Taste And Want Of Taste In Decoration.

the air , while a winter room should be open to the sun . Verandahs should be used only in the summer months , and removed on the near approach of winter . AVe are in favour of balconies , especially when graced by a few flowering or creeping plants , ancl ivould suggest , that in small houses , instead of the common sill to windows , a stone shelf should project about a foot ; with light ironwork round it . This would enable all who had a taste for

flowers to place their pots without endangering the heads of those ¦ below . AA ' e are no friends to creepers against brickwork , knowing their destructive powers ; yet , we confess that Albert and Victoria villas become almost pleasing when covered by verdure . AVho 'does not recollec tthe old ivy house in the Upper-street , Islington' ? The destruction of that house did more to bring Islington into London , than all the plastered houses built before its demolition .

On entering our churches and cemeteries , especially in and around the metropolis , the cultured eye is at once struck with the crude and inharmonious black and grey marble backgrounds , against generally white walls , of the various mural monuments which disfigure , in too many instances , rather than adorn our houses of prayer , increased by the deplorable neglect , after once fixingthat these matters experiencethe fee being onlfor the

, , y permission to fix , and does not , as it ought , include the proper care and cleansing afterwards . Among the various reasons for these strong , or cold and inharmonious contrasts being so generally used , is no doubt the association these have with mourning , ¦ their being most easily obtainable in marbles , and that such works have been too much practised as a mere trade , or directed or dictated b y tasteless committees or individuals . In tlie time of black

patches , such contrasts might have been admired , but new that ¦ taste iu art is advancing , these are not only eyesores , but loudly « ry for remedy ; and ire are called upon , without violating the rules of mourning , to produce unobjectionable contrasts and iniiarnionious blendings . To effect this , we must first consider that our statuary marble is of a cold tone ( not like thc fair one ' s cheek that received the black patches ) , and can only be successfully relieved h

y bring a warm colour to its aid , which exists not in the black or cold grey marble . No one can but acknowledge the beauty and brilliancy of marbles or plaster casts against a red ipaporcd . wall , ancl reel baise is commonly used , when such works arc exhibiting . Again , how enhanced is a- statue relieved by a sunny painting , and not more so than the painting , if good , and not too near the statue . A few carefully arranged marbles ancl casts in the picture rooms of the Royal Academy , to rest the eye upon , would relieve many a sickened brain and confused mind

Irom . tbe glare of colour that meets , without relief ; . at every point , the wearied spectator . Nature gives us the lesson- . and of her wc learn that cold colour should ever be relieved by IV . WM ., and warm colours by cool tints . In monumental works , therefore , if a background be required ( for where there is a warm stone ground it is not ) ,, and a warm medium cannot be got in marble , we wfculd recommend the use of fresco or encaustic , or other endurable . material ivhich

, by appliances a vast field is opened to the i . 'ian of-tastc unci discernment . For with these , without violating , as we have before said , thc rules of mourning , warm greys of eveivy variety ol tint mi ght be substituted . for the one miserable , cold .- dove colour and in some instances more positive tints might misplace the melanchol y black . And not only would the artist ' s work be rendered infinitelmore leasing bthis substitutebut the

y p y ; church would at the same time receive an equal benefit . The monumental tablets are altogether incorrect , of whatever order , with thc sacred walls , we believe ; but being introduced , our aim is [ to render them Christian in character , reposeful , cheerful , ancl tiarmonious . Those who merely know our churches as they are , With their cold washed walls , the colcier marbles and their colder grounds , will wonder at these bold . suggestions ; but those who know aud find bdail

y y experience die great care taken by our ancestors , and the chaste and elegant decorations they introduced into these same whitewashed buildings , as the first fruits of art and labour offered to the great Being whose houses they are , wi !? , we arc sure , excuse our earnestness for wishing to substitute taste-Ud art for tasteless statuary . / The improvement which ' has taken place iu interior decorations , within a comparativelrecent view with much

y period , we satisfaction . The general arrangement of the principal room at Simpson s Divan , opposite Exeter Hall , Strand , shows considerable talent m invention , together with great bcaiitv of effect , The ceiling- is intersected by five beams , three grouped together , across the middle ; these beams arc somewhat u .-isatisfaetarvhi appearance , as some are supported over voids , which , . Kiwevcr , we J ' ™ without knowing what may be their structural office . Xiic soffits are painted with guilbclic ornaments , and the coves > jy which the beams are united Vj the ceiling- , have thc

