Chapter VIII, pp. 103-123.

DRAPER, DOROTHY. _Decorating Is Fun._ Doubleday, Doran & Co. New York, N. Y. 1939.

GOLDSTEIN, HARRIET _and_ VETTA. _Art In Every Day Life._ The Macmillan Co., New York, N. Y. 1925.

Rooms of a Homelike House, XIX, pp. 345-390.

HAGMAN, I. C. _Walls As Background In the Livable Home._ Circular 237, University of Kentucky. 1930.

KOUES, HELEN. _How To Beautify Your Home._ Good Housekeeping, New York, N. Y.

Dining Rooms--Asserting Individuality in Furniture, pp. 73-85. Combination Living Room and Dining Room, pp. 85-95.

PALMER, L. _Your House._ Boston Cooking School Magazine Co. 1928.

Living Room, Hall, and Dining Room, pp. 22-68.

POWELL, LYDIA. _The Four Main Rooms._ The Macmillan Co., New York, N. Y. 1939. Pp. 3-39.

PRIESTMAN, MABEL TUKE. _Art and Economy in Home Decoration._ John Lane (The Bodley Head, Ltd., London).

Concerning Halls, pp. 43-49.

SEAL ETHEL DAVIS. _Furnishing The Little House._ The Century Co. New York, N. Y. 1924.

Furnishing the Hall, VI, pp. 106-120. The Living Room as the Heart of the House, VIII, pp. 120-139. Dining Rooms May Be Formal or Gay, pp. 139-155.

WRIGHT AGNES FOSTER. _Interior Decoration for Modern Needs._ Frederick A. Stokes Co., New York, N. Y.

Dining Rooms, pp. 159-164.

FOOTNOTES:

[27] Every salesman knows how exacting many buyers become when their minds are fixed upon an individual unit. The chair is just a little too this or that; the rug has a square inch of blue where there should be a square inch of red; the cretonne is perfect in design and coloring, but 10 cents a yard more than she had decided to pay; and so on.

Unit X

FURNISHING THE BEDROOM, SUNROOM, KITCHEN, AND BREAKFAST ROOM

Furnishing the Bedroom

Furnishing the Sunroom

Equipping the Breakfast Room and Kitchen

Final Emphasis for Alert Salespersons.

Unit X.--FURNISHING THE BEDROOM, SUNROOM, KITCHEN, AND BREAKFAST ROOM

FURNISHING THE BEDROOM

Many still think of the bedroom only as a place in which to sleep. In point of fact often it is used as a secluded sitting room where one may close the door and rest, shutting out the cares and activity of a busy day. It should more properly be called a relaxation room, and furnished with that thought in mind. To meet this trend toward more diversified bedrooms, the salesperson should organize his stock mentally on the basis of night stands, desks, boudoir chairs, chaise lounges, lamps, and bookshelves for use in the family bedroom or guest room, and equally suitable pieces for the nursery playroom and the individual bedrooms of young and older children. For years the magazines have been describing these double-function bedrooms, broadcasting their convenience and charm, creating in the minds of readers a widening interest and acceptance, and thus preparing a new field for selling effort.

Moreover, there are multitudes of homemakers who know little or nothing about this comfortable modern trend in bedroom decoration, and still consider that the only furniture essential or desirable is a 3-, 4-, or 5-piece suite and a slipper chair or two. Many of our old customers, who now regard their bedrooms as completely furnished, can be interested in the purchase of additional new merchandise by persistent educational and development work.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BEDROOM

The bedroom differs from the hall, living room, and dining room in that it is a personal room, not shared in common by all the members of the family. Individual tastes and preferences may be given free rein in its decoration. Hence, the salesperson who is able to help his customer express a distinctly personal quality in her room enjoys a great advantage over the salesperson who lacks this ability. In selling bedroom furnishings, the successful salesperson will require knowledge of various decorative accessories, including bedspreads, linens, pictures, ornamental glass toiletries, and pottery.

Many women have clear ideas as to the effect they want their bedrooms to reveal. One will want a restful room; a second, a gaily colorful and animated room; and a third, a dainty room. When such buyers fall into the hands of a skillful salesperson, price (within their economic limits) becomes a matter wholly of secondary importance, and competitive shopping is forgotten. Selling from this approach becomes largely a matter of giving studied expression to the decorative motif chosen for the room. If it is daintiness--furniture, walls, floor covering, draperies, and accessories must be selected and arranged to concur in creating an effect of daintiness. An ability to work out these decorative motifs and to talk about them interestingly in the course of a year's work will "save" dozens of orders.

THE WALLS

Bedroom walls may be tinted, painted, or papered depending upon the type of effect desired.

Tinted walls are used in pastel colors with beautiful effect in a wide range of colors. All that is necessary to know is the customer's color preference since, today, any color may be worked into an effective bedroom.

New wallpapers offer an endless variety of color combinations and many times the entire room scheme may be furnished by the wallpaper.

It is good taste to keep the bedroom in pastels or light tones since dark tones have a depressing effect upon the occupant. In some instances, the type of furnishings to be used will determine the type of wallpaper to be used. French furnishings require the dainty, flowery type of paper; English furnishings are more subdued--either a plain paper with a small figure, or with subdued florals. Early American and Colonial rooms will take a colorful flowered paper or a "quaint" pattern. It is well to keep in touch with the decorative magazines in which room settings using correct paper on the walls are shown in color and which offer many suggestions for other interesting wall treatments.

TREATMENT OF CEILINGS

Ceilings should be either cream, off-white, or light pastel colors harmonizing with the wallpaper. It is most important that the ceiling be kept light in tone with the possible exception of an extremely modern room where a dramatic effect is to be achieved. In a library, the ceiling may be darkened to bring it "closer to the floor," but in a bedroom the ceiling should be kept light to make the room appear large and airy.

FLOOR COVERINGS

A room-size rug is to be preferred when practicable for a small bedroom, because it causes the room to appear larger than does a combination of small rugs, yet many bedrooms are being artistically furnished today with small scatter rugs.

Since the bedroom is closed off from the other rooms, one can be more daring in the choice of floor covering; it is not necessary to blend the coloring to the other rooms. New pastel floor coverings in plain and floral tones offer endless opportunities for bedroom use and color need be considered only when selecting a pattern now that there is no longer any set method of dictating the type of pattern especially adaptable for bedroom use. Today, it is merely a matter of personal preference and good taste, the only requirement being that one keep in mind the general color scheme of the room.

In Colonial and Early American bedrooms, small hooked rugs add a note of color and decoration to the room. In modern bedrooms, scatter rugs in lovely pastel colors add a new, interesting note.

DRAPERIES: GLASS CURTAINS, VENETIAN BLINDS

In the bedroom today Venetian blinds serve to soften and control the light; draperies are used more or less for decorative purposes. The draperies may match the spread, pick-up the color tone of the rug, or repeat the color of the boudoir chair, chaise lounge, or the accent color used in the accessories. Venetian blinds may be used in a variety of colors with matching or contrasting tapes. In many instances, sheer curtains are used as draperies, crisscrossed and tied back in the manner of the formal drape. Usually light weight materials are used for bedroom draperies the material varying according to the type of room. In the more formal room satin and lightweight damask draperies are used. In the informal room printed draperies, crepes, voiles, or candlewick are used.

While glass curtains may be used with Venetian blinds, in many instances they are used instead of the blinds. They are made of net, voile, marquisette, muslin, organdie, or any sheer material. In color, they are white, off-white, or pastel. Preferably, they are made with double fullness of material, and hung either to the sill or the apron.

A popular item now being added to many bedrooms is the small dressing table with detachable skirt. The dressing tablet may be artistically placed in front of the window and the skirt made of the same material as the draperies. In this way the draperies serve as a frame for the dressing table and create a beautiful picture. In many instances where a customer is interested in investing in good bedding but cannot afford to buy the entire bedroom suite at one time, it may be well to suggest a box spring and mattress on legs with detachable headboard and a small dressing table with detachable skirt. An inexpensive chest of drawers completes the ensemble. Later the box spring and mattress can be used on the regular bed, the dressing table maintained or moved into the guest room, and the chest of drawers used in another part of the house.

"PLUS" SELLING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUMMER

The bedroom offers excellent opportunities for the salesman to interest the customer in "summerizing" the house. During the summer, heavy spreads should be removed and light, washable spreads substituted. Cotton curtains, spreads, summer weight blankets, slip covers for chairs, scatter rugs to replace large rugs, new dressing table skirts, and summer pictures and other accessories are all within the realm of summer sales.

Although all the rooms in the house offer wonderful opportunities for summer sales, the bedroom best adapts itself to opportunities for this "plus" selling.

FURNITURE

Bedroom furniture usually is shown and sold in suites. As ordinarily displayed on the floor, closely crowded and with the bed in short rails, the pieces of a suite appear so much alike that an unimaginative customer will find them monotonous and uninteresting. This means that the successful salesman must find words to picture the suite as it will appear against the varied and colorful backgrounds and accents necessary to bring out its beauty and individuality.

