IT is the little things which count in decoration as well as in life - those carefully planned touches which bring a room out of type and stamp it with charm and individuality. It may lie merely in the felicitous choice of a lamp shade or lighting fixture, in an irresistible bit of color contrast, in the interesting grouping of furniture, or in the exquisite setting of a few beautiful objects.

The lighting fixtures are, indeed, among the most significant and telling details of a room and repay all the thought and pains expended upon them. Lighting has undergone a great many changes in recent years and only now are we beginning to adjust fixtures and shades to bring out their delightful and artistic possibilities.

Ideally, there should be three sources of light in a room: one for general illumination, one for specialized purposes, and one for a restful, softened lighting conducive to conversation and thought.

A brilliantly lighted room is no longer considered desirable. It destroys color values and is a strain on the eyes and nerves.

The most approved modern method of general illumination is indirect invisible lighting. The lights are placed at intervals in a groove in the molding or ceiling cove and throw their rays directly upon the light-tinted ceiling which re-diffuses it over the room. This gives a clear, even light without the usual glare and tiring effect of direct center lighting. It penetrates the corners, but does not destroy color values or soft tones, is gratifying to the eyes and the senses, and the mystery of its source lends interest to the room. Obviously no fixtures are required for this method which allows all the interest to be concentrated on the other lighting sources.

Indirect center lighting is also an effective means of general illumination. This is usually accomplished by means of an inverted bowl of imitation alabaster close to the ceiling, or cloudy glass. The light is thrown directly upon the ceiling and indirectly spread throughout the room. The light is clear and white and does not tend to preserve soft tones or color values so well as the invisible method, but it is much better than the sprawling central fixture with its many separate bulbs and shades. A thin amber glass bowl is an improvement over the white ones, but thus far they have been somewhat difficult to obtain.

A third modern method of general illumination is that of bulbs interspersed at intervals in the ceiling. This is a direct lighting system, the bulbs casting their light downward instead of up and is less economical than the other methods, requiring more power for the same degree of illumination, but it does away with ungainly fixtures and gives an even, softened light. In rooms with wooden ceilings these lights are sometimes conceived as a series of hanging lamps of copper, brass, or painted iron suspended by chains a foot or two long, and the light is diffused through amber silk or glass. When the lights are imbedded in a plain ceiling they afford opportunity for distinctive shades modeled on the idea of the Japanese lantern. Some of them taper to a point and are finished with a tassel, some have circular openings and are finished with a fringe of irregular jade beads, and still others have a trim edge of galloon or pliable wood. The body of the shade is usually of luminous silk, sometimes decorated with water colors or batik to carry out the decorative scheme of the room. Prettiness and fluffi-ness should be avoided as these lights are in reality an architectural part of the room. Bulbs of sufficient power should be employed so that, while the light may be soft and mellow, it may never be uncertain or dim. This method of general illumination is very well adapted to dining-rooms and libraries where it does not interfere with the central specialized lighting of the dining or reading table. In one dining-room where this method was employed, a large square yellow silk shade was suspended over the table on a black silk cord and was ornamented with black tassels. In another instance, where the table was round, a large circular shade was used, made of heavy paper painted black and perforated in a simple fruit design through which showed yellow and cherry silk. It was suspended by cherry cords.

The specialized lighting of the dining table may be worked out, however, with candles, either real or equipped with electric light bulbs, and used either singly, or in a three- or five-branched center candelabra.

The reading lamp is by far the most important detail of the library or library-living-room. A standard or floor lamp placed behind, or at the side of the reading chair is a practical arrangement which can be made very effective when the color of the lamp shade and chair upholstery are in pleasing contrast. If the upholstery is figured, it is well to have the lamp shade plain and the accent on the predominant color of the upholstery; while if the upholstery is plain, the lamp may be interestingly decorative. One very prosaic room was enlivened by the grouping of a chair, upholstered in tan and blue woolen broche, next to a standard lamp with a large brilliant blue shade lined in yellow and edged with old gold fringe. In another room the chair was upholstered in orange and the standard lamp, which stood close beside it, had a gray silk shade lined with orange and a conventionalized flower design appliqued in orange and emerald green. Infinite are the possibilities for charming and individual touches in the planning of the reading lamp and the reading chair.

If the reading chair is drawn up to a table, a table reading lamp is generally employed. An interesting lamp of this variety had a mirror-black pottery base and a dome shaped shade of tightly stretched orange silk outlined and edged with a narrow black cord. Another had a drum-shaped shade of thick black paper with a bright modern painted decoration. While the light could not filter through, a brilliant orange lining forced it strongly downward. It had a slender dark pottery base touched with green and red. Delightful lamp shades can be made on wire frames of shirred silk in two or three color varieties. The various colors are used individually to form broad stripes and if one of the colors chosen is yellow, the shades need not be lined. Soft rose, blue and yellow; black, green and yellow; or yellow, orange and gray give striking effects. Silk fringe composed of the three colors in the shade is an excellent finish. A black and white lamp shade often gives snap to a room, or a deep coral one, lined with yellow and touched with black. An excellent material for lamp shades is a Japanese silk with a woven, self-toned medallion pattern. No decoration is required as the medallion shows up in relief when illuminated.