Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/821

 BEAU IDEAL OF AN ENGLISH VILLA. 797 do not know what to choose for the drawing-room ; suppose, at a venture, we fix upon blue satin ; I mean a pale blue, which is a good candlelight colour, and is a sort of medium between dark and light. The next difficulty is, what should be the colour of the walls : perhaps buff would do ; and, as we cannot discuss the point, I will suppose the walls hung with silk of a buff colour, watered, or having satin and watered stripes alternately. Or, the walls might be formed into panels ; the framework painted a very pale blue ; the panels, which should be large, filled up with silk having a gilt moulding round it. If silk were merely hung upon the walls, of course it must be surroimded by a gilt moulding. Where silk or velvet is used for the furniture of a room, a papered wall has generally a poor effect ; except, perhaps, a plain flock paper, which has the appearance of cloth, or a paper printed in imitation of striped or watered silk : but I shoidd prefer a hand- somely painted wall to paper, if silk curtains were to be used. In the drawing-room I would hang some of the finest pictures that were not of a large size. A small Claude, a curious portrait or historical subject, or rare cabinet picture ; indeed, any beautiful picture of moderate dimensions, would here be in its proper place, pro%'ided the subject were pleasing. A few busts, or ciu-ious small sculptures, might also be introduced. I would have the fringe of the curtains blue ; the draperies simple, and in large folds ; the cornices massive and gilded. There should also be inner curtains of figured muslin, edged with blue silk ball fringe. In the pier between the windows should be a large looking-glass filling up the whole. Below it, a marble slab, say of Florentine mosaic, and in the gilt stand supporting it a bookcase, filled with handsome books of an amusing kind, such as the best poets and novelists, &c., and curiously embellished works. On the slab might be china vases filled with flowers. On each side of the entrance- door might be a rich iidaid cabinet, on a car^-ed and gilt frame ; under it some large jars of china ; and some curious specimens of old china, arranged on a rising frame, on the top. I woidd have an Axminster carpet and rug, of colours suited to the furniture. The frames of the chairs and sofas might be buff or cream colour and gold. The seats covered with blue satin, edged with buff-coloured g}Tnp (a kind of laced bordering, made of cord). The frames of some of the chairs should be caned and rather massive, and the chairs themselves should be of various kinds ; such as large reposing-chairs, others with and without arms, some of a lighter kind with gilded cane seats, and others which unite into a kind of sofa against the wall. These latter might fill up the space in that end of the room which is not occupied by the bay window. There should be two sofas placed not against the wall ; they usually stand on each side of the fire- place. At the end of the room, near the bow, might be a modern kind of seat, like two sofas placed back to back : persons sitting on one of the seats would look through the bay window upon the park, and before the other seat might be a sofa table, on which should be placed a handsome silver ink and taper stand, writing-cases, books of prints and drawings, and bijouterie of the better kinds : settees, and perhaps a table, would fill up the bay window. A large round table is usually placed in the middle of the drawing- room, on which are generally books of prints and other things to amuse the company ; a china plate, made into a sort of basket, to hold visiting cards and all sorts of things ; and a variety of odd matters which I cannot enumerate. Two card tables would stand one on each side the fireplace : and, besides all these, we must have tables of various sizes, some small ones on pillars ; a chess table, with an inlaid marble top, the men placed upon it ; a large china dish set in a gUt sort of tripod ; a sort of table flower-stands ; and I cannot tell what besides. INIost of the tables must also have something upon them, to make them appear of use. There might be candelabra neai' the fireplace, or in the corners at the lower end of the room, supporting lamps. There should be screens of various kinds placed near the fire ; one I would have, like the large old screens, of embroidered silk, in a carved gilt frame ; and various sorts of footstools, chiefly with carved gilt frames. Writing, work, and drawing boxes of handsome kinds, and every thing amusing, curious, or ornamental, is in its place in the drawing-room ; but the host of trumpery toys so often seen there would be unworthy of a place in a room like this. The arrangement of the multitudinous furniture and ornaments must be left to the taste of the lady of the house ; none but a lady can do it. The chief thing to be avoided, in the disposition of the articles, is a vidgar crowded effect ; every thing should seem to contribute to comfort or amusement, and there should be nothing superfluous. I had nearly forgotten an important feature in the room, viz. the grate, which should be large and low, of polished steel, with handsome back plate, showing itself above the fire. If the fire is of wood, as is sometimes the case, the dogs should be very handsome, and the back plate particularly so. The fender and fire irons might be plated. The lamps suspended from the ceiling might be also plated, or of the handsome gilt brasswork now in fashion ; and I would light the room entirely with wax, to the exclusion of oil, which always produces both smoke and an unpleasant smell. 1685. The Library. Having now, I hope, made my escape from the drawing-room,