondered what to

-do with a round clock, when everything else adjacent to it was either

-square or rectangular in form? Where is there a house in which there is

-not a round or oval picture to be placed, or a chair of wholly curved

-lines, where all others are straight? The attempt to place one isolated

-round object on a wall is generally a failure, because there is nothing

-to relate it to any other nearby lines. Oval and curved objects must be

-repeated by others similar in form in other positions in the room if

-they are to become in any sense a part of the design.</p>

-

-<p>The second part of this principle&mdash;consistent sizes&mdash;is even more

-important and far-reaching than the first. To the architect, the

-decorator or the creator of any art object, this is a vital matter.

-Every interior, as well as exterior, architectural feature is thought

-of in relation to every other one in the matter of size.</p>

-

-<p>It is not uncommon to enter a room and find a chimney large enough

-for an Elizabethan banquet hall, while the room itself, in size,

-suggests a city flat. Nor is it less common to find a table or divan

-of gigantic proportions being required to live in harmony with chairs

-or other articles of various pigmy types. These unusual and unhappy

-relationships cannot conform to the principle of consistent sizes.</p>

-

-<p>In our use of hangings, upholstery, rugs, etc., the lack of feeling for

-consistent sizes is still more often apparent. Before<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span> discussing this,

-let us look for a moment at patterns and motifs as they are used in

-textiles, wall papers and rugs.</p>

-

-<p>For some unknown reason we have come to believe that there is no beauty

-in anything in which there is not a pattern plainly visible, forgetting

-that three-fourths of all wall and floor spaces are backgrounds on

-which to show other more important things, including people, who have

-some right to be exploited even against wall paper. There are some

-phases of the motif running through a design, that may be considered

-here in some detail.</p>

-

-<p>There are three distinct varieties of motif. First, the motif which

-aims to reproduce identically a natural object. Such things are rarely

-successful. The second is known as the abstract type, where the motif

-is of a form and color not derived from a natural source, being a

-matter of space and line arrangement, often resulting in geometric

-forms. The third, known as the conventional motif, takes a natural

-thing and attempts to translate it into form and color suited by

-its appearance and feeling to some particular material in which the

-design is developed. In the conventional design, beauty is attained by

-harmonizing the motif with the material on which the design is made,

-while the naturalistic motif strives to represent some natural thing

-and takes a chance on its being appropriate in the material in which it

-is to be rendered. Harmony in motifs means, first, a relation in this

-particular, from which it follows that a rug or floor which is entirely

-geometric in pattern cannot be used successfully with hangings which

-show a purely naturalistic design.</p>

-

-<p>Another opportunity for harmony is found in consistently related motifs

-as to size and shape. It frequently happens that the floor motif, for

-example, is small and delicate in size and refined in line treatment.

-If a person is naturally sensitive to color rather than form and he

-finds a rug or hangings pleasing in color, he is often satisfied. For

-harmony in relationship, however, he must ask if the motif in the rug

-and that in the hangings are consistent in size and shape with the

-floor and wall motifs.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span></p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Elements in a Room Must Balance</div>

-

-<p>A third principle of form is known as <i>balance</i>. This is the

-principle of arrangement whereby attractions are equalized and through

-this equalization a restful feeling is obtained; that is, a feeling

-of equilibrium or safety. It is somewhat disconcerting to enter a

-small room and find a black piano across one corner and a delicate

-Hepplewhite chair in the opposite corner. One instinctively rushes

-to the aid of the chair. Attraction may be of color, size, shape or

-texture, and one learns only by constant practice to see and feel the

-attraction forces in different objects used.</p>

-

-<p>There are two types of balance to consider. The first one, known as

-<i>bi-symmetric</i> balance, is the equalization of attractions on

-either side of a vertical center by using objects the same size, shape,

-color and texture. This is formal, dignified and safe, but lacks in

-some ways the delicacy and subtlety resulting from an attempt to get

-a less formal placing. Consider a vertical line drawn through the

-center of a chimney-piece placed in the middle of a wall space. On

-either side of the chimney-piece and equally distant from it may be

-placed two pictures similar in size, form and color, and the result is

-bi-symmetrical. If two similar candlesticks are placed one at either

-end of the chimney-piece and equidistant from the end, with a portrait

-in the center, there is still bi-symmetric arrangement. So long as this

-arrangement is maintained, bi-symmetry results.</p>

-

-<p>A second kind of balance is known as <i>occult</i> balance. This term

-is used to signify that the balance is rather felt or sensed than

-exactly determined. If the same vertical line is drawn through the

-same chimney-piece, one picture is placed a certain distance from the

-left and two smaller pictures of unequal size are used on the right to

-balance this. The two pictures must be so placed that their attraction

-equals that of the larger one at the left. Similarly, if one large

-porcelain jar and two or three other articles are to be used, there

-must be a feeling of equal attraction on either side of the vertical

-line.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span></p>

-

-<p>To explain briefly the primary laws of balance we may give the rules:

-“Equal attractions balance each other at equal distances from the

-center.” And, conversely: “Unequal attractions balance each other at

-unequal distances from the center.”</p>

-

-<p>A third and a little more complicated law is stated as follows:

-“Unequal attractions balance each other at distances from the center

-which are in inverse ratio to their powers of attraction.” Translated,

-this means that objects with the strongest attractions tend to

-gravitate toward the central line, while less attractive ones tend to

-draw from this line.</p>

-

-<p>The application of the rules of balance not only to objects on the

-wall, but to the furniture when seen against the wall or against the

-floor, is essential to room composition. It is also essential that the

-floor, in its general appearance, should bear a balanced relation to

-the walls and to the hangings.</p>

-

-<p>There is no better place, perhaps, than at this point to make clear

-the relations of these three bounding surfaces. The ceiling should

-be unobtrusive, but keyed in color to the rest of the room. A

-perfectly white ceiling, except in a white room, or an over-ornamented

-ceiling anywhere is an annoyance to him who would see his friends

-or furnishings. A too-aggressive wall paper or other wall covering

-makes a bid for attention quite out of proportion to its rights as a

-background, while aggressive and over-assertive floors or rugs are

-in bad taste, particularly when they assume the prerogatives of the

-hostess in their attempt at attraction.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">“Crawly” Pictures and Patterns Are Bad</div>

-

-<p>The ceiling should be about as much lighter and less attractive than

-the walls, as the walls are lighter and less attractive than the

-floor. This is a balanced arrangement of ceilings, walls and floors.

-Operating exactly opposite to the principle of balance is one known as

-<i>movement</i>. This is calculated to cause unrest, excitement and

-similar sensations, by creating an interest which causes the eye to

-move from one thing to another. It is very desirable in many cases that

-movement, particularly of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span> a violent type, should not occur. Allusion

-to stair arrangements in picture hangings has already been made. This

-is not conducive to sleep. Erratic crawling vine patterns, creeping up

-the curtains or the wall paper, are a little suggestive in the early

-morning hours if one chances to awake. Violent contrasting lines,

-created by bad furniture placing or by spotted wall papers or floor

-covering, also become tiresome and disturbing, except to those who by

-long contact with such things have become immune to their influence.

-Even such may suffer a subconscious disturbance, though they do not

-realize it.</p>

-

-<p>There is a certain monotony attendant on the continual presentation

-of one sound, one color or one form, for mental consideration. On the

-other hand, there is a complete disorganization of the powers of the

-human mind if a host of colors, forms or sounds are presented at one

-time. If one is poverty, the other is certainly gluttony, and neither

-should be accepted. It is through a judicious selection and arrangement

-that sufficient variety is obtained to give pleasure, while restraint

-results in making life humanly possible. It is very rarely that we err

-on the side of simplicity, but it is not at all unlikely that we may

-become flagrantly sumptuous, with an uncomfortable, tawdry result.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Emphasize Only Important Things in a Room</div>

-

-<p>The principle known as <i>emphasis</i> is one which we must regard

-as important. In a bedroom one ought to see a bed; it is vastly more

-important than the picture exhibition hung about it. In a dining-room

-a well-set table is the emphatic note, not the chenille curtains nor

-the products of the chase hung upon the wall. In the living-room the

-easy-chair, the divan, the bookcase, the beautiful portrait, lamp or

-picture&mdash;all these things should be emphasized by color, form or line,

-that their importance as related to other things in the room may be

-apparent at sight.</p>

-

-<p>Knowing this to be true, is it not strange that we still find people

-who are willing to emphasize the wall paper or the floor or the

-unpleasant ceiling decorations, to the absolute exclusion<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span> of anything

-else that may have to be used in the room? The relation of background

-to decorative objects cannot be insisted upon too much.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">The Spirit of the Whole House Should Be the Spirit of Each

-Room</div>

-

-<p>The final principle of form is known as unity. In this limited

-discussion only a word can be said of it. A room is a unit, so should a

-house be. It is impossible to look with equanimity from an Old English

-dining-room into a Louis XVI sitting-room. These styles are very far

-apart in their meaning and can only be harmonized by those who know

-how, when, where and how much of each element to use.</p>

-

-<p>It is just as impossible to make a unit out of a mixture of Fifteenth,

-Seventeenth and Nineteenth Century furniture, unless one knows how.

-Every article used in furnishing a house not only has its conventional

-value, but its design also. If one knows thoroughly the exact meaning

-and power of a Louis XVI chair, an Elizabethan table, an Italian

-console or a William and Mary bookcase, there is no doubt that these

-may be used successfully in one room.</p>

-

-<p>There are so many considerations in such a problem that it is

-insufficient to choose single objects for their value alone. Each thing

-must be chosen with a clear understanding of what room it is to go in

-and with what other things it is in the future to be associated. A

-failure to do this will certainly result in pandemonium.</p>

-

-<p>What shall we do with the things we have? Use them if we have to,

-destroy them if we are willing to&mdash;at least eliminate everything that

-is nonessential. The pernicious practice of giving everything one

-learns to dislike or that has become worn out, to the poor, does more

-to prevent them from enjoying a personal growth than any other one

-thing.</p>

-

-<p>Perhaps no better way to think of the principle of unity can be

-suggested than to quote the definition of an eminent Nineteenth Century

-historian: “A unit is that to which nothing can be added and from which

-nothing can be taken without interfering materially with the idea

-itself.”</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span></p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Objects Should Look the Way They Feel</div>

-

-<p>The question of <i>texture</i> as a form of expression must not be

-omitted. Texture is that quality of an object which seems to convey

-the idea of how it feels. It is a combination of a degree of solidity,

-strength, roughness, coarseness, etc. One finds this quality in the

-grained effects of wood, in the weaves of different textiles, in the

-appearance of braided straws, and even in feathers and other materials.</p>

-

-<p>It is this sense of fitness in textural feeling that forbids the use

-of hard, harsh-grained oaks with the finer textures of mahogany and

-satin-wood. Disregarding this quality, people often combined the

-coarser, heavier and more-resisting woolens or linens with soft,

-impressionable and destructible silks or fine cottons. Harmony in the

-texture quality cannot fail to contribute to harmony in the finished

-unit.</p>

-

-<p>Such is the language of art expression in color, form, line and

-texture. The principles which govern the right selection and

-combination of all materials that go to make a house are the real

-guides to growth in artistic appreciation.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Good Taste the Final Criterion</div>

-

-<p>Good taste, which is the final criterion in all art, is cultivated or

-improved in most people by a constant study and application of the

-principles which control artistic expression.</p>

-

-<p>Should we not, all of us, do well often to take time to remind

-ourselves of certain great established principles and to endeavor

-constantly to see more clearly and completely the principles that

-govern the expression of these truths? Thereby we may unconsciously

-form habits of thinking and of doing things that will not only make for

-broader and better personal growth, but will contribute to a higher

-type of national civilization. We have not to worry if all the powers

-of science are not directed to the development of so-called efficient

-service, in lines that are wholly material and commercial.</p>

-

-<p>We are extraordinarily committed to this propaganda, as a people, and

-we might ask ourselves whether we may not be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span> developing this idea

-at the expense of mental and spiritual ideals that, after all, are

-the real things that not only determine what we actually are, but are

-the only things that are truly permanent. Life is certainly something

-beside machinery, raw materials and money, even granting these to be

-essentials.</p>

-

-<p>Perceiving the desirability of the art quality results generally in an

-effort to possess it, and that entails immediate action in two distinct

-ways. First, go out to find the simple, fundamental principles that

-control the language of color, form, line and texture; second, apply

-these principles at once in the home, in the shop, in clothes, in

-printed paper or in any concrete thing where interest and possibility

-are found. Through every application growth is assured.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Influence of Environment</div>

-

-<p>Let us again remember that man is exactly what he lives in, for

-environment is the strongest possible factor in man’s development. Let

-us not forget that what man really is, is what his mind is, and this he

-must express in all he does.</p>

-

-<p>This places the importance of the home where it deserves to be and

-makes its furnishing one of the most serious and at the same time one

-of the most delightful things in life, never for an instant minimizing

-what has always been desirable, but vastly enlarging and ennobling the

-idea for which it stood.</p>

-

-<p>In recognizing anew the part art is to play in this matter, let us not

-forget that it in no way interferes with the three essential qualities

-that are inevitably factors in every home problem simple or elaborate,

-as the case may be.</p>

-

-<p>Perfect physical comfort is necessary, if only from the standpoint of

-more efficient service on our part and the relief it brings us, not

-to be constantly thinking how hard the bed is, how uncomfortable the

-chair seems, or how rough and uneven the floor feels. Art in no way

-interferes with physical comfort; in fact, it demands it, as an element

-of the eternal fitness of things.</p>

-

-<p>The nation is awake to the power of cleanliness as a factor in making

-an efficient physical, and thereby, indirectly, a finer<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span> mental being,

-as a contribution to modern civilization. Every article selected for

-the home should have this requirement considered. Including this in

-the art idea will remove the misapprehension under which some people

-labor, that art implies disorder at home, a dowdy or unkempt person and

-a disregard of nature’s most obvious laws. The first law of Heaven is

-order; it is no less so of art.</p>

-

-<p>Expense is the constant excuse of those who want better things but

-cannot afford them. There are as many bad expensive things as there

-are cheap ones. No home is too poor to have much better things, much

-better arranged, than it has, and no home is so rich that much of the

-furnishing might not well be publicly burned and the rest rearranged.</p>

-

-<p>From any standpoint, comfort, sanitation, economics or art, the home

-is to become the greatest moulding influence in human life. Shall

-we remain apathetic and indifferent to this most vital problem,

-satisfied to increase our bank account only, or shall we awaken now and

-contribute our mite to a fuller national life and a higher and happier

-existence? This certainly will not decrease our power to increase the

-bank account, but will enable us to do it with far less physical effort.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Floor Styles Change with the Customs</div>

-

-<p>Traditions have generally obtained in each generation and fashion as to

-what materials should be used in various parts of the house and how to

-use them. The original ideas which went to establish these traditions

-or manners differed in their origins, but were always the logical

-outcomes of times in which they were developed. For instance, the walls

-of the house in the Italian Renaissance were of stone. Steel was not

-thought of and wood unsuited, while in American Colonial days wood was

-the most plentiful material and the quickest and easiest to handle in

-building in the manner in which the people lived.</p>

-

-<p>At various times climate, geography, religious and social customs and

-the developments of science or art have changed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span> conditions, and with

-this, methods and materials have undergone similar changes.</p>

-

-<p>Floors, for example, have mostly been of clay, stone, tile or wood,

-dictated by one or more of the modifying influences of which we have

-spoken. Wood cannot take the place of stone, neither should it try to

-pretend to do so, but there is no denying that one is better than the

-other under certain conditions and that neither is the only good floor

-under all conditions.</p>

-

-<p>Linoleum as a floor is not a substitute for stone, wood, tile or clay.

-It is another material, recent in conception and suited to particular

-conditions, because of properties that neither stone, clay nor wood

-have in exactly the same proportions.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Where Linoleum May Be Suitable and Desirable</div>

-

-<p>Like other floors in modern houses, linoleum ought to combine the

-qualities of sanitation, comfort, durability to fulfil completely its

-functions. When made to conform to these ends&mdash;as it does if properly

-designed, and then selected and arranged so as to harmonize perfectly

-with its surroundings&mdash;it is not only suitable but desirable. Linoleum

-is sanitary, because the most obvious thing about it is the ease with

-which it can be cleaned and kept clean.</p>

-

-<p>Linoleum is comfortable, because it is soft, quiet and resilient

-underfoot. It is economical, because it is durable.</p>

-

-<p>In parts of Europe, the artistic possibilities of linoleum have

-been developed to such a degree that many fine homes are furnished

-throughout with floors of that material. There is no reason why, in

-this country, the development of the art side of linoleum should not

-follow the general development of interior decoration. For patterns and

-colors, suitable for any scheme of house furnishing and decoration,

-seemingly, can be produced.</p>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span></p>

-

-<h2 class="nobreak bt" id="How_To_Select_Linoleum_Floors"><i>How To Select Linoleum Floors</i></h2>

-</div>

-

-<p class="center p0 big bb">KATHLEEN CLINCH CALKINS<span class="fnanchor" id="fna1"><a href="#fn1">[1]</a></span></p>

-

-

-<p>While the principles and suggestions on home furnishing and decoration

-set forth by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons on the preceding pages are fresh in our minds,

-let us see how they may be applied specifically to the selection of

-floors in the modern home. According to <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons, if properly

-designed and selected to harmonize with its surroundings, modern

-linoleum is not only suitable but desirable as a floor for every room

-in the house. Let us first define the various types of linoleum,

-and then, going from one room to another, learn how to use linoleum

-floors effectively and artistically, keeping in mind the fundamental

-principles that <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons has explained to us.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">What Linoleum Is</div>

-

-<p>Linoleum was invented in England in 1863. The name comes from two Latin

-words, <i>linum</i> (flax) and <i>oleum</i> (oil). Thus linoleum takes

-its name from its principal ingredient, linseed oil. Before it can be

-used in making linoleum, however, the linseed oil must be oxidized

-by exposing it to the air until it hardens into a tough, rubber-like

-substance. The oxidized oil is then mixed with powdered cork, wood

-flour, various gums, and color pigments; and the resulting plastic mass

-is pressed on burlap by means of great rollers that exert a pressure of

-hundreds of pounds to the square inch. The “green linoleum” then passes

-into huge drying ovens, where it is hung up in festoons to cure and

-season. This curing process takes from one to six weeks, depending on

-the thickness of the material.</p>

-

-<p>There are several varieties of linoleum, designated as follows:</p>

-

-<p>(<i>a</i>) Plain linoleum&mdash;of solid color, without pattern&mdash;the heavier

-grades of which are used for covering the decks of battleships and

-hence are known as “battleship linoleum.”</p>

-

-<p>(<i>b</i>) Jaspe linoleum, which is like inlaid linoleum in that the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span>

-colors run clear through the fabric. It is made in plain colorings,

-with a pleasing graining in two tones of the same color.</p>

-

-<p>(<i>c</i>) Inlaid linoleum, in which the colors of the pattern go

-through to the burlap back.</p>

-

-<p>(<i>d</i>) Granite linoleum, which is also a variety of inlaid. It has

-a mottled appearance, resembling terrazzo.</p>

-

-<p>(<i>e</i>) Printed linoleum, which is simply plain linoleum with a

-design printed on the surface with oil paint.</p>

-

-<p>Turn for a moment to the <a href="#img002">colorplates</a> at the back of this book, and

-note the illustrations of various types of linoleum floors. Your local

-merchant has actual samples of linoleum, and will be glad to show you

-the different grades.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Used for Years in Europe</div>

-

-<p>As <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons has suggested, the use of linoleum floors all over the

-house is not new; it is one of the excellent ideas in home building

-that has come to us from Europe. There the designing of linoleum, for

-many years, has been given particular attention; and linoleum floors

-have found ready acceptance in bedrooms, living-rooms, dining-rooms,

-etc., not alone in homes of persons of moderate means, but just as

-frequently in those of the rich and well-to-do. European architects are

-accustomed to specify linoleum floors in new buildings instead of other

-materials less desirable.</p>

-

-<p>The European housewife takes particular pride in keeping her linoleum

-floors in spick-and-span condition by waxing and polishing them. And,

-as the years pass, linoleum floors soften in color and deepen in tone,

-taking on a finish not unlike that of wood which has been mellowed by

-age.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Growing Use in America</div>

-

-<p>In America, the makers of Armstrong’s Linoleum were the first to

-give attention to the designing of linoleum patterns that would lend

-themselves to acceptable use in the modern American home. Skilled

-designers were brought from the best European establishments and

-given <i>carte blanche</i> in the development of designs particularly

-appropriate to American ideas of home decoration<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span> and conditions of

-living. As a result, we can state with confidence that for beauty,

-attractiveness, and general utility the Armstrong floor designs now

-available are not excelled either in Europe or America.</p>

-

-<p>Miss Rene Stillman, a writer on interior decoration, in discussing

-recently in the Philadelphia <i>Public Ledger</i> the change from

-unsanitary carpets to the use of fabric rugs speaks also of the change

-in linoleums and their relation to modern interior decoration. She

-says, ... “and then the new linoleums, not the old kitchen kind, but

-modern floors which have become works of art, some of which are not

-unlike the floors in old palaces. Not long ago I went to an exhibit

-given by a number of prominent interior decorators. There I went

-through one of the most charmingly decorated houses you ever saw,

-and every floor had linoleum upon it. It was a house of Spanish

-architecture, and there was a central court, with fountains and

-foliage&mdash;an unpretentious, but very beautiful, little court. And, would

-you believe it? it was paved&mdash;I use the word advisedly&mdash;with linoleum

-of the large black-and-white blocks, for all the world like large

-black-and-white marble tiles. The other rooms were also covered with

-linoleum, which toned with the woodwork or the walls or the general

-scheme of the furnishings. But these rooms were also covered with

-fabric rugs, some of them large central rugs, allowing the linoleum

-floor to show about the edges. In other rooms, the rugs were smaller

-and scattered over a larger surface of the linoleum. Of course, it was

-very good linoleum, mostly cork I think, and the pattern went all the

-way through. I was charmed with the subtle colors, the often exquisite

-designs.”</p>

-

-<p>As a matter of fact, in the last few years many leading architects

-and interior decorators have used linoleum floors in homes they have

-planned, particularly because of the decorative effects it is possible

-to achieve with linoleum floors, as contrasted with other materials.

-Where the problem is to redecorate a house, linoleum is being more

-and more widely used to resurface<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span> worn wood floors. And, in many new

-homes, owners and architects have specified linoleum floors instead

-of wood; they have used linoleum not alone because of the economy in

-dollars and cents but because linoleum floors are so <i>very much

-easier to take care of</i>. Especially where the housewife has to

-do her own work, or good help is difficult to obtain, linoleum aids

-materially in solving this almost universal household problem.</p>

-

-<p>The portfolio of <a href="#img002">colorplates</a> and black-and-white reproductions included

-with this book will give you an excellent idea of just how linoleum

-floors look in modern homes. If you are planning to build a new

-house, you owe it to yourself to investigate the possibilities that

-linoleum floors offer you in making the home unusually interesting and

-attractive.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">For the Hall</div>

-

-<p>The hall is the first place in your home that visitors see. It must

-be kept speckless and spotless. A linoleum hall floor proclaims the

-neatness of the housewife to all visitors the moment they cross the

-threshold because it is so easy to keep such a floor fresh and inviting.</p>

-

-<p>And no matter what the decorative treatment of your hall, there are

-patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum that will harmonize perfectly with

-rugs, walls, and furniture. For a formal vestibule, there are exclusive

-designs that will appeal to all tastes. For instance, Pattern 350,

-which is a six-inch block design of alternate black and white squares,

-suggests marble tile. Or there is an interesting Persian tile, Pattern

-<abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 232, in cream, red, and black. The newer designs in marble and

-tile inlaids permit many interesting combinations. In an entrance

-hall proper, you may prefer wood effects. There are several linoleum

-parquetries which, waxed and polished, make splendid floors for halls

-and reception rooms, as well as living- and dining-rooms.</p>

-

-<p>The durability of good linoleum should always be kept in mind. The

-number of footsteps it would take to wear it out cannot be estimated,

-and dripping umbrellas and wet rubbers do not damage it.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span></p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">For the Living-Room</div>

-

-<p>Linoleum for the living-room? Remember, we are now speaking of linoleum

-as a floor and not as a covering. There is a vital distinction. Over

-linoleum installed as a permanent floor, naturally, you will lay your

-fabric rugs, whether they are domestic or Oriental. And you will select

-your linoleum floor carefully, because it must serve as a background

-not only for the rugs placed upon it, but for all the furnishings of

-the room, just as the wall-covering is a background for the pictures

-or draperies hung against it. The general rule is that the linoleum

-floor should be darker in tone than the walls and woodwork. It is the

-foundation upon which the whole plan of furnishing is based. Thus

-you will select your linoleum floors, keeping in mind the type of

-furniture, the woodwork, and the general effect you wish to produce.</p>

-

-<p>For example, if the woodwork is dark and the furniture tends toward the

-massive in style, one of the darker tones of plain brown, the brown

-jaspe, or a parquetry linoleum floor is appropriate. If the woodwork

-is white or ivory, the floors may be selected in softer tones of gray,

-green, and light brown, depending on the character of the furnishings.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">For the Dining-Room</div>

-

-<p>Linoleum is truly the logical floor for the dining-room. Every

-practical consideration persuades its use. In the dining-room,

-cheerfulness and individuality are the prime requisites. A thoughtful

-selection of the floor in relation to the furnishings may be made to

-contribute not a little to the charm of a room. The newer linoleum

-designs offer many interesting suggestions; for instance, a marble

-tile, with contrasting interliners, or one of the carpet inlaids of

-all-over pattern, permits out-of-the-ordinary floor treatment. Pattern

-<abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 201, a little three-inch tile of alternating black and gray blocks,

-is reminiscent of Italian influence. In the woods, Parquetry <abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 600

-is particularly good. Or, for the average home, nothing is better than

-the jaspes in browns and grays, or a plain linoleum in appropriate

-coloring.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span></p>

-

-<p>In any room, a nice balance in the use of figured and plain surfaces

-is always desirable. For instance, if a plain coloring or a jaspe

-linoleum is used for the floor, figured rugs and wall coverings may

-well be chosen. If, however, a patterned linoleum floor is employed,

-the fabric rugs and wall coverings should be plainer, or of small

-all-over pattern. Avoid overemphasis of pattern or, conversely, too

-much monotony of plain surfaces.</p>

-

-<p>The cheerful tile designs in Armstrong’s Linoleum are particularly

-appropriate for the breakfast alcove or sun porch now found in many

-homes. In a recent issue of <i>The Delineator</i>, Martha Hill Cutler,

-writing on “Linoleum Floors&mdash;Durable, Smart,” after saying that

-“linoleum has now ‘arrived’ as an artistic as well as a practical

-possibility for every room in the house,” speaks particularly of the

-use of linoleum in the breakfast-room.</p>

-

-<p>She says, “In a breakfast-room or sun-parlor one can do daring things.

-There are fascinating possibilities in a linoleum design of brilliant

-colorings, the black-and-orange, for instance, the green-and-white,

-green-and-black, or blue-and-green.</p>

-

-<p>“Breakfast-rooms are almost always so small that rugs are not

-absolutely essential, but plain rugs against these brilliant tiles

-as backgrounds are very effective. Brilliantly colored curtains to

-harmonize, an unusual chintz or cretonne, and painted furniture can be

-combined with them with colorful results.”</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">For a Group of Rooms</div>

-

-<p>By using the same linoleum floor through a series of rooms, it is

-possible to gain unity and a feeling of spaciousness. On the second

-floor, not infrequently the rooms open from a central hall or top

-stair landing. There are a number of colors and designs in Armstrong’s

-Linoleum that are specially suitable for groups of rooms because they

-lend themselves as a background for the draperies in each room, and yet

-bind all the rooms together as a unit. The gray jaspe, plain dark gray,

-and light gray linoleums are particularly appropriate with old Colonial

-painted woodwork in white, ivory, or soft gray; the brown jaspe, plain

-dark brown<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span> or tan, the parquetries, and certain carpet patterns are

-equally appropriate with oak, cypress, gum, or chestnut woodwork in the

-natural finish or painted woodwork in buff and tan.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">For the Bedroom</div>

-

-<p>For the bedroom, no floor is so sanitary and so easily cared for as

-linoleum. It appeals to the most fastidious. And linoleum is not a

-cold floor&mdash;in fact, it is as warm as any wood surface. We have said

-that linoleum is made largely of cork and linseed oil. Cork is widely

-used for heat insulating purposes. Engineers regard it as good, if not

-a better heat retainer than wood. And a linoleum floor has certain

-advantages over wood floors. There are no cracks or crevices to catch

-dust or harbor germs. The oxidized linseed oil, moreover, has known

-germicidal powers that actually tend to destroy bacteria.</p>

-

-<p>There are some very dainty small designs in delicate colors in

-Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum that are particularly suitable for

-bedrooms&mdash;blue-and-white, pink-and-white, green-and-blue, and

-green-and-white. Bedroom floors like these, or of plain light blue,

-rose, or light gray are very charming.</p>

-

-<p>Over the bedroom linoleum floor you will, of course, use small fabric

-rugs beside the bed, in front of the dressing table, or before the easy

-chair. You would not leave a wood floor bare. Let us emphasize again

-that linoleum is a floor&mdash;and not merely a floor-covering.</p>

-

-<p>Perhaps in your home bedroom floors have been a problem because they

-are of soft wood, which must be repainted frequently and which are

-always hard to keep looking well. Linoleum offers you new floors for

-old&mdash;and at relatively slight expense, far less than the cost of

-putting in new wood floors. Remember that linoleum floors do not need

-periodical refinishing, as does hardwood. This is an additional saving.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">For the Sleeping-Porch</div>

-

-<p>Many people do not consider a house complete nowadays unless it has a

-sleeping-porch. Here, again, to secure a thoroughly satisfactory floor

-is a problem. But linoleum solves it nicely and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span> economically. Granite

-linoleums, which resemble terrazzo, or a neat tile effect will be

-especially pleasing.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">For the Bathroom</div>

-

-<p>Water is always being spilled upon the bathroom floor. It rots wood;

-it gets into the cracks of tiling and, in time, may cause the tiles

-to come up. What is needed in a bathroom, therefore, is a floor that

-is proof against moisture, easy to clean, sanitary, comfortable, and

-exceptionally durable. If laid properly&mdash;that is, cemented down with

-waterproof cement&mdash;a linoleum floor in a bathroom will last for years.

-The designs of Armstrong’s Linoleum which are offered for the bathroom

-combine cleanable, sanitary, comfortable, durable, and beautiful

-qualities in the highest degree.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">For the Nursery</div>

-

-<p>In decorating the children’s playroom, a linoleum floor, chosen in

-pattern to harmonize with the color scheme, gives one an opportunity

-to work out a charming relationship between the floor, the furniture,

-and the draperies, to suit the playroom idea. In Armstrong’s Linoleum,

-there are a score of designs in pleasing matting and wood effects and

-carpet patterns especially appropriate for such a room. And the floor

-need not be expensive&mdash;Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum will last through

-childhood’s romp and play. And, when the toys and games are put away

-for more mature interests, the room may be refurnished at slight

-expense.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">For the Attic and Sewing-Room</div>

-

-<p>In many homes, the attic is being changed from a store-room into an

-attractive, comfortable spare room at little expense. The skillful use

-of odd pieces of furniture, the pleasing blending of draperies, and the

-covering of the floor with an attractive linoleum pattern will easily

-make this room one of the most interesting in the home. Whether the

-room is used as an extra sleeping-room or for sewing, the advantages

-of a linoleum floor are obvious. It is so easy to clean; cuttings and

-threads are easily swept up; they do not stick to the smooth-surfaced<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span>

-linoleum. For a very small outlay, you can transform the attic in your

-home into a usable, attractive room.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">For the Kitchen, Pantry and Laundry</div>

-

-<p>If your kitchen or pantry floor is the kind that requires you to spend

-hours with water pail and scrubbing brush and back-breaking labor to

-keep it clean, it is time you change to a linoleum floor. And, even

-with linoleum floors, many women find it hard to get away from the

-scrubbing habit. Most people scrub linoleum entirely too frequently. A

-plain or inlaid linoleum floor should be thoroughly waxed with liquid

-floor wax. The wax provides a coating which prevents the dirt from

-being ground into the surface. Such a floor needs only to be swept and

-then wiped with a damp cloth, and the wax renewed every five to six

-weeks. Varnishing a printed linoleum floor will add to the life of the

-linoleum and make it easier to keep clean. All these considerations

-hold equally true for vestibule, laundry, and closets. There are many

-bright patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum for the kitchen or pantry from

-which you can make a selection that will exactly fit into your idea of

-what these rooms should look like.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">The Advantages of Linoleum Floors</div>

-

-<p>By way of summing up, consider for just a moment what the qualities are

-that you really need and demand in the floors in your home. Certainly,

-you want your floors to be durable. And is there any floor you can

-think of&mdash;cost considered&mdash;that can approach a good linoleum in wearing

-quality? Next, you demand sanitation. Do you know of any floor that

-excels linoleum in that respect? Most assuredly, you want floors that

-are easy to keep clean. Have you not found linoleum easy to clean? And

-you must have comfort. Is not linoleum easy underfoot?</p>

-

-<p>But, you say, we must have warmth, too. Certainly, you must. But you

-would hardly think of leaving the wood floor in your bedroom and

-living-room bare, would you? No, you use rugs. Follow the same course,

-then, with your linoleum floors; and you will find them equally as

-comfortable as hardwood. In<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span> fact, thickness for thickness, linoleum is

-a better non-conductor of heat than wood is.</p>

-

-<p>Then, finally, you demand beauty and economy in your floors&mdash;and justly

-so. As for color harmony, hardwood has distinct limitations. Shades of

-brown and tan are about the only colors that are available. But, with

-linoleum, the range of colors and patterns is well-nigh unlimited, and

-your floors can thus be made an integral part of your general color

-scheme. On this point, the <a href="#img002">colorplates</a> that accompany this book speak

-for themselves.</p>

-

-<p>As to economy, linoleum floors of good quality are less expensive

-today than the cheapest hardwood. And they cost less to maintain,

-too. Given reasonable care and proper treatment, linoleum floors will

-last indefinitely, without the periodic refinishing that all hardwood

-requires.</p>

-

-<p>So you can see for yourself, once you analyze the subject, how

-remarkably linoleum does combine each and every one of the qualities

-you want the floors in your home to possess.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Bureau of Interior Decoration</div>

-

-<p>Naturally, we want you to be thoroughly satisfied with your floors of

-Armstrong’s Linoleum&mdash;not only as to wearing quality but in respect

-to pattern and color as well. And, since the selection of suitable

-linoleum floors to harmonize with the different types of furnishings

-and color schemes involves the application of the principles of

-interior decoration, we have organized a Bureau of Interior Decoration

-to answer any questions you may care to ask about the use of

-Armstrong’s Linoleum in your home.</p>

-

-<p>If you are planning to refurnish or redecorate your home, write our

-Bureau of Interior Decoration, describing your furniture, wallpaper,

-rugs, and the color scheme you have in mind. Our Interior Decorator

-will be glad to make suggestions that may be helpful to you, and will

-send you lithographs of linoleum patterns that will make suitable

-floors for your home. There is no charge or implied obligation for this

-service.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span></p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">How To Get Armstrong’s Linoleum</div>

-

-<p>First, get in touch with the merchant in home furnishings with whom

-you are accustomed to trade. If he does not have on hand an adequate

-assortment of Armstrong patterns to suit your taste, ask him to show

-you his copy of the Armstrong Pattern Book, which contains colorplates

-of all of the two hundred and fifty designs and colorings in the

-Armstrong line. From this book, you can select your first, second, and

-third choice; and doubtless he will be glad to place an order for the

-pattern you desire.</p>

-

-<p>Certain patterns, including plain colorings, jaspes, and carpet

-inlaids, are carried in the factory in our Cut-Order Department; and

-the merchant can order exact room sizes for you.</p>

-

-<p>If, however, you have difficulty in getting just what you want, please

-write us, not forgetting to include the merchant’s name and address.

-Then we shall do all in our power to see that you can secure what you

-require through some good store near you.</p>

-

-<p>As manufacturers, we sell only through the regular trade channels,

-and, therefore, we cannot quote you prices. In fact, it is really to

-your advantage to buy through your dealer, as he purchases Armstrong’s

-Linoleum in large quantities, and thus the transportation charges are

-much less than if a small quantity of linoleum were shipped direct from

-the factory.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Our Guarantee</div>

-

-<p>Every yard of Armstrong’s Linoleum is fully guaranteed to give

-satisfactory service. Your merchant will be authorized to make good to

-you any defect in manufacture, either by replacing the linoleum or by

-making an adjustment satisfactory to you.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span></p>

-

-<p class="footnote p2" id="fn1"><a href="#fna1">[1]</a> <i>Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration.</i></p>

-

-

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<h2 class="nobreak bb bt" id="How_To_Care_for_Linoleum_Floors"><i>How To Care for Linoleum Floors</i></h2>

-</div>

-

-

-<p>A linoleum floor, properly cared for, is easier to clean and will

-retain its new and attractive appearance longer than any other kind

-of floor. Linoleum has a smooth, unbroken surface, without cracks and

-crevices to catch dirt and germs. In Armstrong’s Linoleum, the colors

-used are bright and clear and will retain their luster and brilliancy

-for years.</p>

-

-<p>As every housewife knows, linoleum floors require less attention than

-wood floors; but it is possible to lessen materially the work of caring

-for linoleum floors by observing the simple rules set forth in the

-paragraphs following.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Waxing Inlaid and Plain Linoleum</div>

-

-<p>When you install a new inlaid, jaspe, or plain linoleum floor, it

-should first be washed carefully with tepid water and pure soap and

-then, before it is tracked up, waxed with a liquid floor wax, rubbing

-the wax in very thoroughly.</p>

-

-<p>After that, you will care for your linoleum floor just as you would for

-a waxed floor. A weighted brush, such as is used for wood floors, is

-convenient for polishing; or a heavy brick, wrapped in a soft cloth,

-will serve.</p>

-

-<p>The daily care of a waxed linoleum floor is simple. Ordinarily, all

-that is needed is to go over the floor around the fabric rugs with

-a dry mop. At doorways, or where the traffic is greatest, the wax

-coating will wear away, and should be renewed at those points as often

-as appearance demands. Given this sort of care, it is not necessary

-to scrub or wash linoleum floors, except at rare intervals. Muddy

-footprints may be wiped up with a damp cloth, as occasion requires.</p>

-

-<p>Any good floor wax, such as Johnson’s Liquid Wax or Old English

-Brightener, is suitable for use on linoleum floors. Most people prefer

-to use liquid wax because it is easier to apply than paste wax and

-permits evener distribution on the linoleum. Whether you use liquid or

-paste wax, apply it very sparingly and be sure to rub it in thoroughly.

