A thing always to be avoided is monotony in colour. Who can not recall
barren rooms, without a spark of attraction despite priceless
treasures, dispersed in a meaningless way? That sort of setting puts a
blight on any gathering. "Well," you will ask, "given the task of
converting such a sterile stretch of monotony into a blooming joy, how
should one begin?" It is quite simple. Picture to yourself how the
room would look if you scattered flowers about it, roses, tulips,
mignonette, flowers of yellow and blue, in the pell-mell confusion of
a blooming garden. Now imitate the flower colours by _objets d'art_ so
judiciously placed that in a trice you will admire what you once found
cold. As if by magic, a white, cream, beige or grey room may be
transformed into a smiling bower, teeming with personality, a room
where wit and wisdom are spontaneously let loose.

If your taste be for chintzes and figured silks, take it as a safe
rule, that given a material with a light background, it should be the
same in tone as your walls; the idea being that by this method you get
the full decorative value of the pattern on chintz or silk.

Figured materials can increase or diminish the size of a room, open up
vistas, push back your walls, or block the vision. For this reason it
is unsafe to buy material before trying the effect of it in its
destined abode.

Remember that the matter of _background_ is of the greatest importance
when arranging your furniture and ornaments. See that your piano is so
placed that the pianist has an unbroken background, of wall, tapestry,
a large piece of rare old sills, or a mirror. Clyde Fitch, past-master
at interior decoration, placed his piano in front of broad windows,