There is no sound artistic or practical objection to the use of pieces from different suites in the same room; provided, of course, that the resemblances in proportion, line, and coloring are sufficiently marked to ensure harmony. This is the only way in which antiques can be used, and it is no less effective with modern pieces. This point is particularly important in the sale of furniture for a child's room or a small guest room, which will not take a full suite in any case, but which will offer a valuable opportunity to sell broken lots. Stress the fact that use of unmatched but harmonious pieces is modern practice, that such pieces give interest and individuality to the room, and that ensemble grouping is as desirable in the bedroom as in the living room or sunroom.

THE BEDROOM SUITE

When a customer asks to see a bedroom suite, but gives no further hint as to her preferences, several questions enter your mind immediately:

How many pieces can she use?

What wood, finish, style, and type of design is she likely to prefer?

Has she been looking at furniture elsewhere?

How much can or will she pay?

Do not ask any of these questions at the outset. Normally, the first actual question is whether the furniture is for use in her own room. If the answer is "Yes," she is likely to acquaint you at once with her ideas, if she has any well-defined preferences. In the absence of such a lead, take her at once to an attractive suite, never at either extreme of your bedroom patterns.

The ideal starting point is an open-stock pattern, complete both with beds and with a full assortment of cases. If she is at all interested in this suite, probably she will tell you at once that she cannot use all the pieces. This naturally will lead to information as to the size and character of her room, its woodwork, walls, and floor covering, whether it is to be used by two people, and if so, whether she prefers a full-size bed or twin beds.

LIMIT NUMBER OF SUITES SHOWN

In any event try to gain a fairly clear idea of the room, particularly of its size and available wall spaces, before you show a second suite, as this information will help you to cut down selling time. In the absence of a voluntary and positive statement, do not ask how many pieces she wants. Once on record, she may stand pat; otherwise there always is the chance, even if she plans to use only three pieces, that she may buy a full suite, using the extra piece, if necessary, in another room in order to get a pattern that particularly pleases her.

Bedroom suites are so much alike in general appearance, and usually displayed in ways which so thoroughly rob them of individuality that it is dangerously easy to show too many. Baffled by the prolonged attempt to compare a multitude of minor details and to picture a long succession of suites in her own room, the average customer may be expected to become confused, lose confidence in her own judgment, and decide either to "think it over" or to "look further."

Partitions, dividers, and model rooms speed up the sale of bedroom furniture because they make it possible to preserve a more marked appearance of individuality among the suites thus separated. They serve also to confine the buyer's attention to the suite under consideration, and to reduce the likelihood of confusion and indecision by enabling the salesman to show only such suites as promise to be acceptable. For the same reasons the box method of arranging an open bedroom floor usually is to be preferred to arrangement in rows. The exact method of boxing must be determined by the location of floor columns and the number of pieces shown in a suite.

BUYERS DO NOT WANT TO SEE ENTIRE STOCK

It is important to limit the number of suites shown to the minimum necessary to effect a sale. Obviously, this is possible only in the degree that we learn enough about the buyer's tastes and the details of her room in the earlier stages of a sale to keep away from all unsuitable merchandise. Most women do not care even to look at unsuitable merchandise. They want to see the right thing, measured in terms of fitness for their own purposes and use.

The woman who shops for a dress, hat, or coat in a modern store neither expects nor desires to see the entire stock or any considerable part of it. She is comfortably seated in a well-lighted room which contains little, if any, exposed merchandise. The salesperson, after a quick mental appraisal, asks a few leading questions, and brings from the stockroom one, two, or possibly three models, carefully chosen on the basis of suitability, size, and style. If these are rejected they are removed, and a second small selection brought out. Unsuitable merchandise is not seen by the customer, and the possibility of confusion and indecision thus is reduced to the minimum.

SEE ACTUAL ROOM, IF POSSIBLE

In important bedroom sales which are worked up in advance of the customer's visit to the store for the purpose of actually making selections, it is important for the salesman to see the room to be furnished if possible, or in any event to secure measurements of the floor and wall spaces. This will eliminate guesswork and enable you to have the suite you want to sell set up under such conditions, and with such accessories and related merchandise as will bring out its individuality. Even in ordinary floor sales sometimes it is desirable to have a suite taken off the floor and set up in a situation where it can be seen to the best advantage.

STEPS IN SELLING A SUITE

As a means of summarizing certain factors which the salesman constantly must keep in mind, let us consider in order the steps to be taken in conducting a normal floor sale of a bedroom suite:

_Meet the customer and take her to the suite with which you have decided to start the sale._--Throughout the entire interview, whether it results in an immediate sale or not, the customer must be aware of a degree of courtesy, alert and intelligent interest, patience, and attention to her comfort and convenience noticeably greater than she is accustomed to receive in other stores or from other salesmen. This is fundamental, and indispensable to successful salesmanship.

_Show the first suite._--This suite is a "trial balloon." You do not expect to sell it, but rather to use it as a means of gaining necessary information about the customer's tastes and needs and the room to be furnished. "High light" the set in a few words, and then keep still and let her talk if she is willing to do so. Remember that you are not in position to instruct or even to advise her as to what she ought to buy. Your first duty is to find out as soon as possible what she wants to buy, or at least what she does not want to buy. In "high-lighting" this suite, avoid superlatives, and statements which may set up resistance. Do not, for example, proclaim that it is the latest, the buyer's favorite, or that you have a suite just like it in your own home. Make your introduction as interest-compelling as possible, but base it on some such noncontroversial subject as wood, style, or beauty of design. If she says nothing, turn to the case nearest her, comment on its wood and finish, run your finger lightly along it, and try to get her to do the same thing. Then say something interesting about the style, the design, or the manufacture. If there still are no signs of real interest, shift to the subject of her room, and begin to draw out the information you require. This should stir her interest. If not, move on to another suite which you know will look well in her room, and begin all over again.

Remember to point out any "gadgets" which the suite may have--special shirt drawers, locks, secret compartments, jewelry compartments, hidden box, stocking drawers, or drawer mirrors. All of these items offer "plus" selling features and many times are a factor in the sale of a suite. Be sure you have examined all of the suites on the floor thoroughly so that you have discovered all possible gadgets and opportunities for "plus" selling features.

Unless a customer shows such a keen and unusual interest as to warrant the belief that an immediate sale is possible, do not spend too much time with the first suite.

_Show the second suite--a contrasting type._--Since all things gain in individuality and distinction by contrast with their opposites, usually it is good salesmanship to show a second suite sharply different from the first in appearance. If you watch some salespersons at work, you will see that they move slowly and regularly down one aisle and back the next, taking each suite as it comes, however closely it may resemble the one before it. At best, this method wastes time, while with many customers it results in weariness, confusion, and a well-defined suspicion that the salesperson is only an order-taker. In general, move toward the sale by longer but fewer jumps, and show contrasting types in the effort to heighten the buyer's interest, and to arrive as quickly as possible at an understanding of her likes. We know, for example, that some women prefer slender, delicately designed bedroom furniture, while others want bulk. It is quite impossible to judge their preferences from their appearance. Suites shown by the method of contrast will uncover this and similar preferences immediately, and thus speed up the sale.

Assuming that you pick the second and all succeeding suites in the light of increasing knowledge of the customer's tastes and the size and decorative character of her room, move forward slowly. Since you are not guessing blindly, but acting in the light of knowledge and taste, you must assume that the buyer will be interested in what you are showing, and take ample time to develop her interest.

Remember that the customer must like the appearance of any suite at which she is looking and regard it as well suited for her own use before she will consider buying it. Emphasis upon the beauty and distinction of wood, finish, and design, and skillful use of the "room-picture" method of presentation should precede emphasis upon construction and price. However, construction becomes an important factor when you reach the second suite just as soon as you see signs of acceptance for appearance and decorative fitness. If no such signs appear, move on to the third suite.

_Show just as many additional suites as may be necessary but no more._

_Close the sale, if and when possible._--There is no simple formula for closing a sale, and no set point in the sales interview at which to make the attempt. Notwithstanding a vast amount of theorizing on the subject, the only rule of practical value to the salesperson appears to be the old rule of experience and common sense: Try to close any sale the moment you have reason to believe the customer is ready to buy; not before, and not after.

FURNISHING THE SUNROOM

The sunroom, though of ancient origin,[28] is a comparatively recent addition to the American home. Its rapid development doubtless is due to widening popular confidence in the therapeutic value of sunlight. Today's sunroom is in practice an informal lounging room which takes the place of the disappearing back parlor, and as such is a highly useful and important part of the home. Add the fact that it can be, and usually is, so decorated as to offer the relief of striking and colorful contrast to more conservatively furnished rooms, and we have ample reason for the popularity of this room in American houses. Many housewives whose homes contain small sunrooms do not know how to make them attractive, and many others apparently have no desire to do so. Often the room is a mere "catch-all" and final resting place for worn or outmoded furniture discarded from the other rooms.

