Chapter VIII: , pp. 103-123 (2)

_Floor lamps._--Several types of floor lamps are now in use--the
lamp with diffusing bowl and fabric shade and the reflector lamp.
Floor lamps show a tendency to shorten and new junior floor
lamps are about 10 inches shorter than standard models. I. E. S.
standards on floor lamps call for a base 58 inches in height, a
reflector bowl 8 inches in diameter and an intensity of light 12
inches from the base, of 30 footcandles, when a 100-watt bulb is
used. At 24 inches from the base a 100-watt bulb should give 10
footcandles of light intensity, according to these standards.
Floor lamps are usually made of metal or wood and many have
marble or crystal inserts in the base. Many of the new floor
lamps have three-way mogul-type lamp arrangements in addition to
a reflector, which give four intensities of light. The reflector
bowl may be lighted separately from the bulbs.

_Reflector lamp._--The reflector lamp is a tall floor lamp with a
glass or metal bowl. The light is reflected upward toward the
ceiling. This is in contrast to the lamp with the diffused glass
reflector bowl and fabric shade which directs the light downward
toward the floor as well as throwing a portion of light toward
the ceiling. The reflector lamp may be used instead of a ceiling
light but is not recommended as a reading lamp.

_Bridge or lounge-chair lamps._--Most of the old-type bridge lamps
in which a bulb hung from a projected arm have been replaced by a
reflector type lamp which employs a diffusing bowl. These bridge
or swinging-arm lounge-chair lamps are smaller than the floor
lamps, and can be adjusted to any position over a chair. Many
have a cover or closed top on the diffusing bowl so the light
will not shine in the user's eyes.

Although theoretically lamps have no traditional period styling, since all lamps are a product of modern invention, manufacturers have styled lamps of all types to blend with period decorations, and have classified them as to English, French, Colonial, Early American, modern, nautical, juvenile, and commercial types to meet various decorative demands. Lamps for use in period rooms should be selected in the same manner as accessories, the simpler types of lamps for English settings, the more ornate types for French and Victorian.

Materials long associated with the various periods of furniture design, and popular during certain centuries have been employed in lamp bases; bone china, Wedgewood, Sheffield silver, brass, and Chinese porcelain bases have been used on eighteenth century lamps. Just as one would select brass or milk glass accessories for an Early American room, lamps made to resemble old vases, oil lamps used during the period, and hurricane lamps with an electric light replacing the candle in the glass chimney, are appropriate for rooms furnished in Early American style.

For the French room are the more elaborate lamps such as onyx, crystal, metal figurines, and French china. Modern lamps are made in such materials as wood, glass, cork, plastics, and metal. Floor lamps, as well as table lamps, follow period styles, and lamps are designed to accompany practically every type of setting.

After determining the style of lamp for a particular room, the next problem is the type of lamp to use. It is well to remember that enough light should be provided in home decoration so that the ratio of darkness to light will not exceed 10 to 1. It is also a cardinal rule of decoration that each grouping should have a light in keeping with the purpose of the grouping; for example, a lounge chair is used primarily for lounging and reading. To place a lounge chair in a room without a lamp as its companion decreases the utility and enjoyment of the chair.

Courtesy American Furniture Mart.

Figure 49.--Many interesting new pieces make up this grouping. The chair side table provides accommodation for books, lamps, and smoking accessories and offers the new approach to eighteenth century utility pieces. The refreshment cart heralds the return of the once-popular tea table. A drawer in the back of the table provides space for silverware and linens. The lounge chair is covered in maroon striped satin damask. The rug is an all-over textured Axminster.]

If a table is used beside the chair, a lamp in proper proportion to the table should be used. The lamp may provide a color accent beside the chair or may be of a material in keeping with the decorative trend. Since the lounge chair is used for reading, the lamp should be a good reading lamp and should come up to the scientific standards set up for good light. If no table is to be used, a bridge or lounge chair lamp may be added.

Commode lamps should be in proportion to the sofa with which they are used. Reflector lamps fit into corners, or may be used beside a grand piano or in front of windows.

If the decorator keeps in mind that the lamp is an accessory, that it should complement the room and serve a specific purpose by its use, the correct use of lamps is made quite simple.

When a woman wishes to buy a lamp the salesperson should first inquire where the lamp is to be used. If it is a table lamp find out if there are other lamps in the room. Ask if there is a chair next to the table and if that chair is used for reading or sewing. If the lamp is to be used purely for decorative purposes it may be of a different type than that which provides adequate light for a specific purpose. Find out the general period of the room and the color scheme so the lamp will be in keeping with the surroundings and provide the proper accent. Impress the customer with the necessity of a lamp for every grouping, and with the importance of good lighting.

Oil lamps for farm use have been styled to resemble electric lamps and have enameled bases, diffused reflectors and attractive shades. All lamps regardless of the source of light have been materially improved and there is no need for any person to have poor lighting in the home today.

PICTURES AND MIRRORS

Pictures and mirrors are important accessories in present day decorating and their correct use can change the appearance of the entire room.

Pictures vary according to size, subjects, and medium used. There is no set, all-comprehensive rule for the use of pictures, but certain types of pictures are used with certain types of settings either because the subject matter confines it to a certain period, or the technique used is in keeping with a definite century.

Frames many times control the use of a picture, and an old picture may be placed in a modern frame and used in a contemporary setting. Mats used on pictures may be varied according to the subject matter and the frame selected according to the manner in which the picture is used. Wood frames are popular and in good taste and are shown in natural wood color, mahogany, walnut, maple, or enameled. Gilt frames are still in use, but for the most part picture frames are simpler than in the past century.

Pictures should be selected according to their subject and should be in keeping with the general trend of the room. Certain subjects are known to be ageless and are in good taste when used in an eighteenth century room or in a modern room. This specifically refers to Chinese pictures or florals and they vary in use only by the type of frame employed. Portraits may be used with all periods if they are done in oil and properly framed and preserved.

Many times a picture, if large and particularly lovely, may furnish the decorative theme of the room, and the colors used in the picture picked up in the upholstered pieces and the accessories. At other times pictures will provide a necessary color accent.

