nes, but never of _music_.

When you are furnishing your music-room or drawing-room, be careful
always of your colors. Remember that not only must the room be beautiful
in its broad spaces and long lines and soft colors, but it must be a
background for the gala gowns of women. I once saw a music-room that was
deliberately planned as a background to the gay colors of women's gowns
and the heavy black masses of men's evening clothes, a soft shimmering
green and cream room that was incomplete and cold when empty of the
color of costume. Such a room must have an architectural flavor. The
keynote must be elegant simplicity and aristocratic reserve. Walls
broken into panels, and panels in turn broken by lighting-fixtures, a
polished floor, a well-considered ceiling, any number of chairs, and the
room is furnished. This room, indeed, may evolve into a _salon_.

XI

THE LIVING-ROOM

The living-room! Shut your eyes a minute and think what that means: A
room to _live_ in, suited to all human needs; to be sick or sorry or
glad in, as the day's happenings may be; where one may come back from
far-reaching ways, for "East or West, Hame's best."

Listen a minute while I tell you how I see such a room: Big and restful,
making for comfort first and always; a little shabby here and there,
perhaps, but all the more satisfactory for that--like an old shoe that
goes on easily. Lots of light by night, and not too much drapery to shut
out the sunlight by day. Big, welcoming chairs, rather sprawly, and long
sofas. A big fire blazing on the open hearth. Perhaps, if we are very
lucky we may have some old logs from long since foundered ships, that
will flame blue and rose and green. He must indeed be of a poor spirit
who cannot call all sorts of visions from such a flame!

[Illustration: THE LIVING-ROOM IN THE C.W. HARKNESS HOUSE AT MORRISTOWN,
NEW JERSEY]

There should be a certain amount of order, because you cannot really
rest in a disorderly place, but there should be none of the formality of
the drawing-room. Formality should be used as a sort of foundation on
which the pleasant workaday business of the living-room is planned.
The living-room should always have a flavor of the main hobby of the
family, whether it be books, or music, or sport, or what not. If you
live in the real country there should be nothing in the room too good
for all moods and all weather--no need to think of muddy boots or wet
riding-clothes or the dogs