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Transcriber's Note:

  Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have
  been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

  Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.




THE DECORATION OF HOUSES




     Charles Scribner's
     Sons
     New York
     1914

     The
     Decoration of
     Houses

     By

     Edith Wharton
     and
     Ogden Codman Jr.




Copyright, 1897, by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS




"_Une forme doit etre belle en elle-meme et on ne doit jamais compter
sur le decor applique pour en sauver les imperfections._"

     HENRI MAYEUX: _La Composition Decorative_.




TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                              PAGE
          INTRODUCTION                                         xix

     I    THE HISTORICAL TRADITION                               1

     II   ROOMS IN GENERAL                                      17

     III  WALLS                                                 31

     IV   DOORS                                                 48

     V    WINDOWS                                               64

     VI   FIREPLACES                                            74

     VII  CEILINGS AND FLOORS                                   89

     VIII ENTRANCE AND VESTIBULE                               103

     IX   HALL AND STAIRS                                      106

     X    THE DRAWING-ROOM, BOUDOIR, AND MORNING-ROOM          122

     XI   GALA ROOMS: BALL-ROOM, SALOON, MUSIC-ROOM, GALLERY   134

     XII  THE LIBRARY, SMOKING-ROOM, AND "DEN"                 145

     XIII THE DINING-ROOM                                      155

     XIV  BEDROOMS                                             162

     XV   THE SCHOOL-ROOM AND NURSERIES                        173

     XVI  BRIC-A-BRAC                                          184

          CONCLUSION                                           196

          INDEX                                                199




LIST OF PLATES


                                                       FACING PAGE

     I      ITALIAN GOTHIC CHEST                                 1

     II     FRENCH ARM-CHAIRS, XV AND XVI CENTURIES              6

     III    FRENCH _Armoire_, XVI CENTURY                       10

     IV     FRENCH SOFA AND ARM-CHAIR, LOUIS XIV PERIOD         12

     V      ROOM IN THE GRAND TRIANON, VERSAILLES               14

     VI     FRENCH ARM-CHAIR, LOUIS XV PERIOD                   16

     VII    FRENCH _Bergere_, LOUIS XVI PERIOD                  20

     VIII   FRENCH _Bergere_, LOUIS XVI PERIOD                  24

     IX     FRENCH SOFA, LOUIS XV PERIOD                        28

     X      FRENCH MARQUETRY TABLE, LOUIS XVI PERIOD            30

     XI     DRAWING-ROOM, HOUSE IN BERKELEY SQUARE, LONDON      34

     XII    ROOM IN THE VILLA VERTEMATI                         38

     XIII   DRAWING-ROOM AT EASTON NESTON HALL                  42

     XIV    DOORWAY, DUCAL PALACE, MANTUA                       48

     XV     SALA DEI CAVALLI, PALAZZO DEL T                     54

     XVI    DOOR IN THE SALA DELLO ZODIACO, DUCAL PALACE,
            MANTUA                                              58

     XVII   EXAMPLES OF MODERN FRENCH LOCKSMITHS' WORK          60

     XVIII  CARVED DOOR, PALACE OF VERSAILLES                   62

     XIX    SALON DES MALACHITES, GRAND TRIANON, VERSAILLES     68

     XX     MANTELPIECE, DUCAL PALACE, URBINO                   74

     XXI    MANTELPIECE, VILLA GIACOMELLI                       78

     XXII   FRENCH FIRE-SCREEN, LOUIS XIV PERIOD                86

     XXIII  CARVED WOODEN CEILING, VILLA VERTEMATI              90

     XXIV   CEILING IN PALAIS DE JUSTICE, RENNES                92

     XXV    CEILING OF THE SALA DEGLI SPOSI, DUCAL PALACE,
            MANTUA                                              96

     XXVI   CEILING IN THE STYLE OF BERAIN                     100

     XXVII  CEILING IN THE CHATEAU OF CHANTILLY                102

     XXVIII ANTECHAMBER, VILLA CAMBIASO, GENOA                 104

     XXIX   ANTECHAMBER, DURAZZO PALACE, GENOA                 106

     XXX    ST