Many homemakers who come to our stores for ideas on sunroom decoration either turn away to the decorators or big-city stores, or are promptly headed to low-priced merchandise, and leave with little more than two $6.75 reed or metal chairs, a small table, a fiber rug, a bridge lamp, a smoking stand, and a few yards of cretonne.

Salesmen must shift from emphasis upon the drab and commonplace to emphasis upon the distinctive. This will be easy, because persons who have sunrooms usually can well afford to pay for making them attractive. In every sale of sunroom merchandise, whether for a new house or an old, we must have the courage to point out that this room, potentially so large a factor in the comfort and enjoyment of the family, so much used by intimate guests, and so conspicuously placed as to be an open advertisement of the taste of its owners, should be furnished in a manner consistent with its proper importance. In order to convert this talk into profitable sales, we must of course have a stock of interesting ideas and suggestions on modern sunroom treatments.[29]

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

The sunroom should be comfortable, but colorful and stimulating. This will demand good furniture and well-sprung seating, careful arrangement for convenience without crowding, colorful textiles, good lighting, and interesting accessories.

Since the sunroom often is small and of irregular shape, it should be measured before furnishings are selected.

THE WALLS

It is common practice to find sunroom walls covered with bright and strikingly figured papers. Usually the effect is unpleasant because:

1. Such papers make the room seem smaller,

2. With windows on two or three sides of the room, such papers on the remaining wall spaces rob the room of balance,

3. Draperies or furniture coverings, or both, together with the necessary colorful accessories, give the room all the animation it can stand, and therefore make plain or simple wall treatment desirable.

Walls may be painted, papered, paneled in natural wood, or covered with one of the new cloth or wood-veneer fabrics.

THE FLOOR COVERINGS

For general considerations governing choice of floor coverings for the sunroom, see Furnishing the Hall, page 188.

Note as an exception that a plain carpet or large rug often is preferred to a figured carpet or rug in spite of a tendency to shade and the fact that it shows dust and ashes more easily because:

1. It offers a more effective background for gaily figured draperies and floor coverings.

2. The rich and unusual colors often desired for sunroom use are easier to find in plain carpetings.

WINDOW TREATMENTS

Some method of controlling natural light must be afforded by the window treatment. Venetian blinds are preferable for this purpose, because they can be adjusted instantly to the varying height of the sun; whereas moveable draperies, lined and interlined to make them opaque, either will exclude the light altogether when closed, or leave a band of bright light from top to bottom when partially closed.

Glass curtains are not always used on windows which have Venetian blinds and draperies. When such draperies are omitted, thin unlined curtains in a neutral or in a positive color are used alone. They should be made to draw, with sufficient material to provide double fullness when fully drawn.

Sunroom draperies may be of any material not too heavy to accord with the scale of the room or too elegant to accord with its decorative character and other furnishings. Choice among plain, simply figured, and strikingly figured fabrics will be governed by the size of the room and the amount of ornament in other surfaces.

THE SALE OF SUNROOM MERCHANDISE

_Suggestions will be welcomed._--Although no new principles are involved in the sale of sunroom merchandise, the subject merits brief comment. A woman interested in home furnishings for any other room in her home is likely to have fairly definite ideas of her own, or least to be familiar with conventional methods of furnishing these rooms. This makes the salesman's talk one of discovering and interpreting her ideas, and helping to carry them out by means of his own merchandise. With the sunroom this is not often the case. It is relatively a new room, serving one purpose in one home, another in the second, and none at all in the third. Customers are likely to be open to suggestions, and to buy better merchandise and with less resistance, in the degree that these suggestions are clever and a little out of the ordinary.

This means that initiative and imagination are necessary to marked success in selling sunroom furnishings,[30] and that accordingly we must be alert both to gain ideas on sunroom treatments from books, magazines, and markets, and to study our own merchandise from the viewpoint of its possibilities for sunroom decoration.

SUNROOM TREATMENTS

The old days when reed and willow were top favorites for sunrooms has passed. Despite the fact that many beautiful styles in these materials are on the market, other types of furnishings have moved into the sunroom to augment and in many instances replace the old favorites.

Early American furniture in soft brown or honey-colored, maple, covered in chintz or printed linens, or in one of the many new textures developed for this type, is a happy choice for many sunrooms. Others are attractive when equipped with light-colored woods upholstered in lovely pastel fabrics. Chrome-steel furniture offers many opportunities for the sunroom as do bentwood, glass, enameled furniture, and rattan.

The sunroom offers an opportunity to sell such "plus" items as studio couches, sofa beds, standing bridge sets, radios, magazine racks, desks, and lamps. Since many sunrooms may be interpreted as an extension of the living room, these offer an opportunity to sell regular living room stock, upholstered chairs, a sofa or love seat, the necessary tables, lamps, and accessories.

EQUIPPING THE BREAKFAST ROOM AND KITCHEN

The breakfast room has no fixed position or character. It may be a nook or small alcove, equipped with built-in table and settles, and decoratively a part of the kitchen; an important room of fair size and pronounced individuality; or--as is often the case--a room so small as to be pretty well crowded by a small table, four chairs and their occupants, and connected with the dining room by a cased opening or French doors.

The proper aims of breakfast room decoration are _(a)_ to make it as comfortable, spacious, and uncrowded as possible; _(b)_ to give it a sunny, inspiring quality; and _(c)_ to emphasize its individuality while linking it harmoniously with the more important room, if any, into which it opens.

WOODWORK AND WALLS IN THE BREAKFAST ROOM

Since the breakfast room is a gay informal room it should be cheerful, light, and colorful. Walls may be tinted, painted, or papered. If tinted, light pastels should be used. If painted, colored decalcomanias may be used to add a decorative note. Fruit and flower prints in gay colors on a light pastel or white background, gay stripes, or colorful figured wallpaper may be used. Woodwork, if possible, should be white or the pastel color of the walls. Since most of the furnishings for the breakfast room are light in color, gay, colorful accents should be used both in the wall decoration and in the pictures and accessories.

FLOOR COVERINGS, DRAPERIES, FURNITURE

Here--as in the hall and the sunroom--imagination, familiarity with good current work, and energy will sell more goods in less time than the stodgy, conventional, lackadaisical methods which so many buyers meet when they undertake the furnishing of a breakfast room. In this field it is easier for a good man to trade _up_ than _down_, no matter what class of customers he works with. In the comment, "This would be a delightful place in which to start the day," we have the starting point for all good work in furnishing the breakfast room.

THE KITCHEN

Within the last few years, more money has been spent by the consumer on the kitchen and laundry than on any other rooms in the house. Mrs. America today is kitchen conscious and is ready for a thorough modernization job on her kitchen. Kitchen planning as an important phase of selling should be carefully studied. Kitchens should be planned to be efficient and should be laid out carefully, preferably by an architect, for the installation of sink bases, extra built-in cabinets, and other features. However, the kitchen also offers unlimited opportunities for the sale of portable cabinets, kitchen tables and chairs, cabinet bases, work tables, curtains, linoleum, pots, pans, and accessories.

The modern kitchen had its beginning in the United States, less than 25 years ago. The rise in the general standard of living in our country, rather than the increasing scarcity of domestic help, has been greatly responsible for the development of modern kitchen equipment and the innumerable mechanized aids now available to the housewife.

As usual, beauty at first lagged behind invention. Indeed the early cabinets, refrigerators, and ranges differed as sharply in appearance from the beautifully proportioned and smartly colorful models found in the shops today as the automobile of 20 years ago differed from the streamlined aristocrats of today.

In the beginning, convenience and the elimination of drudgery seemed enough, and drab ugliness was accepted as an inescapable part of kitchen work. Later, in a sort of blind devotion to cleanliness and sanitation, kitchens were done like hospitals in hard and shiny white tile, white walls, white curtains, white range, cabinet and refrigerator, white utensils and dishes. From this intolerable tyranny of white we have at last been delivered. The door has been thrown open; color has entered the kitchen. The American homemaker of today, whether her room be large or small, asks for a kitchen which not only is a convenient and pleasant place in which to work but a source of pride and a delight to the eye.

_Color and convenience in the kitchen._--And truly, the best of modern kitchens are charming places. Seeing them, one wonders how further improvement can be possible. Vibrantly light, yet without glare; cozily warm without excessive heat; tranquil with the tranquility of perfect adaptation of parts to function; unbelievably convenient; and bathed in the glow of soft harmonious-color, they are immensely more pleasant and distinguished than the shops and offices where men must spend their working days. Among all the professions, homemaking has been outstanding in creating an attractive and satisfying environment.

Of course this does not mean that all kitchens are attractive and satisfying. That unhappily is still far from true. Yet beyond doubt, the desire for them is widespread and growing. Yearly, and with accelerating speed, the processes of modernization are going forward.

_Floor coverings for the kitchen._--First comes the floor. There was a time when linoleum was regarded purely as a utility, but that time has passed. The new linoleums are handsome in appearance, pleasant to work on, and easy to care for; hence they are almost universally employed in the modern kitchen.

