Simplicity is more easily possible in the craftsman style dining room and yet even in this part of the home the great fault of over-elaboration is committed by even the best of folk.
The walls which should by their decoration show restraint, are not only covered with a colorful figured wallpaper, but pictures and even china are stuck up against this, only making matters worse.
While the patterned wall, the pictures and the china are each very good in their place, a combination of the three is extremely bad, to say the least.
The stencil decoration, a conventional leaf treatment, permits of the use of the three tones found in the fireplace facing, and adds to the plain wall without destroying its flat effect, as the colors are laid on in flat, broad washes.
It is just another way of making the room individual. It can be omitted without affecting the decorative quality of the room, and the one view shows the appearance resulting from the plain wall.
The outline is applied in a dark red brown. Stencil Colors Olive Lake and Permanent Crimson Lake equal parts.
This is filled in with the Olive Lake and Permanent Crimson Lake, each color reduced and applied separately.
The plain wall (lighter colors), fewer pictures (those carefully selected) and little china other than that arranged in the cabinet where it is free from dust, give us just as artistic a room and one that is more practical.
The Craftsman dining-room is greatly favored because of all these features which are so essential to its style.
It is almost impossible to clutter up the Craftsman dining-room without spoiling its unaffected charm and simplicity.
Mission 4 Lt Semi-Flush Ceiling Fixture
There are many advantages in selecting this style. No one expects a pretentious show of decoration or furnishings, simple rugs, even the inexpensive fibre rugs are at home here, and furniture built along straight substantial lines is required.
As almost any price can be paid for the furniture, although the slight difference of the various grades is not strikingly evident, that which conforms to the size of ones wallet can be selected.
The illustration above which shows the dining-room portion of the room, suggests a typical treatment for the combination Craftsman living and dining-room. In fact the one room really serves three purposes, another advantage of this style of building, for the dining-room table is often converted into a library table, as the well filled open book-shelves indicate. The large inviting and very desirable fireplace can be enjoyed on chilly mornings as well as evenings.
The treatment of the fireplace is an ideal one. What is often ruthlessly put into a cabinet mantel-that is none too strong on looks-has been here expended in making a larger fireplace with a copper hood. The heavy shelf above is only the work of the regular carpenter, and is finished with the woodwork, involving very little expense. The hood is just one of the features by ‘which the home may be made individual without over-stepping any laws of harmony or fitness.
The one thing that is required in the Craftsman room to complete its character, has been beautifully shown in the room illustrated-namely, flat unbroken surfaces.
The ceiling, too low to permit of heavy beaming finds its complement in the unpatterned one-color floor covering, the wall surface is kept unbroken, the table is the kind that is best left bare, while the fireplace has been treated to suggest broad masses.
The background surface such as walls and incidentally the ceiling (although this is hardly a background) has been finished in a uniform manner, the color carefully selected and a surface material employed which produces a flat finish.
The rough plaster wall showing the same surface texture as the tapestry brick of the fireplace is brought into harmony with their color, through the use of a Flat-Tone Old Gold.
As this wall color is identical with the tints of yellow found here and there in the brick, it accentuates the same and so heightens the contrast existing between this color and the decided red and brown tones predominating in this class of brick.
Harmony is evident, but the color variation produces interest and excites admiration.
Another attractive view of the room showing the stairway and second-floor balcony. The living-room portion is arranged with the high ceiling and exposed beams.
The wall color produced gives the room a finished appearance, as it is a warm, heavy but not depressing or mixed yellow. One can err in selecting yellow as much as green or brown.
A weak greenish yellow is almost as bad for a large surface as a strong orange yellow. An Old Gold will be found suitable for many interiors, and can be effectively combined with hangings and furnishings of red, brown, green, and even dull blue, if a blue and gold scheme is desired.
The ceiling is treated the same as the walls, but with a flat cream, while the woodwork shows the Fumed Oak Finish, repeating the furniture tone. The oak wood was stained with Handcraft Stain Fumed Oak, left unfilled like the regular Craftsman furniture, varnished and sanded when dry and finally waxed with Furniture Wax.
The floor is treated with stain reduced with 8 parts Stain Reducer to give it a slightly lighter tone than the woodwork, but filled, however, with the Antique Oak Paste Filler, as a hard, smooth surface is required for the floor. Three coats of varnish produce the right surface finish on any floor.
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I adore the craftsman style! It has such great character.