In a friend's house we have seen an old and awkward book-case converted into two pretty modern ones by sawing the high one in two, and adding, in one case a cornice, in the other a base. Some gold-colored leather was cut in strips, pinked, and tacked with pretty tacks on each shelf, so that much dust was kept from the books. She then added a scarf of old-gold satin, embroidered with a branch of dogwood in Kensington stitch, with a band of plush and a fringe as finish. Thrown over the middle of the book-case, it made a graceful decoration, and afforded a pretty place upon which to arrange a group of bric-a-brac, French crackle ware, and odd vases. A more elegant book-case of ebonized wood had a curtain in front of old-gold satin, with a band about a foot wide of stamped crushed-strawberry velvet. The whole could be pushed aside, for it was hung with rings upon a gilded rod.

The top of an easel can often be decorated with some scarf or piece of stuff which has been in the house unused for years.

Principles Of Taste

If a lady can give sufficient thought to the subject, and decide upon some good guiding rules, she can often transform, with slight outlay, a bare and ugly house into a pretty and attractive one. Let use and enduring quality be in the mind, with the comfort of the household above every other consideration.