_The walls._--The walls may be done in enamel paint, or papered with the new washable fabrics, which offer a wide range of choice in pattern and texture. Never use really dark color on the walls, and remember that the lighter you make the wall color, the larger the room will appear. As to hue, yellow tones, from pale cream to maize, will help to make the room sunny and cheerful; light gray-green will make it cool and restful; apple, or any yellow-green, will make it restful but sunny; and such yellow reds as peach, apricot, or pale salmon will make it warm and cheerful.

_The trim._--In very small kitchens the woodwork often is painted to match the walls, either exactly, or in a slightly lighter or darker shade. In rooms which are larger, or where more decorative "snap" is desired, the woodwork may be done in a contrasting color, as apple green with cream walls, or a soft green-blue with apricot.

_Kitchen curtains and accessories._--Kitchen curtains may be used as an opening wedge in kitchen sales. Interest in a pair of curtains has been known to start a complete remodeling job. On the market today are innumerable curtains in a variety of colors and designs. Since much originality and ingenuity is used in making attractive kitchen curtains, many women are attracted to these inexpensive items, to "pep up" their kitchens. Often they lead to the sale of a cabinet, table, or new linoleum. Kitchen furniture should be shown with dummy windows on which crisp, attractive curtains are hung. Decorative towels add to the gayety of the kitchen and are helpful in setting up a kitchen display.

Accessories for the kitchen are colorful and decorative and a little ingenuity and suggestion will get a woman interested in the kitchen. National magazines and the women's section of newspapers are constantly giving suggestions for fixing the kitchen. Cookie cutters with colorful handles nailed to the walls, kitchen implements with colored handles hung on attractive racks; wooden bowls cut in half and nailed to the wall, then planted with ivy--all are unusual suggestions appreciated by women. The endless variety of new things which may be suggested for the kitchen is a veritable gold mine for the salesman who takes the opportunity to investigate the possibilities.

Many interesting and delightful things go into the modern kitchen which were unknown in those of 20 years ago. One sees a colorful pad for the work chair, a hanging bookshelf for cookbooks and accessories, an ornamental wall clock, colored prints, and plants. And of course in many a kitchen there is the breakfast nook, with its decorative furniture and its colored linen, glass, and china.

Some breakfast nooks are just sufficiently shut-off from the kitchen by a buttress or low partition to tempt the housewife to make a sharp difference in their decorative treatment. Usually this is a mistake, particularly if it results in a large or striking paper on the walls. It is better to carry the same wall color throughout, and to depend upon small things to lend the desired individuality to the alcove. There is no danger of monotony in this practice; while a sharp change impairs the spaciousness of both rooms, and robs them alike of serenity and beauty.

Study of the above will enable you to offer definite advice to women who want to modernize their kitchens. Even though some of the details may not deal with merchandise you sell, all this knowledge will prove valuable in winning the customer's confidence.

FINAL EMPHASIS FOR ALERT SALESPERSONS

Since we are working in a free country which now contains more than 40,000 retail furniture outlets, it should be clear that we cannot make anyone buy anything. Selling continues to be chiefly a matter of people, not of goods in stock; for example, we find one dealer, operating with a small stock in a small town, complaining that all the good business goes to the city; while a second dealer, operating with a similar stock in a similar trading area, allows almost nothing to get away from him. The latter makes it his business to know what is going on in his community; goes out after an order well in advance of the time the goods will be needed; learns what is required; knows how to sell it; and where and how to secure it. The main difference is in the men, not in conditions.

BE ALERT FOR OPPORTUNITIES

The able salesperson is energetic, stout-hearted, and enthusiastic. He never permits himself even during periods of slow business to fall into the dangerous habit of assuming that every customer will be reluctant and exacting, and every sale difficult. He expects a fair percentage of quick and easy sales, and is prepared to seize every opportunity to make them.

Having confidence in himself, his store, and his merchandise, he works on the assumption that most of the people who enter a furniture store are definitely interested in an immediate or later purchase of merchandise to suit their particular needs and tastes. He further assumes that he will be able to learn those needs and tastes, find in his stock the right merchandise to satisfy them, and present the advantages of this merchandise in a clear and convincing way; and that when they are so presented, the customer will buy. This assumption may not always be valid; but it never fails to give him confidence and driving power, and is the necessary basis of consistently successful salesmanship.

The able salesperson never forgets that his customer will not buy until she is satisfied and convinced, however attractive his merchandise, low his prices, or logically complete his demonstration. He knows that she may have prejudices which are not easy to discover, or bits of information or misinformation which may cause her to question or distrust what he tells her, and thus to impede or wreck the sale.

ORDERLY PRESENTATION OF MERCHANDISE

One may never be certain which method and selling appeal will cause any particular individual to buy. Accordingly the salesperson will be prepared to follow an ordered procedure which will in theory exhaust all the possibilities. The important factors may be emphasized in the following order:

1. Pleasing appearance (design, coloring, materials, finish).

2. Personal and decorative suitability (size, convenience, emotional effect, prestige value).

3. Sentimental appeal (style, historical, or social associations, prestige value).

4. Quality (materials, construction, finish, established service record, manufacturer's reputation, store's reputation or guarantee).

5. Price (in relation both to the customer's means and spending habits, and to the sum total of values provided by all other factors).

CLOSE OF SALE SHOULD COME LOGICALLY

Ordinarily the charted sale will develop in this order:

1. Elimination of possible alternatives and concentration upon merchandise to be sold.

2. Elimination of resistances through answering spoken or unspoken objections.

3. Final demonstration of appearance, suitability, and values.

4. Direct suggestion to buy, when suggestion is necessary.

However, closing a sale is not a separate operation, but rather the natural and logical culmination of a continuous process, planned from the beginning to help the customer buy what she wants or needs. Thus the difficulties of closing a sale often are the result of inept work in the earlier stages. Good salesmanship is far less a matter of overcoming these difficulties than of foreseeing them at the beginning of a sale, and thus making it impossible for them to arise at the end.

For this kind of salesmanship we require:

1. A knowledge of people and the way their minds habitually work.

2. A thorough knowledge of home furnishing merchandise in general, and our own in particular.

3. A sound working knowledge of the principles and practice of the home-furnishing art; and

4. Planned procedure in showing our goods and in closing sales.

Give a chemist a bottle of colorless liquid containing three or four metals in solution, and in an hour or less he will tell you exactly what those metals are. He doesn't guess, but puts the solution through an ordered series of reactions which gradually exhaust all the possibilities.

Making a sale is roughly an analogous process. In dealing with a long succession of unknown customers we cannot possibly guess just which procedures will satisfy any one customer's tastes and personal, decorative, and financial requirements. Human beings never react with the exactness of chemical combinations, but their reactions may be relied upon to make planned selling enormously more profitable than use of any combination of haphazard methods yet devised.

QUESTIONS

_1. What do you do when your customer says, "I will wait for the spring sales?"_

_2. In what ways may good window display aid you in selling bedroom furniture?_

_3. Illustrate, if possible from your experience, the use of the complete "room picture" method._

_4. What are the advantages of glass curtains?_

_5. Under what conditions would you sell pieces from different suites for the same bedroom?_

_6. Give a demonstration of harmony in furniture for the sunroom._

_7. What part may effective use of the English language play in helping you close sales?_

_8. If it were your decision, would you rearrange your display floors on the basis of harmonious and convenient groupings, or on the basis of displaying articles selling in greatest quantity?_

_9. Explain satisfactorily how the idea of "groups" may make sleeping quarters sparkle with the occupant's personality._

_10. Show what is meant by the statement that the floor is really the "key" to a well-balanced room._

SUGGESTED READING LIST

BALDWIN, WILLIAM H. _The Shopping Book._ The Macmillan Co., New York, N. Y. 1929.

Sun Parlors, III, pp. 67-70.

FALES, WINNIFRED. _What's New In Home Decoration._ Dodd, Mead & Co., New York, N. Y. 1936.

The Busiest Room In The House, The Kitchen, XII, pp. 250-275.

KNAUFF, CARL G. B. _Refurbishing The Home._ McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, N. Y. 1938.

Wall Coverings, pp. 83-100. Pictures, Hangings, Accessories, pp. 302-317.

KOUES, HELEN. _How To Beautify Your Home._ Good Housekeeping Institute, New York, N. Y. 1930.

Halls, Sunrooms and Porches, pp. 95-107. Colonial and Modern Bedrooms, pp. 107-123.

PALMER, LOIS. _Your House._ Boston Cooking School Magazine Co. 1928.

The Kitchen and the Sunroom, pp. 68-78.

POWELL, LYDIA. _The Attractive Home._ The Macmillan Co., New York, N. Y. 1939.

The Bedroom, pp. 51-67. The Kitchen, pp. 72-94.

STEWART, ROSS _and_ GERALD, JOHN. _Home Decoration._ Garden City Publishing Co., Inc., Garden City, N. Y. 1938.

Sunrooms, X, pp. 154-193.

WHITON, SHERRILL. _Elements of Interior Decoration._ J. B. Lippincott Co., Chicago, Philadelphia. 1937.

Pictures, XIV, pp. 461-493.

