CHAPTER VI. ON THE DECORATION OF THE INTERIORS OF HOUSES AND PALACES, WITH RESPECT TO THE ASSORTMENT OF COLOURS. (599.) AFTER having treated of the conditions which the carpet must fulfil with regard to the dimensions of the apartment it is intended to occupy-of the conditions which must be found in the paper-hangings-of the adaptation of stuffs to the wood of the furniture-of the adaptation of pictures, engravings, &c., to their frames-I shall next consider the mutual relations of the different articles of furniture of an apartment in their respective colours. (600.) The following is the order in which I shall examine the matters which are the object of this Chapter : 1st Paragraph. Concerns the adaptation of colours relatively to the interiors which we wish to decorate with tapestry or paper-hangings. It comprehends the following articles: 1st. The wainscoting, mounted with its cornice, or moulding. 2nd. The tapestry or hangings, commencing at the moulding, and terminating at the cornice of the ceiling. 3rd. The cornice of the ceiling. 4th. The chairs placed against the wainscoting. 6th. The doors. 7th. The windows. 8th. The carpet. 9th. The pictures. 2nd Paragraph. Concerns the adaptation of the colours 2nd. Interiors covered with marble. 3rd. Interiors covered with stucco. 4th. Interiors of painted wood, stucco, stone, &c. § 1. ON THE ASSORTMENT OF COLOURS IN CONNECTION WITH THE DECORATION OF INTERIORS, INTENDED TO RECEIVE TAPESTRY OR PAPER-HANGINGS. ARTICLE 1. The Wainscoting. (601.) Wainscotings are used more particularly to conceal the walls, to preserve the furniture from damp on the lower stories (in which case they receive paint, which could not be durably applied on a humid wall); finally, they are used to preserve the hangings from the blows of the chairs, or more generally from the blows of the furniture placed before it. Hence, the height of the wainscot from the floor should be exactly that of the chairs. In this way, the hangings are protected from injury; and besides, the border of the hangings will not be hidden from sight, as happens when the chairs rise above the wainscot, a very common defect in modern apartments, which is doubtless owing to the fact that builders, requiring in a house of given height as many stories as possible, compel the architect to reduce the height of the rooms, which creates the necessity of reducing the height of the wainscoting; thus, in diminishing that of the hangings, we augment to the eye the defect of proportion in the story. (602.) Now-a-days, except in old mansions, we seldom meet with wainscoting rising above the chairs and other furniture, which it is usual to place before them. The sight of the upper part of the wainscoting is so little agreeable, that it shocks some persons who cannot perceive the bad effect of a wainscoting which the chairs rise above. This feeling arises, probably, from the fact that the furniture should be more valuable than what it conceals, and that a piece of furniture taller than the wainscoting appears more distinct to the sight than when we see a wainscoting above it with which it has more analogy than it has with the hangings. Finally, the portion of the wainscoting which exceeds the furniture in height, considered relatively to the part concealed, offends the principle of distinct view more than the part of the hangings which is uncovered relatively to that which may be concealed by a piece of the furniture. (603.) From this fact, that the wainscotings are generally concealed by the furniture placed before them, we may conclude that they must be of a dark rather than of a light colour, and that if they have ornaments, these must be simple, and not prominent. The wainscoting may be considered as serving as a ground to the furniture, whenever it is not entirely concealed by the latter. We shall see hereafter what colour is necessary to be given them that they may suit their purpose. ARTICLE 2. A. Hangings properly so called. (604.) In consequence of an apartment never being too light, since we can diminish the daylight by means of blinds, curtains, &c., and, on the other hand, when night brings the most vivid and economic light, other things being equal, it is necessary, on that account, for the hangings to be of a light and not of a dark colour, so that, in place of absorbing light, they reflect much of it. 1. Hangings of a uniform Colour, including Paper-hangings (447.). (605.) We proscribe all dark hangings, whatever be their colour, because they absorb too much light; we proscribe, also, red and violet hangings, because they are exceedingly unfavourable to the colour of the skin. It is for this latter reason that we reject the light tones of the red and violet scales. Orange is a colour that can never be much employed, because it fatigues the eye too much by its great intensity. Among the simple colours, there are really scarcely any which are advantageous except yellow and the light tones of green and of blue. Yellow is lively: it combines well with mahogany furniture, but not generally with gilding. I say generally, because there are some instances where this alliance can be made (615. and 629.). Light-green is favourable to pale complexions as well as to rosy; to mahogany furniture and to gilding. Light-blue is less favourable than green to rosy complexions, especially in daylight; it is particularly favourable to gilding, and it does not injure mahogany, and associates better than green with yellow or orange woods. (606.) White or whitish hangings of a light grey (either normal, green, blue, or yellow), uniform or with velvet patterns of the colour of the ground, are also good for use. (607.) When we choose hangings upon which to place a picture, they must be uniform, and establish the greatest contrast possible between its colour and that which predominates in the picture, if the hangings are not of normal grey. I shall speak again of this assortment (640.). 2. Hangings presenting a pure Colour with some White, or several Tones belonging to the same Scale or to neighbouring Scales, including Paper-hangings of the second Category (447.). (608.) All that I have said of hangings of uniform pure colours is applicable to hangings in which one of these colours is allied to white, with this exception, however, that these latter evidently reflect more light with equality of tone, and that they are not so suitable for pictures, whenever their tone is light. Besides, among effective hangings of this kind, there is scarcely any other than ticking or the papers which imitate it, in which the colour allied with white is deepened; and it is well known that these latter hangings are intended for places which do not admit of pictures. (609.) Hangings in the best taste are those 1o. Which present designs of a light tone, either normal or coloured grey, upon a white ground, or the reverse, and in which the pattern is at least equal in extent of surface to the ground; for a small pattern has a very mediocre effect, at least in a large room. 2o. Patterns of two or more tones of the same or of very near scales assorted conformably to the Law of Contrast. (610.) Unfortunately, it is only stained papers which present hangings of a clear grey or of very light colours, because the fabrics we would tint with light tones of the colours we recommend would not resist the decolouring atmospheric agencies sufficiently, to enable us to employ them economically, so advantageously as paper-hangings. 3. Hangings with varied and brilliant Colours, representing Flowers, Insects, Birds, Human Figures, Landscapes, comprehending Paper-hangings of the first Category (447.). (611.) I have no remark to make on these hangings, which are generally either painted canvas or stained papers, except that they have been employed in decorating large apartments; and what we call chintzes are only suitable to small rooms, such as cabinets, boudoirs, &c. In every case these hangings, in consequence of their vivid colours and their patterns being more or less complex, do not admit of pictures; and moreover, inasmuch as hangings with landscapes and human figures should exhibit themselves distinctly to the sight in all their extent, they must therefore not be concealed by the furniture in any of their parts. B. Borders to Hangings. (612.) When we proceed to adapt a border to a monochromous hanging, or to one presenting a dominant colour, we must first determine whether we can have recourse to a harmony of analogy or to a harmony of contrast; in all cases |