-If you put the wax coating on too thick, it will not harden properly.

-As a result, the excess wax will absorb and hold the dirt. It will look

-greasy and unsightly, and the floor will remain in a slippery condition.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Varnishing Printed Linoleum</div>

-

-<p>Many people find that printed linoleum wears better and retains its

-original freshness of coloring longer if given a coating of varnish

-or clear white shellac. It is economical to use only a high-grade

-waterproof varnish or a clear white shellac, as the cheaper grades are

-likely to scratch or turn white under water. Such varnishes as Valspar

-or “61” Floor Varnish are recommended.</p>

-

-<p>Before varnishing or shellacking, the linoleum must be cleaned

-carefully and should be thoroughly dried. The varnish should be applied

-as evenly as possible and allowed to dry twelve hours before the floor

-is used. At least two coats should be applied over new linoleum;

-thereafter, the varnish need be renewed but once or twice a year,

-according to the wear on the floor. Care should be used in revarnishing

-to avoid streaked and spotty effects.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span></p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Washing Linoleum</div>

-

-<p>In the kitchen, pantry, or bathroom, where water is spilled and there

-is naturally more dirt, owing to the ordinary household activities,

-than on other floors of the house, washing linoleum will, at times,

-become necessary. However, going over the waxed linoleum floor with

-a dry or waxed mop will usually keep it clean. As previously stated,

-scrubbing linoleum should rarely be necessary. In washing the linoleum,

-warm, sudsy water, made with a mild soap, such as Ivory, will clean

-a linoleum floor thoroughly. It is best to wash and dry only about a

-square yard at a time, rinsing the linoleum with clear water and wiping

-it up thoroughly. Never flood the surface of the linoleum with water,

-nor allow the water to stand around the edges or seams.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Avoid Alkali Soaps and Powders</div>

-

-<p>Contrary to the idea held by a good many housewives, certain advertised

-cleaning soaps and washing powders are not good to use on linoleum.

-Practically all of these cleansers contain strong alkali or caustics

-which are positively injurious. More harm is done to linoleum by the

-use of such agents than in any other way. The chemical action of these

-substances disintegrates the oxidized linseed oil and cork in linoleum

-just as it destroys the varnish on hardwood. A good rule is to avoid

-the use of soda, lye, or potash cleansing powders and strong scouring

-soaps altogether. A good mild soap is all that is necessary.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Polishing Linoleum</div>

-

-<p>After washing with soap and water, inlaid linoleum, particularly,

-should be polished with a soft cloth or brush. The wax finish may be

-dulled somewhat by the washing, but is quickly restored by a brisk

-rubbing. Where the wax has been removed by washing, it should be

-renewed at once.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Heavy Furniture on Linoleum</div>

-

-<p>The casters ordinarily used are apt to cut into linoleum if the

-furniture is heavy, therefore it is best to use glass or metal sliding

-shoes which have a wide bearing surface and no rough edges. They are

-made in several sizes, have a shank similar to that on a regular

-caster, and will fit the same sockets. Heavy felt casters may be

-purchased at the furniture stores which are also recommended for use on

-linoleum floors.</p>

-

-<p>Always lay a piece of carpet on the floor, or a board, just as over a

-hardwood floor, when moving very heavy furniture, to prevent marring

-the surface of the linoleum.</p>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span></p>

-

-<h2 class="nobreak bb bt" id="How_To_Lay_Linoleum_Floors"><i>How To Lay Linoleum Floors</i></h2>

-</div>

-

-

-<p>In the past, linoleum has been regarded by many as a temporary

-floor-covering. Not much care has been used in laying it. But you want

-well-finished floors in your home that will need a minimum amount of

-attention as the years go by. For this reason, we strongly recommend

-that you have your linoleum floors installed by the merchant from whom

-you buy the goods. Experience has taught their layers how to cut the

-linoleum so as to avoid waste and how to lay it to prevent buckling and

-cracking, conditions which result from faulty workmanship.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Skilled Workmanship Required</div>

-

-<p>Insist that your linoleum be laid right. If the merchant does not

-employ skilled mechanics to do this work, go to a merchant who has

-a staff of layers and who will guarantee his laying. He will make a

-charge for the cost of labor and materials; but, in the long run, it

-will prove greater economy for you to pay well to have your linoleum

-laid properly than to have the laying done in a makeshift manner in

-order to save a few cents per yard.</p>

-

-

-<h3>LAY LINOLEUM AS A PERMANENT FLOOR</h3>

-

-<p>When you purchase a good grade of linoleum to be installed as a floor

-in your living-room, dining-room, or even in the kitchen or bathroom,

-naturally you desire to have it put down as a permanent floor. The

-most satisfactory way to install linoleum is to cement it down solidly

-over a lining of builders’ deadening felt paper. This will give you a

-permanent floor, smooth, firm, without cracks or crevices. Owing to the

-variations in moisture conditions, any wood underflooring will expand

-in summer and dry out in winter, leaving cracks. Linoleum cannot be

-cemented directly to such a wood underflooring without possibility of

-damage. One of the chief advantages of the felt lining is that it tends

-to take up this expansion and contraction, thus saving the linoleum

-floor from breaking or cracking. In addition, the felt acts as a

-cushion, deadening sound and adding to the warmth and comfort of the

-floor, making it delightful to walk or stand on.</p>

-

-<p>Should it become necessary, in time, to remove such a linoleum floor,

-this can be done easily, without damage to the linoleum.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Laying Linoleum Over Felt Paper</div>

-

-<p>Leading contract linoleum layers and good stores have adopted the

-felt paper method of laying linoleum and recommend its use to their

-customers. A brief description is given here of this method in order

-that you may understand how the work should be done. If your merchant

-is not yet equipped to lay linoleum by this method, ask him to write

-for a copy of our linoleum layers’ handbook, “Detailed Directions for

-Laying and Caring for Linoleum,” which lists all of the materials and

-equipment needed, and includes illustrations showing the several steps

-in laying linoleum by this improved method. A copy of this handbook

-will also be sent to you, without charge, upon request.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span></p>

-

-<p>In cementing linoleum down over felt paper, the felt is first cut into

-lengths to go across the short way of the room. The quarter-round floor

-molding is removed, and the felt fitted snugly at each end. A linoleum

-paste is then applied to the undersurface of the felt, which is then

-rolled or pressed down until it adheres firmly to the floor.</p>

-

-<p>The lengths of the linoleum are next pressed in position crosswise to

-the direction of the felt strips, or the long way of the room. One

-piece is laid at a time. The surface of the felt under each strip of

-linoleum is well coated with paste, except for four to six inches along

-each end and side and along the seams, which spaces are left bare. The

-linoleum is put down and rolled. After the paste has begun to dry, the

-free edges of the linoleum are trimmed to fit neatly at all points.

-Then waterproof linoleum cement (a kind of glue) is applied to the felt

-along all edges and seams back under the linoleum for a distance of

-four to six inches. This cement makes the floor perfectly water-tight.

-Finally, the linoleum is well rolled with a heavy roller to insure

-perfect adhesion at all points.</p>

-

-<p>Weights, such as face brick or sand bags, are placed against each other

-lengthwise along all edges and seams to press the linoleum firmly

-against the felt while the cement dries. After twenty-four hours, the

-bricks are removed; and the floor is ready for use. The molding is

-put back into place, and the floor is cleaned thoroughly. If plain or

-inlaid linoleum has been laid, it should be waxed at once and polished.</p>

-

-

-<h3>LAYING DIRECT ON WOOD FLOORS</h3>

-

-<p>A less permanent way to install linoleum is to tack or nail it directly

-on the wood floor. Where a more or less temporary floor covering

-is desired, as in the cases of tenants on short leases, etc., this

-method may be made to suffice. However, wherever the linoleum is to be

-installed as a permanent floor, instead of wood or other floors, we

-strongly recommend that it be laid over felt paper as just described.</p>

-

-<p>Directions are given in the paragraphs following for laying linoleum

-directly on wood or concrete floors, without the use of a felt lining.

-This method is described at greater length in the handbook previously

-mentioned, “Detailed Directions for Laying and Caring for Linoleum,”

-but the main steps in the process are here fully outlined.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Preparation for Laying Linoleum</div>

-

-<p>The floor should be perfectly dry and clean, the surface smooth and

-even. All cracks should be filled, nails should be removed, and the

-uneven edges of the boards planed off, if necessary. The quarter-round

-molding should be taken up carefully from the baseboard all around the

-room.</p>

-

-<p>In cold weather, linoleum becomes brittle. If you are laying your floor

-in winter, be sure to let the roll of linoleum stand on end in a warm

-room for at least forty-eight hours before unrolling it.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span></p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Laying the Linoleum</div>

-

-<p>When ready to lay, first measure the linoleum carefully and, if

-possible, cut it to run lengthwise in the opposite direction from the

-boards in the floor. Trim it ¼ to ½ inch short at each end, just so

-the edge of the linoleum will be covered by the quarter-round molding

-when this is replaced. Along the side walls the linoleum should not be

-placed tight against the baseboard, but, just as at the end, a space

-of ¼ to ½ inch wide should be left. The edges of the linoleum at the

-seams, however, should be butted tightly against each other, with the

-pattern properly matched.</p>

-

-<p>Laid in this manner, the linoleum will have an opportunity to expand

-underneath the edge of the quarter-round molding. In replacing the

-quarter-round, do not fasten it down tight against the surface of the

-linoleum. The quarter-round must not bind the material at any point,

-but should be nailed to the baseboard in such manner as to permit the

-lifting out of the linoleum easily should retrimming become necessary.</p>

-

-<p>Should a buckle or air-bubble develop in the linoleum, it must be

-smoothed out, and the edge of the linoleum under the floor molding cut

-back a trifle, if needed to take up the expansion. <i>Do not put any

-brads in the linoleum during the expansion period.</i></p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Fitting Around Pipes and Projections</div>

-

-<p>Care must be taken to fit the linoleum neatly around radiators, waste

-pipes, doorways, wall projections, etc. Where possible, the gas stove,

-kitchen range, and other movable equipment should be disconnected,

-and linoleum laid under it carefully to insure tight joints. Good

-workmanship in fitting adds much to the appearance of the linoleum

-floor.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Fastening Linoleum</div>

-

-<p>In many cases it will be found that it is not necessary to fasten

-linoleum to the floor at all, when it has been laid under the

-quarter-round molding at the sides and ends. The molding itself will be

-all that is required to hold the material in place.</p>

-

-<p>Where it becomes necessary, however, to fasten the linoleum to wood

-floors, use <abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 18, ¾-inch, wire brads. Never use carpet tacks. The

-brads should be set in ⅛ to ¼ inch from the edge and should be spaced

-about four inches apart along the edges and three inches apart on

-seams. The brads should be driven down until the heads are lost in the

-surface of the linoleum.</p>

-

-

-<h3>LAYING LINOLEUM ON A CONCRETE FLOOR</h3>

-

-<p>The only way to fasten linoleum to concrete in your laundry, entry-way,

-bathroom, or any other concrete floor, is by means of paste and

-waterproof cement. Here, again, it is advisable to have your linoleum

-cemented down over a lining of deadening felt paper, according to the

-method previously described. Again we recommend that you have this work

-done by your merchant’s experienced workmen. But should you decide<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span>

-to lay the material without the use of the felt lining, the following

-directions are given for your guidance.</p>

-

-<p>Please note that the linoleum should never be laid over concrete floors

-in basements which are in direct contact with the earth beneath unless

-the concrete has first been thoroughly waterproofed. The moisture in

-the earth will inevitably come up through the concrete and loosen the

-linoleum. Waterproofing a concrete floor must be done by a roofing or

-waterproofing contractor who understands thoroughly how to do this work.</p>

-

-<div class="sidenote">Laying the Linoleum</div>

-

-<p>The method of laying linoleum over a concrete floor is similar to the

-final operation of laying linoleum over felt, as described on pages 41

-to 42. Use Armstrong’s Linoleum Paste for pasting the centers of the

-linoleum strips to the concrete, and Armstrong’s Waterproof Linoleum

-Cement for gluing the edges and seams to the concrete floor, so as to

-prevent water from getting underneath the fabric.</p>

-

-<p>After removing all dirt and dust and filling the expansion joints with

-plaster of Paris, apply Armstrong’s Linoleum Paste to the concrete

-floor with a wide brush to within four to six inches of each side and

-end of the linoleum strip, which space is left bare for the later

-application of the cement. Put the width of linoleum in place and roll

-it out at once, before the paste dries. Repeat the same operation with

-the succeeding strips of linoleum, butting the edges of the strips

-together tightly. Trim the ends to fit snugly against the wall. Then

-lift the edges of the strips of linoleum along the sides and ends and

-apply Armstrong’s Waterproof Linoleum Cement with a paint brush to

-the concrete floor as far back as the paste will permit. Remove any

-cement that gets on the surface at once with alcohol. Finally, roll the

-linoleum with an iron roller to insure perfect adhesion.</p>

-

-<p>Weights, such as pressed brick, sandbags, or other heavy objects,

-should then be placed along all seams and edges, and allowed to remain

-for not less than twenty-four hours.</p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img001">

-  <img src="images/001.jpg" class="w25"  alt="Look for the CIRCLE “A” trademark on the burlap

-back" />

-</span></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img002">

-  <img src="images/002.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Living room" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>The green tile surrounding the blazing fire in this comfortable

-modern home has been chosen to harmonize with the green

-carpet-patterned linoleum. A touch of the complementary red, and

-the blues and yellows are blended in the fabrics to make the room

-cheerful. It is not overcrowded with furniture, but rather is arranged

-to give a spacious, open effect. Comfort and utility are two of the

-primary requisites of every living-room, characteristics not only

-of this room, but also of the floor of Armstrong’s Linoleum, Carpet

-Inlaid Pattern 752.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration,

-Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span><br /></p>

-

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img003">

-  <img src="images/003.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Room for a young girl" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>The color note of this young girl’s room has been

-carried into the floor&mdash;Armstrong’s Blue Jaspé Linoleum. It aids

-materially in contributing a bright, personal touch to the room.

-Combined with attractive draperies, painted furniture, and simple rugs,

-any of the jaspé or plain light-colored linoleums will give a similar

-charming effect; these, together with the interesting carpet inlaids or

-matting patterns, offer a wide opportunity for originality in selecting

-a distinctive floor as the starting-point in the decorative scheme.</i>

-<span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span></p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img004">

-  <img src="images/004.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Second floor suite" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>Here the gray jaspé linoleum floor has been used

-to group the entire second floor suite as a decorative unit. The

-gray jaspé is particularly pleasing as a background for fabric rugs

-and other furnishings. Such a floor is always perfectly sanitary,

-and, waxed occasionally, is always attractive in appearance.</i>

-<span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span></p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img005">

-  <img src="images/005.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Attic spare room" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In many homes the attic is being changed from a

-store-room into an attractive, comfortable spare room, and at little

-expense. In this attic the outlay was slight. A skillful use of odd

-pieces of furniture and the pleasing blending of the draperies and

-coverings with the attractive carpet pattern of the printed linoleum

-floor have made this room one of the most interesting in the home. In

-such a room Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum will give splendid service for

-years, and also aids materially in the working-out of the decorative

-plan.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster,

-<abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span></p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img006">

-  <img src="images/006.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Bedroom" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>This bedroom is bright and comfortable, and still has

-enough restraint to give a feeling of peace and repose. The curtains,

-paper, and decorations are in perfect harmony with the pleasing carpet

-pattern of the linoleum floor, which blends with the fabric rugs and

-serves as a background for the entire color scheme.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong

-Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span></p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img007">

-  <img src="images/007.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Hall living room" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In this comfortable, home-like, hall living-room

-the floor of Armstrong’s Parquetry Linoleum, Pattern <abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 690, makes

-a definite contribution to the pleasing decorative scheme. The

-furnishings are simple, not expensive, but have been selected because

-of their color values and their relation to each other. And the

-parquetry linoleum is not only less costly than wood, but it is more

-sanitary and much easier to take care of.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of

-Interior Decoration, Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img008">

-  <img src="images/008.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Child's room" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>Both the color and the texture of objects used in a

-child’s room should suggest cleanliness, freshness, cheerfulness and

-durability. At the same time they should represent his interests and

-his pleasures. To all these ends linoleum is expressly adapted. The

-walls, furniture, hangings and toys in this room have been selected to

-harmonize with these ideas and with the linoleum floor, which is ivory,

-turquoise blue and light gray in color.</i></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span></p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img009">

-  <img src="images/009.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Bungalow room" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>The color combination rather than expensive

-furnishings makes these bungalow rooms inviting. Floors of Armstrong’s

-Brown Jaspé Linoleum, brown furniture, and tan walls make a good

-background for the color of the curtains, cushions, vases, and

-lampshade. The decorative value of books is well demonstrated in this

-picture.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster,

-<abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span></p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img010">

-  <img src="images/010.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Home with linoleum floors" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>Beauty and good taste are at once apparent in this

-well-appointed home. The floor is not oak, as one might suppose,

-but is Armstrong’s Parquetry Linoleum, as beautiful in its graining

-as hardwood, and more comfortable to walk on. The cost is cut in

-half. These permanent linoleum floors will never require expensive

-refinishing.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration,

-Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span></p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img011">

-  <img src="images/011.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Dining room" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In this cheery dining-room the early American

-furniture is happily combined with the Chinese rug and the brown jaspé

-linoleum floor (Color <abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 11). One feels that this room has been

-planned in good taste and that the linoleum floor has contributed its

-part to the atmosphere of refinement. More comfortable than wood, and

-easier to keep clean, permanently laid linoleum floors have their place

-in the modern home.</i>&mdash;<span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration,

-Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span></p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img012">

-  <img src="images/012.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Room with dark gray linoleum" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>Plain dark gray linoleum makes an appropriate floor

-for old-fashioned houses&mdash;either in new-old houses, or to replace the

-worn floors of houses being remodelled. In this stately Colonial home,

-the linoleum harmonizes with the beautiful ivory woodwork, and makes a

-perfect background for the Oriental rugs.</i></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span></p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img013">

-  <img src="images/013.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Room with French furniture and gray linoleum" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>An atmosphere of simple elegance is attained by the

-beautifully proportioned wall spaces, and the slender-legged French

-furniture used in this room. In harmony is the gray Jaspé Linoleum

-which, waxed and polished, makes a perfect floor. Because of its

-neutrality, it is not only a good background for the furniture, but

-likewise for the rug and fabrics employed to make the room bright and

-attractive.</i></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span></p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img014">

-  <img src="images/014.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Dining room" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In this dining-room, the soft brown linoleum floor

-blends with the beautiful wood of the Sheraton furniture, the colorful

-draperies, and the fine rug. Linoleum is the logical floor for the

-dining-room, because it is so easy to care for. It is a quiet floor;

-also a particular advantage.</i></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span></p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img015">

-  <img src="images/015.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Living room" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In this home of evident culture and refinement,

-linoleum floors were installed in every room, instead of wood. In

-the living-room, the plain floor, and the unobtrusive walls and

-curtains, are in pleasing balance with the figured Oriental rugs and

-upholsteries. The smooth surface of the floor, without cracks or

-crevices, suggests a feeling of fastidious cleanliness. An atmosphere

-of restfulness pervades the room.</i></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span></p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img016">

-  <img src="images/016.jpg" class="w50"  alt="Hall and living room" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>This interesting use, after the European manner, of a

-carpet inlaid linoleum floor through hall and living-room, illustrates

-how effectively a pattern can be employed in floors, as well as on

-walls and in hangings. The small all-over design gives the effect of

-a rich carpet, and yet the floor is sanitary, easy to care for, and

-durable.</i></p>

-</div>

-<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />

-

-<div class="chapter">

-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span></p>

-

-<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img017">

-  <img src="images/017.jpg" class="w50"  alt="Bungalow room" />

-</span></p>

-<p class="center p0 caption"><i>This sun parlor shows the decorative value of a

-linoleum floor. Here a marble design has been combined with a plain

-linoleum border. The charm of the room is due to the happy relation

-of the floor design and the interior architecture, as well as to the

-arrangement of the furniture. Neither too much nor too little is

-used&mdash;so that a spacious effect is obtained.</i></p>

-</div>

-<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ART OF HOME FURNISHING AND DECORATION ***</div>