WRIGHT, AGNES FOSTER. _Interior Decoration for Modern Needs._ Frederick A Stokes Co., New York, N. Y.

Pp. 135-145 and pp. 213-225.

FOOTNOTES:

[28] Ancient Roman houses often had an apartment or enclosure on the roof which was open to the sun, and accordingly known as the solarium. This term is applied to the sun-drenched rooms built into modern hospitals for the use of convalescents, and also is employed by architects and writers as a substitute for sunroom in the modern house.

[29] Highly valuable suggestions, and illustrations of smartly furnished sunrooms, can be obtained from books and magazines, and also from the manufacturers of furniture, floor coverings, drapery, and upholstery fabrics and window shades.

[30] The same thing applies to the sale of porch furniture--another undeveloped field. Drab, weather-worn, and utterly undistinguished furniture is out of place on the modern porch, and should be replaced by the smartly colorful and genuinely comfortable furnishings now available in wood, reed, or metal.

Unit XI

ACCESSORIES THAT MEAN "PLUS" SALES

Lamps and Lighting

Pictures and Mirrors

Wall Decorations

Plastics Enter the Home Furnishings Field

"Do's" and "Don't's" for the Salesperson

Unit XI.--ACCESSORIES THAT MEAN "PLUS" SALES

LAMPS AND LIGHTING

Those engaged in selling home furnishings are well aware of the fact that accessories of all types are important factors in increasing sales, and that by suggesting the use of proper accessories, many "plus" sales are made. Many times, new accessories are so incongruous with the other older furnishings in the room, they have caused an entire room to be refurnished and brought up to date. This is particularly true of lamps.

We are standing today on the threshold of an entirely new era in lighting. New illuminants are being developed and new methods are being devised for applying light to meet the needs of modern living. Only a little over a third of a century has passed since the first incandescent lamp was invented by Thomas A. Edison, and the electrical industry has since made tremendous progress. The cost of current has been cut in half due to engineering accomplishments and the illuminating engineer has taken advantage of this progress to develop a more liberal and a more intelligent use of light.

Scientific principles have been applied to all phases of home lighting and standard specifications worked out by the Illuminating Engineering Society for all types of lamps. Using a footcandle as a standard measurement of light intensity, the illuminating engineers have made these findings:

1. In normal sunlight there are 10,000 footcandles of light. In the shade of a tree there are 1,000 footcandles, and indoors during the sunlight hours there are 5 footcandles of light.

2. The efficiency of a standard candle flame source is calculated to be the equivalent of about 0.1 of a lumen per watt (1 lumen is the quantity of light given from a single candle on a surface 1 foot square). Edison's first lamp had 1.4 lumens per watt, and present-day 100-watt electric bulbs have 1,520 lumens.

3. Light is made up of all colors of the rainbow. This was discovered in 1666 when Newton passed a beam of sunlight through a prism and learned that light had in it all the colors of the rainbow, which, when mixed in the proper proportions, produce white light. A combination of all these colors produces sunlight, and in different proportions, incandescent light.

Lamps for home use, now on the market, may roughly be divided into two major divisions, decorative lamps and utilitarian lamps. Under these main divisions are the classifications of the various types of lamps, such as decorative, table, commode, and floor lamps, scientific desk lamps and utilitarian lamps for various rooms and purposes.

1. Decorative lamps are those used primarily for decoration. Table and commode lamps fall largely under this classification, for living room use, and vanity and boudoir lamps for bedroom use. Decorative lamps use a variety of materials for bases such as china, glass, metal, pottery, terra cotta, wood, porcelain, and marble and employ ornate shades which in many instances greatly reduce the illuminating ability of the lamp. Several years ago, before the principles of lighting were given the consideration they are receiving today, lamps which were purely decorative were in much greater demand than they are at present. Today's decorating principles demand that lamps should be useful as well as decorative, and most lamps on the market conform to good standards of lighting. There are, however, lamps designed strictly for decoration which employ dark shades using such materials as quilted velvet, chenille, wood veneer or other opaque fabrics, and which are of unusual shapes that restrict the light. These lamps, while serving a definite need in a decorative scheme, should not be used for reading purposes or provide the only illumination in a room. The purely decorative lamp should be treated merely as an accessory and used in the same manner as a vase or a non-illuminating object.

2. Utilitarian lamps are those which adhere for the most part to scientific standards of lighting, and are designed for specific rooms and purposes.

According to specifications laid down by the Illuminating Engineering Society,[31] the minimum light requirement for average reading in the home is 20 footcandles of light. For fine print and sewing the minimum requirements are 35 to 50 footcandle intensity.

Standards for study and table lighting set up by this society, call for lamp bases 28 inches in height equipped with a reflector bowl made of opal diffusing glass, 8 inches in diameter. At a distance of 12 inches from the base of the lamp, a 100-watt bulb must give 30 footcandle intensity to comply with their standards, and at a distance of 36 inches, 5 footcandle intensity.

Divided into groups, utilitarian lamps fall into these classes:

_Study lamps._--These are lamps which adhere to all of the I. E. S. standards and are used on desks for reading purposes or as a table lamp. They are somewhat less decorative than the regular living room lamp since they are more severe usually being made with a brass base and parchment or simple silk shade.

_Table lamps._--These are decorative lamps with bases made from the same materials as the purely decorative lamps; however, they are usually more conservative than the purely decorative lamps, and rigidly avoid unusual shaped shades or novelty treatments which might cut down the utility of the lamp. I. E. S. standards are not rigidly followed on all table lamps, but the specifications serve as a master guide. When dark shades are used they are usually lined with white to reflect the light. Reflector bowls are used to encase the light bulb. These are made of holophane, milk, or glazed glass, and provide a diffused indirect light.

_Commode lamps._--Commode lamps are smaller than table lamps and are usually used to flank a sofa or as pairs on either side of a chair grouping. I. E. S. standards for this type of lamp call for a base 23 inches in height, an 8-inch reflector bowl and an intensity of light, 12 inches from the center of the lamp, of 30 footcandles, when a 100-watt bulb is used.

_Floor lamps._--Several types of floor lamps are now in use--the lamp with diffusing bowl and fabric shade and the reflector lamp. Floor lamps show a tendency to shorten and new junior floor lamps are about 10 inches shorter than standard models. I. E. S. standards on floor lamps call for a base 58 inches in height, a reflector bowl 8 inches in diameter and an intensity of light 12 inches from the base, of 30 footcandles, when a 100-watt bulb is used. At 24 inches from the base a 100-watt bulb should give 10 footcandles of light intensity, according to these standards. Floor lamps are usually made of metal or wood and many have marble or crystal inserts in the base. Many of the new floor lamps have three-way mogul-type lamp arrangements in addition to a reflector, which give four intensities of light. The reflector bowl may be lighted separately from the bulbs.

_Reflector lamp._--The reflector lamp is a tall floor lamp with a glass or metal bowl. The light is reflected upward toward the ceiling. This is in contrast to the lamp with the diffused glass reflector bowl and fabric shade which directs the light downward toward the floor as well as throwing a portion of light toward the ceiling. The reflector lamp may be used instead of a ceiling light but is not recommended as a reading lamp.

_Bridge or lounge-chair lamps._--Most of the old-type bridge lamps in which a bulb hung from a projected arm have been replaced by a reflector type lamp which employs a diffusing bowl. These bridge or swinging-arm lounge-chair lamps are smaller than the floor lamps, and can be adjusted to any position over a chair. Many have a cover or closed top on the diffusing bowl so the light will not shine in the user's eyes.

Although theoretically lamps have no traditional period styling, since all lamps are a product of modern invention, manufacturers have styled lamps of all types to blend with period decorations, and have classified them as to English, French, Colonial, Early American, modern, nautical, juvenile, and commercial types to meet various decorative demands. Lamps for use in period rooms should be selected in the same manner as accessories, the simpler types of lamps for English settings, the more ornate types for French and Victorian.

Materials long associated with the various periods of furniture design, and popular during certain centuries have been employed in lamp bases; bone china, Wedgewood, Sheffield silver, brass, and Chinese porcelain bases have been used on eighteenth century lamps. Just as one would select brass or milk glass accessories for an Early American room, lamps made to resemble old vases, oil lamps used during the period, and hurricane lamps with an electric light replacing the candle in the glass chimney, are appropriate for rooms furnished in Early American style.

For the French room are the more elaborate lamps such as onyx, crystal, metal figurines, and French china. Modern lamps are made in such materials as wood, glass, cork, plastics, and metal. Floor lamps, as well as table lamps, follow period styles, and lamps are designed to accompany practically every type of setting.

After determining the style of lamp for a particular room, the next problem is the type of lamp to use. It is well to remember that enough light should be provided in home decoration so that the ratio of darkness to light will not exceed 10 to 1. It is also a cardinal rule of decoration that each grouping should have a light in keeping with the purpose of the grouping; for example, a lounge chair is used primarily for lounging and reading. To place a lounge chair in a room without a lamp as its companion decreases the utility and enjoyment of the chair.

