The family dining room is one which should receive especial atten-
tion. The first impression which it should make on the beholder, and
the constant one upon its occupants, should be that of solid comfort.
If it is possible to have but one handsome room in the house, let all the
others be comfortable ones, but the dining room, luxurious, if possible.
Let it not be fussy, airy or light ; everything must be dark, solid and
substantial. The colors must be those deep, rich ones that hold their
own — the rich crimsons, the dark blues, the dull Pompeiian reds and
olives, or any of the kindred tints that do not look faded or suggest
economy.
As for the walls of the dining room, the rich, warm colors are the
best, and under no circumstances, are light papers desirable. Solid
colors are but little used, but instead are copies of old tapestries, Flem-
ish, and many other fabries, of which the dominant shades are moss-
green, bronze, olive, etc. These are neither light, nor very dark ; they
do not absorb the light, and form a good background for pictures,
while, at the same time, they are dark enough in tone, to prevent any-
thing like a violent and crude contrast with the dark wood work and
furniture.
If one may have gilding in the paper anywhere, it is in the dining
room, and that is the sole place where it can be used to much purpose,
for it adds to the desired idea of richness there. Everywhere else
166 HOUSE FURNISHING.
gilding is only to be used to enhance the effect of beauty, to throw
up lights, to point out contrasts. Gilding is especially desirable if the
room be on the dark side of the house, for it supplies a light of its own,
independent of the sunlight, and a gilded background is frequently not
amiss in setting off such pictures as one may put upon dining room
walls.
The next item of importance is the floor ; here may be placed the
rug, with its border of bare floor or parquetry, or the entire floor laid
in choice, geometric designs of colored woods .is equally suitable ; or
if laid in alternate strips of oak and walnut, or cherry and southern
pine, it is but little more expensive than common pine. Over any of
these floors in winter the drugget is to be laid, and dispensed with in
summer or not, according to taste. If, however, an entire carpet is
preferred, remember that green, drab and red are the least desirable
colors. For this room should be chosen carpets combining the colors
of the wall paper in the dark, rich shades belonging to Turkish and
Persian designs.
Whatever the carpet is, the curtains should carry up this idea, and
they need to fall in heavy folds, affording a rather subdued light. If
hung on rods, they may be pushed back to let in all the morning sun-
light, which gives so much brightness to the breakfast room ; at noon
they can be arranged to keep out the garish light of noonday, and at
night let fall, to shut out the darkness and gloom without.
The furniture of dining rooms is almost universally made of dark
wood ; the only exception is oak, and this is now generally darkened to
a richer tint than that of the new wood.
Page 147
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The family dining room is one which should receive especial attention. The first impression which it should make on the beholder, and the constant one upon its occupants, should be that of solid comfort. If it is possible to have but one handsome room in the house, let all the others be comfortable ones, but the dining room, luxurious, if possible. Let it not be fussy, airy or light ; everything must be dark, solid and substantial. The colors must be those deep, rich ones that hold their own — the rich crimsons, the dark blues, the dull Pompeiian reds and olives, or any of the kindred tints that do not look faded or suggest economy.
As for the walls of the dining room, the rich, warm colors are the best, and under no circumstances, are light papers desirable. Solid colors are but little used, but instead are copies of old tapestries, Flemish, and many other fabries, of which the dominant shades are mossgreen, bronze, olive, etc. These are neither light, nor very dark ; they do not absorb the light, and form a good background for pictures, while, at the same time, they are dark enough in tone, to prevent anything like a violent and crude contrast with the dark wood work and furniture.
If one may have gilding in the paper anywhere, it is in the dining room, and that is the sole place where it can be used to much purpose, for it adds to the desired idea of richness there. Everywhere else
gilding is only to be used to enhance the effect of beauty, to throw up lights, to point out contrasts. Gilding is especially desirable if the room be on the dark side of the house, for it supplies a light of its own, independent of the sunlight, and a gilded background is frequently not amiss in setting off such pictures as one may put upon dining room walls.
The next item of importance is the floor ; here may be placed the rug, with its border of bare floor or parquetry, or the entire floor laid in choice, geometric designs of colored woods is equally suitable ; or if laid in alternate strips of oak and walnut, or cherry and southern pine, it is but little more expensive than common pine. Over any of these floors in winter the drugget is to be laid, and dispensed with in summer or not, according to taste. If, however, an entire carpet is preferred, remember that green, drab and red are the least desirable colors. For this room should be chosen carpets combining the colors of the wall paper in the dark, rich shades belonging to Turkish and Persian designs.
Whatever the carpet is, the curtains should carry up this idea, and they need to fall in heavy folds, affording a rather subdued light. If hung on rods, they may be pushed back to let in all the morning sunlight, which gives so much brightness to the breakfast room ; at noon they can be arranged to keep out the garish light of noonday, and at night let fall, to shut out the darkness and gloom without.
The furniture of dining rooms is almost universally made of dark wood ; the only exception is oak, and this is now generally darkened to a richer tint than that of the new wood.