Certain subjects, popular during a particular century, lend themselves to rooms of that century, as for example, hunting scenes are known to be of English origin and lend themselves to English settings. Elaborately dressed women of the French court shown in a court scene are best used with a French setting, and a daintily furnished girl's room requires dainty subjects on the wall such as flowers, birds, or feminine subjects.

Pictures may be hung singly, in pairs, or groups according to the manner in which they are used. A small picture placed over the center of a sofa is out of balance with the sofa. One large picture or a group of small pictures may be used depending upon the size of the picture. A sense of balance should be brought into play when hanging pictures, and common sense used not to let the picture over-balance the piece with which it is used, nor to appear dwarfed on a large wall area.

Pictures should be hung so that the center is eye level to the person standing in the room. They should be hung flat against the wall with the hooks and cords used to suspend the pictures entirely concealed. Many novel arrangements are being used effectively in contemporary decorating, and it is a good habit to watch the home furnishings pages of the newspapers and national magazines for new methods of arranging pictures.

Mirrors are playing an increasingly important part in today's decorating scheme as they have been found to serve a multiple purpose.

Architecturally, mirrors may be used to give the illusion of increased space. A wall covered with mirrors will make a room appear twice its size. Because of this illusion of space, many rooms, furnished in the modern manner use large, full wall mirrors as part of the decorative scheme.

Mirrors fall into two main classes, the Venetian type without frames, and the framed models. Mirrors may be etched, painted, sand-blasted or have decorations applied to the exterior, such as pieces of wood, flower containers, or bits of metal. Many frames are made of wood and finished in mahogany, maple, walnut, or bleached wood or gilt frames. Many times genuine gold leaf is used. Single, double, and triple beveled edges are used, in many instances the beveled edge being the only decoration on the mirror. Mirrors with beveled edges are shown with and without frames.

The old belief that mirrors vary in quality according to the thickness of the glass has been disproved. The United States Department of Commerce under its commercial standards (C. S. 27-36) has set up three grades of mirrors for classification by the manufacturers. These include:

_A quality._--The best type of mirror, in which the central
area of the glass is free from major defects but the mirrors
may contain tiny, well-scattered bubbles (referred to by the
Government as seeds) and short, faint hairlines on the back or
face of the mirror. The outer area of the mirror may also contain
well-scattered bubbles and faint clouds.

_No. 1 quality_ mirrors are rated as second grade and may contain
tiny, well-scattered bubbles, short faint hairlines and scattered
clouds.

_No. 2 quality_ mirrors are rated as third grade and may contain
scattered bubbles, some coarse bubbles, light beams, light
scratches and some cloudiness. The No. 2 mirror may also have a
"bull's-eye" (distortion) if it is not visible from directly in
front of the mirror.

Although these are highly technical specifications laid down by the manufacturer, the consumer may watch for certain imperfections when purchasing mirrors. A good test which may be made of a mirror as to its quality is to examine the mirror from the front and the side to see that the reflection is not distorted. Ceiling and floor lines should appear perfectly straight, and not waved. The mirror should be comparatively free from bubbles, and scratches should be very faint.

Mirrors which employ window glass, show distortion when given the side test, and lines will appear to be waved.

The quality of the mirror depends upon the manufacturer since many chemicals are used and atmospheric conditions have a pronounced effect upon the finished product. Mirrors made under proper conditions should give at least 5 years of service without tarnishing. Improper silvering will result in tarnishing within a few months.

Color of the mirror is also a determining feature of the quality. Good mirrors should be a sparkling white color. Poorly silvered mirrors reflect a yellowish tint.

Tinted mirrors for decorative purposes are shown in blue and peach tones. These reflect a colored image and are considered in good usage in certain instances when this color is needed in the room.

Plain silver mirrors are most popular and when used in a room, pick up and reflect the colors of the room without adding an additional tone.

Many times, when it is necessary to bring color into a certain part of the room, a mirror is used since all of the colors are concentrated in the glass and reflected back into the room.

Both period and modern mirrors are on the market with period types especially adapted to period rooms. The shape of the frame and decorative accent determine the period of the mirror, and sizes vary according to the purpose for which they are to be used. The same principle applies to hanging mirrors as in the case of pictures, and mirrors should be in related balance to the piece with which they are used. Unless designed as a left and right mirror, mirrors should be used singly rather than in pairs although mirrored wall plaques may be used in pairs or grouped in the same manner as pictures. Mirrored frames on pictures are being widely used since they combine the use of a mirror with a picture.

Mirrors may be used in the dining room over a buffet or commode; in the living room over the mantle, sofa, or wall grouping, in the hall, in the bedroom, bathroom, and in the kitchen. Kitchen mirrors should be plain, unframed, and undecorated. Many times an interesting group is made up of a mirror flanked by a pair of pictures.

WALL DECORATIONS

In addition to mirrors and pictures, there are many other types of wall decoration. Sconces, or small shelves nailed to the wall on which plants or small art objects are placed, are growing in popularity. Wall brackets for growing plants, knickknack shelves, corner shelves, clocks, plates mounted on wall holders, murals, and tapestries are all used in today's decorative scheme.

In an eighteenth century room, an effective grouping can be made of three wall sconces arranged in pyramid fashion, on which Chinese celestial figures are placed. Sconces may be used singly, in pairs or in groups, and may be made of wood, glass, or metal and either finished in natural color, gilded, or enameled. A grouping of sconces with art objects over the fireplace, above a sofa, on a narrow wall, or in the hall is extremely effective. Plants with drooping vines may be placed on the sconces, or colorful art objects in keeping with the general scheme of the room.

The popularity of touches of living green in the room has brought wall brackets for holding potted plants to the fore. These brackets are usually made of wrought iron and are enameled white or pastel colors. A ring holder keeps the pot in place and provides accommodations for one or several such plants. Wood plant brackets are also on the market and are used in the more formal period rooms. Wall brackets for plants can be used in any room from the kitchen to the front porch and may be placed on the window frame, in the archway of a hall, on the walls flanking a mirror or picture, on a narrow wall, or may hang from a central doorway. Many times colored pots in contrast to the wall bracket are shown, and the effect is cheerful and adds color and growing greens to the home.