If a table is used beside the chair, a lamp in proper proportion to the table should be used. The lamp may provide a color accent beside the chair or may be of a material in keeping with the decorative trend. Since the lounge chair is used for reading, the lamp should be a good reading lamp and should come up to the scientific standards set up for good light. If no table is to be used, a bridge or lounge chair lamp may be added.

Commode lamps should be in proportion to the sofa with which they are used. Reflector lamps fit into corners, or may be used beside a grand piano or in front of windows.

If the decorator keeps in mind that the lamp is an accessory, that it should complement the room and serve a specific purpose by its use, the correct use of lamps is made quite simple.

When a woman wishes to buy a lamp the salesperson should first inquire where the lamp is to be used. If it is a table lamp find out if there are other lamps in the room. Ask if there is a chair next to the table and if that chair is used for reading or sewing. If the lamp is to be used purely for decorative purposes it may be of a different type than that which provides adequate light for a specific purpose. Find out the general period of the room and the color scheme so the lamp will be in keeping with the surroundings and provide the proper accent. Impress the customer with the necessity of a lamp for every grouping, and with the importance of good lighting.

Oil lamps for farm use have been styled to resemble electric lamps and have enameled bases, diffused reflectors and attractive shades. All lamps regardless of the source of light have been materially improved and there is no need for any person to have poor lighting in the home today.

PICTURES AND MIRRORS

Pictures and mirrors are important accessories in present day decorating and their correct use can change the appearance of the entire room.

Pictures vary according to size, subjects, and medium used. There is no set, all-comprehensive rule for the use of pictures, but certain types of pictures are used with certain types of settings either because the subject matter confines it to a certain period, or the technique used is in keeping with a definite century.

Frames many times control the use of a picture, and an old picture may be placed in a modern frame and used in a contemporary setting. Mats used on pictures may be varied according to the subject matter and the frame selected according to the manner in which the picture is used. Wood frames are popular and in good taste and are shown in natural wood color, mahogany, walnut, maple, or enameled. Gilt frames are still in use, but for the most part picture frames are simpler than in the past century.

Pictures should be selected according to their subject and should be in keeping with the general trend of the room. Certain subjects are known to be ageless and are in good taste when used in an eighteenth century room or in a modern room. This specifically refers to Chinese pictures or florals and they vary in use only by the type of frame employed. Portraits may be used with all periods if they are done in oil and properly framed and preserved.

Many times a picture, if large and particularly lovely, may furnish the decorative theme of the room, and the colors used in the picture picked up in the upholstered pieces and the accessories. At other times pictures will provide a necessary color accent.

Certain subjects, popular during a particular century, lend themselves to rooms of that century, as for example, hunting scenes are known to be of English origin and lend themselves to English settings. Elaborately dressed women of the French court shown in a court scene are best used with a French setting, and a daintily furnished girl's room requires dainty subjects on the wall such as flowers, birds, or feminine subjects.

Pictures may be hung singly, in pairs, or groups according to the manner in which they are used. A small picture placed over the center of a sofa is out of balance with the sofa. One large picture or a group of small pictures may be used depending upon the size of the picture. A sense of balance should be brought into play when hanging pictures, and common sense used not to let the picture over-balance the piece with which it is used, nor to appear dwarfed on a large wall area.

Pictures should be hung so that the center is eye level to the person standing in the room. They should be hung flat against the wall with the hooks and cords used to suspend the pictures entirely concealed. Many novel arrangements are being used effectively in contemporary decorating, and it is a good habit to watch the home furnishings pages of the newspapers and national magazines for new methods of arranging pictures.

Mirrors are playing an increasingly important part in today's decorating scheme as they have been found to serve a multiple purpose.

Architecturally, mirrors may be used to give the illusion of increased space. A wall covered with mirrors will make a room appear twice its size. Because of this illusion of space, many rooms, furnished in the modern manner use large, full wall mirrors as part of the decorative scheme.

Mirrors fall into two main classes, the Venetian type without frames, and the framed models. Mirrors may be etched, painted, sand-blasted or have decorations applied to the exterior, such as pieces of wood, flower containers, or bits of metal. Many frames are made of wood and finished in mahogany, maple, walnut, or bleached wood or gilt frames. Many times genuine gold leaf is used. Single, double, and triple beveled edges are used, in many instances the beveled edge being the only decoration on the mirror. Mirrors with beveled edges are shown with and without frames.

The old belief that mirrors vary in quality according to the thickness of the glass has been disproved. The United States Department of Commerce under its commercial standards (C. S. 27-36) has set up three grades of mirrors for classification by the manufacturers. These include:

_A quality._--The best type of mirror, in which the central area of the glass is free from major defects but the mirrors may contain tiny, well-scattered bubbles (referred to by the Government as seeds) and short, faint hairlines on the back or face of the mirror. The outer area of the mirror may also contain well-scattered bubbles and faint clouds.

_No. 1 quality_ mirrors are rated as second grade and may contain tiny, well-scattered bubbles, short faint hairlines and scattered clouds.

_No. 2 quality_ mirrors are rated as third grade and may contain scattered bubbles, some coarse bubbles, light beams, light scratches and some cloudiness. The No. 2 mirror may also have a "bull's-eye" (distortion) if it is not visible from directly in front of the mirror.

Although these are highly technical specifications laid down by the manufacturer, the consumer may watch for certain imperfections when purchasing mirrors. A good test which may be made of a mirror as to its quality is to examine the mirror from the front and the side to see that the reflection is not distorted. Ceiling and floor lines should appear perfectly straight, and not waved. The mirror should be comparatively free from bubbles, and scratches should be very faint.

Mirrors which employ window glass, show distortion when given the side test, and lines will appear to be waved.

The quality of the mirror depends upon the manufacturer since many chemicals are used and atmospheric conditions have a pronounced effect upon the finished product. Mirrors made under proper conditions should give at least 5 years of service without tarnishing. Improper silvering will result in tarnishing within a few months.

Color of the mirror is also a determining feature of the quality. Good mirrors should be a sparkling white color. Poorly silvered mirrors reflect a yellowish tint.

Tinted mirrors for decorative purposes are shown in blue and peach tones. These reflect a colored image and are considered in good usage in certain instances when this color is needed in the room.

Plain silver mirrors are most popular and when used in a room, pick up and reflect the colors of the room without adding an additional tone.

Many times, when it is necessary to bring color into a certain part of the room, a mirror is used since all of the colors are concentrated in the glass and reflected back into the room.

Both period and modern mirrors are on the market with period types especially adapted to period rooms. The shape of the frame and decorative accent determine the period of the mirror, and sizes vary according to the purpose for which they are to be used. The same principle applies to hanging mirrors as in the case of pictures, and mirrors should be in related balance to the piece with which they are used. Unless designed as a left and right mirror, mirrors should be used singly rather than in pairs although mirrored wall plaques may be used in pairs or grouped in the same manner as pictures. Mirrored frames on pictures are being widely used since they combine the use of a mirror with a picture.

Mirrors may be used in the dining room over a buffet or commode; in the living room over the mantle, sofa, or wall grouping, in the hall, in the bedroom, bathroom, and in the kitchen. Kitchen mirrors should be plain, unframed, and undecorated. Many times an interesting group is made up of a mirror flanked by a pair of pictures.

WALL DECORATIONS

In addition to mirrors and pictures, there are many other types of wall decoration. Sconces, or small shelves nailed to the wall on which plants or small art objects are placed, are growing in popularity. Wall brackets for growing plants, knickknack shelves, corner shelves, clocks, plates mounted on wall holders, murals, and tapestries are all used in today's decorative scheme.

In an eighteenth century room, an effective grouping can be made of three wall sconces arranged in pyramid fashion, on which Chinese celestial figures are placed. Sconces may be used singly, in pairs or in groups, and may be made of wood, glass, or metal and either finished in natural color, gilded, or enameled. A grouping of sconces with art objects over the fireplace, above a sofa, on a narrow wall, or in the hall is extremely effective. Plants with drooping vines may be placed on the sconces, or colorful art objects in keeping with the general scheme of the room.

The popularity of touches of living green in the room has brought wall brackets for holding potted plants to the fore. These brackets are usually made of wrought iron and are enameled white or pastel colors. A ring holder keeps the pot in place and provides accommodations for one or several such plants. Wood plant brackets are also on the market and are used in the more formal period rooms. Wall brackets for plants can be used in any room from the kitchen to the front porch and may be placed on the window frame, in the archway of a hall, on the walls flanking a mirror or picture, on a narrow wall, or may hang from a central doorway. Many times colored pots in contrast to the wall bracket are shown, and the effect is cheerful and adds color and growing greens to the home.