honeysuckle ornament , red colour being employed with good effect . The spaces of the ceiling are painted ivith ornaments of rather a poor character in regard to design ancl drawing , ancl relieved by shading . This ornament is arranged in geometrical compartments , similar in design in each division of the ceiling , ivhich gives some of them rather a cramped appearance , from the widths of each division not being the same . There is also a greater mixture of style in the ornament than would have been desirable ; but this is a common error . The dark colour introduced hi some of the

circular ornaments seems to us to be too dark , giving rather a patchy appearance . The walls are divided by pilasters and are panelled in light green colour , with a pattern of lighter tint , the whole painted in imitation of morocco leather . In the centre of these panels arc bas-reliefs , much resembling in design and material those in the Lyceum Theatre . These subjects are in ornamental gilt frames , oblong and circular , and are relieved by pink

grounds . The panels are defined by gilt mouldings . The pilaster panels are painted with a pattern in brick red colour , to which some of our remarks on the ceiling would apply . The general tone of colour is light , of a warm buff hue , relieved by red colour aud by ornaments in various tints . The furniture is of a novel character . Long pier glasses and console tables are placed between the windowsthe general lihtingindependently of chandeliers

, g , , is by sconces of two lights , each supported by a figure ranged along the walls . There is a fire place at each end of the room ; the chimueypieces are black , with imitation of inlaid ornament . Beneath the sconces are seen serpents twisting from the wall ; these , the use of which we should have long been in doubt about , the visitors have turned into hat pegs . AVe take this opportunity of urging that in every design the purpose should be apparent ,

and that the design should be subservient to that purpose ; but thc true principle , in several extensively circulated designs , seems to be wholly unconsidered . In the present case , the thing wanted was , simply ancl perspicuously , a hat peg , not something which might he turned to that office . AVe must not omit to notice the design of the street lamps in front of the building . They are improvements upon the tasteless forms which are seen elsewhere ,

reminding us how wasteful we arc of opportunities of contributing to thc pleasure which is derived from looking at beautiful works . A club intending to spend only a limited sum of money on the repainting and embellishing of its room , woidd do well to imitate the style of decoration adopted in thc drawing room , and two libraries of the Oriental Club , in which , by simple means , and without the aid of superior artistic talent in the execution , considerable effect has been produced ; moreover , it is one very

suitable for public buildings , ancl more particularly so in this instance , the architecture being hi style G-reekish , if not Greek . That is , thc ornament is all painted perfectly fiat ancl mosaic like . Thc effect produced solely relying on the merits of the general design , ancl on the arrangement of colour , the execution requires no more than great nicety in the workmen . The general design and the ornamental details , arc of a strictly architectural nature , ht and shade introducedis in two

and the only painting in lig , figures , Europe and Asia , in the niches of the drawing room . Strong colours were chosen for the walls , in order to add to the rooms a degree of comfort and richness which lighter colours could not have produced , and ivhich was the more desirable , as ¦ curt &____ 3 to the windows are entirely dispensed with . The general tone of thc drawing room is red , and that of the libraries grc . cn . ilt

Some full length portraits , formerly in large and clumsy g frames , projecting nearly a foot , bave been fixed to the walls , and enclosed with suitable gold panel mouldings , so that they now form , as it were , a part of the room , ancl do not obtrude by any ¦ overpowering quantity of gold . The door and window architraves , assise the dados , are painted in imitation of marbles ( ancl exceedingly well done ) , and the doors and shutters in imitation of in the various

ivaa & , suiting the arrangement of colour rooms . The result of the whole is very satisfactory . The Lyceum Theatre exhibits a refined class of artistic results very superior to those of any other theatre in this country ; and they ivillanost probably exercise an important influence in fosterling a demand for that highest range in ornamental art ivhich consists ' ln .-representing animated nature in relievo . The embclthc atelier of the artistmodeller

- hskments arc chiefly from , , or souiptor , and with the exception of the fronts to the uppermost tier « f boxes ,,-pictorial art is only sparingly applied . Nevcrthcles . I , fchia exposes _ x remarkable contrast between thc energy of the rest -, cctive cfibrts . vi' chisel and pencil , when directed to the pnr * pose « sf . embc ! lishmg . f » acioiis places . The group of well-modelled , bov fi . 2 fsa . es , being placed amidst clustering foliage and branches whic li " stretch forth , to support the two rows of chandeliers ranged aroiu id ike theatre , have . it ygirposo und business -like air . Figure .