If one owns a rug which seems far too bright to use it can be toned down, but the owner must take the risk of its being spoiled in the process.  To me it does not seem a great risk, because if the rug is so bright that it is absolutely nerve-destroying and useless, and there is a chance that for a small sum it can be made charming, why not take it?  I have never heard of one failing, but I suppose some of them must or the stipulation would not be made.

If an Oriental rug is used it should give the keynote for the color scheme, and the design of the rug will decide whether there can be any figured material used in the room.  It is far easier to build up a scheme from a satisfactory rug than it is to try to fit one into a room which is otherwise finished.  One’s field of choice is much wider.  Samples of wallpaper, curtain material and furniture coverings should always be tried with the rugs, whether Oriental or plain in color, for the scheme of a room must be worked out as a whole, not piece-meal.  Each room must be considered in relation to the other rooms near it, because, although it may be beautiful in itself, if it does not harmonize with the connecting rooms the whole effect will be a failure.  Vistas from one room to another should be alluring and charming; there should be no violent and clashing contrasts of color or styles of furniture or sudden change in the scale of furnishings.  One room cannot shake off its relationship to the rest of the house and be a success, and floor coverings must bear their full share of responsibility in making the whole house beautiful.

The Treatment of Walls

The walls of a house hold a most important place in the order of things and their treatment requires much thought.  The floor is the darkest color value in a room, as it is the foundation, and the walls come next in color value and consideration.  What I have said in other chapters about the necessity of connecting rooms being harmonious applies of course to the selection of wall coverings.

The first question to be settled is:  shall paint or paper be used?

If a house is new the walls are apt to settle a little making the plaster crack, and it is far better in such a case to allow the walls to remain white for a year.  If the effect of plain white plaster strikes one as too cold one of the many water tints may be used as this will not interfere with any later scheme.  In houses that have been built for a number of years the walls are often so badly cracked and marred that to put them into condition for painting would be more expensive than preparing them for paper.  Estimates should be given for both paint and paper.

When the plaster has done its worst and settled down to a quiet life the work of covering the walls appropriately begun.