There are many inexpensive decorations for the walls of rooms, that are quite desirable for summer houses and seashore cottages. It is seldom that such are adorned with handsome pictures or bric-a-brac, effect being what is most needed, with bright colorings to give life and tone to the surface.

A twelve-inch strip of silesia, in dull-blue or terra-cotta-red, put around the top of the room with thumb-tacks, will give good effect as a frieze. Upon this tack small Japanese umbrellas, such as may be purchased for about ten cents each. This makes a very satisfactory decoration, even when the walls are not papered.

The mistress of a summer cottage should provide herself with a goodly supply of thumb-tacks. They will be found very useful in putting up unframed pictures.

Ribbon makes a neat framing for the pretty woodcuts and colored lithographs that are now found in so many of the monthly magazines. The ribbon is confined with thumb-tacks around the edge of the picture, as shown in the sketch, and makes an excellent finish. One piece of ribbon will frame a number of such pictures; it need not be of extra quality, and can often be found at a very low price.

Japanese fans and panels are desirable for wall furnishings. They are inexpensive and give rich color effects. The fans come in all sorts of odd shapes, and cost from ten to seventy-five cents each.

Long Japanese panels of split bamboo are from ten to fifty cents each. A very pretty one with two triangular pockets for holding fans can be bought for ten cents.

For the seashore-house, crabs, sea shells, and starfish may be used in dried seaweed festooned over doorways, mantels and windows with quaint effect.

Oars and oar-shaped pieces of wood, fishing-poles and knotted manilla rope are also used over mantels and doorways. Panels of blue denim, painted in white with sky and sea effects, and edged with rope ending in long frayed-out tassels, are just the thing for decorating doors.

A lavish use of mirrors on the walls of a country house is desirable. Hang them flat against the walls or tuck them into corners, just where a glimpse through a door or window may be reflected.

Two or three long mirrors disposed about the hall or sitting-room will make the house seem larger. These can be made of inexpensive glass, and framed with a narrow plain wood moulding painted to match the walls.

Reference:

Butler, Helen A. (1896, June). Wall Decorations. The Household, XXIX(6), 18. Retrieved from VictorianTimes.us http://victoriantimes.us/decorating/summer-cottage-wall-decorations. ^

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Tags: June 1896, The Household Magazine, Victorian Era Decorating Articles