Knickknack shelves have become popular with the increased hobby of collecting art objects by the amateur. Knickknack shelves are shown in a variety of styles for various rooms, and are available in wood, enameled metal, chrome, and glass. In the bathroom knickknack shelves are used to hold bath accessories, powder, toilet water, and attractive bottles and jars; in the kitchen these shelves may hold salt and pepper shakers, tiny decorative pitchers and gayly colored kitchen accessories; in the bedroom, perfume bottles, and knickknacks find their way to these shelves; and in the dining room and living room, plants in decorative pots, and art objects add color to the wall and the room. Corner shelves, which fit into a corner of the wall and make use of otherwise waste space are used in the same manner as the knickknack shelves which are shown in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Clocks to hang on the wall are made in styles to harmonize with every room in the house. Kitchen clocks, in white and pastel enamels to match the room's color schemes, novelty bedroom clocks, and living room clocks come in period and modern varieties. Popular for the Colonial and Early American room is the banjo clock. Many of the new clocks are operated by electricity.

A popular wall decoration consists of rare plates, placed in wall-plate holders and arranged in groups on the wall either over a sofa, or mantle, or on plain walls. Plates may be used in the same manner as pictures but care should be taken to select plates which have genuine decorative value and have interest either by their antiquity, coloring, or subject.

Murals in which photographic subjects are enlarged in a panoramic manner are used as wall decorations, particularly in rooms furnished in a contemporary manner. Outdoor scenes, familiar scenes of the city, or a composite of photographic subjects of interest to the occupants of the room are applied to the wall either in the manner of wallpaper or in a frame as a gigantic picture. Murals, properly used, are extremely decorative but should be used under the guidance of an expert who understands the correct application of the mural to the wall.

Tapestries are not in as common usage as a decade ago, having been abandoned in favor of pictures, mirrors, wall brackets, and other newer accessories. Tapestries many times give a heavy appearance to a room and have been condemned by many modern housewives as "dirt catchers."

Many of the tapestries in use today are framed and these may be used in the same manner as a picture. A large tapestry hanging may be used on the wall of a study or den or behind a large wall piece. The subject of the tapestry should be in keeping with the general room scheme and the color in harmony with the other furnishings in the room.

PLASTICS ENTER THE HOME FURNISHINGS FIELD

For years plastics have been of major importance in the industrial field. Now the chemist's test tubes are revealing new and outstanding uses for plastics in architecture, lighting, decorator's accessories, furniture novelties, and miscellaneous items. The records show that 160,000,000 pounds of plastics are produced in a single year in the United States alone, and that new plastics are being developed at the rate of one a year.

This evolution of plastics has made possible large-scale production of articles within a price range that makes them available to large numbers of homes. A recent issue of the British Yearbook devotes 55 pages to the mere listing of products made of plastic and 30 pages to substances from which plastics are derived. The fifth annual modern plastics competition brought more than 1,000 entries. Top award in the furniture classification went to a display of occasional tables with revolving tops, made without using screws, bolts, and other attachments ordinarily used in furniture construction. At the January and June (1941) Furniture Mart shows in Chicago, Ill., plastics definitely entered the competitive fields for interior decoration, surfacing, hardware, and paneling. There were "all-plastic rooms" featuring dinette sets, bedroom suites, dressing tables, vanity chairs, bar stools, consoles, bedside tables, and sophisticated modern stow-away chests. Chrome and wood were combined into a high chair with a back formed of pink and blue opaque woven plastic. There were bedroom groupings in soft, light grays matched by the woodwork of the room. Plain panel backs of beds were in cedar to match the carpet. Wall paper was plaided in ivory and two-tone gray. There were bedrooms in French Provincial style; others in simple Colonial, or Georgian. Dining room groupings were shown in sparkling furniture that was not glass but was warp-resisting and impervious to mars, nicks, chipping, and such abuse as would require refinishing in the case of wood or metal pieces. The talent of ingenious designers and decorators had been used to aid in producing home accessories in plastics. There were on display table lamps, curtain rods, picture frames, salad bowls and utensils, vases, wastepaper baskets, bird cages, carved ornamental centerpieces, mirror frames, and coat trees. Plastics were shown in fluorescent lighting effects possessing the advantages of day-like light, less heat, less power consumption, and greater illumination per unit of power consumption. There seemed to be no major product in the home furnishings field, including lighting and accessories, for which this "plastics age" had not prepared an entry.

Photograph by Grignon.

Figure 50.--Exhibit 249, June (1941) American Furniture Mart, Chicago, Ill., showing reproduction of wood grain so applied as to take the form of a veneer as an integral part of the surface processed. The chair shows zebrawood graining.]

As talking points for plastics in the home furnishings field, consider the following claims:

1. The plastic used for furniture is neither a finish nor a
protection for a finish. It is a hard-surfacing substance said to
be "many times as strong as wood."

2. Tests show that it is not affected by hot dishes up to 200° F.
Liquids of all types and unusual temperatures harm plastics not
in the least. These include perfumes, ordinary acids, alcohol,
nail polish, and fruit stains.

3. Plastic surfacing will not discolor or fade, even though exposed
for a long period to the sun's rays.

4. Plastic pieces need neither polish nor wax. They are washed with
ordinary soap and water.

Salespersons should understand a few basic technical facts in order to discuss plastic pieces or sets or "all-plastic" rooms with interested customers.

The term "plastics" is a commercial, rather than a scientific, designation; the line is drawn not so much by what the substance is, as by what it will do. The materials called "plastics" have in common not only the ability to be formed while soft into a desired shape possessing rigidity, but also the chemical characteristics of having been polymerized; that is, they are constituted of large molecules which are aggregates of similar molecules.

