pings, balustrades and vases of glass, all abloom with exquisite
posies in every conceivable shade, wrought of glass--a veritable dream
thing! Finally, nothing would do but we must know if it had ever been
copied. The curator said that he believed it had, and an address was
given us. How it all comes back! We arose at dawn, as time was
precious, took our coffee in haste and then came that gliding trip in
the gondola, through countless canals, to a quarter quite unknown to
us, where at work in a small room, we came upon our glass blower and
the coveted copy of that lovely table-garden. This man had made four,
and one was still in his possession. We brought it back to America, a
gleaming jewelled cobweb, and what happened was that the very ethereal
quality of its beauty made the average taste ignore it! However, a few
years have made a vast difference in table, as well as all other
decorations, and to-day the same Venetian gardens have their faithful
devotees, as is proved by the continuous procession of the dainty
wonders, ever moving toward our sturdy shores.

IN CONCLUSION

In bringing our book to an end we would reiterate four fundamental
principles of Interior Decoration (and all decoration):

Good lines.

Correct proportions.

Harmonious colour scheme (which includes the question of background)
and

Appropriateness.

Observe these four laws and any house, all interior decoration, and
any lawn or garden, will be beautiful and satisfying, regardless of
type and choice of colours.

Whether or not you remain content with your achievement depends upon
your mental makeup. Really know what you want as a home, _want it_,
and you can work out any scheme, provided you have intelligence,
patience and perseverance.

To learn what is meant by _good line_, one must educate oneself by
making a point of seeing beautiful furniture and furnishings. Visit
museums, all collections which boast the stamp of approval of experts;
buy at the best modern and antique shops, and compare what you get
with the finest examples in the museums. This is the way that
_connaisseurs_ are made.

INDEX

Acanthus leaf
Accessories
Adam, James and Robert
Alhambra
Amateur
Andirons
Angelo, Michael (See Michelangelo)
Antique
"Antiqued"
Apelles
Applique
Appropriate
Arabesques
Architectural picture
Architrave
Arras
Assyria
Athenian
Attic rooms
Awnings

Background
Bakst
Balance
Barrocco
Bathroom
Beauvais
Behnes