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192
The House in Good Taste
·
Elsie De Wolfe
146
Be
sure
that
the
woodwork
is
plain
and
unpretentious,
that
the
lighting-fixtures
are
logically
placed,
and
of
simple
construction.
(Is
there
anything
more
dreadful
than
those
colored
glass
domes,
with
fringes
of
beads,
that
landlords
so
proudly
hang
over
the
imaginary
dining-table?)
Be
sure
that
the
plumbing
is
in
good
condition,
and
beware
the
bedroom
on
an
air
shaft--better
pay
a
little
more
rent
and
save
the
doctor's
bills.
Beware
of
false
mantels,
and
grotesque
grille-work,
and
imitation
stained
glass,
and
grained
woodwork.
You
couldn't
be
happy
in
a
place
that
was
false
to
begin
with.
Having
found
just
the
combination
of
rooms
that
suggests
a
real
home
to
you,
go
slowly
about
your
decorating.
It
is
almost
imperative
that
the
woodwork
and
walls
should
have
the
same
finish
throughout
the
apartment,
unless
you
wish
to
find
yourself
living
in
a
crazy-quilt
of
unfriendly
colors.
I
have
seen
four
room
apartments
in
which
every
room
had
a
different
wall
paper
and
different
woodwork.
The
"parlor"
was
papered
with
poisonous-looking
green
paper,
with
imitation
mahogany
woodwork;
the
dining-room
had
walls
covered
with
red
burlap
and
near-oak
woodwork;
the
bedroom
was
done
in
pink
satin
finished
paper
and
bird's-eye
maple
woodwork,
and
the
kitchen
was
bilious
as
to
woodwork,
with
bleak
gray
walls.
Could
anything
be
more
mistaken?
You
can
make
the
most
commonplace
rooms
livable
if
you
will
paint
all
your
woodwork
cream,
or
gray,
or
sage
green,
and
cover
your
walls
with
a
paper
of
very
much
the
same
tone.
Real
hard
wood
trim
isn't
used
in
ordinary
apartments,
so
why
not
do
away
with
the
badly-grained
imitation
and
paint
it?
You
can
look
through
thousands
of
samples
of
wall
papers,
and
you
will
finally
have
to
admit
that
there
is
nothing
better
for
every
day
living
than
a
deep
cream,
a
misty
gray,
a
tan
or
a
buff
paper.
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