Plastics are classified into two types depending on their physical properties:

1. _Thermoplastic._

2. _Thermosetting._

Thermoplastic materials soften upon being heated and become solid again when cooled. This change of state can be repeated over and over. Thermosetting plastics on the other hand are compounds which definitely alter their chemical constitution in the course of molding under heat or pressure or both.

Plastics also may be classified according to their chemical source. The 18 or so known basic types fall into 4 general fields: Cellulose plastics, protein plastics, natural resin plastics, and synthetic resin plastics.

CELLULOSE PLASTICS

Cellulose nitrate, the classic in this type, begins life as cotton linters--the short fibers next to the seed in a cotton boll. Purified, the cellulose is treated with mixed nitric and sulfuric acids to produce pyroxylin. Camphor, alcohol, and color are added as desired. The mixture becomes a dough-like substance which is rolled, baked, seasoned, and polished. When heated, it may be shaped to any form desired; and it can be cut, sawed, filed, blown, rolled, planed, hammered, drilled, and turned on lathes. It may be obtained in practically every shade and hue, in transparent, translucent, opaque, and in mottled and pearl effects.

PROTEIN PLASTICS

Protein plastics date back to 1890 when Dr. Adolph Spitteler of Hamburg, Germany, set out to make a white "blackboard" for classroom use. He mixed sour milk with formaldehyde and got a casein plastic, a shiny substance from which many a modern button and buckle is made. It is possible to use soya beans, lignin from wood, coffee beans, and peanuts in making protein-type plastics.

NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC RESINS

An example of a natural resin is _lac_ secreted by a little red insect that sucks the sap of trees and converts it into a protective covering for itself. _Lac_, upon being refined and dissolved in a suitable solvent, forms a shellac. Dr. Leo Baekeland in 1907 was investigating this natural process when he combined formaldehyde and phenol with the aid of a catalyst and heat. The result was a synthetic resin, the basis of the first molded phenolic plastic--the familiar substance of telephone receivers and many other objects. The commercial development of urea-formaldehyde plastics was made possible by availability not only of formaldehyde but also of synthetic urea.

Comparatively new in the field of structural materials, but significant for those who sell home furnishings, are laminated plastics, plywood, and veneers. Laminated plastics are made by treating sheets of paper or woven cloth with synthetic heat-reactive resins and subjecting built-up layers of the treated materials to heat and pressure. Such plastics also may be bonded to thin wood sheets and to metals. The resulting materials are useful for furniture and for interior decoration.

This type of material was used in decorating the Library of Congress Annex. It was extensively used on the British superliner, Queen Mary. From vinyl resins, one of the new families, comes the center of the sandwich in safety glass. The plastic interlayer is not broken by a blow but stretches, at the same time holding broken pieces of glass together and preventing flying splinters.

At the present time the varied diversity of plastics is a major asset. In the home furnishings field, whoever wants a new, strong, graceful, functional material for a new product has a wide range of materials in all color combinations from which to make a choice. For the first time, the claim may be advanced that certain limitations in furniture design have been released and that innumerable variations without changing the shape or structure of the product are possible. By the use of fascinating surfaces, textures, and colors, it is possible to create designs which, while simple, possess charm, intrinsic beauty, and distinction. The introduction of such a product to the home furnishings field brings a new competitive element.

"DO'S" AND "DON'T'S" FOR THE SALESPERSON

Every salesperson has his own technique for closing a sale, but there are certain methods which seem to impress favorably the potential customer and others which react unfavorably.

Among the objectionable selling methods is that of making personal comparisons; for example, to tell a customer that you have a chair, a lamp, or a rug exactly like the one she is buying usually does not impress her. The average customer likes to feel her taste is superior to the salesperson's and that she can afford something beyond the price range of the person serving her. Many sales are lost by the salesperson making a personal reference to himself in this manner.

Don't take a superior attitude when waiting on a customer, who seems less informed on the subject than yourself. Suggest, rather than tell her what to use, and appear to be serving her in a graceful manner, letting her know you enjoy waiting on her. Mate her feel perfectly at ease in your presence, yet treat her with the respect that she as a customer deserves.

Many people rather like being referred to by their name as it gives them a personal feeling with the store. When you know the name of the person you are serving, refer to her name from time to time but don't repeat it too often. When she leaves, thank her, by using her name and once or twice during the conversation mention it. Be sure you pronounce the name correctly, however, and that you refer to her by her correct title, noting whether or not she is married or single.

People are usually interested to know that the merchandise they choose compliments their personality and their persons. This is true of clothes and is an important element of style. It is true of homes and rooms where the harmony of color and design can be used to the best advantage when properly adjusted to the personality of the due or the family that uses it. Obviously this lies in the realm of newer advances in proper home styling and decoration. Nevertheless, many salesmen in average stores can enhance their effectiveness and their service by helping their customers to avoid choices that do not seem to harmonize with their obvious personal characteristics. To truthfully assure a customer that her choice does properly reflect herself is likewise obviously good salesmanship.

People have become accustomed to prideful ownership of automobiles similar to those bought by their neighbors. The backbone of the home-furnishings industry is, however, the individuality of the American home and it has never succumbed to stereotyped style or decoration. Almost every customer either consciously or unconsciously recognizes this and will be interested in furniture that sets her home apart from others and represents her individual taste and planning. The first time a customer may ask questions of a salesman; the second and third time, just return to look. Never make any customer feel that you are annoyed by her delayed purchase or that you recognize that she is still looking. Make yourself available, should she want additional information, but allow her time to consider the merchandise at her leisure, if she is so disposed.

QUESTIONS

_1. What is the most satisfactory arrangement of lighting units for a living room? A dining room?_

_2. What is cove lighting?_

_3. "The texture of objects determines the amount of colored light they will absorb." Explain._

_4. Explain the terms: Candlepower, footcandles, lumens, parabolic reflector, and indirect lighting._

_5. Under what conditions would you advocate the use of tapestry wall hangings?_

_6. Are you familiar with the light specifications worked out by the Illuminating Engineering Society, 61 Madison Avenue, New York, N. Y.?_

_7. How would you build an effective window display to increase sales for your lighting fixtures department?_

_8. Discuss the correct use of rhythm in display._

_9. Do you advise use of price cards in connection with your accessories display?_

_10. What opportunities exist to display accessories combined in use?_

_11. In what way is display a silent salesman?_

SUGGESTED READING LIST

BURRIS-MEYER, ELIZABETH. _Decorating Livable Homes._ Prentice-Hall,
Inc., New York, N. Y. (1937.)

