base
board and moldings to correspond, may be substituted; when India
mattings and rugs may be used.

The colors now in vogue for hall carpets are crimson or Pompeiian
reds, with small figures of moss-green or peacock-blue. The prevailing
shades of the walls and floor should be incorporated in the stair
carpet.

If the hall is narrow, none but the most essential pieces of furniture
should be used; but if wide enough, there may be a lounge placed
against one of the walls, an old-fashioned clock of the cuckoo style
set in a quiet corner, two high-backed chairs upholstered in leather,
a table, an umbrella-stand placed near the door, a jardiniere filled
with tropical plants set near the foot of the stairway, and a hall
mirror with a deer's head and antlers placed above it and a wooden or
marble slab underneath. The slab should be covered with a Roman scarf,
allowing a fall of twelve inches at each end. The hatrack must also
find a place. Family portraits or a few well-selected pictures are
appropriate for these walls.

If the door-lights are not stained glass, lace shades in designs of
birds, cupids, and garlands of flowers are used; also, etchings in
various colors and designs are worked on different fabrics. Crimson
silk shades lined with black netting are very desirable, as the light
penetrating through them fills the hall with a rich, subdued glow.

THE PARLOR.

The furnishing of the parlor should be subject to its architectural
finish. The first things to be considered are the walls and floor. The
former may be decorated in fresco or papered, according to individual
taste and means. The prettiest styles of parlor paper are light tints
of gray, olive, pearl, and lavender grounds, and in small scroll
patterns, panels, birds, and vines, finished in heavy gold traceries,
with dado and frieze to correspond.

The styles of carpet mostly used are Brussels, Wilton, tapestry, and
Axminster. A tapestry carpet in light canary ground, with clusters of
lotus, or begonia leaves, makes a charming background to almost all
the colors generally used in upholstery.

In selecting the furniture, the first thought should be given to its
true worth. Chairs and couches should be chosen for comfort rather
than for style. They should be of solid make, easy, graceful, and of
good, serviceable colors and materials. The most serviceable woods to
select in frames are ebony, oak, walnut, cherry, and mahogany.