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+      The Art of Home Furnishing and Decoration, by Frank Alvah Parson&mdash;A Project Gutenberg eBook
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+<body>
+<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 67518 ***</div>
+
+
+<h1>  <i><span class="smcap">The Art of<br />
+  Home Furnishing<br />
+  and Decoration</span></i></h1>
+
+
+<p class="center p0 p2">  <i><span class="small">By</span></i><br />
+  FRANK ALVAH PARSONS</p>
+
+<p class="center p0 small">  President, New York School of Fine and Applied Art<br />
+  Author of “Interior Decoration&mdash;Its Principles and Practice,” Etc.</p>
+
+
+<p class="center p0 p4">  PUBLISHED BY<br />
+<span class="big">Armstrong Cork Company</span><br />
+<span class="small"><i>Linoleum Department</i></span><br />
+  <span class="smcap">Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Penna.</abbr>, <abbr title="United States of America">U. S. A.</abbr></span>
+</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+
+<p class="center p0 p4">  SECOND EDITION</p>
+<hr class="r5" />
+<p class="center p0 small">  Copyright 1921 by<br />
+  <span class="smcap">Armstrong Cork Company</span><br />
+  <i>Linoleum Department</i><br />
+  <span class="smcap">Lancaster, Pennsylvania</span>
+</p>
+
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<h2 class="nobreak bt bb" id="FOREWORD"><i>FOREWORD</i></h2>
+</div>
+
+
+<p>Frank Alvah Parsons, President of the New York School of Fine and
+Applied Art, is a leading American authority on interior decoration.
+He long since has amply demonstrated his wonderful faculty for turning
+his knowledge to the common good. We know of no man who, with voice
+and pen, has fought harder or more unceasingly for better taste, for
+richer, fuller home life.</p>
+
+<p><abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons hardly can seem a stranger to the average reader of this
+book. Indeed, through his writings and lectures, he has become guide
+and counsellor and the personal friend of thousands of refined men and
+women, who have accepted the idea so well developed by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons in
+the following pages, that “Man is what he lives in;” that, generally
+speaking, man can be no greater or no less than the daily environment
+in which he works, thinks, and lives.</p>
+
+<p>We take great satisfaction and pleasure in announcing <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons as
+the author of that section of this book which is entitled “The Art
+of Home Furnishing and Decoration.” It is written in <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parson’s
+typically intimate and forceful style, and every paragraph is replete
+with information and suggestions of great value. We are sure that this
+book will hold your interest from the first to the last word, and that
+in the end you will look on the possibilities of your home and your
+life within it in a fresh and considerably enlarged perspective.</p>
+
+<p>After you have spent an hour with <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons on the general theme of
+home furnishing and decoration, we believe that it will profit you to
+read what is written by ourselves in the latter part of the book on the
+specific subject of linoleum and its relation to the principles that
+<abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons has laid down.</p>
+
+<p class="right p0">
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Armstrong Cork Company</span></span><br />
+</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak bt" id="The_Art_of_Home_Furnishing_and_Decoration"><i>The Art of Home Furnishing and Decoration</i></h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center p0 bb big">FRANK ALVAH PARSONS</p>
+
+
+<p>Man is exactly what he lives in, for environment is the strongest
+possible factor in man’s development. One may be so long among loud
+noises, bad odors, inharmonious colors and wrong arrangements of
+things that one doesn’t mind them, because one has let them become
+an integral part of one’s self. They are there, and they are as bad
+as they were at first, but one has become immune to them. This being
+admitted, it follows, of course, that concordant sounds, agreeable
+odors, harmonious colors and pleasing arrangements have their immediate
+effects, but their tendency is toward refinement, culture and artistic
+appreciation instead of toward brutality, ignorance and indifference.
+It is certainly not hard to see what effect is produced by living in
+any wrong environment. As a person accustoms himself to it, he becomes
+like it. When he is like it, he will admire only its kind, and whatever
+he does will be as nearly like his environment as he himself is.</p>
+
+<p>The importance of thoroughly comprehending this truth cannot be
+overstated. The mental and artistic quality of the nation and even its
+physical comfort depend upon it. This viewpoint, being somewhat new
+to us, accounts for the upheaval in our ideas of what a home really
+is. Looking a little into this matter may perhaps stimulate us still
+further in our thinking, which will affect our way of doing whatever we
+attempt in the future.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">The Home Molds Our Tastes and Lives</div>
+
+<p>In the first place the home is the center of all life’s activities. We
+are born there, and long before we have seen the shop, the office, the
+church or even the school, our first impressions of the fundamentals of
+life have become fixed. These are exceedingly hard to efface.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span></p>
+
+<p>The school can hardly hope to counteract in the child’s mind the effect
+of hearing incorrect language spoken at home for six years; the church
+is greatly handicapped in its influence where wrong principles of life
+have determined habits during the first years; the artistic sense is
+practically dead and refinement of taste impossible in that child whose
+parents have given the usual wall papers, rugs, hangings, pictures and
+other objects of modern furnishing a chance to do their unrestricted
+work. Most of these have been made to sell, but not to people who use
+any judgment in buying. Occasionally we think of the durability or the
+comfort of an article, but how seldom of the colors, the patterns,
+the combinations of different periods with different meanings, all of
+which unite to make an unthinkable, inharmonious jumble which produces
+a reaction on an impressionable person little short of criminal. This
+being the case, is it any wonder that too frequently we are satisfied
+with inferior things or that we are not able to compete with other
+nations in creating better ones?</p>
+
+<p>This view of the home as an educator places it above any other
+institution in life and makes it worthy of the most careful and
+scientific study from several points of view. It might be well to
+consider here four of the most important of these.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Home Must Satisfy the Body</div>
+
+<p>The first requisite of a house is physical comfort. Not only is this
+true of each article of furniture, but it is true also of the placing
+of each piece as it relates to the other pieces.</p>
+
+<p>Take, for instance, a divan, a chair, a table, a lamp, some books and
+a footstool. It is not enough that the chair, the divan and the stool
+should each be comfortable to the body, but comfort demands that each
+be so placed that one can use the divan or chair with the stool, while
+the books on a table with a lamp are placed so that one may lounge or
+sit and read without effort and without expending energy to assemble
+what is required. The best possible arrangement, you see, demands more
+skill than at first appears.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Home Must Satisfy the Mind</div>
+
+<p><i>Mental comfort</i> is even more important to man in his home than
+physical comfort. He must, or should, find in his home an intellectual
+stimulus and a refining influence to complement the activities and
+struggles of his life outside, to calm and rest the tired nerves and to
+relieve the material or commercial stress which threatens entirely to
+destroy his power to see or know anything else. Unconsciously driven by
+this need he rushes from home to the club, to the theatre or elsewhere
+for diversion, amusement or rest. This is not as it should be, for in
+the right environment the home should furnish the rest and intellectual
+refreshment needed. Let us consider that there must be an expenditure
+of thought and skill in furnishing a home if it is to play its rightful
+part in the scheme of life.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Home Must Be Sanitary</div>
+
+<p>Even then, there is another thing to consider. A man may succeed
+in accomplishing wonders in the realm of physical comfort, yet so
+completely ignore the question of sanitation as to menace the health
+of his family, if not to offend their sense of decent cleanliness.
+The horrors of Victorian plush upholstery, chenille portieres and
+nailed-down carpets are still fresh in the memory of some of us, and
+we have not yet been able to get a clear idea of a really clean thing
+because of the bad impression made on us by these conditions. Probably
+we never shall, until we succeed in effacing their memory by discarding
+the traditions they represent and adopting wholly different ideas in
+their places. Let us think of the question of <i>sanitation</i> as a
+second necessity in considering any household problem.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Costly Things Not Always Best</div>
+
+<p>It is perhaps unnecessary to look at this matter from the viewpoint
+of economics, but to me it seems very important. We cannot all afford
+to buy everything we see, desire or even appreciate. Realizing this,
+we lose enthusiasm and take almost anything. This is not necessary,
+nor is it wise. Good things are not all costly, nor are all cheap
+things equally bad. One might also<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span> add that frequently very costly
+things incline to be bad; at any rate, there is far greater danger of
+their being so because of the greater opportunity they afford for the
+expression of bad taste.</p>
+
+<p>Knowledge furnishes the greatest defense against bad things in any
+form. The more one knows, the more capable he is of selecting the best
+for his money and of using his selections in such a way as to suggest
+that much more was paid for them than they really cost.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">An Artistic Home Means Enjoyable Living</div>
+
+<p>Intelligent selection&mdash;the art of buying the most appropriate
+furnishings and decorations for the home&mdash;leads logically to
+intelligent decoration, the art of arranging the furnishings and
+decorations so as to make possible a thoroughly attractive home and
+keenly enjoyable living for the family.</p>
+
+<p>The introduction of the word “Art” always opens up a new field fraught
+with unpleasant possibilities. So many things masquerade under this
+name that we are almost deceived as to what it really is. Shall we not
+attack and dispose of some of these fallacies before attempting to see
+what it actually is?</p>
+
+<p>Because it is an art to <i>decorate</i> we are apt to think that
+anything attached to or hung on to another thing is decoration,
+therefore artistic. Nothing could be further from the truth. Principles
+control decoration, and decoration is only possible when it conforms
+to these principles. In order to be decorative there must be something
+that requires decoration; that is, which is incomplete in itself. As
+soon as material of any kind is added after a thing is complete, the
+result becomes an aggregation, not a decoration.</p>
+
+<p>Most houses belong to this class because the owner refuses to stop when
+he is done. He may also have erred through having no place to decorate,
+his background being of such a kind that, struggle as it might, nothing
+could compete for attention, therefore could not become decorative by
+contrast. Simplicity in backgrounds is the foundation of decorative
+possibility.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">No Room for Sentimentality</div>
+
+<p>Oversentimentality is as bad as overdecoration. Sentiment is not only
+commendable but is an essential element that makes for human decency,
+but <i>sentimentality</i>, which by most people is thought to be
+the same thing, is unpleasant and unhealthy. Admiration, affection,
+veneration&mdash;each of these qualities has its place with all of us in
+its particular situation. This is well; but when, through association,
+we mistake an impersonal object for the real qualities of a person and
+begin to bestow adoration on it, then it is time to stop and think.</p>
+
+<p>To be sure, one respects some things in his grandfather and his
+other forebears. He is not insensible to the excellent points in his
+friends and associates. But if he is a wise man, he does not apply
+all his grandfather’s good qualities to all the furniture he uses,
+nor the excellent points in his friends to all the objects they have
+felt impelled to give him at one time or another for some sort of
+reason. If half the rubbish in every house in America that exists for
+solely sentimental reasons or because of a fear of being detected
+in its destruction were to be burned now, the next generation would
+have a much clearer vision of what art is, unhampered by sentimental
+misconception.</p>
+
+<p>A sentimental and an æsthetic feeling are quite distinct from each
+other. Who is there among us who does not love <i>nature</i>? The
+trees, the birds, the flowers&mdash;they seem to be a part of the great
+Divine scheme which calls for especial appreciation. This is also
+well; but nature is not art, neither is man’s imitation of it.
+Sometimes his interpretation of it is art, sometimes it is not. Not
+infrequently his conventionalization of nature and its adaptation to
+the material in which it is to be used become a decorative art; yet,
+even if this is accomplished, the thing may be spoiled in the use, and
+an inartistic whole may result. Just and reasonable homage to nature
+has impelled people to try in all sorts of ways to imitate it. This
+is not <i>art</i>. <i>Art is creation</i>, not imitation. One has
+but to reflect, and amazement must result when one realizes to what
+this impulse has led in every<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span> field of expression. Flowers have been
+painted on everything known, from the kitchen floor to the plush sofa
+pillow. The more like nature these decorations have appeared, the more
+artistic they were thought to be, when the truth was actually the
+reverse. The more natural these are, the more inappropriate they are as
+seen from any viewpoint.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Art Is Creative</div>
+
+<p>Who is there that would not hesitate to sit down on, or put his foot
+on, a perfectly natural rose or lily? Where is there a human being that
+would care to lie down on a pillow with the painted face, even of an
+Indian, in the center? Who can see nature insulted in various objects
+by the sticking-in of pins or the driving-in of nails? The whole thing
+is too simple. Nature has its place, but it is not art, nor is the
+imitation of it art.</p>
+
+<p>This is so intimately associated with another fallacy that it should
+suggest it without comment. The appetites of man are ever insistent
+for attention. The desire for food, drink, shelter&mdash;these are physical
+appetites. They make their assertions naturally, and when normally
+treated bear their relation to the rest of life. But neither these nor
+the sensations attendant on them are art, nor should these senses be
+confounded with the artistic sense.</p>
+
+<p>Apples and pears look well on trees, in suitable receptacles or on
+tables. They are to eat. Imitations of them painted on plates seem to
+win admiration at once for their likeness to the real thing. The saliva
+flows in the mouth, the digestive organs begin their natural functions,
+and, while our sensations are purely physical, strangely enough many
+think this artistic. It is the hunger appetite being appeased, not the
+æsthetic.</p>
+
+<p>The atrocities committed in this field are innumerable. Exact copies
+of everything, from a bunch of grapes to an ostrich, may be found in
+one winter’s millinery display, while the real or copied forms of
+everything, from a dried fish to a gigantic moose head, may be seen in
+one dining-room at one time. This is not art. It is natural history and
+botany illustration in museum effect.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">All Pictures Are Not Good</div>
+
+<p>The hardest thing in the world to combat is a universal belief in the
+infallibility of pictures. These are necessary to convey ideas and they
+have a function to perform. They are interesting, they may even be
+amusing, but they are by no means always artistic. So great has been
+the belief in and admiration for pictures, that we have, as a nation,
+pretty nearly surrendered to the idea that drawing and picture-making
+alone is art. No greater mistake than this has ever been made. There
+are a thousand more bad pictures than there are good ones and a hundred
+bad ones used in houses where one good one appears. This is because we
+seem to have a kind of fear that there may be a vacant place on the
+wall, and also because the picture idea has become a mania.</p>
+
+<p>“Silence is golden,” but a blank space on a wall is often diamonds and
+emeralds compared to one filled with the average pictures that are
+hung, not to mention their frames. What shall we say of this phase
+of human dissipation, particularly when the frames are gilt ones? A
+person who allows himself to decorate his house with frames instead of
+pictures should be expected to hang his wardrobe in the front hall for
+the same purpose. The results of this mania should not be charged up to
+the credit side of art. Rather, the man afflicted with it is a slave to
+tradition.</p>
+
+<p>For the most difficult thing in the world is for a person to change
+his established way of thinking or of doing anything. It is so much
+easier to think as one’s grandfather did and to do as one’s father
+did than it is to think and do for one’s self. For this reason we are
+somewhat handicapped in getting at the essence of art and its practical
+applications to ordinary life. If mahogany was the favored wood in the
+last half of the eighteenth century, of course it is a good idea to use
+it for anything, anywhere, forever afterward, even though a much better
+substitute is at hand. If floors were hardwood or soft wood or stone,
+or even plastered with Oriental rugs bearing no relation to the rest
+of the house, there seems to be no reason why people should change the
+rugs or have another kind of floor.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span></p>
+
+<p>Examples of this adherence to tradition are so frequent and so deadly
+that to cite more would be a waste of time. Traditional belief that
+antiques are always good or that the work of some particular man is
+forever praiseworthy or that some particular article should always be
+used in some established way, has blinded us to the possibilities in
+the right use of new things in a progressive way. All this hinders a
+clear perception of what art really is.</p>
+
+<p>If these things which have been misnamed art are carefully removed
+from consciousness permanently, it is easy enough to see what art is,
+and then it becomes almost an unconscious process to apply it, whether
+the application is made to the house, to clothes, or to other personal
+forms of expression.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Art Is Expressing Yourself</div>
+
+<p>In the first place, art is creation. It is the personal expression of
+the individual in any material or combination that completely conveys
+his conception of what he is trying to project.</p>
+
+<p>This connection generally expresses a need which he himself feels.
+It may be for a house, a living-room, a divan, a hat, a footstool, a
+typewriter or an automobile. In any case, there is a need for something
+for a particular use. This need should be the reason for the art
+expression. Spurred on by the need, a man creates something which will
+fill the need.</p>
+
+<p>This need is both functional or material and mental or artistic. One
+bar to seeing what art is rests in not recognizing this two-fold
+element in it. In so far as one is able to make a chair that fits the
+body, fulfils its special function as a dining-room chair, or a study
+chair, he has succeeded in creating the first artistic element. An
+object which does not do honestly and truthfully and sensibly what it
+purports to do cannot be artistic, no matter how it looks.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Art Is Beauty</div>
+
+<p>The second element that enters into art is appearance or beauty. This
+element or quality is a little more difficult to define because it is
+relative, just as heat is, or as goodness is. What seems warm to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span> one
+seems cold to another; what seems good to one may be bad to some one
+else; so, then, the standard of beauty depends entirely upon one’s
+own conception of it. This does not mean that anything that anybody
+considers beautiful is so, any more than it means that it is a warm day
+when the thermometer is at zero because somebody does not feel cold.
+It simply means that the person who judges may or may not have a right
+mental standard of what beauty really is. This standard may be acquired
+approximately by anyone, for it is determined by certain principles.
+If the principles of harmony are understood and applied, beauty will
+result.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">The Function of a Room</div>
+
+<p>Take, for instance, the problem of a particular room. The first
+question to ask one’s self is: “What is this room for?” If it is
+a dining-room, it is a place in which to eat in peace. If it is a
+living-room, it is to live in and should have a quiet, restful, refined
+and otherwise pleasant atmosphere. If it is a bedroom, it is to rest
+and sleep in. From whatever standpoint the room is viewed, the question
+of <i>use</i> comes first. Anything in the dining-room that interferes
+with eating in peace is in bad taste. Whatever appears as decoration
+in the living-room that is unrestful, tawdry, common or unessential,
+is inartistic. If the bedroom contains anything that is out of tone
+with its general spirit, if it contains anything that makes for other
+than an atmosphere of calm contentment and deep, sound sleep, it
+should be removed at once. Let this point of view spur us on to make
+an investigation of our houses&mdash;room by room&mdash;and alter or remove
+everything that strikes a jarring note.</p>
+
+<p>Let us start with the bedroom. Are there spotted fabrics or papers
+on the wall, the spots on which one involuntarily counts, even after
+going to sleep? Are there a half dozen small pictures in black frames
+against a white background, so hung that successive steps are formed
+which resemble the front hall stairs? Are there other diverting and
+disturbing arrangements in the room that seem to invite us to close our
+eyes to avoid further<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span> annoyance? Much can be done in house decoration
+by elimination, and the strongest argument for this process will be
+found in submitting each room to the test as to the performance of its
+proper function.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">The Language of Art</div>
+
+<p>These elements, <i>fitness to use</i> and <i>beauty</i>, which
+when combined make what is called the art of quality, must be made
+comprehensible by facts and truths which can be expressed in a language
+form that all may learn to understand. This art language is made up
+of color, form, line and texture, and depends for its efficiency on a
+knowledge of the principles which govern it and upon an appreciation
+for the niceties in its use. Anyone can learn the principles and will
+grow in appreciation as he makes a right use of what he knows. Of the
+qualities mentioned, color is the most interesting; at least, it is the
+easiest to see. At the same time it is the most misused. This is much
+too small a space in which to demonstrate with any thoroughness the
+color language idea, but two or three of the most important facts must
+be emphasized.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Use of Color To Express Personality</div>
+
+<p>Nothing is more personal than color and nothing admits of expressing
+personality with clearer or more manifest charm. The normal
+colors&mdash;yellow, red, blue, green, orange and violet&mdash;may be used in
+illustration of this statement.</p>
+
+<p>Color has its source in light, and natural light comes from the sun.
+Yellow looks most like the sun, as it expresses the quality that the
+sun seems to give out. From the sun we are cheered, made light-hearted
+and receive new life. Yellow in a room should, under normal conditions,
+produce the same feelings where it is the basis for the wall color or
+is used in curtains or in other spots. Red suggests blood and fire.
+It is associated with activity, aggression and passion. It heats and
+stimulates. One who fails to react to color is not normal or is immune
+from overcontact, while one who simply likes or dislikes a color and,
+therefore, uses it or never does, misses the real chance to express
+ideas. If one prefers red, there is no proof in the fact that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span> makes
+it incumbent on him to live surrounded by it. He may be erratic enough
+without it, or possibly he doesn’t need a stimulant. Need is the
+fundamental question rather than liking. It is a question of what one
+ought to have.</p>
+
+<p>It is interesting to know that the aggressive quality of red makes a
+room in which it is used smaller in appearance, and there are times
+when this is not desirable. Its warming quality is not needed in hot
+climates or during a warm season.</p>
+
+<p>Blue has an opposite effect from red. Its reactions are restraint,
+coolness, repose and distance. By association one thinks of a clear
+blue sky and the cool breezes from the blue waters of the ocean. This
+makes blue a suitable antidote for hot weather and a temperate force,
+useful in modifying some people’s dispositions. Green, which is a
+union of yellow and blue, expresses the qualities of both. Nothing
+could be more restful, soothing and agreeable than the cheering and
+cooling effects of a seat in the shade upon the green grass under
+luxuriant green trees, in the middle of a hot day. It is easy to see
+the practical application of this in decorative art.</p>
+
+<p>Violet or purple has the qualities of red and blue, while orange has
+the qualities of yellow and red. It is interesting to study the natural
+reactions shown by people of all ages and conditions to these colors
+as environments under different mental conditions. Incomplete as
+these suggestions are, they are probably sufficient to establish the
+point that personal qualities or individual character traits can be
+definitely expressed in color terms and that antidotes for an excess
+of certain qualities are just as possible where a knowledge of color
+exists.</p>
+
+<p>There is a second color quality that we must not ignore. If I think of
+one group of colors containing light pink, delicate blue, lavender,
+canary yellow and white as representing one idea, and dark crimson,
+heavy, dark green, blue with a rich dark purple and black as another
+group, I have a basis for comparison. If my problem of expression is
+the qualities that we generally attribute to youth, or the proper
+colors for a young girl’s<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span> bedroom, or for the lighter and more
+delicate things in life, I have no hesitation in choosing the first
+group. If, on the other hand, the problem is one of clothes for a
+person of mature age, or a color scheme for a library in an old English
+house, or some other problem in which the qualities required are
+dignity, quietness and stability, there should be no question as to the
+preference for the second group.</p>
+
+<p>This quality of light and darkness in color is called <i>value</i> and
+must not be forgotten in using color as a language.</p>
+
+<p>There is no doubt that the third quality, called <i>intensity</i>,
+is the most important of all to a right understanding of interior
+decoration. This quality determines how brilliant or how forceful
+a color tone is. Softer and less aggressive tones are called
+<i>neutral</i> or <i>neutralized colors</i>. The most important
+question in using color decoratively is that which relates to the
+distribution and correct placing of neutralized colors in their
+relation to the more intense ones. The grossest errors in the whole
+realm of color used in decoration are committed in this field. One or
+two principles that relate to this matter must always be carefully
+observed: “Backgrounds should be less intense in color than objects
+that are to appear against them in any decorative way.” From this it
+obviously follows that walls, ceilings and floors of houses must be
+less intense in color than hangings, upholsteries, small rugs, pictures
+and other decorative material. This is one of the most important points
+to remember in every color problem.</p>
+
+<p>There is a corollary to this which is equally important: “The larger
+the color area the less intense it should be, and the smaller the area,
+the more intense it may be.” According to this principle, hangings
+and large rugs must be less intense in color than sofa cushions, lamp
+shades and decorative bits of pottery and other materials. Keeping this
+relation of areas in mind is an aid in selecting any article for the
+house, as well as a help in choosing those things that are concerned
+with one’s personal appearance. A red necktie is more appealing than a
+red suit,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span> so is a red flower or ribbon more decorative on a black hat
+than a gray one would be on a red hat.</p>
+
+<p>The slightest attempt at using color must disclose its power to express
+personality, its natural value feeling and its decorative dependence
+upon a proper distribution of intensities.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Use of Form To Express Ideas</div>
+
+<p>While the principles of form are a little less apparent in their
+illustration to most of us than color, yet they are no less important
+in producing a harmonious whole. One of the first premises of
+decoration is the assumption that there is a definite form or shape
+upon which a decoration is to be applied. The direction of the bounding
+lines of this form determines the direction of the principal lines of
+the decorative matter which is to be applied on it.</p>
+
+<p>The bounding lines of a floor are generally straight and at right
+angles to each other. This fixes several important points regarding the
+disposition of rugs and furniture. Rugs that are placed at all sorts of
+angles on the floor and by their positions bid one go in any direction
+save the one he started to take are among the most disconcerting and
+distracting lines in a room arrangement. Place all rugs in accord with
+the bounding lines of a room and harmony is at once restored.</p>
+
+<p>One must conform to this principle also in placing furniture. Most
+pieces should be parallel with the sides of the room, even though they
+are not against the walls. Curved line chairs or other small objects
+sometimes lend themselves naturally to a diagonal placement. Care
+should be taken in grouping furniture to give the appearance of harmony
+with the room structure. Let us look after the piano that is placed
+catacorner in the living-room, and the bed, in the same position, in
+the bedroom.</p>
+
+<p>It is not unusual to see pictures strung over the walls in such a way
+that the line indicated from the top of one to another is a zigzag
+that illy suggests harmony with the structure of the wall. Triangular
+picture wires are ugly and distracting. Unless a picture is small
+enough to be hung with an invisible attachment<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span> at the back, it should
+be hung with one long wire passed through two screw eyes, one at each
+top corner of the frame, with one wire paralleling each side of the
+frame and going over a hook above. This not only harmonizes the wire
+with the frame, but with the doors, windows and the room structure.</p>
+
+<p>The choice and arrangement of essential materials in the room, so far
+as the aspect of beauty is concerned, will be treated in detail later
+on.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Size and Shape of Objects a Factor</div>
+
+<p>The principle of consistently related shapes and sizes finds scores of
+applications in the arrangement of a room. Who has not wondered what to
+do with a round clock, when everything else adjacent to it was either
+square or rectangular in form? Where is there a house in which there is
+not a round or oval picture to be placed, or a chair of wholly curved
+lines, where all others are straight? The attempt to place one isolated
+round object on a wall is generally a failure, because there is nothing
+to relate it to any other nearby lines. Oval and curved objects must be
+repeated by others similar in form in other positions in the room if
+they are to become in any sense a part of the design.</p>
+
+<p>The second part of this principle&mdash;consistent sizes&mdash;is even more
+important and far-reaching than the first. To the architect, the
+decorator or the creator of any art object, this is a vital matter.
+Every interior, as well as exterior, architectural feature is thought
+of in relation to every other one in the matter of size.</p>
+
+<p>It is not uncommon to enter a room and find a chimney large enough
+for an Elizabethan banquet hall, while the room itself, in size,
+suggests a city flat. Nor is it less common to find a table or divan
+of gigantic proportions being required to live in harmony with chairs
+or other articles of various pigmy types. These unusual and unhappy
+relationships cannot conform to the principle of consistent sizes.</p>
+
+<p>In our use of hangings, upholstery, rugs, etc., the lack of feeling for
+consistent sizes is still more often apparent. Before<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span> discussing this,
+let us look for a moment at patterns and motifs as they are used in
+textiles, wall papers and rugs.</p>
+
+<p>For some unknown reason we have come to believe that there is no beauty
+in anything in which there is not a pattern plainly visible, forgetting
+that three-fourths of all wall and floor spaces are backgrounds on
+which to show other more important things, including people, who have
+some right to be exploited even against wall paper. There are some
+phases of the motif running through a design, that may be considered
+here in some detail.</p>
+
+<p>There are three distinct varieties of motif. First, the motif which
+aims to reproduce identically a natural object. Such things are rarely
+successful. The second is known as the abstract type, where the motif
+is of a form and color not derived from a natural source, being a
+matter of space and line arrangement, often resulting in geometric
+forms. The third, known as the conventional motif, takes a natural
+thing and attempts to translate it into form and color suited by
+its appearance and feeling to some particular material in which the
+design is developed. In the conventional design, beauty is attained by
+harmonizing the motif with the material on which the design is made,
+while the naturalistic motif strives to represent some natural thing
+and takes a chance on its being appropriate in the material in which it
+is to be rendered. Harmony in motifs means, first, a relation in this
+particular, from which it follows that a rug or floor which is entirely
+geometric in pattern cannot be used successfully with hangings which
+show a purely naturalistic design.</p>
+
+<p>Another opportunity for harmony is found in consistently related motifs
+as to size and shape. It frequently happens that the floor motif, for
+example, is small and delicate in size and refined in line treatment.
+If a person is naturally sensitive to color rather than form and he
+finds a rug or hangings pleasing in color, he is often satisfied. For
+harmony in relationship, however, he must ask if the motif in the rug
+and that in the hangings are consistent in size and shape with the
+floor and wall motifs.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Elements in a Room Must Balance</div>
+
+<p>A third principle of form is known as <i>balance</i>. This is the
+principle of arrangement whereby attractions are equalized and through
+this equalization a restful feeling is obtained; that is, a feeling
+of equilibrium or safety. It is somewhat disconcerting to enter a
+small room and find a black piano across one corner and a delicate
+Hepplewhite chair in the opposite corner. One instinctively rushes
+to the aid of the chair. Attraction may be of color, size, shape or
+texture, and one learns only by constant practice to see and feel the
+attraction forces in different objects used.</p>
+
+<p>There are two types of balance to consider. The first one, known as
+<i>bi-symmetric</i> balance, is the equalization of attractions on
+either side of a vertical center by using objects the same size, shape,
+color and texture. This is formal, dignified and safe, but lacks in
+some ways the delicacy and subtlety resulting from an attempt to get
+a less formal placing. Consider a vertical line drawn through the
+center of a chimney-piece placed in the middle of a wall space. On
+either side of the chimney-piece and equally distant from it may be
+placed two pictures similar in size, form and color, and the result is
+bi-symmetrical. If two similar candlesticks are placed one at either
+end of the chimney-piece and equidistant from the end, with a portrait
+in the center, there is still bi-symmetric arrangement. So long as this
+arrangement is maintained, bi-symmetry results.</p>
+
+<p>A second kind of balance is known as <i>occult</i> balance. This term
+is used to signify that the balance is rather felt or sensed than
+exactly determined. If the same vertical line is drawn through the
+same chimney-piece, one picture is placed a certain distance from the
+left and two smaller pictures of unequal size are used on the right to
+balance this. The two pictures must be so placed that their attraction
+equals that of the larger one at the left. Similarly, if one large
+porcelain jar and two or three other articles are to be used, there
+must be a feeling of equal attraction on either side of the vertical
+line.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span></p>
+
+<p>To explain briefly the primary laws of balance we may give the rules:
+“Equal attractions balance each other at equal distances from the
+center.” And, conversely: “Unequal attractions balance each other at
+unequal distances from the center.”</p>
+
+<p>A third and a little more complicated law is stated as follows:
+“Unequal attractions balance each other at distances from the center
+which are in inverse ratio to their powers of attraction.” Translated,
+this means that objects with the strongest attractions tend to
+gravitate toward the central line, while less attractive ones tend to
+draw from this line.</p>
+
+<p>The application of the rules of balance not only to objects on the
+wall, but to the furniture when seen against the wall or against the
+floor, is essential to room composition. It is also essential that the
+floor, in its general appearance, should bear a balanced relation to
+the walls and to the hangings.</p>
+
+<p>There is no better place, perhaps, than at this point to make clear
+the relations of these three bounding surfaces. The ceiling should
+be unobtrusive, but keyed in color to the rest of the room. A
+perfectly white ceiling, except in a white room, or an over-ornamented
+ceiling anywhere is an annoyance to him who would see his friends
+or furnishings. A too-aggressive wall paper or other wall covering
+makes a bid for attention quite out of proportion to its rights as a
+background, while aggressive and over-assertive floors or rugs are
+in bad taste, particularly when they assume the prerogatives of the
+hostess in their attempt at attraction.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">“Crawly” Pictures and Patterns Are Bad</div>
+
+<p>The ceiling should be about as much lighter and less attractive than
+the walls, as the walls are lighter and less attractive than the
+floor. This is a balanced arrangement of ceilings, walls and floors.
+Operating exactly opposite to the principle of balance is one known as
+<i>movement</i>. This is calculated to cause unrest, excitement and
+similar sensations, by creating an interest which causes the eye to
+move from one thing to another. It is very desirable in many cases that
+movement, particularly of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span> a violent type, should not occur. Allusion
+to stair arrangements in picture hangings has already been made. This
+is not conducive to sleep. Erratic crawling vine patterns, creeping up
+the curtains or the wall paper, are a little suggestive in the early
+morning hours if one chances to awake. Violent contrasting lines,
+created by bad furniture placing or by spotted wall papers or floor
+covering, also become tiresome and disturbing, except to those who by
+long contact with such things have become immune to their influence.
+Even such may suffer a subconscious disturbance, though they do not
+realize it.</p>
+
+<p>There is a certain monotony attendant on the continual presentation
+of one sound, one color or one form, for mental consideration. On the
+other hand, there is a complete disorganization of the powers of the
+human mind if a host of colors, forms or sounds are presented at one
+time. If one is poverty, the other is certainly gluttony, and neither
+should be accepted. It is through a judicious selection and arrangement
+that sufficient variety is obtained to give pleasure, while restraint
+results in making life humanly possible. It is very rarely that we err
+on the side of simplicity, but it is not at all unlikely that we may
+become flagrantly sumptuous, with an uncomfortable, tawdry result.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Emphasize Only Important Things in a Room</div>
+
+<p>The principle known as <i>emphasis</i> is one which we must regard
+as important. In a bedroom one ought to see a bed; it is vastly more
+important than the picture exhibition hung about it. In a dining-room
+a well-set table is the emphatic note, not the chenille curtains nor
+the products of the chase hung upon the wall. In the living-room the
+easy-chair, the divan, the bookcase, the beautiful portrait, lamp or
+picture&mdash;all these things should be emphasized by color, form or line,
+that their importance as related to other things in the room may be
+apparent at sight.</p>
+
+<p>Knowing this to be true, is it not strange that we still find people
+who are willing to emphasize the wall paper or the floor or the
+unpleasant ceiling decorations, to the absolute exclusion<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span> of anything
+else that may have to be used in the room? The relation of background
+to decorative objects cannot be insisted upon too much.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">The Spirit of the Whole House Should Be the Spirit of Each
+Room</div>
+
+<p>The final principle of form is known as unity. In this limited
+discussion only a word can be said of it. A room is a unit, so should a
+house be. It is impossible to look with equanimity from an Old English
+dining-room into a Louis XVI sitting-room. These styles are very far
+apart in their meaning and can only be harmonized by those who know
+how, when, where and how much of each element to use.</p>
+
+<p>It is just as impossible to make a unit out of a mixture of Fifteenth,
+Seventeenth and Nineteenth Century furniture, unless one knows how.
+Every article used in furnishing a house not only has its conventional
+value, but its design also. If one knows thoroughly the exact meaning
+and power of a Louis XVI chair, an Elizabethan table, an Italian
+console or a William and Mary bookcase, there is no doubt that these
+may be used successfully in one room.</p>
+
+<p>There are so many considerations in such a problem that it is
+insufficient to choose single objects for their value alone. Each thing
+must be chosen with a clear understanding of what room it is to go in
+and with what other things it is in the future to be associated. A
+failure to do this will certainly result in pandemonium.</p>
+
+<p>What shall we do with the things we have? Use them if we have to,
+destroy them if we are willing to&mdash;at least eliminate everything that
+is nonessential. The pernicious practice of giving everything one
+learns to dislike or that has become worn out, to the poor, does more
+to prevent them from enjoying a personal growth than any other one
+thing.</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps no better way to think of the principle of unity can be
+suggested than to quote the definition of an eminent Nineteenth Century
+historian: “A unit is that to which nothing can be added and from which
+nothing can be taken without interfering materially with the idea
+itself.”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Objects Should Look the Way They Feel</div>
+
+<p>The question of <i>texture</i> as a form of expression must not be
+omitted. Texture is that quality of an object which seems to convey
+the idea of how it feels. It is a combination of a degree of solidity,
+strength, roughness, coarseness, etc. One finds this quality in the
+grained effects of wood, in the weaves of different textiles, in the
+appearance of braided straws, and even in feathers and other materials.</p>
+
+<p>It is this sense of fitness in textural feeling that forbids the use
+of hard, harsh-grained oaks with the finer textures of mahogany and
+satin-wood. Disregarding this quality, people often combined the
+coarser, heavier and more-resisting woolens or linens with soft,
+impressionable and destructible silks or fine cottons. Harmony in the
+texture quality cannot fail to contribute to harmony in the finished
+unit.</p>
+
+<p>Such is the language of art expression in color, form, line and
+texture. The principles which govern the right selection and
+combination of all materials that go to make a house are the real
+guides to growth in artistic appreciation.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Good Taste the Final Criterion</div>
+
+<p>Good taste, which is the final criterion in all art, is cultivated or
+improved in most people by a constant study and application of the
+principles which control artistic expression.</p>
+
+<p>Should we not, all of us, do well often to take time to remind
+ourselves of certain great established principles and to endeavor
+constantly to see more clearly and completely the principles that
+govern the expression of these truths? Thereby we may unconsciously
+form habits of thinking and of doing things that will not only make for
+broader and better personal growth, but will contribute to a higher
+type of national civilization. We have not to worry if all the powers
+of science are not directed to the development of so-called efficient
+service, in lines that are wholly material and commercial.</p>
+
+<p>We are extraordinarily committed to this propaganda, as a people, and
+we might ask ourselves whether we may not be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span> developing this idea
+at the expense of mental and spiritual ideals that, after all, are
+the real things that not only determine what we actually are, but are
+the only things that are truly permanent. Life is certainly something
+beside machinery, raw materials and money, even granting these to be
+essentials.</p>
+
+<p>Perceiving the desirability of the art quality results generally in an
+effort to possess it, and that entails immediate action in two distinct
+ways. First, go out to find the simple, fundamental principles that
+control the language of color, form, line and texture; second, apply
+these principles at once in the home, in the shop, in clothes, in
+printed paper or in any concrete thing where interest and possibility
+are found. Through every application growth is assured.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Influence of Environment</div>
+
+<p>Let us again remember that man is exactly what he lives in, for
+environment is the strongest possible factor in man’s development. Let
+us not forget that what man really is, is what his mind is, and this he
+must express in all he does.</p>
+
+<p>This places the importance of the home where it deserves to be and
+makes its furnishing one of the most serious and at the same time one
+of the most delightful things in life, never for an instant minimizing
+what has always been desirable, but vastly enlarging and ennobling the
+idea for which it stood.</p>
+
+<p>In recognizing anew the part art is to play in this matter, let us not
+forget that it in no way interferes with the three essential qualities
+that are inevitably factors in every home problem simple or elaborate,
+as the case may be.</p>
+
+<p>Perfect physical comfort is necessary, if only from the standpoint of
+more efficient service on our part and the relief it brings us, not
+to be constantly thinking how hard the bed is, how uncomfortable the
+chair seems, or how rough and uneven the floor feels. Art in no way
+interferes with physical comfort; in fact, it demands it, as an element
+of the eternal fitness of things.</p>
+
+<p>The nation is awake to the power of cleanliness as a factor in making
+an efficient physical, and thereby, indirectly, a finer<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span> mental being,
+as a contribution to modern civilization. Every article selected for
+the home should have this requirement considered. Including this in
+the art idea will remove the misapprehension under which some people
+labor, that art implies disorder at home, a dowdy or unkempt person and
+a disregard of nature’s most obvious laws. The first law of Heaven is
+order; it is no less so of art.</p>
+
+<p>Expense is the constant excuse of those who want better things but
+cannot afford them. There are as many bad expensive things as there
+are cheap ones. No home is too poor to have much better things, much
+better arranged, than it has, and no home is so rich that much of the
+furnishing might not well be publicly burned and the rest rearranged.</p>
+
+<p>From any standpoint, comfort, sanitation, economics or art, the home
+is to become the greatest moulding influence in human life. Shall
+we remain apathetic and indifferent to this most vital problem,
+satisfied to increase our bank account only, or shall we awaken now and
+contribute our mite to a fuller national life and a higher and happier
+existence? This certainly will not decrease our power to increase the
+bank account, but will enable us to do it with far less physical effort.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Floor Styles Change with the Customs</div>
+
+<p>Traditions have generally obtained in each generation and fashion as to
+what materials should be used in various parts of the house and how to
+use them. The original ideas which went to establish these traditions
+or manners differed in their origins, but were always the logical
+outcomes of times in which they were developed. For instance, the walls
+of the house in the Italian Renaissance were of stone. Steel was not
+thought of and wood unsuited, while in American Colonial days wood was
+the most plentiful material and the quickest and easiest to handle in
+building in the manner in which the people lived.</p>
+
+<p>At various times climate, geography, religious and social customs and
+the developments of science or art have changed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span> conditions, and with
+this, methods and materials have undergone similar changes.</p>
+
+<p>Floors, for example, have mostly been of clay, stone, tile or wood,
+dictated by one or more of the modifying influences of which we have
+spoken. Wood cannot take the place of stone, neither should it try to
+pretend to do so, but there is no denying that one is better than the
+other under certain conditions and that neither is the only good floor
+under all conditions.</p>
+
+<p>Linoleum as a floor is not a substitute for stone, wood, tile or clay.
+It is another material, recent in conception and suited to particular
+conditions, because of properties that neither stone, clay nor wood
+have in exactly the same proportions.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Where Linoleum May Be Suitable and Desirable</div>
+
+<p>Like other floors in modern houses, linoleum ought to combine the
+qualities of sanitation, comfort, durability to fulfil completely its
+functions. When made to conform to these ends&mdash;as it does if properly
+designed, and then selected and arranged so as to harmonize perfectly
+with its surroundings&mdash;it is not only suitable but desirable. Linoleum
+is sanitary, because the most obvious thing about it is the ease with
+which it can be cleaned and kept clean.</p>
+
+<p>Linoleum is comfortable, because it is soft, quiet and resilient
+underfoot. It is economical, because it is durable.</p>
+
+<p>In parts of Europe, the artistic possibilities of linoleum have
+been developed to such a degree that many fine homes are furnished
+throughout with floors of that material. There is no reason why, in
+this country, the development of the art side of linoleum should not
+follow the general development of interior decoration. For patterns and
+colors, suitable for any scheme of house furnishing and decoration,
+seemingly, can be produced.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak bt" id="How_To_Select_Linoleum_Floors"><i>How To Select Linoleum Floors</i></h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center p0 big bb">KATHLEEN CLINCH CALKINS<span class="fnanchor" id="fna1"><a href="#fn1">[1]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<p>While the principles and suggestions on home furnishing and decoration
+set forth by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons on the preceding pages are fresh in our minds,
+let us see how they may be applied specifically to the selection of
+floors in the modern home. According to <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons, if properly
+designed and selected to harmonize with its surroundings, modern
+linoleum is not only suitable but desirable as a floor for every room
+in the house. Let us first define the various types of linoleum,
+and then, going from one room to another, learn how to use linoleum
+floors effectively and artistically, keeping in mind the fundamental
+principles that <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons has explained to us.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">What Linoleum Is</div>
+
+<p>Linoleum was invented in England in 1863. The name comes from two Latin
+words, <i>linum</i> (flax) and <i>oleum</i> (oil). Thus linoleum takes
+its name from its principal ingredient, linseed oil. Before it can be
+used in making linoleum, however, the linseed oil must be oxidized
+by exposing it to the air until it hardens into a tough, rubber-like
+substance. The oxidized oil is then mixed with powdered cork, wood
+flour, various gums, and color pigments; and the resulting plastic mass
+is pressed on burlap by means of great rollers that exert a pressure of
+hundreds of pounds to the square inch. The “green linoleum” then passes
+into huge drying ovens, where it is hung up in festoons to cure and
+season. This curing process takes from one to six weeks, depending on
+the thickness of the material.</p>
+
+<p>There are several varieties of linoleum, designated as follows:</p>
+
+<p>(<i>a</i>) Plain linoleum&mdash;of solid color, without pattern&mdash;the heavier
+grades of which are used for covering the decks of battleships and
+hence are known as “battleship linoleum.”</p>
+
+<p>(<i>b</i>) Jaspe linoleum, which is like inlaid linoleum in that the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span>
+colors run clear through the fabric. It is made in plain colorings,
+with a pleasing graining in two tones of the same color.</p>
+
+<p>(<i>c</i>) Inlaid linoleum, in which the colors of the pattern go
+through to the burlap back.</p>
+
+<p>(<i>d</i>) Granite linoleum, which is also a variety of inlaid. It has
+a mottled appearance, resembling terrazzo.</p>
+
+<p>(<i>e</i>) Printed linoleum, which is simply plain linoleum with a
+design printed on the surface with oil paint.</p>
+
+<p>Turn for a moment to the <a href="#img002">colorplates</a> at the back of this book, and
+note the illustrations of various types of linoleum floors. Your local
+merchant has actual samples of linoleum, and will be glad to show you
+the different grades.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Used for Years in Europe</div>
+
+<p>As <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons has suggested, the use of linoleum floors all over the
+house is not new; it is one of the excellent ideas in home building
+that has come to us from Europe. There the designing of linoleum, for
+many years, has been given particular attention; and linoleum floors
+have found ready acceptance in bedrooms, living-rooms, dining-rooms,
+etc., not alone in homes of persons of moderate means, but just as
+frequently in those of the rich and well-to-do. European architects are
+accustomed to specify linoleum floors in new buildings instead of other
+materials less desirable.</p>
+
+<p>The European housewife takes particular pride in keeping her linoleum
+floors in spick-and-span condition by waxing and polishing them. And,
+as the years pass, linoleum floors soften in color and deepen in tone,
+taking on a finish not unlike that of wood which has been mellowed by
+age.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Growing Use in America</div>
+
+<p>In America, the makers of Armstrong’s Linoleum were the first to
+give attention to the designing of linoleum patterns that would lend
+themselves to acceptable use in the modern American home. Skilled
+designers were brought from the best European establishments and
+given <i>carte blanche</i> in the development of designs particularly
+appropriate to American ideas of home decoration<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span> and conditions of
+living. As a result, we can state with confidence that for beauty,
+attractiveness, and general utility the Armstrong floor designs now
+available are not excelled either in Europe or America.</p>
+
+<p>Miss Rene Stillman, a writer on interior decoration, in discussing
+recently in the Philadelphia <i>Public Ledger</i> the change from
+unsanitary carpets to the use of fabric rugs speaks also of the change
+in linoleums and their relation to modern interior decoration. She
+says, ... “and then the new linoleums, not the old kitchen kind, but
+modern floors which have become works of art, some of which are not
+unlike the floors in old palaces. Not long ago I went to an exhibit
+given by a number of prominent interior decorators. There I went
+through one of the most charmingly decorated houses you ever saw,
+and every floor had linoleum upon it. It was a house of Spanish
+architecture, and there was a central court, with fountains and
+foliage&mdash;an unpretentious, but very beautiful, little court. And, would
+you believe it? it was paved&mdash;I use the word advisedly&mdash;with linoleum
+of the large black-and-white blocks, for all the world like large
+black-and-white marble tiles. The other rooms were also covered with
+linoleum, which toned with the woodwork or the walls or the general
+scheme of the furnishings. But these rooms were also covered with
+fabric rugs, some of them large central rugs, allowing the linoleum
+floor to show about the edges. In other rooms, the rugs were smaller
+and scattered over a larger surface of the linoleum. Of course, it was
+very good linoleum, mostly cork I think, and the pattern went all the
+way through. I was charmed with the subtle colors, the often exquisite
+designs.”</p>
+
+<p>As a matter of fact, in the last few years many leading architects
+and interior decorators have used linoleum floors in homes they have
+planned, particularly because of the decorative effects it is possible
+to achieve with linoleum floors, as contrasted with other materials.
+Where the problem is to redecorate a house, linoleum is being more
+and more widely used to resurface<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span> worn wood floors. And, in many new
+homes, owners and architects have specified linoleum floors instead
+of wood; they have used linoleum not alone because of the economy in
+dollars and cents but because linoleum floors are so <i>very much
+easier to take care of</i>. Especially where the housewife has to
+do her own work, or good help is difficult to obtain, linoleum aids
+materially in solving this almost universal household problem.</p>
+
+<p>The portfolio of <a href="#img002">colorplates</a> and black-and-white reproductions included
+with this book will give you an excellent idea of just how linoleum
+floors look in modern homes. If you are planning to build a new
+house, you owe it to yourself to investigate the possibilities that
+linoleum floors offer you in making the home unusually interesting and
+attractive.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Hall</div>
+
+<p>The hall is the first place in your home that visitors see. It must
+be kept speckless and spotless. A linoleum hall floor proclaims the
+neatness of the housewife to all visitors the moment they cross the
+threshold because it is so easy to keep such a floor fresh and inviting.</p>
+
+<p>And no matter what the decorative treatment of your hall, there are
+patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum that will harmonize perfectly with
+rugs, walls, and furniture. For a formal vestibule, there are exclusive
+designs that will appeal to all tastes. For instance, Pattern 350,
+which is a six-inch block design of alternate black and white squares,
+suggests marble tile. Or there is an interesting Persian tile, Pattern
+<abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 232, in cream, red, and black. The newer designs in marble and
+tile inlaids permit many interesting combinations. In an entrance
+hall proper, you may prefer wood effects. There are several linoleum
+parquetries which, waxed and polished, make splendid floors for halls
+and reception rooms, as well as living- and dining-rooms.</p>
+
+<p>The durability of good linoleum should always be kept in mind. The
+number of footsteps it would take to wear it out cannot be estimated,
+and dripping umbrellas and wet rubbers do not damage it.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Living-Room</div>
+
+<p>Linoleum for the living-room? Remember, we are now speaking of linoleum
+as a floor and not as a covering. There is a vital distinction. Over
+linoleum installed as a permanent floor, naturally, you will lay your
+fabric rugs, whether they are domestic or Oriental. And you will select
+your linoleum floor carefully, because it must serve as a background
+not only for the rugs placed upon it, but for all the furnishings of
+the room, just as the wall-covering is a background for the pictures
+or draperies hung against it. The general rule is that the linoleum
+floor should be darker in tone than the walls and woodwork. It is the
+foundation upon which the whole plan of furnishing is based. Thus
+you will select your linoleum floors, keeping in mind the type of
+furniture, the woodwork, and the general effect you wish to produce.</p>
+
+<p>For example, if the woodwork is dark and the furniture tends toward the
+massive in style, one of the darker tones of plain brown, the brown
+jaspe, or a parquetry linoleum floor is appropriate. If the woodwork
+is white or ivory, the floors may be selected in softer tones of gray,
+green, and light brown, depending on the character of the furnishings.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Dining-Room</div>
+
+<p>Linoleum is truly the logical floor for the dining-room. Every
+practical consideration persuades its use. In the dining-room,
+cheerfulness and individuality are the prime requisites. A thoughtful
+selection of the floor in relation to the furnishings may be made to
+contribute not a little to the charm of a room. The newer linoleum
+designs offer many interesting suggestions; for instance, a marble
+tile, with contrasting interliners, or one of the carpet inlaids of
+all-over pattern, permits out-of-the-ordinary floor treatment. Pattern
+<abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 201, a little three-inch tile of alternating black and gray blocks,
+is reminiscent of Italian influence. In the woods, Parquetry <abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 600
+is particularly good. Or, for the average home, nothing is better than
+the jaspes in browns and grays, or a plain linoleum in appropriate
+coloring.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span></p>
+
+<p>In any room, a nice balance in the use of figured and plain surfaces
+is always desirable. For instance, if a plain coloring or a jaspe
+linoleum is used for the floor, figured rugs and wall coverings may
+well be chosen. If, however, a patterned linoleum floor is employed,
+the fabric rugs and wall coverings should be plainer, or of small
+all-over pattern. Avoid overemphasis of pattern or, conversely, too
+much monotony of plain surfaces.</p>
+
+<p>The cheerful tile designs in Armstrong’s Linoleum are particularly
+appropriate for the breakfast alcove or sun porch now found in many
+homes. In a recent issue of <i>The Delineator</i>, Martha Hill Cutler,
+writing on “Linoleum Floors&mdash;Durable, Smart,” after saying that
+“linoleum has now ‘arrived’ as an artistic as well as a practical
+possibility for every room in the house,” speaks particularly of the
+use of linoleum in the breakfast-room.</p>
+
+<p>She says, “In a breakfast-room or sun-parlor one can do daring things.
+There are fascinating possibilities in a linoleum design of brilliant
+colorings, the black-and-orange, for instance, the green-and-white,
+green-and-black, or blue-and-green.</p>
+
+<p>“Breakfast-rooms are almost always so small that rugs are not
+absolutely essential, but plain rugs against these brilliant tiles
+as backgrounds are very effective. Brilliantly colored curtains to
+harmonize, an unusual chintz or cretonne, and painted furniture can be
+combined with them with colorful results.”</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For a Group of Rooms</div>
+
+<p>By using the same linoleum floor through a series of rooms, it is
+possible to gain unity and a feeling of spaciousness. On the second
+floor, not infrequently the rooms open from a central hall or top
+stair landing. There are a number of colors and designs in Armstrong’s
+Linoleum that are specially suitable for groups of rooms because they
+lend themselves as a background for the draperies in each room, and yet
+bind all the rooms together as a unit. The gray jaspe, plain dark gray,
+and light gray linoleums are particularly appropriate with old Colonial
+painted woodwork in white, ivory, or soft gray; the brown jaspe, plain
+dark brown<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span> or tan, the parquetries, and certain carpet patterns are
+equally appropriate with oak, cypress, gum, or chestnut woodwork in the
+natural finish or painted woodwork in buff and tan.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Bedroom</div>
+
+<p>For the bedroom, no floor is so sanitary and so easily cared for as
+linoleum. It appeals to the most fastidious. And linoleum is not a
+cold floor&mdash;in fact, it is as warm as any wood surface. We have said
+that linoleum is made largely of cork and linseed oil. Cork is widely
+used for heat insulating purposes. Engineers regard it as good, if not
+a better heat retainer than wood. And a linoleum floor has certain
+advantages over wood floors. There are no cracks or crevices to catch
+dust or harbor germs. The oxidized linseed oil, moreover, has known
+germicidal powers that actually tend to destroy bacteria.</p>
+
+<p>There are some very dainty small designs in delicate colors in
+Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum that are particularly suitable for
+bedrooms&mdash;blue-and-white, pink-and-white, green-and-blue, and
+green-and-white. Bedroom floors like these, or of plain light blue,
+rose, or light gray are very charming.</p>
+
+<p>Over the bedroom linoleum floor you will, of course, use small fabric
+rugs beside the bed, in front of the dressing table, or before the easy
+chair. You would not leave a wood floor bare. Let us emphasize again
+that linoleum is a floor&mdash;and not merely a floor-covering.</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps in your home bedroom floors have been a problem because they
+are of soft wood, which must be repainted frequently and which are
+always hard to keep looking well. Linoleum offers you new floors for
+old&mdash;and at relatively slight expense, far less than the cost of
+putting in new wood floors. Remember that linoleum floors do not need
+periodical refinishing, as does hardwood. This is an additional saving.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Sleeping-Porch</div>
+
+<p>Many people do not consider a house complete nowadays unless it has a
+sleeping-porch. Here, again, to secure a thoroughly satisfactory floor
+is a problem. But linoleum solves it nicely and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span> economically. Granite
+linoleums, which resemble terrazzo, or a neat tile effect will be
+especially pleasing.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Bathroom</div>
+
+<p>Water is always being spilled upon the bathroom floor. It rots wood;
+it gets into the cracks of tiling and, in time, may cause the tiles
+to come up. What is needed in a bathroom, therefore, is a floor that
+is proof against moisture, easy to clean, sanitary, comfortable, and
+exceptionally durable. If laid properly&mdash;that is, cemented down with
+waterproof cement&mdash;a linoleum floor in a bathroom will last for years.
+The designs of Armstrong’s Linoleum which are offered for the bathroom
+combine cleanable, sanitary, comfortable, durable, and beautiful
+qualities in the highest degree.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Nursery</div>
+
+<p>In decorating the children’s playroom, a linoleum floor, chosen in
+pattern to harmonize with the color scheme, gives one an opportunity
+to work out a charming relationship between the floor, the furniture,
+and the draperies, to suit the playroom idea. In Armstrong’s Linoleum,
+there are a score of designs in pleasing matting and wood effects and
+carpet patterns especially appropriate for such a room. And the floor
+need not be expensive&mdash;Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum will last through
+childhood’s romp and play. And, when the toys and games are put away
+for more mature interests, the room may be refurnished at slight
+expense.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Attic and Sewing-Room</div>
+
+<p>In many homes, the attic is being changed from a store-room into an
+attractive, comfortable spare room at little expense. The skillful use
+of odd pieces of furniture, the pleasing blending of draperies, and the
+covering of the floor with an attractive linoleum pattern will easily
+make this room one of the most interesting in the home. Whether the
+room is used as an extra sleeping-room or for sewing, the advantages
+of a linoleum floor are obvious. It is so easy to clean; cuttings and
+threads are easily swept up; they do not stick to the smooth-surfaced<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span>
+linoleum. For a very small outlay, you can transform the attic in your
+home into a usable, attractive room.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Kitchen, Pantry and Laundry</div>
+
+<p>If your kitchen or pantry floor is the kind that requires you to spend
+hours with water pail and scrubbing brush and back-breaking labor to
+keep it clean, it is time you change to a linoleum floor. And, even
+with linoleum floors, many women find it hard to get away from the
+scrubbing habit. Most people scrub linoleum entirely too frequently. A
+plain or inlaid linoleum floor should be thoroughly waxed with liquid
+floor wax. The wax provides a coating which prevents the dirt from
+being ground into the surface. Such a floor needs only to be swept and
+then wiped with a damp cloth, and the wax renewed every five to six
+weeks. Varnishing a printed linoleum floor will add to the life of the
+linoleum and make it easier to keep clean. All these considerations
+hold equally true for vestibule, laundry, and closets. There are many
+bright patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum for the kitchen or pantry from
+which you can make a selection that will exactly fit into your idea of
+what these rooms should look like.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">The Advantages of Linoleum Floors</div>
+
+<p>By way of summing up, consider for just a moment what the qualities are
+that you really need and demand in the floors in your home. Certainly,
+you want your floors to be durable. And is there any floor you can
+think of&mdash;cost considered&mdash;that can approach a good linoleum in wearing
+quality? Next, you demand sanitation. Do you know of any floor that
+excels linoleum in that respect? Most assuredly, you want floors that
+are easy to keep clean. Have you not found linoleum easy to clean? And
+you must have comfort. Is not linoleum easy underfoot?</p>
+
+<p>But, you say, we must have warmth, too. Certainly, you must. But you
+would hardly think of leaving the wood floor in your bedroom and
+living-room bare, would you? No, you use rugs. Follow the same course,
+then, with your linoleum floors; and you will find them equally as
+comfortable as hardwood. In<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span> fact, thickness for thickness, linoleum is
+a better non-conductor of heat than wood is.</p>
+
+<p>Then, finally, you demand beauty and economy in your floors&mdash;and justly
+so. As for color harmony, hardwood has distinct limitations. Shades of
+brown and tan are about the only colors that are available. But, with
+linoleum, the range of colors and patterns is well-nigh unlimited, and
+your floors can thus be made an integral part of your general color
+scheme. On this point, the <a href="#img002">colorplates</a> that accompany this book speak
+for themselves.</p>
+
+<p>As to economy, linoleum floors of good quality are less expensive
+today than the cheapest hardwood. And they cost less to maintain,
+too. Given reasonable care and proper treatment, linoleum floors will
+last indefinitely, without the periodic refinishing that all hardwood
+requires.</p>
+
+<p>So you can see for yourself, once you analyze the subject, how
+remarkably linoleum does combine each and every one of the qualities
+you want the floors in your home to possess.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Bureau of Interior Decoration</div>
+
+<p>Naturally, we want you to be thoroughly satisfied with your floors of
+Armstrong’s Linoleum&mdash;not only as to wearing quality but in respect
+to pattern and color as well. And, since the selection of suitable
+linoleum floors to harmonize with the different types of furnishings
+and color schemes involves the application of the principles of
+interior decoration, we have organized a Bureau of Interior Decoration
+to answer any questions you may care to ask about the use of
+Armstrong’s Linoleum in your home.</p>
+
+<p>If you are planning to refurnish or redecorate your home, write our
+Bureau of Interior Decoration, describing your furniture, wallpaper,
+rugs, and the color scheme you have in mind. Our Interior Decorator
+will be glad to make suggestions that may be helpful to you, and will
+send you lithographs of linoleum patterns that will make suitable
+floors for your home. There is no charge or implied obligation for this
+service.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">How To Get Armstrong’s Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>First, get in touch with the merchant in home furnishings with whom
+you are accustomed to trade. If he does not have on hand an adequate
+assortment of Armstrong patterns to suit your taste, ask him to show
+you his copy of the Armstrong Pattern Book, which contains colorplates
+of all of the two hundred and fifty designs and colorings in the
+Armstrong line. From this book, you can select your first, second, and
+third choice; and doubtless he will be glad to place an order for the
+pattern you desire.</p>
+
+<p>Certain patterns, including plain colorings, jaspes, and carpet
+inlaids, are carried in the factory in our Cut-Order Department; and
+the merchant can order exact room sizes for you.</p>
+
+<p>If, however, you have difficulty in getting just what you want, please
+write us, not forgetting to include the merchant’s name and address.
+Then we shall do all in our power to see that you can secure what you
+require through some good store near you.</p>
+
+<p>As manufacturers, we sell only through the regular trade channels,
+and, therefore, we cannot quote you prices. In fact, it is really to
+your advantage to buy through your dealer, as he purchases Armstrong’s
+Linoleum in large quantities, and thus the transportation charges are
+much less than if a small quantity of linoleum were shipped direct from
+the factory.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Our Guarantee</div>
+
+<p>Every yard of Armstrong’s Linoleum is fully guaranteed to give
+satisfactory service. Your merchant will be authorized to make good to
+you any defect in manufacture, either by replacing the linoleum or by
+making an adjustment satisfactory to you.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span></p>
+
+<p class="footnote p2" id="fn1"><a href="#fna1">[1]</a> <i>Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration.</i></p>
+
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<h2 class="nobreak bb bt" id="How_To_Care_for_Linoleum_Floors"><i>How To Care for Linoleum Floors</i></h2>
+</div>
+
+
+<p>A linoleum floor, properly cared for, is easier to clean and will
+retain its new and attractive appearance longer than any other kind
+of floor. Linoleum has a smooth, unbroken surface, without cracks and
+crevices to catch dirt and germs. In Armstrong’s Linoleum, the colors
+used are bright and clear and will retain their luster and brilliancy
+for years.</p>
+
+<p>As every housewife knows, linoleum floors require less attention than
+wood floors; but it is possible to lessen materially the work of caring
+for linoleum floors by observing the simple rules set forth in the
+paragraphs following.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Waxing Inlaid and Plain Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>When you install a new inlaid, jaspe, or plain linoleum floor, it
+should first be washed carefully with tepid water and pure soap and
+then, before it is tracked up, waxed with a liquid floor wax, rubbing
+the wax in very thoroughly.</p>
+
+<p>After that, you will care for your linoleum floor just as you would for
+a waxed floor. A weighted brush, such as is used for wood floors, is
+convenient for polishing; or a heavy brick, wrapped in a soft cloth,
+will serve.</p>
+
+<p>The daily care of a waxed linoleum floor is simple. Ordinarily, all
+that is needed is to go over the floor around the fabric rugs with
+a dry mop. At doorways, or where the traffic is greatest, the wax
+coating will wear away, and should be renewed at those points as often
+as appearance demands. Given this sort of care, it is not necessary
+to scrub or wash linoleum floors, except at rare intervals. Muddy
+footprints may be wiped up with a damp cloth, as occasion requires.</p>
+
+<p>Any good floor wax, such as Johnson’s Liquid Wax or Old English
+Brightener, is suitable for use on linoleum floors. Most people prefer
+to use liquid wax because it is easier to apply than paste wax and
+permits evener distribution on the linoleum. Whether you use liquid or
+paste wax, apply it very sparingly and be sure to rub it in thoroughly.
+If you put the wax coating on too thick, it will not harden properly.
+As a result, the excess wax will absorb and hold the dirt. It will look
+greasy and unsightly, and the floor will remain in a slippery condition.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Varnishing Printed Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>Many people find that printed linoleum wears better and retains its
+original freshness of coloring longer if given a coating of varnish
+or clear white shellac. It is economical to use only a high-grade
+waterproof varnish or a clear white shellac, as the cheaper grades are
+likely to scratch or turn white under water. Such varnishes as Valspar
+or “61” Floor Varnish are recommended.</p>
+
+<p>Before varnishing or shellacking, the linoleum must be cleaned
+carefully and should be thoroughly dried. The varnish should be applied
+as evenly as possible and allowed to dry twelve hours before the floor
+is used. At least two coats should be applied over new linoleum;
+thereafter, the varnish need be renewed but once or twice a year,
+according to the wear on the floor. Care should be used in revarnishing
+to avoid streaked and spotty effects.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Washing Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>In the kitchen, pantry, or bathroom, where water is spilled and there
+is naturally more dirt, owing to the ordinary household activities,
+than on other floors of the house, washing linoleum will, at times,
+become necessary. However, going over the waxed linoleum floor with
+a dry or waxed mop will usually keep it clean. As previously stated,
+scrubbing linoleum should rarely be necessary. In washing the linoleum,
+warm, sudsy water, made with a mild soap, such as Ivory, will clean
+a linoleum floor thoroughly. It is best to wash and dry only about a
+square yard at a time, rinsing the linoleum with clear water and wiping
+it up thoroughly. Never flood the surface of the linoleum with water,
+nor allow the water to stand around the edges or seams.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Avoid Alkali Soaps and Powders</div>
+
+<p>Contrary to the idea held by a good many housewives, certain advertised
+cleaning soaps and washing powders are not good to use on linoleum.
+Practically all of these cleansers contain strong alkali or caustics
+which are positively injurious. More harm is done to linoleum by the
+use of such agents than in any other way. The chemical action of these
+substances disintegrates the oxidized linseed oil and cork in linoleum
+just as it destroys the varnish on hardwood. A good rule is to avoid
+the use of soda, lye, or potash cleansing powders and strong scouring
+soaps altogether. A good mild soap is all that is necessary.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Polishing Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>After washing with soap and water, inlaid linoleum, particularly,
+should be polished with a soft cloth or brush. The wax finish may be
+dulled somewhat by the washing, but is quickly restored by a brisk
+rubbing. Where the wax has been removed by washing, it should be
+renewed at once.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Heavy Furniture on Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>The casters ordinarily used are apt to cut into linoleum if the
+furniture is heavy, therefore it is best to use glass or metal sliding
+shoes which have a wide bearing surface and no rough edges. They are
+made in several sizes, have a shank similar to that on a regular
+caster, and will fit the same sockets. Heavy felt casters may be
+purchased at the furniture stores which are also recommended for use on
+linoleum floors.</p>
+
+<p>Always lay a piece of carpet on the floor, or a board, just as over a
+hardwood floor, when moving very heavy furniture, to prevent marring
+the surface of the linoleum.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak bb bt" id="How_To_Lay_Linoleum_Floors"><i>How To Lay Linoleum Floors</i></h2>
+</div>
+
+
+<p>In the past, linoleum has been regarded by many as a temporary
+floor-covering. Not much care has been used in laying it. But you want
+well-finished floors in your home that will need a minimum amount of
+attention as the years go by. For this reason, we strongly recommend
+that you have your linoleum floors installed by the merchant from whom
+you buy the goods. Experience has taught their layers how to cut the
+linoleum so as to avoid waste and how to lay it to prevent buckling and
+cracking, conditions which result from faulty workmanship.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Skilled Workmanship Required</div>
+
+<p>Insist that your linoleum be laid right. If the merchant does not
+employ skilled mechanics to do this work, go to a merchant who has
+a staff of layers and who will guarantee his laying. He will make a
+charge for the cost of labor and materials; but, in the long run, it
+will prove greater economy for you to pay well to have your linoleum
+laid properly than to have the laying done in a makeshift manner in
+order to save a few cents per yard.</p>
+
+
+<h3>LAY LINOLEUM AS A PERMANENT FLOOR</h3>
+
+<p>When you purchase a good grade of linoleum to be installed as a floor
+in your living-room, dining-room, or even in the kitchen or bathroom,
+naturally you desire to have it put down as a permanent floor. The
+most satisfactory way to install linoleum is to cement it down solidly
+over a lining of builders’ deadening felt paper. This will give you a
+permanent floor, smooth, firm, without cracks or crevices. Owing to the
+variations in moisture conditions, any wood underflooring will expand
+in summer and dry out in winter, leaving cracks. Linoleum cannot be
+cemented directly to such a wood underflooring without possibility of
+damage. One of the chief advantages of the felt lining is that it tends
+to take up this expansion and contraction, thus saving the linoleum
+floor from breaking or cracking. In addition, the felt acts as a
+cushion, deadening sound and adding to the warmth and comfort of the
+floor, making it delightful to walk or stand on.</p>
+
+<p>Should it become necessary, in time, to remove such a linoleum floor,
+this can be done easily, without damage to the linoleum.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Laying Linoleum Over Felt Paper</div>
+
+<p>Leading contract linoleum layers and good stores have adopted the
+felt paper method of laying linoleum and recommend its use to their
+customers. A brief description is given here of this method in order
+that you may understand how the work should be done. If your merchant
+is not yet equipped to lay linoleum by this method, ask him to write
+for a copy of our linoleum layers’ handbook, “Detailed Directions for
+Laying and Caring for Linoleum,” which lists all of the materials and
+equipment needed, and includes illustrations showing the several steps
+in laying linoleum by this improved method. A copy of this handbook
+will also be sent to you, without charge, upon request.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span></p>
+
+<p>In cementing linoleum down over felt paper, the felt is first cut into
+lengths to go across the short way of the room. The quarter-round floor
+molding is removed, and the felt fitted snugly at each end. A linoleum
+paste is then applied to the undersurface of the felt, which is then
+rolled or pressed down until it adheres firmly to the floor.</p>
+
+<p>The lengths of the linoleum are next pressed in position crosswise to
+the direction of the felt strips, or the long way of the room. One
+piece is laid at a time. The surface of the felt under each strip of
+linoleum is well coated with paste, except for four to six inches along
+each end and side and along the seams, which spaces are left bare. The
+linoleum is put down and rolled. After the paste has begun to dry, the
+free edges of the linoleum are trimmed to fit neatly at all points.
+Then waterproof linoleum cement (a kind of glue) is applied to the felt
+along all edges and seams back under the linoleum for a distance of
+four to six inches. This cement makes the floor perfectly water-tight.
+Finally, the linoleum is well rolled with a heavy roller to insure
+perfect adhesion at all points.</p>
+
+<p>Weights, such as face brick or sand bags, are placed against each other
+lengthwise along all edges and seams to press the linoleum firmly
+against the felt while the cement dries. After twenty-four hours, the
+bricks are removed; and the floor is ready for use. The molding is
+put back into place, and the floor is cleaned thoroughly. If plain or
+inlaid linoleum has been laid, it should be waxed at once and polished.</p>
+
+
+<h3>LAYING DIRECT ON WOOD FLOORS</h3>
+
+<p>A less permanent way to install linoleum is to tack or nail it directly
+on the wood floor. Where a more or less temporary floor covering
+is desired, as in the cases of tenants on short leases, etc., this
+method may be made to suffice. However, wherever the linoleum is to be
+installed as a permanent floor, instead of wood or other floors, we
+strongly recommend that it be laid over felt paper as just described.</p>
+
+<p>Directions are given in the paragraphs following for laying linoleum
+directly on wood or concrete floors, without the use of a felt lining.
+This method is described at greater length in the handbook previously
+mentioned, “Detailed Directions for Laying and Caring for Linoleum,”
+but the main steps in the process are here fully outlined.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Preparation for Laying Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>The floor should be perfectly dry and clean, the surface smooth and
+even. All cracks should be filled, nails should be removed, and the
+uneven edges of the boards planed off, if necessary. The quarter-round
+molding should be taken up carefully from the baseboard all around the
+room.</p>
+
+<p>In cold weather, linoleum becomes brittle. If you are laying your floor
+in winter, be sure to let the roll of linoleum stand on end in a warm
+room for at least forty-eight hours before unrolling it.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Laying the Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>When ready to lay, first measure the linoleum carefully and, if
+possible, cut it to run lengthwise in the opposite direction from the
+boards in the floor. Trim it ¼ to ½ inch short at each end, just so
+the edge of the linoleum will be covered by the quarter-round molding
+when this is replaced. Along the side walls the linoleum should not be
+placed tight against the baseboard, but, just as at the end, a space
+of ¼ to ½ inch wide should be left. The edges of the linoleum at the
+seams, however, should be butted tightly against each other, with the
+pattern properly matched.</p>
+
+<p>Laid in this manner, the linoleum will have an opportunity to expand
+underneath the edge of the quarter-round molding. In replacing the
+quarter-round, do not fasten it down tight against the surface of the
+linoleum. The quarter-round must not bind the material at any point,
+but should be nailed to the baseboard in such manner as to permit the
+lifting out of the linoleum easily should retrimming become necessary.</p>
+
+<p>Should a buckle or air-bubble develop in the linoleum, it must be
+smoothed out, and the edge of the linoleum under the floor molding cut
+back a trifle, if needed to take up the expansion. <i>Do not put any
+brads in the linoleum during the expansion period.</i></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Fitting Around Pipes and Projections</div>
+
+<p>Care must be taken to fit the linoleum neatly around radiators, waste
+pipes, doorways, wall projections, etc. Where possible, the gas stove,
+kitchen range, and other movable equipment should be disconnected,
+and linoleum laid under it carefully to insure tight joints. Good
+workmanship in fitting adds much to the appearance of the linoleum
+floor.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Fastening Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>In many cases it will be found that it is not necessary to fasten
+linoleum to the floor at all, when it has been laid under the
+quarter-round molding at the sides and ends. The molding itself will be
+all that is required to hold the material in place.</p>
+
+<p>Where it becomes necessary, however, to fasten the linoleum to wood
+floors, use <abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 18, ¾-inch, wire brads. Never use carpet tacks. The
+brads should be set in ⅛ to ¼ inch from the edge and should be spaced
+about four inches apart along the edges and three inches apart on
+seams. The brads should be driven down until the heads are lost in the
+surface of the linoleum.</p>
+
+
+<h3>LAYING LINOLEUM ON A CONCRETE FLOOR</h3>
+
+<p>The only way to fasten linoleum to concrete in your laundry, entry-way,
+bathroom, or any other concrete floor, is by means of paste and
+waterproof cement. Here, again, it is advisable to have your linoleum
+cemented down over a lining of deadening felt paper, according to the
+method previously described. Again we recommend that you have this work
+done by your merchant’s experienced workmen. But should you decide<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span>
+to lay the material without the use of the felt lining, the following
+directions are given for your guidance.</p>
+
+<p>Please note that the linoleum should never be laid over concrete floors
+in basements which are in direct contact with the earth beneath unless
+the concrete has first been thoroughly waterproofed. The moisture in
+the earth will inevitably come up through the concrete and loosen the
+linoleum. Waterproofing a concrete floor must be done by a roofing or
+waterproofing contractor who understands thoroughly how to do this work.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Laying the Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>The method of laying linoleum over a concrete floor is similar to the
+final operation of laying linoleum over felt, as described on pages 41
+to 42. Use Armstrong’s Linoleum Paste for pasting the centers of the
+linoleum strips to the concrete, and Armstrong’s Waterproof Linoleum
+Cement for gluing the edges and seams to the concrete floor, so as to
+prevent water from getting underneath the fabric.</p>
+
+<p>After removing all dirt and dust and filling the expansion joints with
+plaster of Paris, apply Armstrong’s Linoleum Paste to the concrete
+floor with a wide brush to within four to six inches of each side and
+end of the linoleum strip, which space is left bare for the later
+application of the cement. Put the width of linoleum in place and roll
+it out at once, before the paste dries. Repeat the same operation with
+the succeeding strips of linoleum, butting the edges of the strips
+together tightly. Trim the ends to fit snugly against the wall. Then
+lift the edges of the strips of linoleum along the sides and ends and
+apply Armstrong’s Waterproof Linoleum Cement with a paint brush to
+the concrete floor as far back as the paste will permit. Remove any
+cement that gets on the surface at once with alcohol. Finally, roll the
+linoleum with an iron roller to insure perfect adhesion.</p>
+
+<p>Weights, such as pressed brick, sandbags, or other heavy objects,
+should then be placed along all seams and edges, and allowed to remain
+for not less than twenty-four hours.</p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img001">
+  <img src="images/001.jpg" class="w25"  alt="Look for the CIRCLE “A” trademark on the burlap
+back" />
+</span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img002">
+  <img src="images/002.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Living room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>The green tile surrounding the blazing fire in this comfortable
+modern home has been chosen to harmonize with the green
+carpet-patterned linoleum. A touch of the complementary red, and
+the blues and yellows are blended in the fabrics to make the room
+cheerful. It is not overcrowded with furniture, but rather is arranged
+to give a spacious, open effect. Comfort and utility are two of the
+primary requisites of every living-room, characteristics not only
+of this room, but also of the floor of Armstrong’s Linoleum, Carpet
+Inlaid Pattern 752.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration,
+Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span><br /></p>
+
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img003">
+  <img src="images/003.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Room for a young girl" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>The color note of this young girl’s room has been
+carried into the floor&mdash;Armstrong’s Blue Jaspé Linoleum. It aids
+materially in contributing a bright, personal touch to the room.
+Combined with attractive draperies, painted furniture, and simple rugs,
+any of the jaspé or plain light-colored linoleums will give a similar
+charming effect; these, together with the interesting carpet inlaids or
+matting patterns, offer a wide opportunity for originality in selecting
+a distinctive floor as the starting-point in the decorative scheme.</i>
+<span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img004">
+  <img src="images/004.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Second floor suite" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>Here the gray jaspé linoleum floor has been used
+to group the entire second floor suite as a decorative unit. The
+gray jaspé is particularly pleasing as a background for fabric rugs
+and other furnishings. Such a floor is always perfectly sanitary,
+and, waxed occasionally, is always attractive in appearance.</i>
+<span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img005">
+  <img src="images/005.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Attic spare room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In many homes the attic is being changed from a
+store-room into an attractive, comfortable spare room, and at little
+expense. In this attic the outlay was slight. A skillful use of odd
+pieces of furniture and the pleasing blending of the draperies and
+coverings with the attractive carpet pattern of the printed linoleum
+floor have made this room one of the most interesting in the home. In
+such a room Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum will give splendid service for
+years, and also aids materially in the working-out of the decorative
+plan.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster,
+<abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img006">
+  <img src="images/006.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Bedroom" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>This bedroom is bright and comfortable, and still has
+enough restraint to give a feeling of peace and repose. The curtains,
+paper, and decorations are in perfect harmony with the pleasing carpet
+pattern of the linoleum floor, which blends with the fabric rugs and
+serves as a background for the entire color scheme.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong
+Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img007">
+  <img src="images/007.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Hall living room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In this comfortable, home-like, hall living-room
+the floor of Armstrong’s Parquetry Linoleum, Pattern <abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 690, makes
+a definite contribution to the pleasing decorative scheme. The
+furnishings are simple, not expensive, but have been selected because
+of their color values and their relation to each other. And the
+parquetry linoleum is not only less costly than wood, but it is more
+sanitary and much easier to take care of.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of
+Interior Decoration, Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img008">
+  <img src="images/008.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Child's room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>Both the color and the texture of objects used in a
+child’s room should suggest cleanliness, freshness, cheerfulness and
+durability. At the same time they should represent his interests and
+his pleasures. To all these ends linoleum is expressly adapted. The
+walls, furniture, hangings and toys in this room have been selected to
+harmonize with these ideas and with the linoleum floor, which is ivory,
+turquoise blue and light gray in color.</i></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img009">
+  <img src="images/009.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Bungalow room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>The color combination rather than expensive
+furnishings makes these bungalow rooms inviting. Floors of Armstrong’s
+Brown Jaspé Linoleum, brown furniture, and tan walls make a good
+background for the color of the curtains, cushions, vases, and
+lampshade. The decorative value of books is well demonstrated in this
+picture.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster,
+<abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img010">
+  <img src="images/010.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Home with linoleum floors" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>Beauty and good taste are at once apparent in this
+well-appointed home. The floor is not oak, as one might suppose,
+but is Armstrong’s Parquetry Linoleum, as beautiful in its graining
+as hardwood, and more comfortable to walk on. The cost is cut in
+half. These permanent linoleum floors will never require expensive
+refinishing.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration,
+Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img011">
+  <img src="images/011.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Dining room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In this cheery dining-room the early American
+furniture is happily combined with the Chinese rug and the brown jaspé
+linoleum floor (Color <abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 11). One feels that this room has been
+planned in good taste and that the linoleum floor has contributed its
+part to the atmosphere of refinement. More comfortable than wood, and
+easier to keep clean, permanently laid linoleum floors have their place
+in the modern home.</i>&mdash;<span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration,
+Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img012">
+  <img src="images/012.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Room with dark gray linoleum" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>Plain dark gray linoleum makes an appropriate floor
+for old-fashioned houses&mdash;either in new-old houses, or to replace the
+worn floors of houses being remodelled. In this stately Colonial home,
+the linoleum harmonizes with the beautiful ivory woodwork, and makes a
+perfect background for the Oriental rugs.</i></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img013">
+  <img src="images/013.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Room with French furniture and gray linoleum" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>An atmosphere of simple elegance is attained by the
+beautifully proportioned wall spaces, and the slender-legged French
+furniture used in this room. In harmony is the gray Jaspé Linoleum
+which, waxed and polished, makes a perfect floor. Because of its
+neutrality, it is not only a good background for the furniture, but
+likewise for the rug and fabrics employed to make the room bright and
+attractive.</i></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img014">
+  <img src="images/014.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Dining room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In this dining-room, the soft brown linoleum floor
+blends with the beautiful wood of the Sheraton furniture, the colorful
+draperies, and the fine rug. Linoleum is the logical floor for the
+dining-room, because it is so easy to care for. It is a quiet floor;
+also a particular advantage.</i></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img015">
+  <img src="images/015.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Living room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In this home of evident culture and refinement,
+linoleum floors were installed in every room, instead of wood. In
+the living-room, the plain floor, and the unobtrusive walls and
+curtains, are in pleasing balance with the figured Oriental rugs and
+upholsteries. The smooth surface of the floor, without cracks or
+crevices, suggests a feeling of fastidious cleanliness. An atmosphere
+of restfulness pervades the room.</i></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img016">
+  <img src="images/016.jpg" class="w50"  alt="Hall and living room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>This interesting use, after the European manner, of a
+carpet inlaid linoleum floor through hall and living-room, illustrates
+how effectively a pattern can be employed in floors, as well as on
+walls and in hangings. The small all-over design gives the effect of
+a rich carpet, and yet the floor is sanitary, easy to care for, and
+durable.</i></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img017">
+  <img src="images/017.jpg" class="w50"  alt="Bungalow room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>This sun parlor shows the decorative value of a
+linoleum floor. Here a marble design has been combined with a plain
+linoleum border. The charm of the room is due to the happy relation
+of the floor design and the interior architecture, as well as to the
+arrangement of the furniture. Neither too much nor too little is
+used&mdash;so that a spacious effect is obtained.</i></p>
+</div>
+<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 67518 ***</div>
+</body>
+</html>
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+The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Art of Home Furnishing and
+Decoration, by Frank Alvah Parsons
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
+most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
+whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
+of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
+www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you
+will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before
+using this eBook.
+
+Title: The Art of Home Furnishing and Decoration
+
+Author: Frank Alvah Parsons
+
+Release Date: February 27, 2022 [eBook #67518]
+
+Language: English
+
+Produced by: Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading
+             Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from
+             images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
+
+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ART OF HOME FURNISHING
+AND DECORATION ***
+
+
+
+
+
+  _THE ART OF
+  HOME FURNISHING
+  AND DECORATION_
+
+
+  _By_
+  FRANK ALVAH PARSONS
+
+  President, New York School of Fine and Applied Art
+  Author of “Interior Decoration--Its Principles and Practice,” Etc.
+
+
+  PUBLISHED BY
+  Armstrong Cork Company
+  _Linoleum Department_
+  LANCASTER, PENNA., U. S. A.
+
+
+
+
+  SECOND EDITION
+
+  Copyright 1921 by
+  ARMSTRONG CORK COMPANY
+  _Linoleum Department_
+  LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA
+
+
+
+
+_FOREWORD_
+
+
+Frank Alvah Parsons, President of the New York School of Fine and
+Applied Art, is a leading American authority on interior decoration.
+He long since has amply demonstrated his wonderful faculty for turning
+his knowledge to the common good. We know of no man who, with voice
+and pen, has fought harder or more unceasingly for better taste, for
+richer, fuller home life.
+
+Mr. Parsons hardly can seem a stranger to the average reader of this
+book. Indeed, through his writings and lectures, he has become guide
+and counsellor and the personal friend of thousands of refined men and
+women, who have accepted the idea so well developed by Mr. Parsons in
+the following pages, that “Man is what he lives in;” that, generally
+speaking, man can be no greater or no less than the daily environment
+in which he works, thinks, and lives.
+
+We take great satisfaction and pleasure in announcing Mr. Parsons as
+the author of that section of this book which is entitled “The Art
+of Home Furnishing and Decoration.” It is written in Mr. Parson’s
+typically intimate and forceful style, and every paragraph is replete
+with information and suggestions of great value. We are sure that this
+book will hold your interest from the first to the last word, and that
+in the end you will look on the possibilities of your home and your
+life within it in a fresh and considerably enlarged perspective.
+
+After you have spent an hour with Mr. Parsons on the general theme of
+home furnishing and decoration, we believe that it will profit you to
+read what is written by ourselves in the latter part of the book on the
+specific subject of linoleum and its relation to the principles that
+Mr. Parsons has laid down.
+
+  ARMSTRONG CORK COMPANY
+
+
+
+
+_The Art of Home Furnishing and Decoration_
+
+FRANK ALVAH PARSONS
+
+
+Man is exactly what he lives in, for environment is the strongest
+possible factor in man’s development. One may be so long among loud
+noises, bad odors, inharmonious colors and wrong arrangements of
+things that one doesn’t mind them, because one has let them become
+an integral part of one’s self. They are there, and they are as bad
+as they were at first, but one has become immune to them. This being
+admitted, it follows, of course, that concordant sounds, agreeable
+odors, harmonious colors and pleasing arrangements have their immediate
+effects, but their tendency is toward refinement, culture and artistic
+appreciation instead of toward brutality, ignorance and indifference.
+It is certainly not hard to see what effect is produced by living in
+any wrong environment. As a person accustoms himself to it, he becomes
+like it. When he is like it, he will admire only its kind, and whatever
+he does will be as nearly like his environment as he himself is.
+
+The importance of thoroughly comprehending this truth cannot be
+overstated. The mental and artistic quality of the nation and even its
+physical comfort depend upon it. This viewpoint, being somewhat new
+to us, accounts for the upheaval in our ideas of what a home really
+is. Looking a little into this matter may perhaps stimulate us still
+further in our thinking, which will affect our way of doing whatever we
+attempt in the future.
+
+[Sidenote: The Home Molds Our Tastes and Lives]
+
+In the first place the home is the center of all life’s activities. We
+are born there, and long before we have seen the shop, the office, the
+church or even the school, our first impressions of the fundamentals of
+life have become fixed. These are exceedingly hard to efface.
+
+The school can hardly hope to counteract in the child’s mind the effect
+of hearing incorrect language spoken at home for six years; the church
+is greatly handicapped in its influence where wrong principles of life
+have determined habits during the first years; the artistic sense is
+practically dead and refinement of taste impossible in that child whose
+parents have given the usual wall papers, rugs, hangings, pictures and
+other objects of modern furnishing a chance to do their unrestricted
+work. Most of these have been made to sell, but not to people who use
+any judgment in buying. Occasionally we think of the durability or the
+comfort of an article, but how seldom of the colors, the patterns,
+the combinations of different periods with different meanings, all of
+which unite to make an unthinkable, inharmonious jumble which produces
+a reaction on an impressionable person little short of criminal. This
+being the case, is it any wonder that too frequently we are satisfied
+with inferior things or that we are not able to compete with other
+nations in creating better ones?
+
+This view of the home as an educator places it above any other
+institution in life and makes it worthy of the most careful and
+scientific study from several points of view. It might be well to
+consider here four of the most important of these.
+
+[Sidenote: Home Must Satisfy the Body]
+
+The first requisite of a house is physical comfort. Not only is this
+true of each article of furniture, but it is true also of the placing
+of each piece as it relates to the other pieces.
+
+Take, for instance, a divan, a chair, a table, a lamp, some books and
+a footstool. It is not enough that the chair, the divan and the stool
+should each be comfortable to the body, but comfort demands that each
+be so placed that one can use the divan or chair with the stool, while
+the books on a table with a lamp are placed so that one may lounge or
+sit and read without effort and without expending energy to assemble
+what is required. The best possible arrangement, you see, demands more
+skill than at first appears.
+
+[Sidenote: Home Must Satisfy the Mind]
+
+_Mental comfort_ is even more important to man in his home than
+physical comfort. He must, or should, find in his home an intellectual
+stimulus and a refining influence to complement the activities and
+struggles of his life outside, to calm and rest the tired nerves and to
+relieve the material or commercial stress which threatens entirely to
+destroy his power to see or know anything else. Unconsciously driven by
+this need he rushes from home to the club, to the theatre or elsewhere
+for diversion, amusement or rest. This is not as it should be, for in
+the right environment the home should furnish the rest and intellectual
+refreshment needed. Let us consider that there must be an expenditure
+of thought and skill in furnishing a home if it is to play its rightful
+part in the scheme of life.
+
+[Sidenote: Home Must Be Sanitary]
+
+Even then, there is another thing to consider. A man may succeed
+in accomplishing wonders in the realm of physical comfort, yet so
+completely ignore the question of sanitation as to menace the health
+of his family, if not to offend their sense of decent cleanliness.
+The horrors of Victorian plush upholstery, chenille portieres and
+nailed-down carpets are still fresh in the memory of some of us, and
+we have not yet been able to get a clear idea of a really clean thing
+because of the bad impression made on us by these conditions. Probably
+we never shall, until we succeed in effacing their memory by discarding
+the traditions they represent and adopting wholly different ideas in
+their places. Let us think of the question of _sanitation_ as a second
+necessity in considering any household problem.
+
+[Sidenote: Costly Things Not Always Best]
+
+It is perhaps unnecessary to look at this matter from the viewpoint
+of economics, but to me it seems very important. We cannot all afford
+to buy everything we see, desire or even appreciate. Realizing this,
+we lose enthusiasm and take almost anything. This is not necessary,
+nor is it wise. Good things are not all costly, nor are all cheap
+things equally bad. One might also add that frequently very costly
+things incline to be bad; at any rate, there is far greater danger of
+their being so because of the greater opportunity they afford for the
+expression of bad taste.
+
+Knowledge furnishes the greatest defense against bad things in any
+form. The more one knows, the more capable he is of selecting the best
+for his money and of using his selections in such a way as to suggest
+that much more was paid for them than they really cost.
+
+[Sidenote: An Artistic Home Means Enjoyable Living]
+
+Intelligent selection--the art of buying the most appropriate
+furnishings and decorations for the home--leads logically to
+intelligent decoration, the art of arranging the furnishings and
+decorations so as to make possible a thoroughly attractive home and
+keenly enjoyable living for the family.
+
+The introduction of the word “Art” always opens up a new field fraught
+with unpleasant possibilities. So many things masquerade under this
+name that we are almost deceived as to what it really is. Shall we not
+attack and dispose of some of these fallacies before attempting to see
+what it actually is?
+
+Because it is an art to _decorate_ we are apt to think that anything
+attached to or hung on to another thing is decoration, therefore
+artistic. Nothing could be further from the truth. Principles control
+decoration, and decoration is only possible when it conforms to these
+principles. In order to be decorative there must be something that
+requires decoration; that is, which is incomplete in itself. As soon
+as material of any kind is added after a thing is complete, the result
+becomes an aggregation, not a decoration.
+
+Most houses belong to this class because the owner refuses to stop when
+he is done. He may also have erred through having no place to decorate,
+his background being of such a kind that, struggle as it might, nothing
+could compete for attention, therefore could not become decorative by
+contrast. Simplicity in backgrounds is the foundation of decorative
+possibility.
+
+[Sidenote: No Room for Sentimentality]
+
+Oversentimentality is as bad as overdecoration. Sentiment is not
+only commendable but is an essential element that makes for human
+decency, but _sentimentality_, which by most people is thought to be
+the same thing, is unpleasant and unhealthy. Admiration, affection,
+veneration--each of these qualities has its place with all of us in
+its particular situation. This is well; but when, through association,
+we mistake an impersonal object for the real qualities of a person and
+begin to bestow adoration on it, then it is time to stop and think.
+
+To be sure, one respects some things in his grandfather and his
+other forebears. He is not insensible to the excellent points in his
+friends and associates. But if he is a wise man, he does not apply
+all his grandfather’s good qualities to all the furniture he uses,
+nor the excellent points in his friends to all the objects they have
+felt impelled to give him at one time or another for some sort of
+reason. If half the rubbish in every house in America that exists for
+solely sentimental reasons or because of a fear of being detected
+in its destruction were to be burned now, the next generation would
+have a much clearer vision of what art is, unhampered by sentimental
+misconception.
+
+A sentimental and an æsthetic feeling are quite distinct from each
+other. Who is there among us who does not love _nature_? The trees,
+the birds, the flowers--they seem to be a part of the great Divine
+scheme which calls for especial appreciation. This is also well; but
+nature is not art, neither is man’s imitation of it. Sometimes his
+interpretation of it is art, sometimes it is not. Not infrequently his
+conventionalization of nature and its adaptation to the material in
+which it is to be used become a decorative art; yet, even if this is
+accomplished, the thing may be spoiled in the use, and an inartistic
+whole may result. Just and reasonable homage to nature has impelled
+people to try in all sorts of ways to imitate it. This is not _art_.
+_Art is creation_, not imitation. One has but to reflect, and amazement
+must result when one realizes to what this impulse has led in every
+field of expression. Flowers have been painted on everything known,
+from the kitchen floor to the plush sofa pillow. The more like nature
+these decorations have appeared, the more artistic they were thought
+to be, when the truth was actually the reverse. The more natural these
+are, the more inappropriate they are as seen from any viewpoint.
+
+[Sidenote: Art Is Creative]
+
+Who is there that would not hesitate to sit down on, or put his foot
+on, a perfectly natural rose or lily? Where is there a human being that
+would care to lie down on a pillow with the painted face, even of an
+Indian, in the center? Who can see nature insulted in various objects
+by the sticking-in of pins or the driving-in of nails? The whole thing
+is too simple. Nature has its place, but it is not art, nor is the
+imitation of it art.
+
+This is so intimately associated with another fallacy that it should
+suggest it without comment. The appetites of man are ever insistent
+for attention. The desire for food, drink, shelter--these are physical
+appetites. They make their assertions naturally, and when normally
+treated bear their relation to the rest of life. But neither these nor
+the sensations attendant on them are art, nor should these senses be
+confounded with the artistic sense.
+
+Apples and pears look well on trees, in suitable receptacles or on
+tables. They are to eat. Imitations of them painted on plates seem to
+win admiration at once for their likeness to the real thing. The saliva
+flows in the mouth, the digestive organs begin their natural functions,
+and, while our sensations are purely physical, strangely enough many
+think this artistic. It is the hunger appetite being appeased, not the
+æsthetic.
+
+The atrocities committed in this field are innumerable. Exact copies
+of everything, from a bunch of grapes to an ostrich, may be found in
+one winter’s millinery display, while the real or copied forms of
+everything, from a dried fish to a gigantic moose head, may be seen in
+one dining-room at one time. This is not art. It is natural history and
+botany illustration in museum effect.
+
+[Sidenote: All Pictures Are Not Good]
+
+The hardest thing in the world to combat is a universal belief in the
+infallibility of pictures. These are necessary to convey ideas and they
+have a function to perform. They are interesting, they may even be
+amusing, but they are by no means always artistic. So great has been
+the belief in and admiration for pictures, that we have, as a nation,
+pretty nearly surrendered to the idea that drawing and picture-making
+alone is art. No greater mistake than this has ever been made. There
+are a thousand more bad pictures than there are good ones and a hundred
+bad ones used in houses where one good one appears. This is because we
+seem to have a kind of fear that there may be a vacant place on the
+wall, and also because the picture idea has become a mania.
+
+“Silence is golden,” but a blank space on a wall is often diamonds and
+emeralds compared to one filled with the average pictures that are
+hung, not to mention their frames. What shall we say of this phase
+of human dissipation, particularly when the frames are gilt ones? A
+person who allows himself to decorate his house with frames instead of
+pictures should be expected to hang his wardrobe in the front hall for
+the same purpose. The results of this mania should not be charged up to
+the credit side of art. Rather, the man afflicted with it is a slave to
+tradition.
+
+For the most difficult thing in the world is for a person to change
+his established way of thinking or of doing anything. It is so much
+easier to think as one’s grandfather did and to do as one’s father
+did than it is to think and do for one’s self. For this reason we are
+somewhat handicapped in getting at the essence of art and its practical
+applications to ordinary life. If mahogany was the favored wood in the
+last half of the eighteenth century, of course it is a good idea to use
+it for anything, anywhere, forever afterward, even though a much better
+substitute is at hand. If floors were hardwood or soft wood or stone,
+or even plastered with Oriental rugs bearing no relation to the rest
+of the house, there seems to be no reason why people should change the
+rugs or have another kind of floor.
+
+Examples of this adherence to tradition are so frequent and so deadly
+that to cite more would be a waste of time. Traditional belief that
+antiques are always good or that the work of some particular man is
+forever praiseworthy or that some particular article should always be
+used in some established way, has blinded us to the possibilities in
+the right use of new things in a progressive way. All this hinders a
+clear perception of what art really is.
+
+If these things which have been misnamed art are carefully removed
+from consciousness permanently, it is easy enough to see what art is,
+and then it becomes almost an unconscious process to apply it, whether
+the application is made to the house, to clothes, or to other personal
+forms of expression.
+
+[Sidenote: Art Is Expressing Yourself]
+
+In the first place, art is creation. It is the personal expression of
+the individual in any material or combination that completely conveys
+his conception of what he is trying to project.
+
+This connection generally expresses a need which he himself feels.
+It may be for a house, a living-room, a divan, a hat, a footstool, a
+typewriter or an automobile. In any case, there is a need for something
+for a particular use. This need should be the reason for the art
+expression. Spurred on by the need, a man creates something which will
+fill the need.
+
+This need is both functional or material and mental or artistic. One
+bar to seeing what art is rests in not recognizing this two-fold
+element in it. In so far as one is able to make a chair that fits the
+body, fulfils its special function as a dining-room chair, or a study
+chair, he has succeeded in creating the first artistic element. An
+object which does not do honestly and truthfully and sensibly what it
+purports to do cannot be artistic, no matter how it looks.
+
+[Sidenote: Art Is Beauty]
+
+The second element that enters into art is appearance or beauty. This
+element or quality is a little more difficult to define because it is
+relative, just as heat is, or as goodness is. What seems warm to one
+seems cold to another; what seems good to one may be bad to some one
+else; so, then, the standard of beauty depends entirely upon one’s
+own conception of it. This does not mean that anything that anybody
+considers beautiful is so, any more than it means that it is a warm day
+when the thermometer is at zero because somebody does not feel cold.
+It simply means that the person who judges may or may not have a right
+mental standard of what beauty really is. This standard may be acquired
+approximately by anyone, for it is determined by certain principles.
+If the principles of harmony are understood and applied, beauty will
+result.
+
+[Sidenote: The Function of a Room]
+
+Take, for instance, the problem of a particular room. The first
+question to ask one’s self is: “What is this room for?” If it is
+a dining-room, it is a place in which to eat in peace. If it is a
+living-room, it is to live in and should have a quiet, restful, refined
+and otherwise pleasant atmosphere. If it is a bedroom, it is to rest
+and sleep in. From whatever standpoint the room is viewed, the question
+of _use_ comes first. Anything in the dining-room that interferes
+with eating in peace is in bad taste. Whatever appears as decoration
+in the living-room that is unrestful, tawdry, common or unessential,
+is inartistic. If the bedroom contains anything that is out of tone
+with its general spirit, if it contains anything that makes for other
+than an atmosphere of calm contentment and deep, sound sleep, it
+should be removed at once. Let this point of view spur us on to make
+an investigation of our houses--room by room--and alter or remove
+everything that strikes a jarring note.
+
+Let us start with the bedroom. Are there spotted fabrics or papers
+on the wall, the spots on which one involuntarily counts, even after
+going to sleep? Are there a half dozen small pictures in black frames
+against a white background, so hung that successive steps are formed
+which resemble the front hall stairs? Are there other diverting and
+disturbing arrangements in the room that seem to invite us to close our
+eyes to avoid further annoyance? Much can be done in house decoration
+by elimination, and the strongest argument for this process will be
+found in submitting each room to the test as to the performance of its
+proper function.
+
+[Sidenote: The Language of Art]
+
+These elements, _fitness to use_ and _beauty_, which when combined
+make what is called the art of quality, must be made comprehensible by
+facts and truths which can be expressed in a language form that all
+may learn to understand. This art language is made up of color, form,
+line and texture, and depends for its efficiency on a knowledge of the
+principles which govern it and upon an appreciation for the niceties in
+its use. Anyone can learn the principles and will grow in appreciation
+as he makes a right use of what he knows. Of the qualities mentioned,
+color is the most interesting; at least, it is the easiest to see. At
+the same time it is the most misused. This is much too small a space in
+which to demonstrate with any thoroughness the color language idea, but
+two or three of the most important facts must be emphasized.
+
+[Sidenote: Use of Color To Express Personality]
+
+Nothing is more personal than color and nothing admits of expressing
+personality with clearer or more manifest charm. The normal
+colors--yellow, red, blue, green, orange and violet--may be used in
+illustration of this statement.
+
+Color has its source in light, and natural light comes from the sun.
+Yellow looks most like the sun, as it expresses the quality that the
+sun seems to give out. From the sun we are cheered, made light-hearted
+and receive new life. Yellow in a room should, under normal conditions,
+produce the same feelings where it is the basis for the wall color or
+is used in curtains or in other spots. Red suggests blood and fire.
+It is associated with activity, aggression and passion. It heats and
+stimulates. One who fails to react to color is not normal or is immune
+from overcontact, while one who simply likes or dislikes a color and,
+therefore, uses it or never does, misses the real chance to express
+ideas. If one prefers red, there is no proof in the fact that makes
+it incumbent on him to live surrounded by it. He may be erratic enough
+without it, or possibly he doesn’t need a stimulant. Need is the
+fundamental question rather than liking. It is a question of what one
+ought to have.
+
+It is interesting to know that the aggressive quality of red makes a
+room in which it is used smaller in appearance, and there are times
+when this is not desirable. Its warming quality is not needed in hot
+climates or during a warm season.
+
+Blue has an opposite effect from red. Its reactions are restraint,
+coolness, repose and distance. By association one thinks of a clear
+blue sky and the cool breezes from the blue waters of the ocean. This
+makes blue a suitable antidote for hot weather and a temperate force,
+useful in modifying some people’s dispositions. Green, which is a
+union of yellow and blue, expresses the qualities of both. Nothing
+could be more restful, soothing and agreeable than the cheering and
+cooling effects of a seat in the shade upon the green grass under
+luxuriant green trees, in the middle of a hot day. It is easy to see
+the practical application of this in decorative art.
+
+Violet or purple has the qualities of red and blue, while orange has
+the qualities of yellow and red. It is interesting to study the natural
+reactions shown by people of all ages and conditions to these colors
+as environments under different mental conditions. Incomplete as
+these suggestions are, they are probably sufficient to establish the
+point that personal qualities or individual character traits can be
+definitely expressed in color terms and that antidotes for an excess
+of certain qualities are just as possible where a knowledge of color
+exists.
+
+There is a second color quality that we must not ignore. If I think of
+one group of colors containing light pink, delicate blue, lavender,
+canary yellow and white as representing one idea, and dark crimson,
+heavy, dark green, blue with a rich dark purple and black as another
+group, I have a basis for comparison. If my problem of expression is
+the qualities that we generally attribute to youth, or the proper
+colors for a young girl’s bedroom, or for the lighter and more
+delicate things in life, I have no hesitation in choosing the first
+group. If, on the other hand, the problem is one of clothes for a
+person of mature age, or a color scheme for a library in an old English
+house, or some other problem in which the qualities required are
+dignity, quietness and stability, there should be no question as to the
+preference for the second group.
+
+This quality of light and darkness in color is called _value_ and must
+not be forgotten in using color as a language.
+
+There is no doubt that the third quality, called _intensity_, is the
+most important of all to a right understanding of interior decoration.
+This quality determines how brilliant or how forceful a color tone is.
+Softer and less aggressive tones are called _neutral_ or _neutralized
+colors_. The most important question in using color decoratively
+is that which relates to the distribution and correct placing of
+neutralized colors in their relation to the more intense ones. The
+grossest errors in the whole realm of color used in decoration are
+committed in this field. One or two principles that relate to this
+matter must always be carefully observed: “Backgrounds should be less
+intense in color than objects that are to appear against them in any
+decorative way.” From this it obviously follows that walls, ceilings
+and floors of houses must be less intense in color than hangings,
+upholsteries, small rugs, pictures and other decorative material. This
+is one of the most important points to remember in every color problem.
+
+There is a corollary to this which is equally important: “The larger
+the color area the less intense it should be, and the smaller the area,
+the more intense it may be.” According to this principle, hangings
+and large rugs must be less intense in color than sofa cushions, lamp
+shades and decorative bits of pottery and other materials. Keeping this
+relation of areas in mind is an aid in selecting any article for the
+house, as well as a help in choosing those things that are concerned
+with one’s personal appearance. A red necktie is more appealing than a
+red suit, so is a red flower or ribbon more decorative on a black hat
+than a gray one would be on a red hat.
+
+The slightest attempt at using color must disclose its power to express
+personality, its natural value feeling and its decorative dependence
+upon a proper distribution of intensities.
+
+[Sidenote: Use of Form To Express Ideas]
+
+While the principles of form are a little less apparent in their
+illustration to most of us than color, yet they are no less important
+in producing a harmonious whole. One of the first premises of
+decoration is the assumption that there is a definite form or shape
+upon which a decoration is to be applied. The direction of the bounding
+lines of this form determines the direction of the principal lines of
+the decorative matter which is to be applied on it.
+
+The bounding lines of a floor are generally straight and at right
+angles to each other. This fixes several important points regarding the
+disposition of rugs and furniture. Rugs that are placed at all sorts of
+angles on the floor and by their positions bid one go in any direction
+save the one he started to take are among the most disconcerting and
+distracting lines in a room arrangement. Place all rugs in accord with
+the bounding lines of a room and harmony is at once restored.
+
+One must conform to this principle also in placing furniture. Most
+pieces should be parallel with the sides of the room, even though they
+are not against the walls. Curved line chairs or other small objects
+sometimes lend themselves naturally to a diagonal placement. Care
+should be taken in grouping furniture to give the appearance of harmony
+with the room structure. Let us look after the piano that is placed
+catacorner in the living-room, and the bed, in the same position, in
+the bedroom.
+
+It is not unusual to see pictures strung over the walls in such a way
+that the line indicated from the top of one to another is a zigzag
+that illy suggests harmony with the structure of the wall. Triangular
+picture wires are ugly and distracting. Unless a picture is small
+enough to be hung with an invisible attachment at the back, it should
+be hung with one long wire passed through two screw eyes, one at each
+top corner of the frame, with one wire paralleling each side of the
+frame and going over a hook above. This not only harmonizes the wire
+with the frame, but with the doors, windows and the room structure.
+
+The choice and arrangement of essential materials in the room, so far
+as the aspect of beauty is concerned, will be treated in detail later
+on.
+
+[Sidenote: Size and Shape of Objects a Factor]
+
+The principle of consistently related shapes and sizes finds scores of
+applications in the arrangement of a room. Who has not wondered what to
+do with a round clock, when everything else adjacent to it was either
+square or rectangular in form? Where is there a house in which there is
+not a round or oval picture to be placed, or a chair of wholly curved
+lines, where all others are straight? The attempt to place one isolated
+round object on a wall is generally a failure, because there is nothing
+to relate it to any other nearby lines. Oval and curved objects must be
+repeated by others similar in form in other positions in the room if
+they are to become in any sense a part of the design.
+
+The second part of this principle--consistent sizes--is even more
+important and far-reaching than the first. To the architect, the
+decorator or the creator of any art object, this is a vital matter.
+Every interior, as well as exterior, architectural feature is thought
+of in relation to every other one in the matter of size.
+
+It is not uncommon to enter a room and find a chimney large enough
+for an Elizabethan banquet hall, while the room itself, in size,
+suggests a city flat. Nor is it less common to find a table or divan
+of gigantic proportions being required to live in harmony with chairs
+or other articles of various pigmy types. These unusual and unhappy
+relationships cannot conform to the principle of consistent sizes.
+
+In our use of hangings, upholstery, rugs, etc., the lack of feeling for
+consistent sizes is still more often apparent. Before discussing this,
+let us look for a moment at patterns and motifs as they are used in
+textiles, wall papers and rugs.
+
+For some unknown reason we have come to believe that there is no beauty
+in anything in which there is not a pattern plainly visible, forgetting
+that three-fourths of all wall and floor spaces are backgrounds on
+which to show other more important things, including people, who have
+some right to be exploited even against wall paper. There are some
+phases of the motif running through a design, that may be considered
+here in some detail.
+
+There are three distinct varieties of motif. First, the motif which
+aims to reproduce identically a natural object. Such things are rarely
+successful. The second is known as the abstract type, where the motif
+is of a form and color not derived from a natural source, being a
+matter of space and line arrangement, often resulting in geometric
+forms. The third, known as the conventional motif, takes a natural
+thing and attempts to translate it into form and color suited by
+its appearance and feeling to some particular material in which the
+design is developed. In the conventional design, beauty is attained by
+harmonizing the motif with the material on which the design is made,
+while the naturalistic motif strives to represent some natural thing
+and takes a chance on its being appropriate in the material in which it
+is to be rendered. Harmony in motifs means, first, a relation in this
+particular, from which it follows that a rug or floor which is entirely
+geometric in pattern cannot be used successfully with hangings which
+show a purely naturalistic design.
+
+Another opportunity for harmony is found in consistently related motifs
+as to size and shape. It frequently happens that the floor motif, for
+example, is small and delicate in size and refined in line treatment.
+If a person is naturally sensitive to color rather than form and he
+finds a rug or hangings pleasing in color, he is often satisfied. For
+harmony in relationship, however, he must ask if the motif in the rug
+and that in the hangings are consistent in size and shape with the
+floor and wall motifs.
+
+[Sidenote: Elements in a Room Must Balance]
+
+A third principle of form is known as _balance_. This is the principle
+of arrangement whereby attractions are equalized and through this
+equalization a restful feeling is obtained; that is, a feeling of
+equilibrium or safety. It is somewhat disconcerting to enter a
+small room and find a black piano across one corner and a delicate
+Hepplewhite chair in the opposite corner. One instinctively rushes
+to the aid of the chair. Attraction may be of color, size, shape or
+texture, and one learns only by constant practice to see and feel the
+attraction forces in different objects used.
+
+There are two types of balance to consider. The first one, known as
+_bi-symmetric_ balance, is the equalization of attractions on either
+side of a vertical center by using objects the same size, shape,
+color and texture. This is formal, dignified and safe, but lacks in
+some ways the delicacy and subtlety resulting from an attempt to get
+a less formal placing. Consider a vertical line drawn through the
+center of a chimney-piece placed in the middle of a wall space. On
+either side of the chimney-piece and equally distant from it may be
+placed two pictures similar in size, form and color, and the result is
+bi-symmetrical. If two similar candlesticks are placed one at either
+end of the chimney-piece and equidistant from the end, with a portrait
+in the center, there is still bi-symmetric arrangement. So long as this
+arrangement is maintained, bi-symmetry results.
+
+A second kind of balance is known as _occult_ balance. This term
+is used to signify that the balance is rather felt or sensed than
+exactly determined. If the same vertical line is drawn through the
+same chimney-piece, one picture is placed a certain distance from the
+left and two smaller pictures of unequal size are used on the right to
+balance this. The two pictures must be so placed that their attraction
+equals that of the larger one at the left. Similarly, if one large
+porcelain jar and two or three other articles are to be used, there
+must be a feeling of equal attraction on either side of the vertical
+line.
+
+To explain briefly the primary laws of balance we may give the rules:
+“Equal attractions balance each other at equal distances from the
+center.” And, conversely: “Unequal attractions balance each other at
+unequal distances from the center.”
+
+A third and a little more complicated law is stated as follows:
+“Unequal attractions balance each other at distances from the center
+which are in inverse ratio to their powers of attraction.” Translated,
+this means that objects with the strongest attractions tend to
+gravitate toward the central line, while less attractive ones tend to
+draw from this line.
+
+The application of the rules of balance not only to objects on the
+wall, but to the furniture when seen against the wall or against the
+floor, is essential to room composition. It is also essential that the
+floor, in its general appearance, should bear a balanced relation to
+the walls and to the hangings.
+
+There is no better place, perhaps, than at this point to make clear
+the relations of these three bounding surfaces. The ceiling should
+be unobtrusive, but keyed in color to the rest of the room. A
+perfectly white ceiling, except in a white room, or an over-ornamented
+ceiling anywhere is an annoyance to him who would see his friends
+or furnishings. A too-aggressive wall paper or other wall covering
+makes a bid for attention quite out of proportion to its rights as a
+background, while aggressive and over-assertive floors or rugs are
+in bad taste, particularly when they assume the prerogatives of the
+hostess in their attempt at attraction.
+
+[Sidenote: “Crawly” Pictures and Patterns Are Bad]
+
+The ceiling should be about as much lighter and less attractive than
+the walls, as the walls are lighter and less attractive than the
+floor. This is a balanced arrangement of ceilings, walls and floors.
+Operating exactly opposite to the principle of balance is one known
+as _movement_. This is calculated to cause unrest, excitement and
+similar sensations, by creating an interest which causes the eye to
+move from one thing to another. It is very desirable in many cases that
+movement, particularly of a violent type, should not occur. Allusion
+to stair arrangements in picture hangings has already been made. This
+is not conducive to sleep. Erratic crawling vine patterns, creeping up
+the curtains or the wall paper, are a little suggestive in the early
+morning hours if one chances to awake. Violent contrasting lines,
+created by bad furniture placing or by spotted wall papers or floor
+covering, also become tiresome and disturbing, except to those who by
+long contact with such things have become immune to their influence.
+Even such may suffer a subconscious disturbance, though they do not
+realize it.
+
+There is a certain monotony attendant on the continual presentation
+of one sound, one color or one form, for mental consideration. On the
+other hand, there is a complete disorganization of the powers of the
+human mind if a host of colors, forms or sounds are presented at one
+time. If one is poverty, the other is certainly gluttony, and neither
+should be accepted. It is through a judicious selection and arrangement
+that sufficient variety is obtained to give pleasure, while restraint
+results in making life humanly possible. It is very rarely that we err
+on the side of simplicity, but it is not at all unlikely that we may
+become flagrantly sumptuous, with an uncomfortable, tawdry result.
+
+[Sidenote: Emphasize Only Important Things in a Room]
+
+The principle known as _emphasis_ is one which we must regard as
+important. In a bedroom one ought to see a bed; it is vastly more
+important than the picture exhibition hung about it. In a dining-room
+a well-set table is the emphatic note, not the chenille curtains nor
+the products of the chase hung upon the wall. In the living-room the
+easy-chair, the divan, the bookcase, the beautiful portrait, lamp or
+picture--all these things should be emphasized by color, form or line,
+that their importance as related to other things in the room may be
+apparent at sight.
+
+Knowing this to be true, is it not strange that we still find people
+who are willing to emphasize the wall paper or the floor or the
+unpleasant ceiling decorations, to the absolute exclusion of anything
+else that may have to be used in the room? The relation of background
+to decorative objects cannot be insisted upon too much.
+
+[Sidenote: The Spirit of the Whole House Should Be the Spirit of Each
+Room]
+
+The final principle of form is known as unity. In this limited
+discussion only a word can be said of it. A room is a unit, so should a
+house be. It is impossible to look with equanimity from an Old English
+dining-room into a Louis XVI sitting-room. These styles are very far
+apart in their meaning and can only be harmonized by those who know
+how, when, where and how much of each element to use.
+
+It is just as impossible to make a unit out of a mixture of Fifteenth,
+Seventeenth and Nineteenth Century furniture, unless one knows how.
+Every article used in furnishing a house not only has its conventional
+value, but its design also. If one knows thoroughly the exact meaning
+and power of a Louis XVI chair, an Elizabethan table, an Italian
+console or a William and Mary bookcase, there is no doubt that these
+may be used successfully in one room.
+
+There are so many considerations in such a problem that it is
+insufficient to choose single objects for their value alone. Each thing
+must be chosen with a clear understanding of what room it is to go in
+and with what other things it is in the future to be associated. A
+failure to do this will certainly result in pandemonium.
+
+What shall we do with the things we have? Use them if we have to,
+destroy them if we are willing to--at least eliminate everything that
+is nonessential. The pernicious practice of giving everything one
+learns to dislike or that has become worn out, to the poor, does more
+to prevent them from enjoying a personal growth than any other one
+thing.
+
+Perhaps no better way to think of the principle of unity can be
+suggested than to quote the definition of an eminent Nineteenth Century
+historian: “A unit is that to which nothing can be added and from which
+nothing can be taken without interfering materially with the idea
+itself.”
+
+[Sidenote: Objects Should Look the Way They Feel]
+
+The question of _texture_ as a form of expression must not be omitted.
+Texture is that quality of an object which seems to convey the idea of
+how it feels. It is a combination of a degree of solidity, strength,
+roughness, coarseness, etc. One finds this quality in the grained
+effects of wood, in the weaves of different textiles, in the appearance
+of braided straws, and even in feathers and other materials.
+
+It is this sense of fitness in textural feeling that forbids the use
+of hard, harsh-grained oaks with the finer textures of mahogany and
+satin-wood. Disregarding this quality, people often combined the
+coarser, heavier and more-resisting woolens or linens with soft,
+impressionable and destructible silks or fine cottons. Harmony in the
+texture quality cannot fail to contribute to harmony in the finished
+unit.
+
+Such is the language of art expression in color, form, line and
+texture. The principles which govern the right selection and
+combination of all materials that go to make a house are the real
+guides to growth in artistic appreciation.
+
+[Sidenote: Good Taste the Final Criterion]
+
+Good taste, which is the final criterion in all art, is cultivated or
+improved in most people by a constant study and application of the
+principles which control artistic expression.
+
+Should we not, all of us, do well often to take time to remind
+ourselves of certain great established principles and to endeavor
+constantly to see more clearly and completely the principles that
+govern the expression of these truths? Thereby we may unconsciously
+form habits of thinking and of doing things that will not only make for
+broader and better personal growth, but will contribute to a higher
+type of national civilization. We have not to worry if all the powers
+of science are not directed to the development of so-called efficient
+service, in lines that are wholly material and commercial.
+
+We are extraordinarily committed to this propaganda, as a people, and
+we might ask ourselves whether we may not be developing this idea
+at the expense of mental and spiritual ideals that, after all, are
+the real things that not only determine what we actually are, but are
+the only things that are truly permanent. Life is certainly something
+beside machinery, raw materials and money, even granting these to be
+essentials.
+
+Perceiving the desirability of the art quality results generally in an
+effort to possess it, and that entails immediate action in two distinct
+ways. First, go out to find the simple, fundamental principles that
+control the language of color, form, line and texture; second, apply
+these principles at once in the home, in the shop, in clothes, in
+printed paper or in any concrete thing where interest and possibility
+are found. Through every application growth is assured.
+
+[Sidenote: Influence of Environment]
+
+Let us again remember that man is exactly what he lives in, for
+environment is the strongest possible factor in man’s development. Let
+us not forget that what man really is, is what his mind is, and this he
+must express in all he does.
+
+This places the importance of the home where it deserves to be and
+makes its furnishing one of the most serious and at the same time one
+of the most delightful things in life, never for an instant minimizing
+what has always been desirable, but vastly enlarging and ennobling the
+idea for which it stood.
+
+In recognizing anew the part art is to play in this matter, let us not
+forget that it in no way interferes with the three essential qualities
+that are inevitably factors in every home problem simple or elaborate,
+as the case may be.
+
+Perfect physical comfort is necessary, if only from the standpoint of
+more efficient service on our part and the relief it brings us, not
+to be constantly thinking how hard the bed is, how uncomfortable the
+chair seems, or how rough and uneven the floor feels. Art in no way
+interferes with physical comfort; in fact, it demands it, as an element
+of the eternal fitness of things.
+
+The nation is awake to the power of cleanliness as a factor in making
+an efficient physical, and thereby, indirectly, a finer mental being,
+as a contribution to modern civilization. Every article selected for
+the home should have this requirement considered. Including this in
+the art idea will remove the misapprehension under which some people
+labor, that art implies disorder at home, a dowdy or unkempt person and
+a disregard of nature’s most obvious laws. The first law of Heaven is
+order; it is no less so of art.
+
+Expense is the constant excuse of those who want better things but
+cannot afford them. There are as many bad expensive things as there
+are cheap ones. No home is too poor to have much better things, much
+better arranged, than it has, and no home is so rich that much of the
+furnishing might not well be publicly burned and the rest rearranged.
+
+From any standpoint, comfort, sanitation, economics or art, the home
+is to become the greatest moulding influence in human life. Shall
+we remain apathetic and indifferent to this most vital problem,
+satisfied to increase our bank account only, or shall we awaken now and
+contribute our mite to a fuller national life and a higher and happier
+existence? This certainly will not decrease our power to increase the
+bank account, but will enable us to do it with far less physical effort.
+
+[Sidenote: Floor Styles Change with the Customs]
+
+Traditions have generally obtained in each generation and fashion as to
+what materials should be used in various parts of the house and how to
+use them. The original ideas which went to establish these traditions
+or manners differed in their origins, but were always the logical
+outcomes of times in which they were developed. For instance, the walls
+of the house in the Italian Renaissance were of stone. Steel was not
+thought of and wood unsuited, while in American Colonial days wood was
+the most plentiful material and the quickest and easiest to handle in
+building in the manner in which the people lived.
+
+At various times climate, geography, religious and social customs and
+the developments of science or art have changed conditions, and with
+this, methods and materials have undergone similar changes.
+
+Floors, for example, have mostly been of clay, stone, tile or wood,
+dictated by one or more of the modifying influences of which we have
+spoken. Wood cannot take the place of stone, neither should it try to
+pretend to do so, but there is no denying that one is better than the
+other under certain conditions and that neither is the only good floor
+under all conditions.
+
+Linoleum as a floor is not a substitute for stone, wood, tile or clay.
+It is another material, recent in conception and suited to particular
+conditions, because of properties that neither stone, clay nor wood
+have in exactly the same proportions.
+
+[Sidenote: Where Linoleum May Be Suitable and Desirable]
+
+Like other floors in modern houses, linoleum ought to combine the
+qualities of sanitation, comfort, durability to fulfil completely its
+functions. When made to conform to these ends--as it does if properly
+designed, and then selected and arranged so as to harmonize perfectly
+with its surroundings--it is not only suitable but desirable. Linoleum
+is sanitary, because the most obvious thing about it is the ease with
+which it can be cleaned and kept clean.
+
+Linoleum is comfortable, because it is soft, quiet and resilient
+underfoot. It is economical, because it is durable.
+
+In parts of Europe, the artistic possibilities of linoleum have
+been developed to such a degree that many fine homes are furnished
+throughout with floors of that material. There is no reason why, in
+this country, the development of the art side of linoleum should not
+follow the general development of interior decoration. For patterns and
+colors, suitable for any scheme of house furnishing and decoration,
+seemingly, can be produced.
+
+
+
+
+_How To Select Linoleum Floors_
+
+KATHLEEN CLINCH CALKINS[1]
+
+
+While the principles and suggestions on home furnishing and decoration
+set forth by Mr. Parsons on the preceding pages are fresh in our minds,
+let us see how they may be applied specifically to the selection of
+floors in the modern home. According to Mr. Parsons, if properly
+designed and selected to harmonize with its surroundings, modern
+linoleum is not only suitable but desirable as a floor for every room
+in the house. Let us first define the various types of linoleum,
+and then, going from one room to another, learn how to use linoleum
+floors effectively and artistically, keeping in mind the fundamental
+principles that Mr. Parsons has explained to us.
+
+[Sidenote: What Linoleum Is]
+
+Linoleum was invented in England in 1863. The name comes from two Latin
+words, _linum_ (flax) and _oleum_ (oil). Thus linoleum takes its name
+from its principal ingredient, linseed oil. Before it can be used in
+making linoleum, however, the linseed oil must be oxidized by exposing
+it to the air until it hardens into a tough, rubber-like substance.
+The oxidized oil is then mixed with powdered cork, wood flour, various
+gums, and color pigments; and the resulting plastic mass is pressed on
+burlap by means of great rollers that exert a pressure of hundreds of
+pounds to the square inch. The “green linoleum” then passes into huge
+drying ovens, where it is hung up in festoons to cure and season. This
+curing process takes from one to six weeks, depending on the thickness
+of the material.
+
+There are several varieties of linoleum, designated as follows:
+
+(_a_) Plain linoleum--of solid color, without pattern--the heavier
+grades of which are used for covering the decks of battleships and
+hence are known as “battleship linoleum.”
+
+(_b_) Jaspe linoleum, which is like inlaid linoleum in that the colors
+run clear through the fabric. It is made in plain colorings, with a
+pleasing graining in two tones of the same color.
+
+(_c_) Inlaid linoleum, in which the colors of the pattern go through to
+the burlap back.
+
+(_d_) Granite linoleum, which is also a variety of inlaid. It has a
+mottled appearance, resembling terrazzo.
+
+(_e_) Printed linoleum, which is simply plain linoleum with a design
+printed on the surface with oil paint.
+
+Turn for a moment to the colorplates at the back of this book, and
+note the illustrations of various types of linoleum floors. Your local
+merchant has actual samples of linoleum, and will be glad to show you
+the different grades.
+
+[Sidenote: Used for Years in Europe]
+
+As Mr. Parsons has suggested, the use of linoleum floors all over the
+house is not new; it is one of the excellent ideas in home building
+that has come to us from Europe. There the designing of linoleum, for
+many years, has been given particular attention; and linoleum floors
+have found ready acceptance in bedrooms, living-rooms, dining-rooms,
+etc., not alone in homes of persons of moderate means, but just as
+frequently in those of the rich and well-to-do. European architects are
+accustomed to specify linoleum floors in new buildings instead of other
+materials less desirable.
+
+The European housewife takes particular pride in keeping her linoleum
+floors in spick-and-span condition by waxing and polishing them. And,
+as the years pass, linoleum floors soften in color and deepen in tone,
+taking on a finish not unlike that of wood which has been mellowed by
+age.
+
+[Sidenote: Growing Use in America]
+
+In America, the makers of Armstrong’s Linoleum were the first to
+give attention to the designing of linoleum patterns that would lend
+themselves to acceptable use in the modern American home. Skilled
+designers were brought from the best European establishments and given
+_carte blanche_ in the development of designs particularly appropriate
+to American ideas of home decoration and conditions of living. As a
+result, we can state with confidence that for beauty, attractiveness,
+and general utility the Armstrong floor designs now available are not
+excelled either in Europe or America.
+
+Miss Rene Stillman, a writer on interior decoration, in discussing
+recently in the Philadelphia _Public Ledger_ the change from unsanitary
+carpets to the use of fabric rugs speaks also of the change in
+linoleums and their relation to modern interior decoration. She says,
+... “and then the new linoleums, not the old kitchen kind, but modern
+floors which have become works of art, some of which are not unlike
+the floors in old palaces. Not long ago I went to an exhibit given by
+a number of prominent interior decorators. There I went through one of
+the most charmingly decorated houses you ever saw, and every floor had
+linoleum upon it. It was a house of Spanish architecture, and there was
+a central court, with fountains and foliage--an unpretentious, but very
+beautiful, little court. And, would you believe it? it was paved--I use
+the word advisedly--with linoleum of the large black-and-white blocks,
+for all the world like large black-and-white marble tiles. The other
+rooms were also covered with linoleum, which toned with the woodwork
+or the walls or the general scheme of the furnishings. But these rooms
+were also covered with fabric rugs, some of them large central rugs,
+allowing the linoleum floor to show about the edges. In other rooms,
+the rugs were smaller and scattered over a larger surface of the
+linoleum. Of course, it was very good linoleum, mostly cork I think,
+and the pattern went all the way through. I was charmed with the subtle
+colors, the often exquisite designs.”
+
+As a matter of fact, in the last few years many leading architects
+and interior decorators have used linoleum floors in homes they have
+planned, particularly because of the decorative effects it is possible
+to achieve with linoleum floors, as contrasted with other materials.
+Where the problem is to redecorate a house, linoleum is being more
+and more widely used to resurface worn wood floors. And, in many new
+homes, owners and architects have specified linoleum floors instead
+of wood; they have used linoleum not alone because of the economy in
+dollars and cents but because linoleum floors are so _very much easier
+to take care of_. Especially where the housewife has to do her own
+work, or good help is difficult to obtain, linoleum aids materially in
+solving this almost universal household problem.
+
+The portfolio of colorplates and black-and-white reproductions included
+with this book will give you an excellent idea of just how linoleum
+floors look in modern homes. If you are planning to build a new
+house, you owe it to yourself to investigate the possibilities that
+linoleum floors offer you in making the home unusually interesting and
+attractive.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Hall]
+
+The hall is the first place in your home that visitors see. It must
+be kept speckless and spotless. A linoleum hall floor proclaims the
+neatness of the housewife to all visitors the moment they cross the
+threshold because it is so easy to keep such a floor fresh and inviting.
+
+And no matter what the decorative treatment of your hall, there are
+patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum that will harmonize perfectly with
+rugs, walls, and furniture. For a formal vestibule, there are exclusive
+designs that will appeal to all tastes. For instance, Pattern 350,
+which is a six-inch block design of alternate black and white squares,
+suggests marble tile. Or there is an interesting Persian tile, Pattern
+No. 232, in cream, red, and black. The newer designs in marble and
+tile inlaids permit many interesting combinations. In an entrance
+hall proper, you may prefer wood effects. There are several linoleum
+parquetries which, waxed and polished, make splendid floors for halls
+and reception rooms, as well as living- and dining-rooms.
+
+The durability of good linoleum should always be kept in mind. The
+number of footsteps it would take to wear it out cannot be estimated,
+and dripping umbrellas and wet rubbers do not damage it.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Living-Room]
+
+Linoleum for the living-room? Remember, we are now speaking of linoleum
+as a floor and not as a covering. There is a vital distinction. Over
+linoleum installed as a permanent floor, naturally, you will lay your
+fabric rugs, whether they are domestic or Oriental. And you will select
+your linoleum floor carefully, because it must serve as a background
+not only for the rugs placed upon it, but for all the furnishings of
+the room, just as the wall-covering is a background for the pictures
+or draperies hung against it. The general rule is that the linoleum
+floor should be darker in tone than the walls and woodwork. It is the
+foundation upon which the whole plan of furnishing is based. Thus
+you will select your linoleum floors, keeping in mind the type of
+furniture, the woodwork, and the general effect you wish to produce.
+
+For example, if the woodwork is dark and the furniture tends toward the
+massive in style, one of the darker tones of plain brown, the brown
+jaspe, or a parquetry linoleum floor is appropriate. If the woodwork
+is white or ivory, the floors may be selected in softer tones of gray,
+green, and light brown, depending on the character of the furnishings.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Dining-Room]
+
+Linoleum is truly the logical floor for the dining-room. Every
+practical consideration persuades its use. In the dining-room,
+cheerfulness and individuality are the prime requisites. A thoughtful
+selection of the floor in relation to the furnishings may be made to
+contribute not a little to the charm of a room. The newer linoleum
+designs offer many interesting suggestions; for instance, a marble
+tile, with contrasting interliners, or one of the carpet inlaids of
+all-over pattern, permits out-of-the-ordinary floor treatment. Pattern
+No. 201, a little three-inch tile of alternating black and gray blocks,
+is reminiscent of Italian influence. In the woods, Parquetry No. 600
+is particularly good. Or, for the average home, nothing is better than
+the jaspes in browns and grays, or a plain linoleum in appropriate
+coloring.
+
+In any room, a nice balance in the use of figured and plain surfaces
+is always desirable. For instance, if a plain coloring or a jaspe
+linoleum is used for the floor, figured rugs and wall coverings may
+well be chosen. If, however, a patterned linoleum floor is employed,
+the fabric rugs and wall coverings should be plainer, or of small
+all-over pattern. Avoid overemphasis of pattern or, conversely, too
+much monotony of plain surfaces.
+
+The cheerful tile designs in Armstrong’s Linoleum are particularly
+appropriate for the breakfast alcove or sun porch now found in many
+homes. In a recent issue of _The Delineator_, Martha Hill Cutler,
+writing on “Linoleum Floors--Durable, Smart,” after saying that
+“linoleum has now ‘arrived’ as an artistic as well as a practical
+possibility for every room in the house,” speaks particularly of the
+use of linoleum in the breakfast-room.
+
+She says, “In a breakfast-room or sun-parlor one can do daring things.
+There are fascinating possibilities in a linoleum design of brilliant
+colorings, the black-and-orange, for instance, the green-and-white,
+green-and-black, or blue-and-green.
+
+“Breakfast-rooms are almost always so small that rugs are not
+absolutely essential, but plain rugs against these brilliant tiles
+as backgrounds are very effective. Brilliantly colored curtains to
+harmonize, an unusual chintz or cretonne, and painted furniture can be
+combined with them with colorful results.”
+
+[Sidenote: For a Group of Rooms]
+
+By using the same linoleum floor through a series of rooms, it is
+possible to gain unity and a feeling of spaciousness. On the second
+floor, not infrequently the rooms open from a central hall or top
+stair landing. There are a number of colors and designs in Armstrong’s
+Linoleum that are specially suitable for groups of rooms because they
+lend themselves as a background for the draperies in each room, and yet
+bind all the rooms together as a unit. The gray jaspe, plain dark gray,
+and light gray linoleums are particularly appropriate with old Colonial
+painted woodwork in white, ivory, or soft gray; the brown jaspe, plain
+dark brown or tan, the parquetries, and certain carpet patterns are
+equally appropriate with oak, cypress, gum, or chestnut woodwork in the
+natural finish or painted woodwork in buff and tan.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Bedroom]
+
+For the bedroom, no floor is so sanitary and so easily cared for as
+linoleum. It appeals to the most fastidious. And linoleum is not a
+cold floor--in fact, it is as warm as any wood surface. We have said
+that linoleum is made largely of cork and linseed oil. Cork is widely
+used for heat insulating purposes. Engineers regard it as good, if not
+a better heat retainer than wood. And a linoleum floor has certain
+advantages over wood floors. There are no cracks or crevices to catch
+dust or harbor germs. The oxidized linseed oil, moreover, has known
+germicidal powers that actually tend to destroy bacteria.
+
+There are some very dainty small designs in delicate colors in
+Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum that are particularly suitable for
+bedrooms--blue-and-white, pink-and-white, green-and-blue, and
+green-and-white. Bedroom floors like these, or of plain light blue,
+rose, or light gray are very charming.
+
+Over the bedroom linoleum floor you will, of course, use small fabric
+rugs beside the bed, in front of the dressing table, or before the easy
+chair. You would not leave a wood floor bare. Let us emphasize again
+that linoleum is a floor--and not merely a floor-covering.
+
+Perhaps in your home bedroom floors have been a problem because they
+are of soft wood, which must be repainted frequently and which are
+always hard to keep looking well. Linoleum offers you new floors for
+old--and at relatively slight expense, far less than the cost of
+putting in new wood floors. Remember that linoleum floors do not need
+periodical refinishing, as does hardwood. This is an additional saving.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Sleeping-Porch]
+
+Many people do not consider a house complete nowadays unless it has a
+sleeping-porch. Here, again, to secure a thoroughly satisfactory floor
+is a problem. But linoleum solves it nicely and economically. Granite
+linoleums, which resemble terrazzo, or a neat tile effect will be
+especially pleasing.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Bathroom]
+
+Water is always being spilled upon the bathroom floor. It rots wood;
+it gets into the cracks of tiling and, in time, may cause the tiles
+to come up. What is needed in a bathroom, therefore, is a floor that
+is proof against moisture, easy to clean, sanitary, comfortable, and
+exceptionally durable. If laid properly--that is, cemented down with
+waterproof cement--a linoleum floor in a bathroom will last for years.
+The designs of Armstrong’s Linoleum which are offered for the bathroom
+combine cleanable, sanitary, comfortable, durable, and beautiful
+qualities in the highest degree.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Nursery]
+
+In decorating the children’s playroom, a linoleum floor, chosen in
+pattern to harmonize with the color scheme, gives one an opportunity
+to work out a charming relationship between the floor, the furniture,
+and the draperies, to suit the playroom idea. In Armstrong’s Linoleum,
+there are a score of designs in pleasing matting and wood effects and
+carpet patterns especially appropriate for such a room. And the floor
+need not be expensive--Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum will last through
+childhood’s romp and play. And, when the toys and games are put away
+for more mature interests, the room may be refurnished at slight
+expense.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Attic and Sewing-Room]
+
+In many homes, the attic is being changed from a store-room into an
+attractive, comfortable spare room at little expense. The skillful use
+of odd pieces of furniture, the pleasing blending of draperies, and the
+covering of the floor with an attractive linoleum pattern will easily
+make this room one of the most interesting in the home. Whether the
+room is used as an extra sleeping-room or for sewing, the advantages
+of a linoleum floor are obvious. It is so easy to clean; cuttings and
+threads are easily swept up; they do not stick to the smooth-surfaced
+linoleum. For a very small outlay, you can transform the attic in your
+home into a usable, attractive room.
+
+[Sidenote: For the Kitchen, Pantry and Laundry]
+
+If your kitchen or pantry floor is the kind that requires you to spend
+hours with water pail and scrubbing brush and back-breaking labor to
+keep it clean, it is time you change to a linoleum floor. And, even
+with linoleum floors, many women find it hard to get away from the
+scrubbing habit. Most people scrub linoleum entirely too frequently. A
+plain or inlaid linoleum floor should be thoroughly waxed with liquid
+floor wax. The wax provides a coating which prevents the dirt from
+being ground into the surface. Such a floor needs only to be swept and
+then wiped with a damp cloth, and the wax renewed every five to six
+weeks. Varnishing a printed linoleum floor will add to the life of the
+linoleum and make it easier to keep clean. All these considerations
+hold equally true for vestibule, laundry, and closets. There are many
+bright patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum for the kitchen or pantry from
+which you can make a selection that will exactly fit into your idea of
+what these rooms should look like.
+
+[Sidenote: The Advantages of Linoleum Floors]
+
+By way of summing up, consider for just a moment what the qualities are
+that you really need and demand in the floors in your home. Certainly,
+you want your floors to be durable. And is there any floor you can
+think of--cost considered--that can approach a good linoleum in wearing
+quality? Next, you demand sanitation. Do you know of any floor that
+excels linoleum in that respect? Most assuredly, you want floors that
+are easy to keep clean. Have you not found linoleum easy to clean? And
+you must have comfort. Is not linoleum easy underfoot?
+
+But, you say, we must have warmth, too. Certainly, you must. But you
+would hardly think of leaving the wood floor in your bedroom and
+living-room bare, would you? No, you use rugs. Follow the same course,
+then, with your linoleum floors; and you will find them equally as
+comfortable as hardwood. In fact, thickness for thickness, linoleum is
+a better non-conductor of heat than wood is.
+
+Then, finally, you demand beauty and economy in your floors--and justly
+so. As for color harmony, hardwood has distinct limitations. Shades of
+brown and tan are about the only colors that are available. But, with
+linoleum, the range of colors and patterns is well-nigh unlimited, and
+your floors can thus be made an integral part of your general color
+scheme. On this point, the colorplates that accompany this book speak
+for themselves.
+
+As to economy, linoleum floors of good quality are less expensive
+today than the cheapest hardwood. And they cost less to maintain,
+too. Given reasonable care and proper treatment, linoleum floors will
+last indefinitely, without the periodic refinishing that all hardwood
+requires.
+
+So you can see for yourself, once you analyze the subject, how
+remarkably linoleum does combine each and every one of the qualities
+you want the floors in your home to possess.
+
+[Sidenote: Bureau of Interior Decoration]
+
+Naturally, we want you to be thoroughly satisfied with your floors of
+Armstrong’s Linoleum--not only as to wearing quality but in respect
+to pattern and color as well. And, since the selection of suitable
+linoleum floors to harmonize with the different types of furnishings
+and color schemes involves the application of the principles of
+interior decoration, we have organized a Bureau of Interior Decoration
+to answer any questions you may care to ask about the use of
+Armstrong’s Linoleum in your home.
+
+If you are planning to refurnish or redecorate your home, write our
+Bureau of Interior Decoration, describing your furniture, wallpaper,
+rugs, and the color scheme you have in mind. Our Interior Decorator
+will be glad to make suggestions that may be helpful to you, and will
+send you lithographs of linoleum patterns that will make suitable
+floors for your home. There is no charge or implied obligation for this
+service.
+
+[Sidenote: How To Get Armstrong’s Linoleum]
+
+First, get in touch with the merchant in home furnishings with whom
+you are accustomed to trade. If he does not have on hand an adequate
+assortment of Armstrong patterns to suit your taste, ask him to show
+you his copy of the Armstrong Pattern Book, which contains colorplates
+of all of the two hundred and fifty designs and colorings in the
+Armstrong line. From this book, you can select your first, second, and
+third choice; and doubtless he will be glad to place an order for the
+pattern you desire.
+
+Certain patterns, including plain colorings, jaspes, and carpet
+inlaids, are carried in the factory in our Cut-Order Department; and
+the merchant can order exact room sizes for you.
+
+If, however, you have difficulty in getting just what you want, please
+write us, not forgetting to include the merchant’s name and address.
+Then we shall do all in our power to see that you can secure what you
+require through some good store near you.
+
+As manufacturers, we sell only through the regular trade channels,
+and, therefore, we cannot quote you prices. In fact, it is really to
+your advantage to buy through your dealer, as he purchases Armstrong’s
+Linoleum in large quantities, and thus the transportation charges are
+much less than if a small quantity of linoleum were shipped direct from
+the factory.
+
+[Sidenote: Our Guarantee]
+
+Every yard of Armstrong’s Linoleum is fully guaranteed to give
+satisfactory service. Your merchant will be authorized to make good to
+you any defect in manufacture, either by replacing the linoleum or by
+making an adjustment satisfactory to you.
+
+[1] _Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration._
+
+
+
+
+_How To Care for Linoleum Floors_
+
+
+A linoleum floor, properly cared for, is easier to clean and will
+retain its new and attractive appearance longer than any other kind
+of floor. Linoleum has a smooth, unbroken surface, without cracks and
+crevices to catch dirt and germs. In Armstrong’s Linoleum, the colors
+used are bright and clear and will retain their luster and brilliancy
+for years.
+
+As every housewife knows, linoleum floors require less attention than
+wood floors; but it is possible to lessen materially the work of caring
+for linoleum floors by observing the simple rules set forth in the
+paragraphs following.
+
+[Sidenote: Waxing Inlaid and Plain Linoleum]
+
+When you install a new inlaid, jaspe, or plain linoleum floor, it
+should first be washed carefully with tepid water and pure soap and
+then, before it is tracked up, waxed with a liquid floor wax, rubbing
+the wax in very thoroughly.
+
+After that, you will care for your linoleum floor just as you would for
+a waxed floor. A weighted brush, such as is used for wood floors, is
+convenient for polishing; or a heavy brick, wrapped in a soft cloth,
+will serve.
+
+The daily care of a waxed linoleum floor is simple. Ordinarily, all
+that is needed is to go over the floor around the fabric rugs with
+a dry mop. At doorways, or where the traffic is greatest, the wax
+coating will wear away, and should be renewed at those points as often
+as appearance demands. Given this sort of care, it is not necessary
+to scrub or wash linoleum floors, except at rare intervals. Muddy
+footprints may be wiped up with a damp cloth, as occasion requires.
+
+Any good floor wax, such as Johnson’s Liquid Wax or Old English
+Brightener, is suitable for use on linoleum floors. Most people prefer
+to use liquid wax because it is easier to apply than paste wax and
+permits evener distribution on the linoleum. Whether you use liquid or
+paste wax, apply it very sparingly and be sure to rub it in thoroughly.
+If you put the wax coating on too thick, it will not harden properly.
+As a result, the excess wax will absorb and hold the dirt. It will look
+greasy and unsightly, and the floor will remain in a slippery condition.
+
+[Sidenote: Varnishing Printed Linoleum]
+
+Many people find that printed linoleum wears better and retains its
+original freshness of coloring longer if given a coating of varnish
+or clear white shellac. It is economical to use only a high-grade
+waterproof varnish or a clear white shellac, as the cheaper grades are
+likely to scratch or turn white under water. Such varnishes as Valspar
+or “61” Floor Varnish are recommended.
+
+Before varnishing or shellacking, the linoleum must be cleaned
+carefully and should be thoroughly dried. The varnish should be applied
+as evenly as possible and allowed to dry twelve hours before the floor
+is used. At least two coats should be applied over new linoleum;
+thereafter, the varnish need be renewed but once or twice a year,
+according to the wear on the floor. Care should be used in revarnishing
+to avoid streaked and spotty effects.
+
+[Sidenote: Washing Linoleum]
+
+In the kitchen, pantry, or bathroom, where water is spilled and there
+is naturally more dirt, owing to the ordinary household activities,
+than on other floors of the house, washing linoleum will, at times,
+become necessary. However, going over the waxed linoleum floor with
+a dry or waxed mop will usually keep it clean. As previously stated,
+scrubbing linoleum should rarely be necessary. In washing the linoleum,
+warm, sudsy water, made with a mild soap, such as Ivory, will clean
+a linoleum floor thoroughly. It is best to wash and dry only about a
+square yard at a time, rinsing the linoleum with clear water and wiping
+it up thoroughly. Never flood the surface of the linoleum with water,
+nor allow the water to stand around the edges or seams.
+
+[Sidenote: Avoid Alkali Soaps and Powders]
+
+Contrary to the idea held by a good many housewives, certain advertised
+cleaning soaps and washing powders are not good to use on linoleum.
+Practically all of these cleansers contain strong alkali or caustics
+which are positively injurious. More harm is done to linoleum by the
+use of such agents than in any other way. The chemical action of these
+substances disintegrates the oxidized linseed oil and cork in linoleum
+just as it destroys the varnish on hardwood. A good rule is to avoid
+the use of soda, lye, or potash cleansing powders and strong scouring
+soaps altogether. A good mild soap is all that is necessary.
+
+[Sidenote: Polishing Linoleum]
+
+After washing with soap and water, inlaid linoleum, particularly,
+should be polished with a soft cloth or brush. The wax finish may be
+dulled somewhat by the washing, but is quickly restored by a brisk
+rubbing. Where the wax has been removed by washing, it should be
+renewed at once.
+
+[Sidenote: Heavy Furniture on Linoleum]
+
+The casters ordinarily used are apt to cut into linoleum if the
+furniture is heavy, therefore it is best to use glass or metal sliding
+shoes which have a wide bearing surface and no rough edges. They are
+made in several sizes, have a shank similar to that on a regular
+caster, and will fit the same sockets. Heavy felt casters may be
+purchased at the furniture stores which are also recommended for use on
+linoleum floors.
+
+Always lay a piece of carpet on the floor, or a board, just as over a
+hardwood floor, when moving very heavy furniture, to prevent marring
+the surface of the linoleum.
+
+
+
+
+_How To Lay Linoleum Floors_
+
+
+In the past, linoleum has been regarded by many as a temporary
+floor-covering. Not much care has been used in laying it. But you want
+well-finished floors in your home that will need a minimum amount of
+attention as the years go by. For this reason, we strongly recommend
+that you have your linoleum floors installed by the merchant from whom
+you buy the goods. Experience has taught their layers how to cut the
+linoleum so as to avoid waste and how to lay it to prevent buckling and
+cracking, conditions which result from faulty workmanship.
+
+[Sidenote: Skilled Workmanship Required]
+
+Insist that your linoleum be laid right. If the merchant does not
+employ skilled mechanics to do this work, go to a merchant who has
+a staff of layers and who will guarantee his laying. He will make a
+charge for the cost of labor and materials; but, in the long run, it
+will prove greater economy for you to pay well to have your linoleum
+laid properly than to have the laying done in a makeshift manner in
+order to save a few cents per yard.
+
+
+LAY LINOLEUM AS A PERMANENT FLOOR
+
+When you purchase a good grade of linoleum to be installed as a floor
+in your living-room, dining-room, or even in the kitchen or bathroom,
+naturally you desire to have it put down as a permanent floor. The
+most satisfactory way to install linoleum is to cement it down solidly
+over a lining of builders’ deadening felt paper. This will give you a
+permanent floor, smooth, firm, without cracks or crevices. Owing to the
+variations in moisture conditions, any wood underflooring will expand
+in summer and dry out in winter, leaving cracks. Linoleum cannot be
+cemented directly to such a wood underflooring without possibility of
+damage. One of the chief advantages of the felt lining is that it tends
+to take up this expansion and contraction, thus saving the linoleum
+floor from breaking or cracking. In addition, the felt acts as a
+cushion, deadening sound and adding to the warmth and comfort of the
+floor, making it delightful to walk or stand on.
+
+Should it become necessary, in time, to remove such a linoleum floor,
+this can be done easily, without damage to the linoleum.
+
+[Sidenote: Laying Linoleum Over Felt Paper]
+
+Leading contract linoleum layers and good stores have adopted the
+felt paper method of laying linoleum and recommend its use to their
+customers. A brief description is given here of this method in order
+that you may understand how the work should be done. If your merchant
+is not yet equipped to lay linoleum by this method, ask him to write
+for a copy of our linoleum layers’ handbook, “Detailed Directions for
+Laying and Caring for Linoleum,” which lists all of the materials and
+equipment needed, and includes illustrations showing the several steps
+in laying linoleum by this improved method. A copy of this handbook
+will also be sent to you, without charge, upon request.
+
+In cementing linoleum down over felt paper, the felt is first cut into
+lengths to go across the short way of the room. The quarter-round floor
+molding is removed, and the felt fitted snugly at each end. A linoleum
+paste is then applied to the undersurface of the felt, which is then
+rolled or pressed down until it adheres firmly to the floor.
+
+The lengths of the linoleum are next pressed in position crosswise to
+the direction of the felt strips, or the long way of the room. One
+piece is laid at a time. The surface of the felt under each strip of
+linoleum is well coated with paste, except for four to six inches along
+each end and side and along the seams, which spaces are left bare. The
+linoleum is put down and rolled. After the paste has begun to dry, the
+free edges of the linoleum are trimmed to fit neatly at all points.
+Then waterproof linoleum cement (a kind of glue) is applied to the felt
+along all edges and seams back under the linoleum for a distance of
+four to six inches. This cement makes the floor perfectly water-tight.
+Finally, the linoleum is well rolled with a heavy roller to insure
+perfect adhesion at all points.
+
+Weights, such as face brick or sand bags, are placed against each other
+lengthwise along all edges and seams to press the linoleum firmly
+against the felt while the cement dries. After twenty-four hours, the
+bricks are removed; and the floor is ready for use. The molding is
+put back into place, and the floor is cleaned thoroughly. If plain or
+inlaid linoleum has been laid, it should be waxed at once and polished.
+
+
+LAYING DIRECT ON WOOD FLOORS
+
+A less permanent way to install linoleum is to tack or nail it directly
+on the wood floor. Where a more or less temporary floor covering
+is desired, as in the cases of tenants on short leases, etc., this
+method may be made to suffice. However, wherever the linoleum is to be
+installed as a permanent floor, instead of wood or other floors, we
+strongly recommend that it be laid over felt paper as just described.
+
+Directions are given in the paragraphs following for laying linoleum
+directly on wood or concrete floors, without the use of a felt lining.
+This method is described at greater length in the handbook previously
+mentioned, “Detailed Directions for Laying and Caring for Linoleum,”
+but the main steps in the process are here fully outlined.
+
+[Sidenote: Preparation for Laying Linoleum]
+
+The floor should be perfectly dry and clean, the surface smooth and
+even. All cracks should be filled, nails should be removed, and the
+uneven edges of the boards planed off, if necessary. The quarter-round
+molding should be taken up carefully from the baseboard all around the
+room.
+
+In cold weather, linoleum becomes brittle. If you are laying your floor
+in winter, be sure to let the roll of linoleum stand on end in a warm
+room for at least forty-eight hours before unrolling it.
+
+[Sidenote: Laying the Linoleum]
+
+When ready to lay, first measure the linoleum carefully and, if
+possible, cut it to run lengthwise in the opposite direction from the
+boards in the floor. Trim it ¼ to ½ inch short at each end, just so
+the edge of the linoleum will be covered by the quarter-round molding
+when this is replaced. Along the side walls the linoleum should not be
+placed tight against the baseboard, but, just as at the end, a space
+of ¼ to ½ inch wide should be left. The edges of the linoleum at the
+seams, however, should be butted tightly against each other, with the
+pattern properly matched.
+
+Laid in this manner, the linoleum will have an opportunity to expand
+underneath the edge of the quarter-round molding. In replacing the
+quarter-round, do not fasten it down tight against the surface of the
+linoleum. The quarter-round must not bind the material at any point,
+but should be nailed to the baseboard in such manner as to permit the
+lifting out of the linoleum easily should retrimming become necessary.
+
+Should a buckle or air-bubble develop in the linoleum, it must be
+smoothed out, and the edge of the linoleum under the floor molding cut
+back a trifle, if needed to take up the expansion. _Do not put any
+brads in the linoleum during the expansion period._
+
+[Sidenote: Fitting Around Pipes and Projections]
+
+Care must be taken to fit the linoleum neatly around radiators, waste
+pipes, doorways, wall projections, etc. Where possible, the gas stove,
+kitchen range, and other movable equipment should be disconnected,
+and linoleum laid under it carefully to insure tight joints. Good
+workmanship in fitting adds much to the appearance of the linoleum
+floor.
+
+[Sidenote: Fastening Linoleum]
+
+In many cases it will be found that it is not necessary to fasten
+linoleum to the floor at all, when it has been laid under the
+quarter-round molding at the sides and ends. The molding itself will be
+all that is required to hold the material in place.
+
+Where it becomes necessary, however, to fasten the linoleum to wood
+floors, use No. 18, ¾-inch, wire brads. Never use carpet tacks. The
+brads should be set in ⅛ to ¼ inch from the edge and should be spaced
+about four inches apart along the edges and three inches apart on
+seams. The brads should be driven down until the heads are lost in the
+surface of the linoleum.
+
+
+LAYING LINOLEUM ON A CONCRETE FLOOR
+
+The only way to fasten linoleum to concrete in your laundry, entry-way,
+bathroom, or any other concrete floor, is by means of paste and
+waterproof cement. Here, again, it is advisable to have your linoleum
+cemented down over a lining of deadening felt paper, according to the
+method previously described. Again we recommend that you have this work
+done by your merchant’s experienced workmen. But should you decide
+to lay the material without the use of the felt lining, the following
+directions are given for your guidance.
+
+Please note that the linoleum should never be laid over concrete floors
+in basements which are in direct contact with the earth beneath unless
+the concrete has first been thoroughly waterproofed. The moisture in
+the earth will inevitably come up through the concrete and loosen the
+linoleum. Waterproofing a concrete floor must be done by a roofing or
+waterproofing contractor who understands thoroughly how to do this work.
+
+[Sidenote: Laying the Linoleum]
+
+The method of laying linoleum over a concrete floor is similar to the
+final operation of laying linoleum over felt, as described on pages 41
+to 42. Use Armstrong’s Linoleum Paste for pasting the centers of the
+linoleum strips to the concrete, and Armstrong’s Waterproof Linoleum
+Cement for gluing the edges and seams to the concrete floor, so as to
+prevent water from getting underneath the fabric.
+
+After removing all dirt and dust and filling the expansion joints with
+plaster of Paris, apply Armstrong’s Linoleum Paste to the concrete
+floor with a wide brush to within four to six inches of each side and
+end of the linoleum strip, which space is left bare for the later
+application of the cement. Put the width of linoleum in place and roll
+it out at once, before the paste dries. Repeat the same operation with
+the succeeding strips of linoleum, butting the edges of the strips
+together tightly. Trim the ends to fit snugly against the wall. Then
+lift the edges of the strips of linoleum along the sides and ends and
+apply Armstrong’s Waterproof Linoleum Cement with a paint brush to
+the concrete floor as far back as the paste will permit. Remove any
+cement that gets on the surface at once with alcohol. Finally, roll the
+linoleum with an iron roller to insure perfect adhesion.
+
+Weights, such as pressed brick, sandbags, or other heavy objects,
+should then be placed along all seams and edges, and allowed to remain
+for not less than twenty-four hours.
+
+[Illustration: _Look for the CIRCLE “A” trademark on the burlap back_]
+
+[Illustration:_The green tile surrounding the blazing fire in this
+comfortable modern home has been chosen to harmonize with the green
+carpet-patterned linoleum. A touch of the complementary red, and the
+blues and yellows are blended in the fabrics to make the room cheerful.
+It is not overcrowded with furniture, but rather is arranged to give
+a spacious, open effect. Comfort and utility are two of the primary
+requisites of every living-room, characteristics not only of this room,
+but also of the floor of Armstrong’s Linoleum, Carpet Inlaid Pattern
+752._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _The color note of this young girl’s room has been
+carried into the floor--Armstrong’s Blue Jaspé Linoleum. It aids
+materially in contributing a bright, personal touch to the room.
+Combined with attractive draperies, painted furniture, and simple rugs,
+any of the jaspé or plain light-colored linoleums will give a similar
+charming effect; these, together with the interesting carpet inlaids or
+matting patterns, offer a wide opportunity for originality in selecting
+a distinctive floor as the starting-point in the decorative scheme._
+ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _Here the gray jaspé linoleum floor has been used to
+group the entire second floor suite as a decorative unit. The gray
+jaspé is particularly pleasing as a background for fabric rugs and
+other furnishings. Such a floor is always perfectly sanitary, and,
+waxed occasionally, is always attractive in appearance._ ARMSTRONG
+BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _In many homes the attic is being changed from a
+store-room into an attractive, comfortable spare room, and at little
+expense. In this attic the outlay was slight. A skillful use of odd
+pieces of furniture and the pleasing blending of the draperies and
+coverings with the attractive carpet pattern of the printed linoleum
+floor have made this room one of the most interesting in the home. In
+such a room Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum will give splendid service for
+years, and also aids materially in the working-out of the decorative
+plan._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _This bedroom is bright and comfortable, and still has
+enough restraint to give a feeling of peace and repose. The curtains,
+paper, and decorations are in perfect harmony with the pleasing carpet
+pattern of the linoleum floor, which blends with the fabric rugs and
+serves as a background for the entire color scheme._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU
+OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _In this comfortable, home-like, hall living-room
+the floor of Armstrong’s Parquetry Linoleum, Pattern No. 690, makes
+a definite contribution to the pleasing decorative scheme. The
+furnishings are simple, not expensive, but have been selected because
+of their color values and their relation to each other. And the
+parquetry linoleum is not only less costly than wood, but it is more
+sanitary and much easier to take care of._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR
+DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _Both the color and the texture of objects used in a
+child’s room should suggest cleanliness, freshness, cheerfulness and
+durability. At the same time they should represent his interests and
+his pleasures. To all these ends linoleum is expressly adapted. The
+walls, furniture, hangings and toys in this room have been selected to
+harmonize with these ideas and with the linoleum floor, which is ivory,
+turquoise blue and light gray in color._]
+
+[Illustration: _The color combination rather than expensive furnishings
+makes these bungalow rooms inviting. Floors of Armstrong’s Brown Jaspé
+Linoleum, brown furniture, and tan walls make a good background for the
+color of the curtains, cushions, vases, and lampshade. The decorative
+value of books is well demonstrated in this picture._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU
+OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _Beauty and good taste are at once apparent in this
+well-appointed home. The floor is not oak, as one might suppose,
+but is Armstrong’s Parquetry Linoleum, as beautiful in its graining
+as hardwood, and more comfortable to walk on. The cost is cut in
+half. These permanent linoleum floors will never require expensive
+refinishing._ ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _In this cheery dining-room the early American furniture
+is happily combined with the Chinese rug and the brown jaspé linoleum
+floor (Color No. 11). One feels that this room has been planned in
+good taste and that the linoleum floor has contributed its part to the
+atmosphere of refinement. More comfortable than wood, and easier to
+keep clean, permanently laid linoleum floors have their place in the
+modern home._--ARMSTRONG BUREAU OF INTERIOR DECORATION, LANCASTER, PA.]
+
+[Illustration: _Plain dark gray linoleum makes an appropriate floor
+for old-fashioned houses--either in new-old houses, or to replace the
+worn floors of houses being remodelled. In this stately Colonial home,
+the linoleum harmonizes with the beautiful ivory woodwork, and makes a
+perfect background for the Oriental rugs._]
+
+[Illustration: _An atmosphere of simple elegance is attained by the
+beautifully proportioned wall spaces, and the slender-legged French
+furniture used in this room. In harmony is the gray Jaspé Linoleum
+which, waxed and polished, makes a perfect floor. Because of its
+neutrality, it is not only a good background for the furniture, but
+likewise for the rug and fabrics employed to make the room bright and
+attractive._]
+
+[Illustration: _In this dining-room, the soft brown linoleum floor
+blends with the beautiful wood of the Sheraton furniture, the colorful
+draperies, and the fine rug. Linoleum is the logical floor for the
+dining-room, because it is so easy to care for. It is a quiet floor;
+also a particular advantage._]
+
+[Illustration: _In this home of evident culture and refinement,
+linoleum floors were installed in every room, instead of wood. In
+the living-room, the plain floor, and the unobtrusive walls and
+curtains, are in pleasing balance with the figured Oriental rugs and
+upholsteries. The smooth surface of the floor, without cracks or
+crevices, suggests a feeling of fastidious cleanliness. An atmosphere
+of restfulness pervades the room._]
+
+[Illustration: _This interesting use, after the European manner, of a
+carpet inlaid linoleum floor through hall and living-room, illustrates
+how effectively a pattern can be employed in floors, as well as on
+walls and in hangings. The small all-over design gives the effect of
+a rich carpet, and yet the floor is sanitary, easy to care for, and
+durable._]
+
+[Illustration: _This sun parlor shows the decorative value of a
+linoleum floor. Here a marble design has been combined with a plain
+linoleum border. The charm of the room is due to the happy relation
+of the floor design and the interior architecture, as well as to the
+arrangement of the furniture. Neither too much nor too little is
+used--so that a spacious effect is obtained._]
+
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+<p style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Art of Home Furnishing and Decoration, by Frank Alvah Parsons</p>
+<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
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+country where you are located before using this eBook.
+</div>
+
+<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: The Art of Home Furnishing and Decoration</p>
+<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Frank Alvah Parsons</p>
+<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: February 27, 2022 [eBook #67518]</p>
+<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p>
+  <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</p>
+<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ART OF HOME FURNISHING AND DECORATION ***</div>
+
+
+<h1>  <i><span class="smcap">The Art of<br />
+  Home Furnishing<br />
+  and Decoration</span></i></h1>
+
+
+<p class="center p0 p2">  <i><span class="small">By</span></i><br />
+  FRANK ALVAH PARSONS</p>
+
+<p class="center p0 small">  President, New York School of Fine and Applied Art<br />
+  Author of “Interior Decoration&mdash;Its Principles and Practice,” Etc.</p>
+
+
+<p class="center p0 p4">  PUBLISHED BY<br />
+<span class="big">Armstrong Cork Company</span><br />
+<span class="small"><i>Linoleum Department</i></span><br />
+  <span class="smcap">Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Penna.</abbr>, <abbr title="United States of America">U. S. A.</abbr></span>
+</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+
+<p class="center p0 p4">  SECOND EDITION</p>
+<hr class="r5" />
+<p class="center p0 small">  Copyright 1921 by<br />
+  <span class="smcap">Armstrong Cork Company</span><br />
+  <i>Linoleum Department</i><br />
+  <span class="smcap">Lancaster, Pennsylvania</span>
+</p>
+
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<h2 class="nobreak bt bb" id="FOREWORD"><i>FOREWORD</i></h2>
+</div>
+
+
+<p>Frank Alvah Parsons, President of the New York School of Fine and
+Applied Art, is a leading American authority on interior decoration.
+He long since has amply demonstrated his wonderful faculty for turning
+his knowledge to the common good. We know of no man who, with voice
+and pen, has fought harder or more unceasingly for better taste, for
+richer, fuller home life.</p>
+
+<p><abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons hardly can seem a stranger to the average reader of this
+book. Indeed, through his writings and lectures, he has become guide
+and counsellor and the personal friend of thousands of refined men and
+women, who have accepted the idea so well developed by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons in
+the following pages, that “Man is what he lives in;” that, generally
+speaking, man can be no greater or no less than the daily environment
+in which he works, thinks, and lives.</p>
+
+<p>We take great satisfaction and pleasure in announcing <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons as
+the author of that section of this book which is entitled “The Art
+of Home Furnishing and Decoration.” It is written in <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parson’s
+typically intimate and forceful style, and every paragraph is replete
+with information and suggestions of great value. We are sure that this
+book will hold your interest from the first to the last word, and that
+in the end you will look on the possibilities of your home and your
+life within it in a fresh and considerably enlarged perspective.</p>
+
+<p>After you have spent an hour with <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons on the general theme of
+home furnishing and decoration, we believe that it will profit you to
+read what is written by ourselves in the latter part of the book on the
+specific subject of linoleum and its relation to the principles that
+<abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons has laid down.</p>
+
+<p class="right p0">
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Armstrong Cork Company</span></span><br />
+</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak bt" id="The_Art_of_Home_Furnishing_and_Decoration"><i>The Art of Home Furnishing and Decoration</i></h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center p0 bb big">FRANK ALVAH PARSONS</p>
+
+
+<p>Man is exactly what he lives in, for environment is the strongest
+possible factor in man’s development. One may be so long among loud
+noises, bad odors, inharmonious colors and wrong arrangements of
+things that one doesn’t mind them, because one has let them become
+an integral part of one’s self. They are there, and they are as bad
+as they were at first, but one has become immune to them. This being
+admitted, it follows, of course, that concordant sounds, agreeable
+odors, harmonious colors and pleasing arrangements have their immediate
+effects, but their tendency is toward refinement, culture and artistic
+appreciation instead of toward brutality, ignorance and indifference.
+It is certainly not hard to see what effect is produced by living in
+any wrong environment. As a person accustoms himself to it, he becomes
+like it. When he is like it, he will admire only its kind, and whatever
+he does will be as nearly like his environment as he himself is.</p>
+
+<p>The importance of thoroughly comprehending this truth cannot be
+overstated. The mental and artistic quality of the nation and even its
+physical comfort depend upon it. This viewpoint, being somewhat new
+to us, accounts for the upheaval in our ideas of what a home really
+is. Looking a little into this matter may perhaps stimulate us still
+further in our thinking, which will affect our way of doing whatever we
+attempt in the future.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">The Home Molds Our Tastes and Lives</div>
+
+<p>In the first place the home is the center of all life’s activities. We
+are born there, and long before we have seen the shop, the office, the
+church or even the school, our first impressions of the fundamentals of
+life have become fixed. These are exceedingly hard to efface.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span></p>
+
+<p>The school can hardly hope to counteract in the child’s mind the effect
+of hearing incorrect language spoken at home for six years; the church
+is greatly handicapped in its influence where wrong principles of life
+have determined habits during the first years; the artistic sense is
+practically dead and refinement of taste impossible in that child whose
+parents have given the usual wall papers, rugs, hangings, pictures and
+other objects of modern furnishing a chance to do their unrestricted
+work. Most of these have been made to sell, but not to people who use
+any judgment in buying. Occasionally we think of the durability or the
+comfort of an article, but how seldom of the colors, the patterns,
+the combinations of different periods with different meanings, all of
+which unite to make an unthinkable, inharmonious jumble which produces
+a reaction on an impressionable person little short of criminal. This
+being the case, is it any wonder that too frequently we are satisfied
+with inferior things or that we are not able to compete with other
+nations in creating better ones?</p>
+
+<p>This view of the home as an educator places it above any other
+institution in life and makes it worthy of the most careful and
+scientific study from several points of view. It might be well to
+consider here four of the most important of these.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Home Must Satisfy the Body</div>
+
+<p>The first requisite of a house is physical comfort. Not only is this
+true of each article of furniture, but it is true also of the placing
+of each piece as it relates to the other pieces.</p>
+
+<p>Take, for instance, a divan, a chair, a table, a lamp, some books and
+a footstool. It is not enough that the chair, the divan and the stool
+should each be comfortable to the body, but comfort demands that each
+be so placed that one can use the divan or chair with the stool, while
+the books on a table with a lamp are placed so that one may lounge or
+sit and read without effort and without expending energy to assemble
+what is required. The best possible arrangement, you see, demands more
+skill than at first appears.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Home Must Satisfy the Mind</div>
+
+<p><i>Mental comfort</i> is even more important to man in his home than
+physical comfort. He must, or should, find in his home an intellectual
+stimulus and a refining influence to complement the activities and
+struggles of his life outside, to calm and rest the tired nerves and to
+relieve the material or commercial stress which threatens entirely to
+destroy his power to see or know anything else. Unconsciously driven by
+this need he rushes from home to the club, to the theatre or elsewhere
+for diversion, amusement or rest. This is not as it should be, for in
+the right environment the home should furnish the rest and intellectual
+refreshment needed. Let us consider that there must be an expenditure
+of thought and skill in furnishing a home if it is to play its rightful
+part in the scheme of life.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Home Must Be Sanitary</div>
+
+<p>Even then, there is another thing to consider. A man may succeed
+in accomplishing wonders in the realm of physical comfort, yet so
+completely ignore the question of sanitation as to menace the health
+of his family, if not to offend their sense of decent cleanliness.
+The horrors of Victorian plush upholstery, chenille portieres and
+nailed-down carpets are still fresh in the memory of some of us, and
+we have not yet been able to get a clear idea of a really clean thing
+because of the bad impression made on us by these conditions. Probably
+we never shall, until we succeed in effacing their memory by discarding
+the traditions they represent and adopting wholly different ideas in
+their places. Let us think of the question of <i>sanitation</i> as a
+second necessity in considering any household problem.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Costly Things Not Always Best</div>
+
+<p>It is perhaps unnecessary to look at this matter from the viewpoint
+of economics, but to me it seems very important. We cannot all afford
+to buy everything we see, desire or even appreciate. Realizing this,
+we lose enthusiasm and take almost anything. This is not necessary,
+nor is it wise. Good things are not all costly, nor are all cheap
+things equally bad. One might also<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span> add that frequently very costly
+things incline to be bad; at any rate, there is far greater danger of
+their being so because of the greater opportunity they afford for the
+expression of bad taste.</p>
+
+<p>Knowledge furnishes the greatest defense against bad things in any
+form. The more one knows, the more capable he is of selecting the best
+for his money and of using his selections in such a way as to suggest
+that much more was paid for them than they really cost.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">An Artistic Home Means Enjoyable Living</div>
+
+<p>Intelligent selection&mdash;the art of buying the most appropriate
+furnishings and decorations for the home&mdash;leads logically to
+intelligent decoration, the art of arranging the furnishings and
+decorations so as to make possible a thoroughly attractive home and
+keenly enjoyable living for the family.</p>
+
+<p>The introduction of the word “Art” always opens up a new field fraught
+with unpleasant possibilities. So many things masquerade under this
+name that we are almost deceived as to what it really is. Shall we not
+attack and dispose of some of these fallacies before attempting to see
+what it actually is?</p>
+
+<p>Because it is an art to <i>decorate</i> we are apt to think that
+anything attached to or hung on to another thing is decoration,
+therefore artistic. Nothing could be further from the truth. Principles
+control decoration, and decoration is only possible when it conforms
+to these principles. In order to be decorative there must be something
+that requires decoration; that is, which is incomplete in itself. As
+soon as material of any kind is added after a thing is complete, the
+result becomes an aggregation, not a decoration.</p>
+
+<p>Most houses belong to this class because the owner refuses to stop when
+he is done. He may also have erred through having no place to decorate,
+his background being of such a kind that, struggle as it might, nothing
+could compete for attention, therefore could not become decorative by
+contrast. Simplicity in backgrounds is the foundation of decorative
+possibility.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">No Room for Sentimentality</div>
+
+<p>Oversentimentality is as bad as overdecoration. Sentiment is not only
+commendable but is an essential element that makes for human decency,
+but <i>sentimentality</i>, which by most people is thought to be
+the same thing, is unpleasant and unhealthy. Admiration, affection,
+veneration&mdash;each of these qualities has its place with all of us in
+its particular situation. This is well; but when, through association,
+we mistake an impersonal object for the real qualities of a person and
+begin to bestow adoration on it, then it is time to stop and think.</p>
+
+<p>To be sure, one respects some things in his grandfather and his
+other forebears. He is not insensible to the excellent points in his
+friends and associates. But if he is a wise man, he does not apply
+all his grandfather’s good qualities to all the furniture he uses,
+nor the excellent points in his friends to all the objects they have
+felt impelled to give him at one time or another for some sort of
+reason. If half the rubbish in every house in America that exists for
+solely sentimental reasons or because of a fear of being detected
+in its destruction were to be burned now, the next generation would
+have a much clearer vision of what art is, unhampered by sentimental
+misconception.</p>
+
+<p>A sentimental and an æsthetic feeling are quite distinct from each
+other. Who is there among us who does not love <i>nature</i>? The
+trees, the birds, the flowers&mdash;they seem to be a part of the great
+Divine scheme which calls for especial appreciation. This is also
+well; but nature is not art, neither is man’s imitation of it.
+Sometimes his interpretation of it is art, sometimes it is not. Not
+infrequently his conventionalization of nature and its adaptation to
+the material in which it is to be used become a decorative art; yet,
+even if this is accomplished, the thing may be spoiled in the use, and
+an inartistic whole may result. Just and reasonable homage to nature
+has impelled people to try in all sorts of ways to imitate it. This
+is not <i>art</i>. <i>Art is creation</i>, not imitation. One has
+but to reflect, and amazement must result when one realizes to what
+this impulse has led in every<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span> field of expression. Flowers have been
+painted on everything known, from the kitchen floor to the plush sofa
+pillow. The more like nature these decorations have appeared, the more
+artistic they were thought to be, when the truth was actually the
+reverse. The more natural these are, the more inappropriate they are as
+seen from any viewpoint.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Art Is Creative</div>
+
+<p>Who is there that would not hesitate to sit down on, or put his foot
+on, a perfectly natural rose or lily? Where is there a human being that
+would care to lie down on a pillow with the painted face, even of an
+Indian, in the center? Who can see nature insulted in various objects
+by the sticking-in of pins or the driving-in of nails? The whole thing
+is too simple. Nature has its place, but it is not art, nor is the
+imitation of it art.</p>
+
+<p>This is so intimately associated with another fallacy that it should
+suggest it without comment. The appetites of man are ever insistent
+for attention. The desire for food, drink, shelter&mdash;these are physical
+appetites. They make their assertions naturally, and when normally
+treated bear their relation to the rest of life. But neither these nor
+the sensations attendant on them are art, nor should these senses be
+confounded with the artistic sense.</p>
+
+<p>Apples and pears look well on trees, in suitable receptacles or on
+tables. They are to eat. Imitations of them painted on plates seem to
+win admiration at once for their likeness to the real thing. The saliva
+flows in the mouth, the digestive organs begin their natural functions,
+and, while our sensations are purely physical, strangely enough many
+think this artistic. It is the hunger appetite being appeased, not the
+æsthetic.</p>
+
+<p>The atrocities committed in this field are innumerable. Exact copies
+of everything, from a bunch of grapes to an ostrich, may be found in
+one winter’s millinery display, while the real or copied forms of
+everything, from a dried fish to a gigantic moose head, may be seen in
+one dining-room at one time. This is not art. It is natural history and
+botany illustration in museum effect.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">All Pictures Are Not Good</div>
+
+<p>The hardest thing in the world to combat is a universal belief in the
+infallibility of pictures. These are necessary to convey ideas and they
+have a function to perform. They are interesting, they may even be
+amusing, but they are by no means always artistic. So great has been
+the belief in and admiration for pictures, that we have, as a nation,
+pretty nearly surrendered to the idea that drawing and picture-making
+alone is art. No greater mistake than this has ever been made. There
+are a thousand more bad pictures than there are good ones and a hundred
+bad ones used in houses where one good one appears. This is because we
+seem to have a kind of fear that there may be a vacant place on the
+wall, and also because the picture idea has become a mania.</p>
+
+<p>“Silence is golden,” but a blank space on a wall is often diamonds and
+emeralds compared to one filled with the average pictures that are
+hung, not to mention their frames. What shall we say of this phase
+of human dissipation, particularly when the frames are gilt ones? A
+person who allows himself to decorate his house with frames instead of
+pictures should be expected to hang his wardrobe in the front hall for
+the same purpose. The results of this mania should not be charged up to
+the credit side of art. Rather, the man afflicted with it is a slave to
+tradition.</p>
+
+<p>For the most difficult thing in the world is for a person to change
+his established way of thinking or of doing anything. It is so much
+easier to think as one’s grandfather did and to do as one’s father
+did than it is to think and do for one’s self. For this reason we are
+somewhat handicapped in getting at the essence of art and its practical
+applications to ordinary life. If mahogany was the favored wood in the
+last half of the eighteenth century, of course it is a good idea to use
+it for anything, anywhere, forever afterward, even though a much better
+substitute is at hand. If floors were hardwood or soft wood or stone,
+or even plastered with Oriental rugs bearing no relation to the rest
+of the house, there seems to be no reason why people should change the
+rugs or have another kind of floor.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span></p>
+
+<p>Examples of this adherence to tradition are so frequent and so deadly
+that to cite more would be a waste of time. Traditional belief that
+antiques are always good or that the work of some particular man is
+forever praiseworthy or that some particular article should always be
+used in some established way, has blinded us to the possibilities in
+the right use of new things in a progressive way. All this hinders a
+clear perception of what art really is.</p>
+
+<p>If these things which have been misnamed art are carefully removed
+from consciousness permanently, it is easy enough to see what art is,
+and then it becomes almost an unconscious process to apply it, whether
+the application is made to the house, to clothes, or to other personal
+forms of expression.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Art Is Expressing Yourself</div>
+
+<p>In the first place, art is creation. It is the personal expression of
+the individual in any material or combination that completely conveys
+his conception of what he is trying to project.</p>
+
+<p>This connection generally expresses a need which he himself feels.
+It may be for a house, a living-room, a divan, a hat, a footstool, a
+typewriter or an automobile. In any case, there is a need for something
+for a particular use. This need should be the reason for the art
+expression. Spurred on by the need, a man creates something which will
+fill the need.</p>
+
+<p>This need is both functional or material and mental or artistic. One
+bar to seeing what art is rests in not recognizing this two-fold
+element in it. In so far as one is able to make a chair that fits the
+body, fulfils its special function as a dining-room chair, or a study
+chair, he has succeeded in creating the first artistic element. An
+object which does not do honestly and truthfully and sensibly what it
+purports to do cannot be artistic, no matter how it looks.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Art Is Beauty</div>
+
+<p>The second element that enters into art is appearance or beauty. This
+element or quality is a little more difficult to define because it is
+relative, just as heat is, or as goodness is. What seems warm to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span> one
+seems cold to another; what seems good to one may be bad to some one
+else; so, then, the standard of beauty depends entirely upon one’s
+own conception of it. This does not mean that anything that anybody
+considers beautiful is so, any more than it means that it is a warm day
+when the thermometer is at zero because somebody does not feel cold.
+It simply means that the person who judges may or may not have a right
+mental standard of what beauty really is. This standard may be acquired
+approximately by anyone, for it is determined by certain principles.
+If the principles of harmony are understood and applied, beauty will
+result.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">The Function of a Room</div>
+
+<p>Take, for instance, the problem of a particular room. The first
+question to ask one’s self is: “What is this room for?” If it is
+a dining-room, it is a place in which to eat in peace. If it is a
+living-room, it is to live in and should have a quiet, restful, refined
+and otherwise pleasant atmosphere. If it is a bedroom, it is to rest
+and sleep in. From whatever standpoint the room is viewed, the question
+of <i>use</i> comes first. Anything in the dining-room that interferes
+with eating in peace is in bad taste. Whatever appears as decoration
+in the living-room that is unrestful, tawdry, common or unessential,
+is inartistic. If the bedroom contains anything that is out of tone
+with its general spirit, if it contains anything that makes for other
+than an atmosphere of calm contentment and deep, sound sleep, it
+should be removed at once. Let this point of view spur us on to make
+an investigation of our houses&mdash;room by room&mdash;and alter or remove
+everything that strikes a jarring note.</p>
+
+<p>Let us start with the bedroom. Are there spotted fabrics or papers
+on the wall, the spots on which one involuntarily counts, even after
+going to sleep? Are there a half dozen small pictures in black frames
+against a white background, so hung that successive steps are formed
+which resemble the front hall stairs? Are there other diverting and
+disturbing arrangements in the room that seem to invite us to close our
+eyes to avoid further<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span> annoyance? Much can be done in house decoration
+by elimination, and the strongest argument for this process will be
+found in submitting each room to the test as to the performance of its
+proper function.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">The Language of Art</div>
+
+<p>These elements, <i>fitness to use</i> and <i>beauty</i>, which
+when combined make what is called the art of quality, must be made
+comprehensible by facts and truths which can be expressed in a language
+form that all may learn to understand. This art language is made up
+of color, form, line and texture, and depends for its efficiency on a
+knowledge of the principles which govern it and upon an appreciation
+for the niceties in its use. Anyone can learn the principles and will
+grow in appreciation as he makes a right use of what he knows. Of the
+qualities mentioned, color is the most interesting; at least, it is the
+easiest to see. At the same time it is the most misused. This is much
+too small a space in which to demonstrate with any thoroughness the
+color language idea, but two or three of the most important facts must
+be emphasized.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Use of Color To Express Personality</div>
+
+<p>Nothing is more personal than color and nothing admits of expressing
+personality with clearer or more manifest charm. The normal
+colors&mdash;yellow, red, blue, green, orange and violet&mdash;may be used in
+illustration of this statement.</p>
+
+<p>Color has its source in light, and natural light comes from the sun.
+Yellow looks most like the sun, as it expresses the quality that the
+sun seems to give out. From the sun we are cheered, made light-hearted
+and receive new life. Yellow in a room should, under normal conditions,
+produce the same feelings where it is the basis for the wall color or
+is used in curtains or in other spots. Red suggests blood and fire.
+It is associated with activity, aggression and passion. It heats and
+stimulates. One who fails to react to color is not normal or is immune
+from overcontact, while one who simply likes or dislikes a color and,
+therefore, uses it or never does, misses the real chance to express
+ideas. If one prefers red, there is no proof in the fact that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span> makes
+it incumbent on him to live surrounded by it. He may be erratic enough
+without it, or possibly he doesn’t need a stimulant. Need is the
+fundamental question rather than liking. It is a question of what one
+ought to have.</p>
+
+<p>It is interesting to know that the aggressive quality of red makes a
+room in which it is used smaller in appearance, and there are times
+when this is not desirable. Its warming quality is not needed in hot
+climates or during a warm season.</p>
+
+<p>Blue has an opposite effect from red. Its reactions are restraint,
+coolness, repose and distance. By association one thinks of a clear
+blue sky and the cool breezes from the blue waters of the ocean. This
+makes blue a suitable antidote for hot weather and a temperate force,
+useful in modifying some people’s dispositions. Green, which is a
+union of yellow and blue, expresses the qualities of both. Nothing
+could be more restful, soothing and agreeable than the cheering and
+cooling effects of a seat in the shade upon the green grass under
+luxuriant green trees, in the middle of a hot day. It is easy to see
+the practical application of this in decorative art.</p>
+
+<p>Violet or purple has the qualities of red and blue, while orange has
+the qualities of yellow and red. It is interesting to study the natural
+reactions shown by people of all ages and conditions to these colors
+as environments under different mental conditions. Incomplete as
+these suggestions are, they are probably sufficient to establish the
+point that personal qualities or individual character traits can be
+definitely expressed in color terms and that antidotes for an excess
+of certain qualities are just as possible where a knowledge of color
+exists.</p>
+
+<p>There is a second color quality that we must not ignore. If I think of
+one group of colors containing light pink, delicate blue, lavender,
+canary yellow and white as representing one idea, and dark crimson,
+heavy, dark green, blue with a rich dark purple and black as another
+group, I have a basis for comparison. If my problem of expression is
+the qualities that we generally attribute to youth, or the proper
+colors for a young girl’s<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span> bedroom, or for the lighter and more
+delicate things in life, I have no hesitation in choosing the first
+group. If, on the other hand, the problem is one of clothes for a
+person of mature age, or a color scheme for a library in an old English
+house, or some other problem in which the qualities required are
+dignity, quietness and stability, there should be no question as to the
+preference for the second group.</p>
+
+<p>This quality of light and darkness in color is called <i>value</i> and
+must not be forgotten in using color as a language.</p>
+
+<p>There is no doubt that the third quality, called <i>intensity</i>,
+is the most important of all to a right understanding of interior
+decoration. This quality determines how brilliant or how forceful
+a color tone is. Softer and less aggressive tones are called
+<i>neutral</i> or <i>neutralized colors</i>. The most important
+question in using color decoratively is that which relates to the
+distribution and correct placing of neutralized colors in their
+relation to the more intense ones. The grossest errors in the whole
+realm of color used in decoration are committed in this field. One or
+two principles that relate to this matter must always be carefully
+observed: “Backgrounds should be less intense in color than objects
+that are to appear against them in any decorative way.” From this it
+obviously follows that walls, ceilings and floors of houses must be
+less intense in color than hangings, upholsteries, small rugs, pictures
+and other decorative material. This is one of the most important points
+to remember in every color problem.</p>
+
+<p>There is a corollary to this which is equally important: “The larger
+the color area the less intense it should be, and the smaller the area,
+the more intense it may be.” According to this principle, hangings
+and large rugs must be less intense in color than sofa cushions, lamp
+shades and decorative bits of pottery and other materials. Keeping this
+relation of areas in mind is an aid in selecting any article for the
+house, as well as a help in choosing those things that are concerned
+with one’s personal appearance. A red necktie is more appealing than a
+red suit,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span> so is a red flower or ribbon more decorative on a black hat
+than a gray one would be on a red hat.</p>
+
+<p>The slightest attempt at using color must disclose its power to express
+personality, its natural value feeling and its decorative dependence
+upon a proper distribution of intensities.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Use of Form To Express Ideas</div>
+
+<p>While the principles of form are a little less apparent in their
+illustration to most of us than color, yet they are no less important
+in producing a harmonious whole. One of the first premises of
+decoration is the assumption that there is a definite form or shape
+upon which a decoration is to be applied. The direction of the bounding
+lines of this form determines the direction of the principal lines of
+the decorative matter which is to be applied on it.</p>
+
+<p>The bounding lines of a floor are generally straight and at right
+angles to each other. This fixes several important points regarding the
+disposition of rugs and furniture. Rugs that are placed at all sorts of
+angles on the floor and by their positions bid one go in any direction
+save the one he started to take are among the most disconcerting and
+distracting lines in a room arrangement. Place all rugs in accord with
+the bounding lines of a room and harmony is at once restored.</p>
+
+<p>One must conform to this principle also in placing furniture. Most
+pieces should be parallel with the sides of the room, even though they
+are not against the walls. Curved line chairs or other small objects
+sometimes lend themselves naturally to a diagonal placement. Care
+should be taken in grouping furniture to give the appearance of harmony
+with the room structure. Let us look after the piano that is placed
+catacorner in the living-room, and the bed, in the same position, in
+the bedroom.</p>
+
+<p>It is not unusual to see pictures strung over the walls in such a way
+that the line indicated from the top of one to another is a zigzag
+that illy suggests harmony with the structure of the wall. Triangular
+picture wires are ugly and distracting. Unless a picture is small
+enough to be hung with an invisible attachment<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span> at the back, it should
+be hung with one long wire passed through two screw eyes, one at each
+top corner of the frame, with one wire paralleling each side of the
+frame and going over a hook above. This not only harmonizes the wire
+with the frame, but with the doors, windows and the room structure.</p>
+
+<p>The choice and arrangement of essential materials in the room, so far
+as the aspect of beauty is concerned, will be treated in detail later
+on.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Size and Shape of Objects a Factor</div>
+
+<p>The principle of consistently related shapes and sizes finds scores of
+applications in the arrangement of a room. Who has not wondered what to
+do with a round clock, when everything else adjacent to it was either
+square or rectangular in form? Where is there a house in which there is
+not a round or oval picture to be placed, or a chair of wholly curved
+lines, where all others are straight? The attempt to place one isolated
+round object on a wall is generally a failure, because there is nothing
+to relate it to any other nearby lines. Oval and curved objects must be
+repeated by others similar in form in other positions in the room if
+they are to become in any sense a part of the design.</p>
+
+<p>The second part of this principle&mdash;consistent sizes&mdash;is even more
+important and far-reaching than the first. To the architect, the
+decorator or the creator of any art object, this is a vital matter.
+Every interior, as well as exterior, architectural feature is thought
+of in relation to every other one in the matter of size.</p>
+
+<p>It is not uncommon to enter a room and find a chimney large enough
+for an Elizabethan banquet hall, while the room itself, in size,
+suggests a city flat. Nor is it less common to find a table or divan
+of gigantic proportions being required to live in harmony with chairs
+or other articles of various pigmy types. These unusual and unhappy
+relationships cannot conform to the principle of consistent sizes.</p>
+
+<p>In our use of hangings, upholstery, rugs, etc., the lack of feeling for
+consistent sizes is still more often apparent. Before<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span> discussing this,
+let us look for a moment at patterns and motifs as they are used in
+textiles, wall papers and rugs.</p>
+
+<p>For some unknown reason we have come to believe that there is no beauty
+in anything in which there is not a pattern plainly visible, forgetting
+that three-fourths of all wall and floor spaces are backgrounds on
+which to show other more important things, including people, who have
+some right to be exploited even against wall paper. There are some
+phases of the motif running through a design, that may be considered
+here in some detail.</p>
+
+<p>There are three distinct varieties of motif. First, the motif which
+aims to reproduce identically a natural object. Such things are rarely
+successful. The second is known as the abstract type, where the motif
+is of a form and color not derived from a natural source, being a
+matter of space and line arrangement, often resulting in geometric
+forms. The third, known as the conventional motif, takes a natural
+thing and attempts to translate it into form and color suited by
+its appearance and feeling to some particular material in which the
+design is developed. In the conventional design, beauty is attained by
+harmonizing the motif with the material on which the design is made,
+while the naturalistic motif strives to represent some natural thing
+and takes a chance on its being appropriate in the material in which it
+is to be rendered. Harmony in motifs means, first, a relation in this
+particular, from which it follows that a rug or floor which is entirely
+geometric in pattern cannot be used successfully with hangings which
+show a purely naturalistic design.</p>
+
+<p>Another opportunity for harmony is found in consistently related motifs
+as to size and shape. It frequently happens that the floor motif, for
+example, is small and delicate in size and refined in line treatment.
+If a person is naturally sensitive to color rather than form and he
+finds a rug or hangings pleasing in color, he is often satisfied. For
+harmony in relationship, however, he must ask if the motif in the rug
+and that in the hangings are consistent in size and shape with the
+floor and wall motifs.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Elements in a Room Must Balance</div>
+
+<p>A third principle of form is known as <i>balance</i>. This is the
+principle of arrangement whereby attractions are equalized and through
+this equalization a restful feeling is obtained; that is, a feeling
+of equilibrium or safety. It is somewhat disconcerting to enter a
+small room and find a black piano across one corner and a delicate
+Hepplewhite chair in the opposite corner. One instinctively rushes
+to the aid of the chair. Attraction may be of color, size, shape or
+texture, and one learns only by constant practice to see and feel the
+attraction forces in different objects used.</p>
+
+<p>There are two types of balance to consider. The first one, known as
+<i>bi-symmetric</i> balance, is the equalization of attractions on
+either side of a vertical center by using objects the same size, shape,
+color and texture. This is formal, dignified and safe, but lacks in
+some ways the delicacy and subtlety resulting from an attempt to get
+a less formal placing. Consider a vertical line drawn through the
+center of a chimney-piece placed in the middle of a wall space. On
+either side of the chimney-piece and equally distant from it may be
+placed two pictures similar in size, form and color, and the result is
+bi-symmetrical. If two similar candlesticks are placed one at either
+end of the chimney-piece and equidistant from the end, with a portrait
+in the center, there is still bi-symmetric arrangement. So long as this
+arrangement is maintained, bi-symmetry results.</p>
+
+<p>A second kind of balance is known as <i>occult</i> balance. This term
+is used to signify that the balance is rather felt or sensed than
+exactly determined. If the same vertical line is drawn through the
+same chimney-piece, one picture is placed a certain distance from the
+left and two smaller pictures of unequal size are used on the right to
+balance this. The two pictures must be so placed that their attraction
+equals that of the larger one at the left. Similarly, if one large
+porcelain jar and two or three other articles are to be used, there
+must be a feeling of equal attraction on either side of the vertical
+line.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span></p>
+
+<p>To explain briefly the primary laws of balance we may give the rules:
+“Equal attractions balance each other at equal distances from the
+center.” And, conversely: “Unequal attractions balance each other at
+unequal distances from the center.”</p>
+
+<p>A third and a little more complicated law is stated as follows:
+“Unequal attractions balance each other at distances from the center
+which are in inverse ratio to their powers of attraction.” Translated,
+this means that objects with the strongest attractions tend to
+gravitate toward the central line, while less attractive ones tend to
+draw from this line.</p>
+
+<p>The application of the rules of balance not only to objects on the
+wall, but to the furniture when seen against the wall or against the
+floor, is essential to room composition. It is also essential that the
+floor, in its general appearance, should bear a balanced relation to
+the walls and to the hangings.</p>
+
+<p>There is no better place, perhaps, than at this point to make clear
+the relations of these three bounding surfaces. The ceiling should
+be unobtrusive, but keyed in color to the rest of the room. A
+perfectly white ceiling, except in a white room, or an over-ornamented
+ceiling anywhere is an annoyance to him who would see his friends
+or furnishings. A too-aggressive wall paper or other wall covering
+makes a bid for attention quite out of proportion to its rights as a
+background, while aggressive and over-assertive floors or rugs are
+in bad taste, particularly when they assume the prerogatives of the
+hostess in their attempt at attraction.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">“Crawly” Pictures and Patterns Are Bad</div>
+
+<p>The ceiling should be about as much lighter and less attractive than
+the walls, as the walls are lighter and less attractive than the
+floor. This is a balanced arrangement of ceilings, walls and floors.
+Operating exactly opposite to the principle of balance is one known as
+<i>movement</i>. This is calculated to cause unrest, excitement and
+similar sensations, by creating an interest which causes the eye to
+move from one thing to another. It is very desirable in many cases that
+movement, particularly of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span> a violent type, should not occur. Allusion
+to stair arrangements in picture hangings has already been made. This
+is not conducive to sleep. Erratic crawling vine patterns, creeping up
+the curtains or the wall paper, are a little suggestive in the early
+morning hours if one chances to awake. Violent contrasting lines,
+created by bad furniture placing or by spotted wall papers or floor
+covering, also become tiresome and disturbing, except to those who by
+long contact with such things have become immune to their influence.
+Even such may suffer a subconscious disturbance, though they do not
+realize it.</p>
+
+<p>There is a certain monotony attendant on the continual presentation
+of one sound, one color or one form, for mental consideration. On the
+other hand, there is a complete disorganization of the powers of the
+human mind if a host of colors, forms or sounds are presented at one
+time. If one is poverty, the other is certainly gluttony, and neither
+should be accepted. It is through a judicious selection and arrangement
+that sufficient variety is obtained to give pleasure, while restraint
+results in making life humanly possible. It is very rarely that we err
+on the side of simplicity, but it is not at all unlikely that we may
+become flagrantly sumptuous, with an uncomfortable, tawdry result.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Emphasize Only Important Things in a Room</div>
+
+<p>The principle known as <i>emphasis</i> is one which we must regard
+as important. In a bedroom one ought to see a bed; it is vastly more
+important than the picture exhibition hung about it. In a dining-room
+a well-set table is the emphatic note, not the chenille curtains nor
+the products of the chase hung upon the wall. In the living-room the
+easy-chair, the divan, the bookcase, the beautiful portrait, lamp or
+picture&mdash;all these things should be emphasized by color, form or line,
+that their importance as related to other things in the room may be
+apparent at sight.</p>
+
+<p>Knowing this to be true, is it not strange that we still find people
+who are willing to emphasize the wall paper or the floor or the
+unpleasant ceiling decorations, to the absolute exclusion<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span> of anything
+else that may have to be used in the room? The relation of background
+to decorative objects cannot be insisted upon too much.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">The Spirit of the Whole House Should Be the Spirit of Each
+Room</div>
+
+<p>The final principle of form is known as unity. In this limited
+discussion only a word can be said of it. A room is a unit, so should a
+house be. It is impossible to look with equanimity from an Old English
+dining-room into a Louis XVI sitting-room. These styles are very far
+apart in their meaning and can only be harmonized by those who know
+how, when, where and how much of each element to use.</p>
+
+<p>It is just as impossible to make a unit out of a mixture of Fifteenth,
+Seventeenth and Nineteenth Century furniture, unless one knows how.
+Every article used in furnishing a house not only has its conventional
+value, but its design also. If one knows thoroughly the exact meaning
+and power of a Louis XVI chair, an Elizabethan table, an Italian
+console or a William and Mary bookcase, there is no doubt that these
+may be used successfully in one room.</p>
+
+<p>There are so many considerations in such a problem that it is
+insufficient to choose single objects for their value alone. Each thing
+must be chosen with a clear understanding of what room it is to go in
+and with what other things it is in the future to be associated. A
+failure to do this will certainly result in pandemonium.</p>
+
+<p>What shall we do with the things we have? Use them if we have to,
+destroy them if we are willing to&mdash;at least eliminate everything that
+is nonessential. The pernicious practice of giving everything one
+learns to dislike or that has become worn out, to the poor, does more
+to prevent them from enjoying a personal growth than any other one
+thing.</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps no better way to think of the principle of unity can be
+suggested than to quote the definition of an eminent Nineteenth Century
+historian: “A unit is that to which nothing can be added and from which
+nothing can be taken without interfering materially with the idea
+itself.”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Objects Should Look the Way They Feel</div>
+
+<p>The question of <i>texture</i> as a form of expression must not be
+omitted. Texture is that quality of an object which seems to convey
+the idea of how it feels. It is a combination of a degree of solidity,
+strength, roughness, coarseness, etc. One finds this quality in the
+grained effects of wood, in the weaves of different textiles, in the
+appearance of braided straws, and even in feathers and other materials.</p>
+
+<p>It is this sense of fitness in textural feeling that forbids the use
+of hard, harsh-grained oaks with the finer textures of mahogany and
+satin-wood. Disregarding this quality, people often combined the
+coarser, heavier and more-resisting woolens or linens with soft,
+impressionable and destructible silks or fine cottons. Harmony in the
+texture quality cannot fail to contribute to harmony in the finished
+unit.</p>
+
+<p>Such is the language of art expression in color, form, line and
+texture. The principles which govern the right selection and
+combination of all materials that go to make a house are the real
+guides to growth in artistic appreciation.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Good Taste the Final Criterion</div>
+
+<p>Good taste, which is the final criterion in all art, is cultivated or
+improved in most people by a constant study and application of the
+principles which control artistic expression.</p>
+
+<p>Should we not, all of us, do well often to take time to remind
+ourselves of certain great established principles and to endeavor
+constantly to see more clearly and completely the principles that
+govern the expression of these truths? Thereby we may unconsciously
+form habits of thinking and of doing things that will not only make for
+broader and better personal growth, but will contribute to a higher
+type of national civilization. We have not to worry if all the powers
+of science are not directed to the development of so-called efficient
+service, in lines that are wholly material and commercial.</p>
+
+<p>We are extraordinarily committed to this propaganda, as a people, and
+we might ask ourselves whether we may not be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span> developing this idea
+at the expense of mental and spiritual ideals that, after all, are
+the real things that not only determine what we actually are, but are
+the only things that are truly permanent. Life is certainly something
+beside machinery, raw materials and money, even granting these to be
+essentials.</p>
+
+<p>Perceiving the desirability of the art quality results generally in an
+effort to possess it, and that entails immediate action in two distinct
+ways. First, go out to find the simple, fundamental principles that
+control the language of color, form, line and texture; second, apply
+these principles at once in the home, in the shop, in clothes, in
+printed paper or in any concrete thing where interest and possibility
+are found. Through every application growth is assured.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Influence of Environment</div>
+
+<p>Let us again remember that man is exactly what he lives in, for
+environment is the strongest possible factor in man’s development. Let
+us not forget that what man really is, is what his mind is, and this he
+must express in all he does.</p>
+
+<p>This places the importance of the home where it deserves to be and
+makes its furnishing one of the most serious and at the same time one
+of the most delightful things in life, never for an instant minimizing
+what has always been desirable, but vastly enlarging and ennobling the
+idea for which it stood.</p>
+
+<p>In recognizing anew the part art is to play in this matter, let us not
+forget that it in no way interferes with the three essential qualities
+that are inevitably factors in every home problem simple or elaborate,
+as the case may be.</p>
+
+<p>Perfect physical comfort is necessary, if only from the standpoint of
+more efficient service on our part and the relief it brings us, not
+to be constantly thinking how hard the bed is, how uncomfortable the
+chair seems, or how rough and uneven the floor feels. Art in no way
+interferes with physical comfort; in fact, it demands it, as an element
+of the eternal fitness of things.</p>
+
+<p>The nation is awake to the power of cleanliness as a factor in making
+an efficient physical, and thereby, indirectly, a finer<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span> mental being,
+as a contribution to modern civilization. Every article selected for
+the home should have this requirement considered. Including this in
+the art idea will remove the misapprehension under which some people
+labor, that art implies disorder at home, a dowdy or unkempt person and
+a disregard of nature’s most obvious laws. The first law of Heaven is
+order; it is no less so of art.</p>
+
+<p>Expense is the constant excuse of those who want better things but
+cannot afford them. There are as many bad expensive things as there
+are cheap ones. No home is too poor to have much better things, much
+better arranged, than it has, and no home is so rich that much of the
+furnishing might not well be publicly burned and the rest rearranged.</p>
+
+<p>From any standpoint, comfort, sanitation, economics or art, the home
+is to become the greatest moulding influence in human life. Shall
+we remain apathetic and indifferent to this most vital problem,
+satisfied to increase our bank account only, or shall we awaken now and
+contribute our mite to a fuller national life and a higher and happier
+existence? This certainly will not decrease our power to increase the
+bank account, but will enable us to do it with far less physical effort.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Floor Styles Change with the Customs</div>
+
+<p>Traditions have generally obtained in each generation and fashion as to
+what materials should be used in various parts of the house and how to
+use them. The original ideas which went to establish these traditions
+or manners differed in their origins, but were always the logical
+outcomes of times in which they were developed. For instance, the walls
+of the house in the Italian Renaissance were of stone. Steel was not
+thought of and wood unsuited, while in American Colonial days wood was
+the most plentiful material and the quickest and easiest to handle in
+building in the manner in which the people lived.</p>
+
+<p>At various times climate, geography, religious and social customs and
+the developments of science or art have changed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span> conditions, and with
+this, methods and materials have undergone similar changes.</p>
+
+<p>Floors, for example, have mostly been of clay, stone, tile or wood,
+dictated by one or more of the modifying influences of which we have
+spoken. Wood cannot take the place of stone, neither should it try to
+pretend to do so, but there is no denying that one is better than the
+other under certain conditions and that neither is the only good floor
+under all conditions.</p>
+
+<p>Linoleum as a floor is not a substitute for stone, wood, tile or clay.
+It is another material, recent in conception and suited to particular
+conditions, because of properties that neither stone, clay nor wood
+have in exactly the same proportions.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Where Linoleum May Be Suitable and Desirable</div>
+
+<p>Like other floors in modern houses, linoleum ought to combine the
+qualities of sanitation, comfort, durability to fulfil completely its
+functions. When made to conform to these ends&mdash;as it does if properly
+designed, and then selected and arranged so as to harmonize perfectly
+with its surroundings&mdash;it is not only suitable but desirable. Linoleum
+is sanitary, because the most obvious thing about it is the ease with
+which it can be cleaned and kept clean.</p>
+
+<p>Linoleum is comfortable, because it is soft, quiet and resilient
+underfoot. It is economical, because it is durable.</p>
+
+<p>In parts of Europe, the artistic possibilities of linoleum have
+been developed to such a degree that many fine homes are furnished
+throughout with floors of that material. There is no reason why, in
+this country, the development of the art side of linoleum should not
+follow the general development of interior decoration. For patterns and
+colors, suitable for any scheme of house furnishing and decoration,
+seemingly, can be produced.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak bt" id="How_To_Select_Linoleum_Floors"><i>How To Select Linoleum Floors</i></h2>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center p0 big bb">KATHLEEN CLINCH CALKINS<span class="fnanchor" id="fna1"><a href="#fn1">[1]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<p>While the principles and suggestions on home furnishing and decoration
+set forth by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons on the preceding pages are fresh in our minds,
+let us see how they may be applied specifically to the selection of
+floors in the modern home. According to <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons, if properly
+designed and selected to harmonize with its surroundings, modern
+linoleum is not only suitable but desirable as a floor for every room
+in the house. Let us first define the various types of linoleum,
+and then, going from one room to another, learn how to use linoleum
+floors effectively and artistically, keeping in mind the fundamental
+principles that <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons has explained to us.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">What Linoleum Is</div>
+
+<p>Linoleum was invented in England in 1863. The name comes from two Latin
+words, <i>linum</i> (flax) and <i>oleum</i> (oil). Thus linoleum takes
+its name from its principal ingredient, linseed oil. Before it can be
+used in making linoleum, however, the linseed oil must be oxidized
+by exposing it to the air until it hardens into a tough, rubber-like
+substance. The oxidized oil is then mixed with powdered cork, wood
+flour, various gums, and color pigments; and the resulting plastic mass
+is pressed on burlap by means of great rollers that exert a pressure of
+hundreds of pounds to the square inch. The “green linoleum” then passes
+into huge drying ovens, where it is hung up in festoons to cure and
+season. This curing process takes from one to six weeks, depending on
+the thickness of the material.</p>
+
+<p>There are several varieties of linoleum, designated as follows:</p>
+
+<p>(<i>a</i>) Plain linoleum&mdash;of solid color, without pattern&mdash;the heavier
+grades of which are used for covering the decks of battleships and
+hence are known as “battleship linoleum.”</p>
+
+<p>(<i>b</i>) Jaspe linoleum, which is like inlaid linoleum in that the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span>
+colors run clear through the fabric. It is made in plain colorings,
+with a pleasing graining in two tones of the same color.</p>
+
+<p>(<i>c</i>) Inlaid linoleum, in which the colors of the pattern go
+through to the burlap back.</p>
+
+<p>(<i>d</i>) Granite linoleum, which is also a variety of inlaid. It has
+a mottled appearance, resembling terrazzo.</p>
+
+<p>(<i>e</i>) Printed linoleum, which is simply plain linoleum with a
+design printed on the surface with oil paint.</p>
+
+<p>Turn for a moment to the <a href="#img002">colorplates</a> at the back of this book, and
+note the illustrations of various types of linoleum floors. Your local
+merchant has actual samples of linoleum, and will be glad to show you
+the different grades.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Used for Years in Europe</div>
+
+<p>As <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Parsons has suggested, the use of linoleum floors all over the
+house is not new; it is one of the excellent ideas in home building
+that has come to us from Europe. There the designing of linoleum, for
+many years, has been given particular attention; and linoleum floors
+have found ready acceptance in bedrooms, living-rooms, dining-rooms,
+etc., not alone in homes of persons of moderate means, but just as
+frequently in those of the rich and well-to-do. European architects are
+accustomed to specify linoleum floors in new buildings instead of other
+materials less desirable.</p>
+
+<p>The European housewife takes particular pride in keeping her linoleum
+floors in spick-and-span condition by waxing and polishing them. And,
+as the years pass, linoleum floors soften in color and deepen in tone,
+taking on a finish not unlike that of wood which has been mellowed by
+age.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Growing Use in America</div>
+
+<p>In America, the makers of Armstrong’s Linoleum were the first to
+give attention to the designing of linoleum patterns that would lend
+themselves to acceptable use in the modern American home. Skilled
+designers were brought from the best European establishments and
+given <i>carte blanche</i> in the development of designs particularly
+appropriate to American ideas of home decoration<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span> and conditions of
+living. As a result, we can state with confidence that for beauty,
+attractiveness, and general utility the Armstrong floor designs now
+available are not excelled either in Europe or America.</p>
+
+<p>Miss Rene Stillman, a writer on interior decoration, in discussing
+recently in the Philadelphia <i>Public Ledger</i> the change from
+unsanitary carpets to the use of fabric rugs speaks also of the change
+in linoleums and their relation to modern interior decoration. She
+says, ... “and then the new linoleums, not the old kitchen kind, but
+modern floors which have become works of art, some of which are not
+unlike the floors in old palaces. Not long ago I went to an exhibit
+given by a number of prominent interior decorators. There I went
+through one of the most charmingly decorated houses you ever saw,
+and every floor had linoleum upon it. It was a house of Spanish
+architecture, and there was a central court, with fountains and
+foliage&mdash;an unpretentious, but very beautiful, little court. And, would
+you believe it? it was paved&mdash;I use the word advisedly&mdash;with linoleum
+of the large black-and-white blocks, for all the world like large
+black-and-white marble tiles. The other rooms were also covered with
+linoleum, which toned with the woodwork or the walls or the general
+scheme of the furnishings. But these rooms were also covered with
+fabric rugs, some of them large central rugs, allowing the linoleum
+floor to show about the edges. In other rooms, the rugs were smaller
+and scattered over a larger surface of the linoleum. Of course, it was
+very good linoleum, mostly cork I think, and the pattern went all the
+way through. I was charmed with the subtle colors, the often exquisite
+designs.”</p>
+
+<p>As a matter of fact, in the last few years many leading architects
+and interior decorators have used linoleum floors in homes they have
+planned, particularly because of the decorative effects it is possible
+to achieve with linoleum floors, as contrasted with other materials.
+Where the problem is to redecorate a house, linoleum is being more
+and more widely used to resurface<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span> worn wood floors. And, in many new
+homes, owners and architects have specified linoleum floors instead
+of wood; they have used linoleum not alone because of the economy in
+dollars and cents but because linoleum floors are so <i>very much
+easier to take care of</i>. Especially where the housewife has to
+do her own work, or good help is difficult to obtain, linoleum aids
+materially in solving this almost universal household problem.</p>
+
+<p>The portfolio of <a href="#img002">colorplates</a> and black-and-white reproductions included
+with this book will give you an excellent idea of just how linoleum
+floors look in modern homes. If you are planning to build a new
+house, you owe it to yourself to investigate the possibilities that
+linoleum floors offer you in making the home unusually interesting and
+attractive.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Hall</div>
+
+<p>The hall is the first place in your home that visitors see. It must
+be kept speckless and spotless. A linoleum hall floor proclaims the
+neatness of the housewife to all visitors the moment they cross the
+threshold because it is so easy to keep such a floor fresh and inviting.</p>
+
+<p>And no matter what the decorative treatment of your hall, there are
+patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum that will harmonize perfectly with
+rugs, walls, and furniture. For a formal vestibule, there are exclusive
+designs that will appeal to all tastes. For instance, Pattern 350,
+which is a six-inch block design of alternate black and white squares,
+suggests marble tile. Or there is an interesting Persian tile, Pattern
+<abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 232, in cream, red, and black. The newer designs in marble and
+tile inlaids permit many interesting combinations. In an entrance
+hall proper, you may prefer wood effects. There are several linoleum
+parquetries which, waxed and polished, make splendid floors for halls
+and reception rooms, as well as living- and dining-rooms.</p>
+
+<p>The durability of good linoleum should always be kept in mind. The
+number of footsteps it would take to wear it out cannot be estimated,
+and dripping umbrellas and wet rubbers do not damage it.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Living-Room</div>
+
+<p>Linoleum for the living-room? Remember, we are now speaking of linoleum
+as a floor and not as a covering. There is a vital distinction. Over
+linoleum installed as a permanent floor, naturally, you will lay your
+fabric rugs, whether they are domestic or Oriental. And you will select
+your linoleum floor carefully, because it must serve as a background
+not only for the rugs placed upon it, but for all the furnishings of
+the room, just as the wall-covering is a background for the pictures
+or draperies hung against it. The general rule is that the linoleum
+floor should be darker in tone than the walls and woodwork. It is the
+foundation upon which the whole plan of furnishing is based. Thus
+you will select your linoleum floors, keeping in mind the type of
+furniture, the woodwork, and the general effect you wish to produce.</p>
+
+<p>For example, if the woodwork is dark and the furniture tends toward the
+massive in style, one of the darker tones of plain brown, the brown
+jaspe, or a parquetry linoleum floor is appropriate. If the woodwork
+is white or ivory, the floors may be selected in softer tones of gray,
+green, and light brown, depending on the character of the furnishings.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Dining-Room</div>
+
+<p>Linoleum is truly the logical floor for the dining-room. Every
+practical consideration persuades its use. In the dining-room,
+cheerfulness and individuality are the prime requisites. A thoughtful
+selection of the floor in relation to the furnishings may be made to
+contribute not a little to the charm of a room. The newer linoleum
+designs offer many interesting suggestions; for instance, a marble
+tile, with contrasting interliners, or one of the carpet inlaids of
+all-over pattern, permits out-of-the-ordinary floor treatment. Pattern
+<abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 201, a little three-inch tile of alternating black and gray blocks,
+is reminiscent of Italian influence. In the woods, Parquetry <abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 600
+is particularly good. Or, for the average home, nothing is better than
+the jaspes in browns and grays, or a plain linoleum in appropriate
+coloring.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span></p>
+
+<p>In any room, a nice balance in the use of figured and plain surfaces
+is always desirable. For instance, if a plain coloring or a jaspe
+linoleum is used for the floor, figured rugs and wall coverings may
+well be chosen. If, however, a patterned linoleum floor is employed,
+the fabric rugs and wall coverings should be plainer, or of small
+all-over pattern. Avoid overemphasis of pattern or, conversely, too
+much monotony of plain surfaces.</p>
+
+<p>The cheerful tile designs in Armstrong’s Linoleum are particularly
+appropriate for the breakfast alcove or sun porch now found in many
+homes. In a recent issue of <i>The Delineator</i>, Martha Hill Cutler,
+writing on “Linoleum Floors&mdash;Durable, Smart,” after saying that
+“linoleum has now ‘arrived’ as an artistic as well as a practical
+possibility for every room in the house,” speaks particularly of the
+use of linoleum in the breakfast-room.</p>
+
+<p>She says, “In a breakfast-room or sun-parlor one can do daring things.
+There are fascinating possibilities in a linoleum design of brilliant
+colorings, the black-and-orange, for instance, the green-and-white,
+green-and-black, or blue-and-green.</p>
+
+<p>“Breakfast-rooms are almost always so small that rugs are not
+absolutely essential, but plain rugs against these brilliant tiles
+as backgrounds are very effective. Brilliantly colored curtains to
+harmonize, an unusual chintz or cretonne, and painted furniture can be
+combined with them with colorful results.”</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For a Group of Rooms</div>
+
+<p>By using the same linoleum floor through a series of rooms, it is
+possible to gain unity and a feeling of spaciousness. On the second
+floor, not infrequently the rooms open from a central hall or top
+stair landing. There are a number of colors and designs in Armstrong’s
+Linoleum that are specially suitable for groups of rooms because they
+lend themselves as a background for the draperies in each room, and yet
+bind all the rooms together as a unit. The gray jaspe, plain dark gray,
+and light gray linoleums are particularly appropriate with old Colonial
+painted woodwork in white, ivory, or soft gray; the brown jaspe, plain
+dark brown<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span> or tan, the parquetries, and certain carpet patterns are
+equally appropriate with oak, cypress, gum, or chestnut woodwork in the
+natural finish or painted woodwork in buff and tan.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Bedroom</div>
+
+<p>For the bedroom, no floor is so sanitary and so easily cared for as
+linoleum. It appeals to the most fastidious. And linoleum is not a
+cold floor&mdash;in fact, it is as warm as any wood surface. We have said
+that linoleum is made largely of cork and linseed oil. Cork is widely
+used for heat insulating purposes. Engineers regard it as good, if not
+a better heat retainer than wood. And a linoleum floor has certain
+advantages over wood floors. There are no cracks or crevices to catch
+dust or harbor germs. The oxidized linseed oil, moreover, has known
+germicidal powers that actually tend to destroy bacteria.</p>
+
+<p>There are some very dainty small designs in delicate colors in
+Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum that are particularly suitable for
+bedrooms&mdash;blue-and-white, pink-and-white, green-and-blue, and
+green-and-white. Bedroom floors like these, or of plain light blue,
+rose, or light gray are very charming.</p>
+
+<p>Over the bedroom linoleum floor you will, of course, use small fabric
+rugs beside the bed, in front of the dressing table, or before the easy
+chair. You would not leave a wood floor bare. Let us emphasize again
+that linoleum is a floor&mdash;and not merely a floor-covering.</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps in your home bedroom floors have been a problem because they
+are of soft wood, which must be repainted frequently and which are
+always hard to keep looking well. Linoleum offers you new floors for
+old&mdash;and at relatively slight expense, far less than the cost of
+putting in new wood floors. Remember that linoleum floors do not need
+periodical refinishing, as does hardwood. This is an additional saving.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Sleeping-Porch</div>
+
+<p>Many people do not consider a house complete nowadays unless it has a
+sleeping-porch. Here, again, to secure a thoroughly satisfactory floor
+is a problem. But linoleum solves it nicely and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span> economically. Granite
+linoleums, which resemble terrazzo, or a neat tile effect will be
+especially pleasing.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Bathroom</div>
+
+<p>Water is always being spilled upon the bathroom floor. It rots wood;
+it gets into the cracks of tiling and, in time, may cause the tiles
+to come up. What is needed in a bathroom, therefore, is a floor that
+is proof against moisture, easy to clean, sanitary, comfortable, and
+exceptionally durable. If laid properly&mdash;that is, cemented down with
+waterproof cement&mdash;a linoleum floor in a bathroom will last for years.
+The designs of Armstrong’s Linoleum which are offered for the bathroom
+combine cleanable, sanitary, comfortable, durable, and beautiful
+qualities in the highest degree.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Nursery</div>
+
+<p>In decorating the children’s playroom, a linoleum floor, chosen in
+pattern to harmonize with the color scheme, gives one an opportunity
+to work out a charming relationship between the floor, the furniture,
+and the draperies, to suit the playroom idea. In Armstrong’s Linoleum,
+there are a score of designs in pleasing matting and wood effects and
+carpet patterns especially appropriate for such a room. And the floor
+need not be expensive&mdash;Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum will last through
+childhood’s romp and play. And, when the toys and games are put away
+for more mature interests, the room may be refurnished at slight
+expense.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Attic and Sewing-Room</div>
+
+<p>In many homes, the attic is being changed from a store-room into an
+attractive, comfortable spare room at little expense. The skillful use
+of odd pieces of furniture, the pleasing blending of draperies, and the
+covering of the floor with an attractive linoleum pattern will easily
+make this room one of the most interesting in the home. Whether the
+room is used as an extra sleeping-room or for sewing, the advantages
+of a linoleum floor are obvious. It is so easy to clean; cuttings and
+threads are easily swept up; they do not stick to the smooth-surfaced<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span>
+linoleum. For a very small outlay, you can transform the attic in your
+home into a usable, attractive room.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">For the Kitchen, Pantry and Laundry</div>
+
+<p>If your kitchen or pantry floor is the kind that requires you to spend
+hours with water pail and scrubbing brush and back-breaking labor to
+keep it clean, it is time you change to a linoleum floor. And, even
+with linoleum floors, many women find it hard to get away from the
+scrubbing habit. Most people scrub linoleum entirely too frequently. A
+plain or inlaid linoleum floor should be thoroughly waxed with liquid
+floor wax. The wax provides a coating which prevents the dirt from
+being ground into the surface. Such a floor needs only to be swept and
+then wiped with a damp cloth, and the wax renewed every five to six
+weeks. Varnishing a printed linoleum floor will add to the life of the
+linoleum and make it easier to keep clean. All these considerations
+hold equally true for vestibule, laundry, and closets. There are many
+bright patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum for the kitchen or pantry from
+which you can make a selection that will exactly fit into your idea of
+what these rooms should look like.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">The Advantages of Linoleum Floors</div>
+
+<p>By way of summing up, consider for just a moment what the qualities are
+that you really need and demand in the floors in your home. Certainly,
+you want your floors to be durable. And is there any floor you can
+think of&mdash;cost considered&mdash;that can approach a good linoleum in wearing
+quality? Next, you demand sanitation. Do you know of any floor that
+excels linoleum in that respect? Most assuredly, you want floors that
+are easy to keep clean. Have you not found linoleum easy to clean? And
+you must have comfort. Is not linoleum easy underfoot?</p>
+
+<p>But, you say, we must have warmth, too. Certainly, you must. But you
+would hardly think of leaving the wood floor in your bedroom and
+living-room bare, would you? No, you use rugs. Follow the same course,
+then, with your linoleum floors; and you will find them equally as
+comfortable as hardwood. In<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span> fact, thickness for thickness, linoleum is
+a better non-conductor of heat than wood is.</p>
+
+<p>Then, finally, you demand beauty and economy in your floors&mdash;and justly
+so. As for color harmony, hardwood has distinct limitations. Shades of
+brown and tan are about the only colors that are available. But, with
+linoleum, the range of colors and patterns is well-nigh unlimited, and
+your floors can thus be made an integral part of your general color
+scheme. On this point, the <a href="#img002">colorplates</a> that accompany this book speak
+for themselves.</p>
+
+<p>As to economy, linoleum floors of good quality are less expensive
+today than the cheapest hardwood. And they cost less to maintain,
+too. Given reasonable care and proper treatment, linoleum floors will
+last indefinitely, without the periodic refinishing that all hardwood
+requires.</p>
+
+<p>So you can see for yourself, once you analyze the subject, how
+remarkably linoleum does combine each and every one of the qualities
+you want the floors in your home to possess.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Bureau of Interior Decoration</div>
+
+<p>Naturally, we want you to be thoroughly satisfied with your floors of
+Armstrong’s Linoleum&mdash;not only as to wearing quality but in respect
+to pattern and color as well. And, since the selection of suitable
+linoleum floors to harmonize with the different types of furnishings
+and color schemes involves the application of the principles of
+interior decoration, we have organized a Bureau of Interior Decoration
+to answer any questions you may care to ask about the use of
+Armstrong’s Linoleum in your home.</p>
+
+<p>If you are planning to refurnish or redecorate your home, write our
+Bureau of Interior Decoration, describing your furniture, wallpaper,
+rugs, and the color scheme you have in mind. Our Interior Decorator
+will be glad to make suggestions that may be helpful to you, and will
+send you lithographs of linoleum patterns that will make suitable
+floors for your home. There is no charge or implied obligation for this
+service.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">How To Get Armstrong’s Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>First, get in touch with the merchant in home furnishings with whom
+you are accustomed to trade. If he does not have on hand an adequate
+assortment of Armstrong patterns to suit your taste, ask him to show
+you his copy of the Armstrong Pattern Book, which contains colorplates
+of all of the two hundred and fifty designs and colorings in the
+Armstrong line. From this book, you can select your first, second, and
+third choice; and doubtless he will be glad to place an order for the
+pattern you desire.</p>
+
+<p>Certain patterns, including plain colorings, jaspes, and carpet
+inlaids, are carried in the factory in our Cut-Order Department; and
+the merchant can order exact room sizes for you.</p>
+
+<p>If, however, you have difficulty in getting just what you want, please
+write us, not forgetting to include the merchant’s name and address.
+Then we shall do all in our power to see that you can secure what you
+require through some good store near you.</p>
+
+<p>As manufacturers, we sell only through the regular trade channels,
+and, therefore, we cannot quote you prices. In fact, it is really to
+your advantage to buy through your dealer, as he purchases Armstrong’s
+Linoleum in large quantities, and thus the transportation charges are
+much less than if a small quantity of linoleum were shipped direct from
+the factory.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Our Guarantee</div>
+
+<p>Every yard of Armstrong’s Linoleum is fully guaranteed to give
+satisfactory service. Your merchant will be authorized to make good to
+you any defect in manufacture, either by replacing the linoleum or by
+making an adjustment satisfactory to you.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span></p>
+
+<p class="footnote p2" id="fn1"><a href="#fna1">[1]</a> <i>Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration.</i></p>
+
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<h2 class="nobreak bb bt" id="How_To_Care_for_Linoleum_Floors"><i>How To Care for Linoleum Floors</i></h2>
+</div>
+
+
+<p>A linoleum floor, properly cared for, is easier to clean and will
+retain its new and attractive appearance longer than any other kind
+of floor. Linoleum has a smooth, unbroken surface, without cracks and
+crevices to catch dirt and germs. In Armstrong’s Linoleum, the colors
+used are bright and clear and will retain their luster and brilliancy
+for years.</p>
+
+<p>As every housewife knows, linoleum floors require less attention than
+wood floors; but it is possible to lessen materially the work of caring
+for linoleum floors by observing the simple rules set forth in the
+paragraphs following.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Waxing Inlaid and Plain Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>When you install a new inlaid, jaspe, or plain linoleum floor, it
+should first be washed carefully with tepid water and pure soap and
+then, before it is tracked up, waxed with a liquid floor wax, rubbing
+the wax in very thoroughly.</p>
+
+<p>After that, you will care for your linoleum floor just as you would for
+a waxed floor. A weighted brush, such as is used for wood floors, is
+convenient for polishing; or a heavy brick, wrapped in a soft cloth,
+will serve.</p>
+
+<p>The daily care of a waxed linoleum floor is simple. Ordinarily, all
+that is needed is to go over the floor around the fabric rugs with
+a dry mop. At doorways, or where the traffic is greatest, the wax
+coating will wear away, and should be renewed at those points as often
+as appearance demands. Given this sort of care, it is not necessary
+to scrub or wash linoleum floors, except at rare intervals. Muddy
+footprints may be wiped up with a damp cloth, as occasion requires.</p>
+
+<p>Any good floor wax, such as Johnson’s Liquid Wax or Old English
+Brightener, is suitable for use on linoleum floors. Most people prefer
+to use liquid wax because it is easier to apply than paste wax and
+permits evener distribution on the linoleum. Whether you use liquid or
+paste wax, apply it very sparingly and be sure to rub it in thoroughly.
+If you put the wax coating on too thick, it will not harden properly.
+As a result, the excess wax will absorb and hold the dirt. It will look
+greasy and unsightly, and the floor will remain in a slippery condition.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Varnishing Printed Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>Many people find that printed linoleum wears better and retains its
+original freshness of coloring longer if given a coating of varnish
+or clear white shellac. It is economical to use only a high-grade
+waterproof varnish or a clear white shellac, as the cheaper grades are
+likely to scratch or turn white under water. Such varnishes as Valspar
+or “61” Floor Varnish are recommended.</p>
+
+<p>Before varnishing or shellacking, the linoleum must be cleaned
+carefully and should be thoroughly dried. The varnish should be applied
+as evenly as possible and allowed to dry twelve hours before the floor
+is used. At least two coats should be applied over new linoleum;
+thereafter, the varnish need be renewed but once or twice a year,
+according to the wear on the floor. Care should be used in revarnishing
+to avoid streaked and spotty effects.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Washing Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>In the kitchen, pantry, or bathroom, where water is spilled and there
+is naturally more dirt, owing to the ordinary household activities,
+than on other floors of the house, washing linoleum will, at times,
+become necessary. However, going over the waxed linoleum floor with
+a dry or waxed mop will usually keep it clean. As previously stated,
+scrubbing linoleum should rarely be necessary. In washing the linoleum,
+warm, sudsy water, made with a mild soap, such as Ivory, will clean
+a linoleum floor thoroughly. It is best to wash and dry only about a
+square yard at a time, rinsing the linoleum with clear water and wiping
+it up thoroughly. Never flood the surface of the linoleum with water,
+nor allow the water to stand around the edges or seams.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Avoid Alkali Soaps and Powders</div>
+
+<p>Contrary to the idea held by a good many housewives, certain advertised
+cleaning soaps and washing powders are not good to use on linoleum.
+Practically all of these cleansers contain strong alkali or caustics
+which are positively injurious. More harm is done to linoleum by the
+use of such agents than in any other way. The chemical action of these
+substances disintegrates the oxidized linseed oil and cork in linoleum
+just as it destroys the varnish on hardwood. A good rule is to avoid
+the use of soda, lye, or potash cleansing powders and strong scouring
+soaps altogether. A good mild soap is all that is necessary.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Polishing Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>After washing with soap and water, inlaid linoleum, particularly,
+should be polished with a soft cloth or brush. The wax finish may be
+dulled somewhat by the washing, but is quickly restored by a brisk
+rubbing. Where the wax has been removed by washing, it should be
+renewed at once.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Heavy Furniture on Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>The casters ordinarily used are apt to cut into linoleum if the
+furniture is heavy, therefore it is best to use glass or metal sliding
+shoes which have a wide bearing surface and no rough edges. They are
+made in several sizes, have a shank similar to that on a regular
+caster, and will fit the same sockets. Heavy felt casters may be
+purchased at the furniture stores which are also recommended for use on
+linoleum floors.</p>
+
+<p>Always lay a piece of carpet on the floor, or a board, just as over a
+hardwood floor, when moving very heavy furniture, to prevent marring
+the surface of the linoleum.</p>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak bb bt" id="How_To_Lay_Linoleum_Floors"><i>How To Lay Linoleum Floors</i></h2>
+</div>
+
+
+<p>In the past, linoleum has been regarded by many as a temporary
+floor-covering. Not much care has been used in laying it. But you want
+well-finished floors in your home that will need a minimum amount of
+attention as the years go by. For this reason, we strongly recommend
+that you have your linoleum floors installed by the merchant from whom
+you buy the goods. Experience has taught their layers how to cut the
+linoleum so as to avoid waste and how to lay it to prevent buckling and
+cracking, conditions which result from faulty workmanship.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Skilled Workmanship Required</div>
+
+<p>Insist that your linoleum be laid right. If the merchant does not
+employ skilled mechanics to do this work, go to a merchant who has
+a staff of layers and who will guarantee his laying. He will make a
+charge for the cost of labor and materials; but, in the long run, it
+will prove greater economy for you to pay well to have your linoleum
+laid properly than to have the laying done in a makeshift manner in
+order to save a few cents per yard.</p>
+
+
+<h3>LAY LINOLEUM AS A PERMANENT FLOOR</h3>
+
+<p>When you purchase a good grade of linoleum to be installed as a floor
+in your living-room, dining-room, or even in the kitchen or bathroom,
+naturally you desire to have it put down as a permanent floor. The
+most satisfactory way to install linoleum is to cement it down solidly
+over a lining of builders’ deadening felt paper. This will give you a
+permanent floor, smooth, firm, without cracks or crevices. Owing to the
+variations in moisture conditions, any wood underflooring will expand
+in summer and dry out in winter, leaving cracks. Linoleum cannot be
+cemented directly to such a wood underflooring without possibility of
+damage. One of the chief advantages of the felt lining is that it tends
+to take up this expansion and contraction, thus saving the linoleum
+floor from breaking or cracking. In addition, the felt acts as a
+cushion, deadening sound and adding to the warmth and comfort of the
+floor, making it delightful to walk or stand on.</p>
+
+<p>Should it become necessary, in time, to remove such a linoleum floor,
+this can be done easily, without damage to the linoleum.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Laying Linoleum Over Felt Paper</div>
+
+<p>Leading contract linoleum layers and good stores have adopted the
+felt paper method of laying linoleum and recommend its use to their
+customers. A brief description is given here of this method in order
+that you may understand how the work should be done. If your merchant
+is not yet equipped to lay linoleum by this method, ask him to write
+for a copy of our linoleum layers’ handbook, “Detailed Directions for
+Laying and Caring for Linoleum,” which lists all of the materials and
+equipment needed, and includes illustrations showing the several steps
+in laying linoleum by this improved method. A copy of this handbook
+will also be sent to you, without charge, upon request.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span></p>
+
+<p>In cementing linoleum down over felt paper, the felt is first cut into
+lengths to go across the short way of the room. The quarter-round floor
+molding is removed, and the felt fitted snugly at each end. A linoleum
+paste is then applied to the undersurface of the felt, which is then
+rolled or pressed down until it adheres firmly to the floor.</p>
+
+<p>The lengths of the linoleum are next pressed in position crosswise to
+the direction of the felt strips, or the long way of the room. One
+piece is laid at a time. The surface of the felt under each strip of
+linoleum is well coated with paste, except for four to six inches along
+each end and side and along the seams, which spaces are left bare. The
+linoleum is put down and rolled. After the paste has begun to dry, the
+free edges of the linoleum are trimmed to fit neatly at all points.
+Then waterproof linoleum cement (a kind of glue) is applied to the felt
+along all edges and seams back under the linoleum for a distance of
+four to six inches. This cement makes the floor perfectly water-tight.
+Finally, the linoleum is well rolled with a heavy roller to insure
+perfect adhesion at all points.</p>
+
+<p>Weights, such as face brick or sand bags, are placed against each other
+lengthwise along all edges and seams to press the linoleum firmly
+against the felt while the cement dries. After twenty-four hours, the
+bricks are removed; and the floor is ready for use. The molding is
+put back into place, and the floor is cleaned thoroughly. If plain or
+inlaid linoleum has been laid, it should be waxed at once and polished.</p>
+
+
+<h3>LAYING DIRECT ON WOOD FLOORS</h3>
+
+<p>A less permanent way to install linoleum is to tack or nail it directly
+on the wood floor. Where a more or less temporary floor covering
+is desired, as in the cases of tenants on short leases, etc., this
+method may be made to suffice. However, wherever the linoleum is to be
+installed as a permanent floor, instead of wood or other floors, we
+strongly recommend that it be laid over felt paper as just described.</p>
+
+<p>Directions are given in the paragraphs following for laying linoleum
+directly on wood or concrete floors, without the use of a felt lining.
+This method is described at greater length in the handbook previously
+mentioned, “Detailed Directions for Laying and Caring for Linoleum,”
+but the main steps in the process are here fully outlined.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Preparation for Laying Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>The floor should be perfectly dry and clean, the surface smooth and
+even. All cracks should be filled, nails should be removed, and the
+uneven edges of the boards planed off, if necessary. The quarter-round
+molding should be taken up carefully from the baseboard all around the
+room.</p>
+
+<p>In cold weather, linoleum becomes brittle. If you are laying your floor
+in winter, be sure to let the roll of linoleum stand on end in a warm
+room for at least forty-eight hours before unrolling it.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Laying the Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>When ready to lay, first measure the linoleum carefully and, if
+possible, cut it to run lengthwise in the opposite direction from the
+boards in the floor. Trim it ¼ to ½ inch short at each end, just so
+the edge of the linoleum will be covered by the quarter-round molding
+when this is replaced. Along the side walls the linoleum should not be
+placed tight against the baseboard, but, just as at the end, a space
+of ¼ to ½ inch wide should be left. The edges of the linoleum at the
+seams, however, should be butted tightly against each other, with the
+pattern properly matched.</p>
+
+<p>Laid in this manner, the linoleum will have an opportunity to expand
+underneath the edge of the quarter-round molding. In replacing the
+quarter-round, do not fasten it down tight against the surface of the
+linoleum. The quarter-round must not bind the material at any point,
+but should be nailed to the baseboard in such manner as to permit the
+lifting out of the linoleum easily should retrimming become necessary.</p>
+
+<p>Should a buckle or air-bubble develop in the linoleum, it must be
+smoothed out, and the edge of the linoleum under the floor molding cut
+back a trifle, if needed to take up the expansion. <i>Do not put any
+brads in the linoleum during the expansion period.</i></p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Fitting Around Pipes and Projections</div>
+
+<p>Care must be taken to fit the linoleum neatly around radiators, waste
+pipes, doorways, wall projections, etc. Where possible, the gas stove,
+kitchen range, and other movable equipment should be disconnected,
+and linoleum laid under it carefully to insure tight joints. Good
+workmanship in fitting adds much to the appearance of the linoleum
+floor.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Fastening Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>In many cases it will be found that it is not necessary to fasten
+linoleum to the floor at all, when it has been laid under the
+quarter-round molding at the sides and ends. The molding itself will be
+all that is required to hold the material in place.</p>
+
+<p>Where it becomes necessary, however, to fasten the linoleum to wood
+floors, use <abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 18, ¾-inch, wire brads. Never use carpet tacks. The
+brads should be set in ⅛ to ¼ inch from the edge and should be spaced
+about four inches apart along the edges and three inches apart on
+seams. The brads should be driven down until the heads are lost in the
+surface of the linoleum.</p>
+
+
+<h3>LAYING LINOLEUM ON A CONCRETE FLOOR</h3>
+
+<p>The only way to fasten linoleum to concrete in your laundry, entry-way,
+bathroom, or any other concrete floor, is by means of paste and
+waterproof cement. Here, again, it is advisable to have your linoleum
+cemented down over a lining of deadening felt paper, according to the
+method previously described. Again we recommend that you have this work
+done by your merchant’s experienced workmen. But should you decide<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span>
+to lay the material without the use of the felt lining, the following
+directions are given for your guidance.</p>
+
+<p>Please note that the linoleum should never be laid over concrete floors
+in basements which are in direct contact with the earth beneath unless
+the concrete has first been thoroughly waterproofed. The moisture in
+the earth will inevitably come up through the concrete and loosen the
+linoleum. Waterproofing a concrete floor must be done by a roofing or
+waterproofing contractor who understands thoroughly how to do this work.</p>
+
+<div class="sidenote">Laying the Linoleum</div>
+
+<p>The method of laying linoleum over a concrete floor is similar to the
+final operation of laying linoleum over felt, as described on pages 41
+to 42. Use Armstrong’s Linoleum Paste for pasting the centers of the
+linoleum strips to the concrete, and Armstrong’s Waterproof Linoleum
+Cement for gluing the edges and seams to the concrete floor, so as to
+prevent water from getting underneath the fabric.</p>
+
+<p>After removing all dirt and dust and filling the expansion joints with
+plaster of Paris, apply Armstrong’s Linoleum Paste to the concrete
+floor with a wide brush to within four to six inches of each side and
+end of the linoleum strip, which space is left bare for the later
+application of the cement. Put the width of linoleum in place and roll
+it out at once, before the paste dries. Repeat the same operation with
+the succeeding strips of linoleum, butting the edges of the strips
+together tightly. Trim the ends to fit snugly against the wall. Then
+lift the edges of the strips of linoleum along the sides and ends and
+apply Armstrong’s Waterproof Linoleum Cement with a paint brush to
+the concrete floor as far back as the paste will permit. Remove any
+cement that gets on the surface at once with alcohol. Finally, roll the
+linoleum with an iron roller to insure perfect adhesion.</p>
+
+<p>Weights, such as pressed brick, sandbags, or other heavy objects,
+should then be placed along all seams and edges, and allowed to remain
+for not less than twenty-four hours.</p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img001">
+  <img src="images/001.jpg" class="w25"  alt="Look for the CIRCLE “A” trademark on the burlap
+back" />
+</span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img002">
+  <img src="images/002.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Living room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>The green tile surrounding the blazing fire in this comfortable
+modern home has been chosen to harmonize with the green
+carpet-patterned linoleum. A touch of the complementary red, and
+the blues and yellows are blended in the fabrics to make the room
+cheerful. It is not overcrowded with furniture, but rather is arranged
+to give a spacious, open effect. Comfort and utility are two of the
+primary requisites of every living-room, characteristics not only
+of this room, but also of the floor of Armstrong’s Linoleum, Carpet
+Inlaid Pattern 752.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration,
+Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span><br /></p>
+
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img003">
+  <img src="images/003.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Room for a young girl" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>The color note of this young girl’s room has been
+carried into the floor&mdash;Armstrong’s Blue Jaspé Linoleum. It aids
+materially in contributing a bright, personal touch to the room.
+Combined with attractive draperies, painted furniture, and simple rugs,
+any of the jaspé or plain light-colored linoleums will give a similar
+charming effect; these, together with the interesting carpet inlaids or
+matting patterns, offer a wide opportunity for originality in selecting
+a distinctive floor as the starting-point in the decorative scheme.</i>
+<span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img004">
+  <img src="images/004.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Second floor suite" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>Here the gray jaspé linoleum floor has been used
+to group the entire second floor suite as a decorative unit. The
+gray jaspé is particularly pleasing as a background for fabric rugs
+and other furnishings. Such a floor is always perfectly sanitary,
+and, waxed occasionally, is always attractive in appearance.</i>
+<span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img005">
+  <img src="images/005.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Attic spare room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In many homes the attic is being changed from a
+store-room into an attractive, comfortable spare room, and at little
+expense. In this attic the outlay was slight. A skillful use of odd
+pieces of furniture and the pleasing blending of the draperies and
+coverings with the attractive carpet pattern of the printed linoleum
+floor have made this room one of the most interesting in the home. In
+such a room Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum will give splendid service for
+years, and also aids materially in the working-out of the decorative
+plan.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster,
+<abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img006">
+  <img src="images/006.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Bedroom" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>This bedroom is bright and comfortable, and still has
+enough restraint to give a feeling of peace and repose. The curtains,
+paper, and decorations are in perfect harmony with the pleasing carpet
+pattern of the linoleum floor, which blends with the fabric rugs and
+serves as a background for the entire color scheme.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong
+Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img007">
+  <img src="images/007.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Hall living room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In this comfortable, home-like, hall living-room
+the floor of Armstrong’s Parquetry Linoleum, Pattern <abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 690, makes
+a definite contribution to the pleasing decorative scheme. The
+furnishings are simple, not expensive, but have been selected because
+of their color values and their relation to each other. And the
+parquetry linoleum is not only less costly than wood, but it is more
+sanitary and much easier to take care of.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of
+Interior Decoration, Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img008">
+  <img src="images/008.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Child's room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>Both the color and the texture of objects used in a
+child’s room should suggest cleanliness, freshness, cheerfulness and
+durability. At the same time they should represent his interests and
+his pleasures. To all these ends linoleum is expressly adapted. The
+walls, furniture, hangings and toys in this room have been selected to
+harmonize with these ideas and with the linoleum floor, which is ivory,
+turquoise blue and light gray in color.</i></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img009">
+  <img src="images/009.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Bungalow room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>The color combination rather than expensive
+furnishings makes these bungalow rooms inviting. Floors of Armstrong’s
+Brown Jaspé Linoleum, brown furniture, and tan walls make a good
+background for the color of the curtains, cushions, vases, and
+lampshade. The decorative value of books is well demonstrated in this
+picture.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration, Lancaster,
+<abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img010">
+  <img src="images/010.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Home with linoleum floors" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>Beauty and good taste are at once apparent in this
+well-appointed home. The floor is not oak, as one might suppose,
+but is Armstrong’s Parquetry Linoleum, as beautiful in its graining
+as hardwood, and more comfortable to walk on. The cost is cut in
+half. These permanent linoleum floors will never require expensive
+refinishing.</i> <span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration,
+Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img011">
+  <img src="images/011.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Dining room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In this cheery dining-room the early American
+furniture is happily combined with the Chinese rug and the brown jaspé
+linoleum floor (Color <abbr title="Number">No.</abbr> 11). One feels that this room has been
+planned in good taste and that the linoleum floor has contributed its
+part to the atmosphere of refinement. More comfortable than wood, and
+easier to keep clean, permanently laid linoleum floors have their place
+in the modern home.</i>&mdash;<span class="smcap">Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration,
+Lancaster, <abbr title="Pennsylvania">Pa.</abbr></span></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img012">
+  <img src="images/012.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Room with dark gray linoleum" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>Plain dark gray linoleum makes an appropriate floor
+for old-fashioned houses&mdash;either in new-old houses, or to replace the
+worn floors of houses being remodelled. In this stately Colonial home,
+the linoleum harmonizes with the beautiful ivory woodwork, and makes a
+perfect background for the Oriental rugs.</i></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img013">
+  <img src="images/013.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Room with French furniture and gray linoleum" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>An atmosphere of simple elegance is attained by the
+beautifully proportioned wall spaces, and the slender-legged French
+furniture used in this room. In harmony is the gray Jaspé Linoleum
+which, waxed and polished, makes a perfect floor. Because of its
+neutrality, it is not only a good background for the furniture, but
+likewise for the rug and fabrics employed to make the room bright and
+attractive.</i></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img014">
+  <img src="images/014.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Dining room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In this dining-room, the soft brown linoleum floor
+blends with the beautiful wood of the Sheraton furniture, the colorful
+draperies, and the fine rug. Linoleum is the logical floor for the
+dining-room, because it is so easy to care for. It is a quiet floor;
+also a particular advantage.</i></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img015">
+  <img src="images/015.jpg" class="w100"  alt="Living room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>In this home of evident culture and refinement,
+linoleum floors were installed in every room, instead of wood. In
+the living-room, the plain floor, and the unobtrusive walls and
+curtains, are in pleasing balance with the figured Oriental rugs and
+upholsteries. The smooth surface of the floor, without cracks or
+crevices, suggests a feeling of fastidious cleanliness. An atmosphere
+of restfulness pervades the room.</i></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img016">
+  <img src="images/016.jpg" class="w50"  alt="Hall and living room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>This interesting use, after the European manner, of a
+carpet inlaid linoleum floor through hall and living-room, illustrates
+how effectively a pattern can be employed in floors, as well as on
+walls and in hangings. The small all-over design gives the effect of
+a rich carpet, and yet the floor is sanitary, easy to care for, and
+durable.</i></p>
+</div>
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" />
+
+<div class="chapter">
+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span></p>
+
+<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter"  id="img017">
+  <img src="images/017.jpg" class="w50"  alt="Bungalow room" />
+</span></p>
+<p class="center p0 caption"><i>This sun parlor shows the decorative value of a
+linoleum floor. Here a marble design has been combined with a plain
+linoleum border. The charm of the room is due to the happy relation
+of the floor design and the interior architecture, as well as to the
+arrangement of the furniture. Neither too much nor too little is
+used&mdash;so that a spacious effect is obtained.</i></p>
+</div>
+<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ART OF HOME FURNISHING AND DECORATION ***</div>
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