Accessories, VIII, pp. 206-232.
Light, IX, pp. 232-248.

CRANE, ROSS. _Home Furnishing and Decoration._ Frederick J. Drake &
Co., Inc., Chicago, Ill. (1933.)

Pictures, XII, pp. 183-191.
Lighting, XX, pp. 247-253.
Lamps, XXI, pp. 253-261.

EBERLEIN, MCCLURE, HOLLOWAY. _The Practical Book of Interior
Decoration._ J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, Pa. (1919.)

Artificial Lighting, IX, p. 324.
Pictures and Their Framing, XI, p. 350.
Decorative Accessories, XII, p. 364.

FALES, WINIFRED. _What's New in Home Decorating._ Dodd, Mead & Co.,
Inc., New York, N. Y. (1936.)

Science of Lighting, X, pp. 207-229.

JACKSON, ALICE _and_ BETTINA. _The Study of Interior Decoration._
Doubleday, Doran & Co., Inc., Garden City, N. Y. (1928.)

Accessories, XIV, pp. 317-340.

KNAUFF, G. B. _Refurbishing The Home._ McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc.,
New York, N. Y. (1938.)

Lighting Problems, XIV, pp. 289-302.
Pictures, Hangings, Accessories, XV, pp. 302-317.

FOOTNOTES:

[31] The Illuminating Engineering Society is made up of illuminating engineers and those engaged in the lighting field who have worked out set standards for illumination from tested specifications.

+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| A FINAL WORD |
| |
| |
| We bring the final unit of this course to an end with a |
| cordial wish for your prosperity and success. |
| |
| We have tried to open more widely the door of opportunity. |
| |
| No man can fix a limit to your progress but yourself. |
| |
| The sale of home furnishings at retail can be one of the |
| most interesting of occupations with professional standing |
| and a good professional income as its rewards. |
| |
| We hope and believe that you will win and enjoy these |
| rewards, and with them another and greater. This is the |
| happiness of creative effort. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+

APPENDIXES

A. Glossary of Terms

B. General Reading List

C. A Suggested Teaching Outline for a Group Leader

D. The Leading Furniture Woods

E. Common Rug Terms

F. An Advertising Check List

G. Fivefold Selling Plan for Floor Coverings

H. Color and Style in Modern Advertising Copy

I. Check List for Planning a Store-Wide Promotion

J. Ready Reference Index

Appendix A:--GLOSSARY OF TERMS

_Acanthus leaf._--A classical ornamental form, derived from the
acanthus plant.

_Arabesque._--Intricate interlacing ornament, in the Arabian manner.

_Arcade._--A series of arches, supported by columns (fig. 10, page
59).

_Aubusson._--A fine quality of hand-made tapestry; originally made
at Aubusson, France, used for carpets or upholstery.

_Baluster._--In architecture, a turned or square upright support
for the rail of a balustrade; in furniture, a splat with the
outlines of a baluster. (See fig. 22, page 106.)

_Band or banding._--A narrow inlay which contrasts in color or
grain with the surface which it is used to embellish.

_Banister._--Same as "baluster."

_Baroque._--The style which followed that of the Renaissance;
characterized by rectangular outline much softened by use of
curves, and exemplified by Louis XIV furniture, and in modified
form by that of the late Jacobean and William and Mary styles.

_Bead or beading._--A small molding, usually of semicircular shape.

_Beauvais tapestry._--A fine hand-woven tapestry made in Beauvais,
France, since 1662, and used for wall panels and furniture
coverings.

_Bombé._--Puffed, rounded, or bulged.

_Brass._--An alloy of copper and zinc.

_Broken pediment._--See "pediment."

_Bronze._--An alloy of copper and zinc.

_Bun foot._--See "foot."

~C~-_scroll._--In the form of the letter ~C~.

_Cartouche._--An ornamental form based originally upon the open
scroll; an oblong, elliptical, or shield-shaped flat panel, used
in the decoration of furniture.

_Caryatid._--A draped female figure, used as a support in place of
a column or pilaster.

_Chamfer._--The surface formed by cutting away the angle formed by
two sides of a board.

_Classic._--As here used, conforming to the style of ancient Greek
and Roman art.

_Collar._--A narrow strap or band, used near the top and (or)
bottom of the leg.

_Court cupboard._--A short cupboard; originally a small cupboard
set on a side table, but later built as one piece.

_Cyma curve._--A double or ~S~ curve, as in the cabriole leg.

_Dado._--The lower part of a wall, when marked off by panel or
moldings.

_Deal._--Scotch fir.

_Fiddleback._--Having splats shaped something like a violin.

_Finial._--A terminating or crowning detail.

_Flemish scroll foot._--See "foot."

_Fluting._--Decoration by means of flutes or channels, as in a
chair leg or dresser post.

_Foot_--

_Ball._--Globular, and attached to leg by slender ankle.

_Ball and claw._--Derived from the Chinese and representing a
dragon's claw holding the great pearl.

_Bell._--Bell-shaped, and joined to leg by slender ankle.

_Bracket._--Used for cabinets, but not for chairs.

_Bun._--In the form of a flattened ball. See "trumpet-turned
leg," under "leg."

_Dutch._--Another name for "pad foot."

_Flemish scroll._--See illustration, page 62.

_French._--See illustration, page 57.

_Hoof._--See "cabriole leg with hoof foot," under "leg."

_Leaf scroll._--See illustration, page 16.

_Pad._--See illustration, pages 59, 65.

_Paw._--See illustration, pages 59, 65.

_Peg top._--Turned to a point, like a top, and attached to the
leg without a sharply defined ankle.

_Spade._--See illustration, page 68.

_Spanish._--See illustration, page 53.

