ng, and were used wherever possible. The brocades
used for furniture coverings were lovely in color and design. Garlands,
flowers, lace and ribbon effects, baskets of flowers, shells, curled
endive, feathers, scrolls, all were used, as well as pastoral scenes by
Boucher and Watteau for tapestry and paintings. Comfort had made a long
step forward.

The period of Louis XVI was much more beautiful in style than the
preceding one, as it was more restrained and exquisite because of the
use of the straight line or a gracious, simple curve. This comparative
simplicity does not come from lack of true feeling for beauty but rather
because of it. The sense of proper proportion was shown in both the
furniture and the room decoration. The backs of chairs and settees were
round or rectangular, and the legs were square, round, or fluted, and
were tapering in all cases. The fluting was sometimes filled with metal
husks at top and bottom, leaving a plain stretch between. Walnut and
mahogany were much used and were beautifully polished, but had no vulgar
and hard varnished glare. There was wonderful inlay and veneer, and much
of the furniture was enamelled in soft colors and picked out with gold
or some harmonizing color. Gilding was also used for the entire frame.
The metal mounts were very fine. Brocades of lovely color and designs of
flowers, bowknots, wreaths, festoons, lace, feathers, etc.; chintz, the
lovely "_toil de Jouy_," which is so well copied nowadays; soft toned
taffeta, Gobelin and Beauvais and Aubusson tapestries, were all used for
hanging and furniture coverings. Cane also became much more popular.
Walls were paneled with moldings, and fluted pilasters divided too large
spaces into good proportions. Tapestry and paintings were paneled on the
walls, and the colors chosen for the backgrounds were light and soft.

The charm and beauty of this style as well as its dignity make it one
which may be used in almost any modern house, as it ranges from
simplicity to a beautiful restrained elaborateness suitable to the
formal rooms.

[Illustration: The modern style of mirror is brought into harmony with
the eighteenth century dressing-table by means of carving.]

[Illustration: This William and Mary settee would be delightful in a
country house. There are chairs to match it.]

The change from Louis XVI to the Empire was a violent one both
politically and artistically. The influence of the great days of the
Roman empire and th