Knickknack shelves have become popular with the increased hobby of collecting art objects by the amateur. Knickknack shelves are shown in a variety of styles for various rooms, and are available in wood, enameled metal, chrome, and glass. In the bathroom knickknack shelves are used to hold bath accessories, powder, toilet water, and attractive bottles and jars; in the kitchen these shelves may hold salt and pepper shakers, tiny decorative pitchers and gayly colored kitchen accessories; in the bedroom, perfume bottles, and knickknacks find their way to these shelves; and in the dining room and living room, plants in decorative pots, and art objects add color to the wall and the room. Corner shelves, which fit into a corner of the wall and make use of otherwise waste space are used in the same manner as the knickknack shelves which are shown in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Clocks to hang on the wall are made in styles to harmonize with every room in the house. Kitchen clocks, in white and pastel enamels to match the room's color schemes, novelty bedroom clocks, and living room clocks come in period and modern varieties. Popular for the Colonial and Early American room is the banjo clock. Many of the new clocks are operated by electricity.

A popular wall decoration consists of rare plates, placed in wall-plate holders and arranged in groups on the wall either over a sofa, or mantle, or on plain walls. Plates may be used in the same manner as pictures but care should be taken to select plates which have genuine decorative value and have interest either by their antiquity, coloring, or subject.

Murals in which photographic subjects are enlarged in a panoramic manner are used as wall decorations, particularly in rooms furnished in a contemporary manner. Outdoor scenes, familiar scenes of the city, or a composite of photographic subjects of interest to the occupants of the room are applied to the wall either in the manner of wallpaper or in a frame as a gigantic picture. Murals, properly used, are extremely decorative but should be used under the guidance of an expert who understands the correct application of the mural to the wall.

Tapestries are not in as common usage as a decade ago, having been abandoned in favor of pictures, mirrors, wall brackets, and other newer accessories. Tapestries many times give a heavy appearance to a room and have been condemned by many modern housewives as "dirt catchers."

Many of the tapestries in use today are framed and these may be used in the same manner as a picture. A large tapestry hanging may be used on the wall of a study or den or behind a large wall piece. The subject of the tapestry should be in keeping with the general room scheme and the color in harmony with the other furnishings in the room.

PLASTICS ENTER THE HOME FURNISHINGS FIELD

For years plastics have been of major importance in the industrial field. Now the chemist's test tubes are revealing new and outstanding uses for plastics in architecture, lighting, decorator's accessories, furniture novelties, and miscellaneous items. The records show that 160,000,000 pounds of plastics are produced in a single year in the United States alone, and that new plastics are being developed at the rate of one a year.

This evolution of plastics has made possible large-scale production of articles within a price range that makes them available to large numbers of homes. A recent issue of the British Yearbook devotes 55 pages to the mere listing of products made of plastic and 30 pages to substances from which plastics are derived. The fifth annual modern plastics competition brought more than 1,000 entries. Top award in the furniture classification went to a display of occasional tables with revolving tops, made without using screws, bolts, and other attachments ordinarily used in furniture construction. At the January and June (1941) Furniture Mart shows in Chicago, Ill., plastics definitely entered the competitive fields for interior decoration, surfacing, hardware, and paneling. There were "all-plastic rooms" featuring dinette sets, bedroom suites, dressing tables, vanity chairs, bar stools, consoles, bedside tables, and sophisticated modern stow-away chests. Chrome and wood were combined into a high chair with a back formed of pink and blue opaque woven plastic. There were bedroom groupings in soft, light grays matched by the woodwork of the room. Plain panel backs of beds were in cedar to match the carpet. Wall paper was plaided in ivory and two-tone gray. There were bedrooms in French Provincial style; others in simple Colonial, or Georgian. Dining room groupings were shown in sparkling furniture that was not glass but was warp-resisting and impervious to mars, nicks, chipping, and such abuse as would require refinishing in the case of wood or metal pieces. The talent of ingenious designers and decorators had been used to aid in producing home accessories in plastics. There were on display table lamps, curtain rods, picture frames, salad bowls and utensils, vases, wastepaper baskets, bird cages, carved ornamental centerpieces, mirror frames, and coat trees. Plastics were shown in fluorescent lighting effects possessing the advantages of day-like light, less heat, less power consumption, and greater illumination per unit of power consumption. There seemed to be no major product in the home furnishings field, including lighting and accessories, for which this "plastics age" had not prepared an entry.

As talking points for plastics in the home furnishings field, consider the following claims:

1. The plastic used for furniture is neither a finish nor a protection for a finish. It is a hard-surfacing substance said to be "many times as strong as wood."

2. Tests show that it is not affected by hot dishes up to 200° F. Liquids of all types and unusual temperatures harm plastics not in the least. These include perfumes, ordinary acids, alcohol, nail polish, and fruit stains.

3. Plastic surfacing will not discolor or fade, even though exposed for a long period to the sun's rays.

4. Plastic pieces need neither polish nor wax. They are washed with ordinary soap and water.

Salespersons should understand a few basic technical facts in order to discuss plastic pieces or sets or "all-plastic" rooms with interested customers.

The term "plastics" is a commercial, rather than a scientific, designation; the line is drawn not so much by what the substance is, as by what it will do. The materials called "plastics" have in common not only the ability to be formed while soft into a desired shape possessing rigidity, but also the chemical characteristics of having been polymerized; that is, they are constituted of large molecules which are aggregates of similar molecules.

Plastics are classified into two types depending on their physical properties:

1. _Thermoplastic._

2. _Thermosetting._

Thermoplastic materials soften upon being heated and become solid again when cooled. This change of state can be repeated over and over. Thermosetting plastics on the other hand are compounds which definitely alter their chemical constitution in the course of molding under heat or pressure or both.

Plastics also may be classified according to their chemical source. The 18 or so known basic types fall into 4 general fields: Cellulose plastics, protein plastics, natural resin plastics, and synthetic resin plastics.

CELLULOSE PLASTICS

Cellulose nitrate, the classic in this type, begins life as cotton linters--the short fibers next to the seed in a cotton boll. Purified, the cellulose is treated with mixed nitric and sulfuric acids to produce pyroxylin. Camphor, alcohol, and color are added as desired. The mixture becomes a dough-like substance which is rolled, baked, seasoned, and polished. When heated, it may be shaped to any form desired; and it can be cut, sawed, filed, blown, rolled, planed, hammered, drilled, and turned on lathes. It may be obtained in practically every shade and hue, in transparent, translucent, opaque, and in mottled and pearl effects.

PROTEIN PLASTICS

Protein plastics date back to 1890 when Dr. Adolph Spitteler of Hamburg, Germany, set out to make a white "blackboard" for classroom use. He mixed sour milk with formaldehyde and got a casein plastic, a shiny substance from which many a modern button and buckle is made. It is possible to use soya beans, lignin from wood, coffee beans, and peanuts in making protein-type plastics.

NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC RESINS

An example of a natural resin is _lac_ secreted by a little red insect that sucks the sap of trees and converts it into a protective covering for itself. _Lac_, upon being refined and dissolved in a suitable solvent, forms a shellac. Dr. Leo Baekeland in 1907 was investigating this natural process when he combined formaldehyde and phenol with the aid of a catalyst and heat. The result was a synthetic resin, the basis of the first molded phenolic plastic--the familiar substance of telephone receivers and many other objects. The commercial development of urea-formaldehyde plastics was made possible by availability not only of formaldehyde but also of synthetic urea.

Comparatively new in the field of structural materials, but significant for those who sell home furnishings, are laminated plastics, plywood, and veneers. Laminated plastics are made by treating sheets of paper or woven cloth with synthetic heat-reactive resins and subjecting built-up layers of the treated materials to heat and pressure. Such plastics also may be bonded to thin wood sheets and to metals. The resulting materials are useful for furniture and for interior decoration.

This type of material was used in decorating the Library of Congress Annex. It was extensively used on the British superliner, Queen Mary. From vinyl resins, one of the new families, comes the center of the sandwich in safety glass. The plastic interlayer is not broken by a blow but stretches, at the same time holding broken pieces of glass together and preventing flying splinters.

At the present time the varied diversity of plastics is a major asset. In the home furnishings field, whoever wants a new, strong, graceful, functional material for a new product has a wide range of materials in all color combinations from which to make a choice. For the first time, the claim may be advanced that certain limitations in furniture design have been released and that innumerable variations without changing the shape or structure of the product are possible. By the use of fascinating surfaces, textures, and colors, it is possible to create designs which, while simple, possess charm, intrinsic beauty, and distinction. The introduction of such a product to the home furnishings field brings a new competitive element.

"DO'S" AND "DON'T'S" FOR THE SALESPERSON

Every salesperson has his own technique for closing a sale, but there are certain methods which seem to impress favorably the potential customer and others which react unfavorably.

Among the objectionable selling methods is that of making personal comparisons; for example, to tell a customer that you have a chair, a lamp, or a rug exactly like the one she is buying usually does not impress her. The average customer likes to feel her taste is superior to the salesperson's and that she can afford something beyond the price range of the person serving her. Many sales are lost by the salesperson making a personal reference to himself in this manner.

Don't take a superior attitude when waiting on a customer, who seems less informed on the subject than yourself. Suggest, rather than tell her what to use, and appear to be serving her in a graceful manner, letting her know you enjoy waiting on her. Mate her feel perfectly at ease in your presence, yet treat her with the respect that she as a customer deserves.