_Serpent._--Used on tripod tables.

_Fresco._--In the fine arts, a method of painting on freshly laid
plaster before it dries.

_Fret._--Interlaced ornamental work, carved on flat surfaces or
pierced for galleries, chair backs, or aprons.

_Gallery._--An ornamental railing of wood or metal along the edge
of a table, desk, or sideboard.

_Gesso_ (pronounced jes-o).--a plaster-like material spread on a
surface or moulded into ornamental forms as a base for painting
or gilding.

_Gilding._--An overlay or covering of gold leaf, or of gold powder
with size.

_Girandole._--A very elaborate type of candle holder, used on the
walls of late seventeenth and eighteenth century French salons,
and usually made in pairs.

_Highboy._--A tall chest of drawers, mounted on legs.

_Japanning._--Art of varnishing with japan; see "lacquer."

_Knee._--The projecting upper curve of a cabriole leg; see "leg."

_Lacquer._--In period decoration, a varnish, of which the best was
produced in Japan by tapping the varnish tree and drying the sap
in the air. Pigments were often added for color. In Japanese
lacquer work at least 15 coats, separately polished, were applied.

_Leg._--

_Cabriole._--Made in many styles. Illustration on pages 16, 65
show an example with hoof foot and carved knee.

~S~-_scroll._--See illustration, page 62.

_Trumpet-turned._--Here shown with inverted cup and bun foot.
Many variations of this general form include octagonal legs
and pear bulb legs.

_Term._--Many variations of this form, which is here shown in
an ornate leg of the style of Louis XIV.

_Lowboy._--A chest of drawers, usually not more than 4 feet high
and standing on four legs.

_Marquetry._--Inlaid work, usually in colored woods, but
occasionally with the addition of ivory, bone, mother-of-pearl,
etc. Sometimes differentiated as _intarsia_, in which the
materials are placed in channels gouged out of the surface of the
base, and _marquetry_, in which the pattern is formed as a veneer
and glued to the surface of the base.

_Mullion._--A slender bar or pier, forming a division between
windows, screens, etc.

_Neoclassic_ (New classic).--Designating the revival of classic
taste in art, and here applied to the second revival after the
discovery of Pompeian art early in the eighteenth century.

_Ormolu._--An alloy of copper and zinc; used in France for the
production of furniture mounts, which were usually first cast,
then chiseled with jewel-like precision, and gilded.

_Parquetry._--An inlay of geometric or other patterns for floors,
often in colored woods.

_Patina._--In furniture, the surface appearance assumed by wood,
marble, or other materials as the result of long exposure.

_Pediment._--In classic architecture, the flat triangular space
between the roof lines on the end of a building; now often
curved, and applied to over-doors, cabinet tops, etc. In the
broken pediment the top line is cut away.

_Pewter._--An alloy of tin with some other metal usually copper,
lead, or antimony.

_Reeding._--Embellishment produced by narrow convex moldings; the
reverse of fluting.

_Rococo._--The general decorative style which developed from and
followed the Baroque; characterized by exclusive employment of
curved line, avoidance of complete symmetry, and exuberant and
fanciful ornament in which shell and scroll forms were freely
employed.

~S~-_scroll._--A scroll roughly in the form of the letter ~S~,
often used for the legs of chairs or cabinets; see "leg."

_Serpentine._--Sinuous or winding; in furniture, bow-shaped, with
the ends straight or bent back like a Cupid's bow.

_Splat._--A broad, flat upright member in middle of chairback.

_Splay or splayed._--Spread outward obliquely.

_Strap-work._--A decorative design consisting of a narrow fillet or
band with crossed, folded, or interlaced ornament.

_Silhouette._--As applied to stretchers or skirts, an ornamental
outline or profile.

_Squab._--A thickly stuffed loose cushion, especially one used for
the seat of a sofa, couch, chair, or stool.

_Swag._--A decoration in wood or metal, resembling festoons or
draperies.

_Truss._--In furniture, a rigid frame, of solid, open, column or
arcade construction, used in pairs to support the ends of a piece
of furniture, and usually connected by some form of stretcher.

_Tester._--A canopy over a bed, supported by the bedposts.

_Trestle._--A braced frame, forming whole support of a table top.

Appendix B.--GENERAL READING LIST

In order to avoid confusion, this list is restricted to a few books which are adequate for our present purpose, and usually are to be found in every public library. Books dealing with materials, construction, and special aspects of home-furnishing practice, and with salesmanship and merchandising principles are listed for suggested reading at the end of each unit.

GENERAL REFERENCE

The new Encyclopedia Britannica (14th edition) contains an astounding wealth of well written and beautifully illustrated material very useful to the salesman.

GENERAL READING SUGGESTIONS

WHERE TO BEGIN

CRANE, ROSS. _Interior Decoration. A Study Course for Furniture
Men._ The Seng Co., 1430 No. Dayton Street, Chicago, Ill., 1928.

EBERLEIN, HAROLD. _Practical Book of Interior Decoration._ J. B.
Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, Pa. 1937.

KELSEY, CLARK. _Furniture: Its Selection and Use._ National
Committee on Wood Utilization, United States Department of
Commerce. Superintendent of Documents, United States Government
Printing Office, Washington, D. C. 1931.

MUSELWHITE, KATHERINE. _Principles and Practice of Interior
Decoration._ Suttonhouse, Ltd., Publishers, Los Angeles, Calif.

PALMER, LOIS. _Your House._ Boston Cooking School Magazine Co. 1928.

POST, EMILY PRICE. _Personality of a House._ Funk & Wagnalls Co.,
New York, N. Y. 1933.

POWELL, LYDIA. _The Attractive Home._ Macmillan Co., New York, N.
Y. 1939.

REYBURN, SAMUEL W. _Selling Home Furnishings Successfully._
Prentice-Hall, Inc., New York, N. Y.

WHITON, SHERRILL. _Elements of Interior Decoration._ J. B.
Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, Pa. 1937.

MAKING AN ATTRACTIVE INTERIOR

BURRIS-MEYER, ELIZABETH. _Decorating Livable Homes._ Prentice-Hall,
Inc., New York, N. Y. 1937.

