ce and the fixtures themselves are of secondary interest in most
cases. The unused outlets that have been installed for possible future
needs may be sealed in plastering if the positions are marked so that
they may be found when desired.

An advantage of portable lamps is that they may be taken away on moving.
In fact, when lighting is eventually considered a powerful decorative
medium, as it should be, it is probable that fixtures will be personal
property attached to ceiling, wall, and floor outlets by means of plugs.

A variety of incandescent lamps are available. For the home, opal,
frosted, or bowl-frosted lamps are usually more satisfactory than clear
lamps. Bare filaments should not be visible, for they not only cause
discomfort and eye-strain but they spoil what might otherwise be an
artistic effect. Lamps with diffusing bulbs do much toward eliminating
harsh shadows cast by the edges of the shades, by the chains of the
fixtures, etc. These lamps are available in many shapes and sizes and
the householder should make a record of voltage, wattage, and shape of
the lamps which he finds satisfactory in the various fixtures. The Mazda
daylight lamp has several places in the home and the Mazda white-glass
and other high-efficiency lamps supply many needs better than the vacuum
lamps. In brackets and other purely decorative lighting-units small
frosted lamps are usually the most satisfactory. There is a general
desire for the warm yellowish light of the candle-flame, and this may be
obtained by a tinted shade but usually more satisfactorily by means of a
tinted lamp.

The householder will find it interesting to become intimate with
lighting, for it can serve him well. The housewife will often find much
interest in making shades of textiles and of parchment. Charming
glassware in appropriate tints and painted designs is available for all
rooms. In the bedchamber and the nursery some of these painted designs
are exceedingly effective. Fixtures should shield the lamps from the
eyes, and the diffusing media whether glass or textile should be dense
enough to prevent glare. No fixture can be beautiful and no lighting
effect can be artistic if glare is present. If the architect and the
householder will realize that light is a medium comparable with the
decorator's media, better lighting will result. Light has the great
advantage of being mobile and with adequate outlets and controls
supplemented by fixtures from which diffe