Many people rather like being referred to by their name as it gives them a personal feeling with the store. When you know the name of the person you are serving, refer to her name from time to time but don't repeat it too often. When she leaves, thank her, by using her name and once or twice during the conversation mention it. Be sure you pronounce the name correctly, however, and that you refer to her by her correct title, noting whether or not she is married or single.

People are usually interested to know that the merchandise they choose compliments their personality and their persons. This is true of clothes and is an important element of style. It is true of homes and rooms where the harmony of color and design can be used to the best advantage when properly adjusted to the personality of the due or the family that uses it. Obviously this lies in the realm of newer advances in proper home styling and decoration. Nevertheless, many salesmen in average stores can enhance their effectiveness and their service by helping their customers to avoid choices that do not seem to harmonize with their obvious personal characteristics. To truthfully assure a customer that her choice does properly reflect herself is likewise obviously good salesmanship.

People have become accustomed to prideful ownership of automobiles similar to those bought by their neighbors. The backbone of the home-furnishings industry is, however, the individuality of the American home and it has never succumbed to stereotyped style or decoration. Almost every customer either consciously or unconsciously recognizes this and will be interested in furniture that sets her home apart from others and represents her individual taste and planning. The first time a customer may ask questions of a salesman; the second and third time, just return to look. Never make any customer feel that you are annoyed by her delayed purchase or that you recognize that she is still looking. Make yourself available, should she want additional information, but allow her time to consider the merchandise at her leisure, if she is so disposed.

QUESTIONS

_1. What is the most satisfactory arrangement of lighting units for a living room? A dining room?_

_2. What is cove lighting?_

_3. "The texture of objects determines the amount of colored light they will absorb." Explain._

_4. Explain the terms: Candlepower, footcandles, lumens, parabolic reflector, and indirect lighting._

_5. Under what conditions would you advocate the use of tapestry wall hangings?_

_6. Are you familiar with the light specifications worked out by the Illuminating Engineering Society, 61 Madison Avenue, New York, N. Y.?_

_7. How would you build an effective window display to increase sales for your lighting fixtures department?_

_8. Discuss the correct use of rhythm in display._

_9. Do you advise use of price cards in connection with your accessories display?_

_10. What opportunities exist to display accessories combined in use?_

_11. In what way is display a silent salesman?_

SUGGESTED READING LIST

BURRIS-MEYER, ELIZABETH. _Decorating Livable Homes._ Prentice-Hall, Inc., New York, N. Y. (1937.)

Accessories, VIII, pp. 206-232. Light, IX, pp. 232-248.

CRANE, ROSS. _Home Furnishing and Decoration._ Frederick J. Drake & Co., Inc., Chicago, Ill. (1933.)

Pictures, XII, pp. 183-191. Lighting, XX, pp. 247-253. Lamps, XXI, pp. 253-261.

EBERLEIN, MCCLURE, HOLLOWAY. _The Practical Book of Interior Decoration._ J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, Pa. (1919.)

Artificial Lighting, IX, p. 324. Pictures and Their Framing, XI, p. 350. Decorative Accessories, XII, p. 364.

FALES, WINIFRED. _What's New in Home Decorating._ Dodd, Mead & Co., Inc., New York, N. Y. (1936.)

Science of Lighting, X, pp. 207-229.

JACKSON, ALICE _and_ BETTINA. _The Study of Interior Decoration._ Doubleday, Doran & Co., Inc., Garden City, N. Y. (1928.)

Accessories, XIV, pp. 317-340.

KNAUFF, G. B. _Refurbishing The Home._ McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, N. Y. (1938.)

Lighting Problems, XIV, pp. 289-302. Pictures, Hangings, Accessories, XV, pp. 302-317.

FOOTNOTES:

[31] The Illuminating Engineering Society is made up of illuminating engineers and those engaged in the lighting field who have worked out set standards for illumination from tested specifications.

+--------------------------------------------------------------+ | A FINAL WORD | | | | | | We bring the final unit of this course to an end with a | | cordial wish for your prosperity and success. | | | | We have tried to open more widely the door of opportunity. | | | | No man can fix a limit to your progress but yourself. | | | | The sale of home furnishings at retail can be one of the | | most interesting of occupations with professional standing | | and a good professional income as its rewards. | | | | We hope and believe that you will win and enjoy these | | rewards, and with them another and greater. This is the | | happiness of creative effort. | +--------------------------------------------------------------+

APPENDIXES

A. Glossary of Terms

B. General Reading List

C. A Suggested Teaching Outline for a Group Leader

D. The Leading Furniture Woods

E. Common Rug Terms

F. An Advertising Check List

G. Fivefold Selling Plan for Floor Coverings

H. Color and Style in Modern Advertising Copy

I. Check List for Planning a Store-Wide Promotion

J. Ready Reference Index

Appendix A:--GLOSSARY OF TERMS

_Acanthus leaf._--A classical ornamental form, derived from the acanthus plant.

_Arabesque._--Intricate interlacing ornament, in the Arabian manner.

_Arcade._--A series of arches, supported by columns (fig. 10, page 59).

_Aubusson._--A fine quality of hand-made tapestry; originally made at Aubusson, France, used for carpets or upholstery.

_Baluster._--In architecture, a turned or square upright support for the rail of a balustrade; in furniture, a splat with the outlines of a baluster. (See fig. 22, page 106.)

_Band or banding._--A narrow inlay which contrasts in color or grain with the surface which it is used to embellish.

_Banister._--Same as "baluster."

_Baroque._--The style which followed that of the Renaissance; characterized by rectangular outline much softened by use of curves, and exemplified by Louis XIV furniture, and in modified form by that of the late Jacobean and William and Mary styles.

_Bead or beading._--A small molding, usually of semicircular shape.

_Beauvais tapestry._--A fine hand-woven tapestry made in Beauvais, France, since 1662, and used for wall panels and furniture coverings.

_Bombé._--Puffed, rounded, or bulged.

_Brass._--An alloy of copper and zinc.

_Broken pediment._--See "pediment."

_Bronze._--An alloy of copper and zinc.

_Bun foot._--See "foot."

~C~-_scroll._--In the form of the letter ~C~.

_Cartouche._--An ornamental form based originally upon the open scroll; an oblong, elliptical, or shield-shaped flat panel, used in the decoration of furniture.

_Caryatid._--A draped female figure, used as a support in place of a column or pilaster.

_Chamfer._--The surface formed by cutting away the angle formed by two sides of a board.

_Classic._--As here used, conforming to the style of ancient Greek and Roman art.

_Collar._--A narrow strap or band, used near the top and (or) bottom of the leg.

_Court cupboard._--A short cupboard; originally a small cupboard set on a side table, but later built as one piece.

_Cyma curve._--A double or ~S~ curve, as in the cabriole leg.

_Dado._--The lower part of a wall, when marked off by panel or moldings.

_Deal._--Scotch fir.

_Fiddleback._--Having splats shaped something like a violin.

_Finial._--A terminating or crowning detail.

_Flemish scroll foot._--See "foot."

_Fluting._--Decoration by means of flutes or channels, as in a chair leg or dresser post.

_Foot_--

_Ball._--Globular, and attached to leg by slender ankle.

_Ball and claw._--Derived from the Chinese and representing a dragon's claw holding the great pearl.

_Bell._--Bell-shaped, and joined to leg by slender ankle.

_Bracket._--Used for cabinets, but not for chairs.

_Bun._--In the form of a flattened ball. See "trumpet-turned leg," under "leg."

_Dutch._--Another name for "pad foot."

_Flemish scroll._--See illustration, page 62.

_French._--See illustration, page 57.

_Hoof._--See "cabriole leg with hoof foot," under "leg."

_Leaf scroll._--See illustration, page 16.

_Pad._--See illustration, pages 59, 65.

_Paw._--See illustration, pages 59, 65.

_Peg top._--Turned to a point, like a top, and attached to the leg without a sharply defined ankle.

_Spade._--See illustration, page 68.

_Spanish._--See illustration, page 53.

_Serpent._--Used on tripod tables.

_Fresco._--In the fine arts, a method of painting on freshly laid plaster before it dries.

_Fret._--Interlaced ornamental work, carved on flat surfaces or pierced for galleries, chair backs, or aprons.

_Gallery._--An ornamental railing of wood or metal along the edge of a table, desk, or sideboard.

_Gesso_ (pronounced jes-o).--a plaster-like material spread on a surface or moulded into ornamental forms as a base for painting or gilding.

_Gilding._--An overlay or covering of gold leaf, or of gold powder with size.

_Girandole._--A very elaborate type of candle holder, used on the walls of late seventeenth and eighteenth century French salons, and usually made in pairs.

_Highboy._--A tall chest of drawers, mounted on legs.

_Japanning._--Art of varnishing with japan; see "lacquer."

_Knee._--The projecting upper curve of a cabriole leg; see "leg."

_Lacquer._--In period decoration, a varnish, of which the best was produced in Japan by tapping the varnish tree and drying the sap in the air. