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diff --git a/old/67518-0.txt b/old/67518-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index b8102d5..0000000 --- a/old/67518-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2170 +0,0 @@ -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. 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