BURROWS, THELMA. _Successful House Furnishing._ Manual Arts Press,
Peoria, Ill. 1938.

KNAUFF, CARL G. B. _Refurbishing The Home._ McGraw-Hill Book Co.,
Inc. New York, N. Y. 1938.

KOUES, HELEN. _How To Be Your Own Decorator._ Tudor Publishing Co.,
Inc., New York, N. Y. 1939.

MAAS, CARL. _Common Sense In Home Decoration._ Greenberg Publishing
Co., New York, N. Y. 1938.

MERIVALE, MARGARET. _Furnishing The Small Home._ Studio
Publications, London, n. d.

MILLER, GLADYS. _Decoratively Speaking._ Doubleday, Doran & Co.,
New York, N. Y. 1939.

STOREY, WALTER. _Period Influences in Interior Decoration._ Harper
& Bros., New York, N. Y. 1937.

FURNITURE STYLES

ARONSON, JOSEPH. _Book of Furniture and Decoration._ Crown
Publishers, New York, N. Y. 1937.

ARONSON, JOSEPH. _Encyclopedia of Furniture._ Crown Publishers, New
York, N. Y. 1939.

HOLLOWAY, EDWARD. _Practical Book of American Furniture and
Decoration._ J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, Pa. 1937.

KIMERLY, W. L. _How To Know Period Styles in Furniture._ Grand
Rapids Furniture Record Co. 1912.

ORMSBEE, THOMAS. _Early American Furniture Makers._ Tudor
Publishing Co., New York, N. Y. 1930.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, _Handbook of the American Wing_. R. T.
H. Halsey-Charles O. Cornelius. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
York, N. Y. 1928.

STRICTLY MODERN

DRAPER, DOROTHY TUCKERMAN. _Decorating Is Fun._ Doubleday, Doran &
Co., Inc., New York, N. Y. 1939.

FRANKL, PAUL. _Space For Living._ Doubleday, Doran & Co., Inc., New
York, N. Y. 1938.

PATMORE, DEREK. _Color Schemes for the Modern Home._ Studio
Publications, London. 1936.

----. _Decoration for the Small Home._ G. P. Putnam's Sons, New
York, N. Y. 1938.

_Yearbook of Decorative Art._ Studio Publications. 1938.

Appendix C.--A SUGGESTED TEACHING OUTLINE FOR A GROUP LEADER

Unit IV contains much more material than can be discussed at one meeting. The group leader must be selective and decide which points are to be developed at the group meeting. Two programs are suggested.

FOR THE FIRST GROUP MEETING

1. _Opening remarks by the group leader_ (5 minutes):

_a._ No matter what kind of furniture we stock and sell, we first
must have a working knowledge of the historic styles.

_b._ This unit contains condensed information on period decoration.
You will not need to learn all these details thoroughly--at least
not at once. Take the unit home and read it carefully.

_c._ After this reading, think over your own stock and decide just
what parts of the description of period furniture will be most
useful to pick out and study in detail.

2. _"High-lighting" a furniture sales talk_ (35 minutes):

_a._ A series of talks made by various salesmen and limited to 5
minutes each. Have five or six articles, furniture and rugs,
grouped in front of the class and assign one piece to each man
after he gets on his feet. Stress the style appeal of the piece
under discussion.

_b._ Permit a minute or two for criticism after each talk and
criticize them solely as to their probable effect in influencing
a buyer.

3. _A Colonial bedroom_ (15 minutes):

Demonstration by Mr. Williams will cover all the elements of a good
selling talk--fitness, room arrangement, color appeal, beauty of
design, style (with emphasis upon sentimental appeal and present
vogue) and price. The demonstration should be criticized on the
basis of its smoothness and cumulative effect, or "build-up."

_Intermission_

4. _Is our merchandise properly styled for our own trade?_ (25 minutes):

Designed to put the buyer on the defensive, and to develop through
frank discussion any need for changes in the character of the
merchandise from the point of view of design and price only.
You are trying to build up a business-getting machine, with no
friction, dissatisfaction, or mental alibis. The idea that a
salesman can sell anything to anybody will have to be discarded.

5. _Promotion plans for this season's business_ (15 minutes):

By some owner or by the chairman; a brief, candid statement of
plans for buying display, advertising, and all forms of promotion
and sales effort. Good to insure enthusiastic teamwork and to
build up loyalty.

6. _Personal experiences_ (10 minutes):

The chairman will draw upon the selling experiences of individual
members of the group.

FOR A SECOND GROUP MEETING (IF DESIRED)

1. _Opening remarks by the group leader_ (5 minutes):

_a._ We can make the best start, with least likelihood of
resistance, by helping the customer to find articles that suit
her needs, tastes, and means, and add to the comfort, harmony,
and beauty of her home.

_b._ Style in furniture doesn't stop with the historic styles,
but it does start there, and if we are going to make profitable
use of style as a selling factor we must first know how our own
merchandise is styled.

2. _Styling our own stock_ (50 minutes):

_a._ Early European styles. Mr. Stark (15 minutes).

_b._ Eighteenth century European styles. Mr. Pearson (20 minutes).

_c._ American styles. Mr. Hahn (15 minutes).

Go in a body directly to the nearest piece to be shown, and move on
the minute that this piece has been adequately discussed. See to
it that the men give a brief, orderly statement on three points:
(1) The style with which they identify the piece; (2) reasons for
the classification; and (3) types of non-period pieces, rugs,
etc., in your own stock that could be used harmoniously with
it. Time should be allowed for criticism and comment, even if
very few pieces can be examined. If the group fails to arrive at
general agreement on any piece, request the men who are arguing
most keenly about it to consult other authorities and report at
the next meeting.

_Intermission_

3. _Selling furniture on style basis_ (30 minutes):

Demonstration by Messrs. Black and Herrick. In this demonstration,
let the men have 15 minutes free from interruption, with the time
limit announced in advance; stop them promptly when their time
has expired; and call for comment and criticism. These sales
rehearsals are of the utmost value if properly conducted. They
should never be permitted to lag or become involved in windy
discussion.

