Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/332

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��Fifth Avenue Hotel.

��general st3'le of decoration is Louis XIII, or of the last epoch of the French renaissance. The ground is divided into tiles of a fine relief draw- ing The colors are of a gray lavender, brought out with old gold and silver. Skirting this tiling is a large frieze of characteristic design, which frames tlie ground. The frieze is treated in four shades of bronzed metal and copper. Mouldings and consols fin- ish the ceiling, and are treated in the same general style. The frieze is grand and imposing, and is a very effective design. The colors, which are in imitation of metal, are on an azurine blue ground, and make a strong and very rich contrast with the real bronze of the ceiling. The transparency of the colors on this border has a pleasing effect, and re- minds one of those grand vestibules of the old European palaces. The columns are decorated in the seven- teenth centur}^ style, and are in Dam- asquiner work, which gives them the strong Middle Age character, adding to the imposing general ensemble, and making the decorations severe and grand. The wood-work throughout is of San Domingo mahogany. The flooring is white Italian veined mar- ble, with colored border. The wain- scoting, base, and caps are Italian bardiglio, the mouldings of yellow si- enna, the panels American bardiglio, and the staircase, steps, and risers are of Italian white veined marble.

"The reading-room decoration is in Italian renaissance. All of the trim- mings and wainscoting are of blue Fleure marble. The doors are of San Domingo mahogany. All of the work is treated severely, and is very appropriate for a reading-room.

��" The bar-room ceiling, like the main hall, is in carton pierre^ deco- rated in the Elizabethan style. The frieze is in detached shell relief work, and the walls are treated in gilt, with a hammered gold effect. The idea of the artist was to produce some- thing new and not heretofore intro- duced, and one is very favorably im- pressed with its origiuality, line colors, and good taste. The effect is new, and is much praised. The marbles introduced in this superb room are as follows • Architraves to doors, and the window and mirror frames, are ophite green ; the counter and pedestals under columns are Alps green and French griotte ; the wainscoting, panels, base, and caps are ophite green ; and the mouldings are Italian Verona red. The wood- work is San Domingo mahogany, of a wonderfully fine grain and fibre.

" On the main hall, or easily ac- cessible to it, are the official depart- ments of the hotel, which are so fa- mous for their completeness. They include, besides the general office, the postal office, the telegraph and railway ticket offices, the newspaper, book stand, and theatre ticket office, stock and exchange telegraph, car- riage and package offices, coat-room, billiard-room, barber-shop, and va- rious committee-rooms. The pas- senger elevator is also entered from the main hall, and is a model of com- fort and safety.

"• One flight from the main floor we reach the grand hall, from which open the drawing-rooms, dining- rooms, waiting-rooms, and corridors of the first floor. The decoration is rich and elegant in character, re- lieved by carpetings and hangings of

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