s are Light

never has a clean, bright effect, from the want of dark tints to
contrast and set off the light ones.

299. For a Similar Reason,

carpets whose colours are all of what artists call middle tint
(neither dark nor light), cannot fail to look dull and dingy, even
when quite new.

300. For a Carpet to be really Beautiful

and in good taste, there should be, as in a picture, a judicious
disposal of light and shadow, with a gradation of very bright and of
very dark tints; some almost white, and others almost or quite black.

301. The Best Carpets

The most truly chaste, rich, and elegant carpets are those which are
of one colour only, the pattern, if pattern it may be called, being
formed by a judicious arrangement of every variety of shade of this
colour. For instance, a Brussels carpet entirely red; the pattern
formed by shades or tints varying from the deepest crimson (almost a
black), to the palest pink (almost a white). Also one of green only,
shaded from the darkest bottle-green, in some parts of the pattern, to
the lightest pea-green in others. Or one in which there is no colour
but brown, in all its various gradations, some of the shades being
nearly black, others of a light buff.

302. The Curtains, Sofas, &c.,

must be of corresponding colours, that the effect of the whole may be
satisfactory to the eye.

303. Colours of Carpets.

Carpets of many gaudy colours are much less in demand than formerly.
Two or three colours only, with the dark and light shades of each,
make a very handsome carpet.

304. Hearth-Rug.

If you cannot obtain a Hearth-rug that exactly corresponds with the
carpet, get one entirely different; for a decided contrast looks
better than a bad match. The hearth-rug, however, should reflect the
colour or colours of the carpet if possible.

305. Sheepskin Rugs.

Large rugs of sheepskin, in white, crimson, or black, form comfortable
and effective hearth-rugs for a drawing-room or dining-room. In the
winter these may be removed and an ordinary woollen rug laid down as
long as fires are kept up.

[A BAD BROOM LEAVES A DIRTY ROOM.]

306. Wallpaper.

In choosing paper for a room, avoid that which has a variety of
colours, or a large showy figure, as no furniture can appear to
advantage with such. Large figured papering makes a small room look
small