4. _How can we make use of unit III in closing any sales now pending? Open discussion_ (20 minutes):

A sale of importance often has to be as carefully prepared and
staged as a stage play. If the style appeal can be used to
advantage in sales hanging fire or in sight, use the brains of
the entire organization to find out how to do it.

As an alternative procedure to that suggested in 4 above, the following may be preferred by some group leaders:

Appoint three style leaders, or divide the entire force into three
style committees, to deal respectively with _(a)_ the early
European styles, from the Renaissance to William and Mary; _(b)_
the eighteenth century European styles; and _(c)_ the American
styles. These leaders or committees should be instructed to go
through the stock, assign as many pieces as possible to the
various historic periods, and be prepared to give the reasons for
these assignments to the whole group. In a large stock, limit the
assignment to living room furniture only.

5. _Assignment of practice work_ (5 minutes):

Typed forms prepared about as follows should be distributed at this
time:

Historic style_____________ Name of salesman________________________

Approximate dates of beginning and end______________________________

Reigning monarch____________________________________________________

Principal characteristics of the style______________________________
____________________________________________________________________

Details of construction, ornament, and decorative practice__________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

Other styles more or less closely related to this one_______________
____________________________________________________________________

Pieces in our own stock which can be assigned to this style. Give number,
article, and finish_________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

Criticism and comment by Mr. (Name of second salesman to be filled
in later)___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

Fill in one of these sheets with a different style for each salesman.
Choose only the styles important for your own business. Hand these
forms out with the request that they be filled in after careful study.

Appendix D.--THE LEADING FURNITURE WOODS

_Acacia._--Africa, Australia, and generally throughout the warmer
regions of the globe. The 550 species of acacia include several
valuable timber woods, among them the Australian blackwood and
acacia koa (see Koa) of the Sandwich Islands. Acacia was used as
a furniture wood in the Byzantine and Romanesque styles more than
1,200 years ago.

_Amaranth._--Chiefly from British Guiana, South America. Also
known as purpleheart tree and violet wood. It is of fair size;
wood heavy, hard, and of a deep purple color not fast to light;
used in marquetry embellishment of Louis XV furniture, and still
popular in fine furniture.

_Amboyna._--East Indies, Malay Archipelago. (Also spelled
Amboina, from the island of that name, Dutch East Indies.) This
beautifully figured and mottled wood has much the color of
satinwood. Amboyna burl, so-called, comes from the padouk tree.
(See Padouk.) It is a rich golden yellow, shot with brilliant
red, and is one of the most costly woods in the world.

_Apple._--The fruit wood, used in Elizabethan England and since, as
an inlay.

_Ash._--Europe, Asia, and North America. A large, widely
distributed group related to the olive family. There are 20
species in North America, ranging from desert shrubs to the
magnificent white ash of the lower Ohio valley. The wood is
markedly ring-porous, and when skillfully finished is very
handsome, either plain or quarter-sawed. Varieties commonly used
for veneer are figured trees of American white ash, English,
Australian, and Japanese ash, the latter known as "tamo." Color
ranges from grayish white to nut brown in tamo; a small fiddle or
peanut figure is characteristic.

_Aspen._--Chiefly from Maryland and the Appalachian Mountains.
(Also known as silver poplar.) Large trees, yielding some figured
logs having a characteristic small block mottle figure. The wood
is of light-straw color with some light-brown streaks, and takes
a beautiful finish.

_Avodire._--West coast of Africa, near the equator. A creamy
colored wood, yielding a handsome figure in crotch or
quarter-sliced veneers.

_Ayous._--West coast of Africa. Cream-colored wood of a slight
greenish tinge; resembles prima vera in appearance, and because
of its low cost is sometimes used as a substitute for blond woods.

_Basswood._--North America. (Also known as linden and whitewood.)
This tree, which belongs to the lime family, has a wood of
cream-white color, almost free from visible markings due to
pores, annual rings, or rays. In furniture manufacture it is used
for plywood cores and kitchen table tops to be left unfinished.

_Beech._--Europe, Asia Minor, and eastern North America. Of
the same genus as the oak and the chestnut, this tree yields
furniture wood of light reddish-brown color. It has about the
same weight and hardness as sugar maple.

_Birch._--North America, Europe, Asia Minor, and northern Siberia.
A hardy, beautiful tree, yielding a hard and handsome wood,
whether in plain or quarter-sawed surfaces, or in the form of
veneers. The wood is of close texture; often has a wavy grain,
producing what is known as curly birch, noted for wavy figure of
changing high lights and shadows.

_Bosse._--Africa, French Ivory Coast. This large tree, closely
resembling the cedar, has a wood light red or pink in color,
which takes an excellent finish. It is used in America only as a
veneer.

_Boxwood._--Europe, North America, and the West Indies. An
extremely heavy, tough, close-grained wood, white or pale
yellow in color, used in making musical instruments and also in
furniture inlay.

_Bubinga._--West coast of Africa. Closely related to the rosewood,
and its equal in weight, hardness, and capacity to take a high
polish. The wood is slightly darker than mahogany. The veneer is
usually striped, but sometimes figured, with a gorgeous black
mottle. (See Kewazingo.)

_Butternut._--North Central United States. (Also known as white
walnut.) This relatively small tree has a short trunk which makes
it difficult to get veneer logs of good length and free from
knots.

_Cedar._--Asia, Africa, and North America. The cedar of Lebanon has
been a favorite with poets and painters for thousands of years.
Other famous members of this family are the deodar or "god tree"
of the Himalayas, and the thuya. Among the American varieties are
the incense or white cedar, the Port Oxford or Oregon cedar, and
the red or American cedar. Cedar was used as a furniture wood in
ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Persia almost 4,000 years ago.

_Cherry._--Europe and North America. This fruit wood is now rare
and little used in furniture making but it is highly valued by
cabinet makers by reason of its handsome fine-grained texture,
its freedom from warping, and its capacity to take a high polish.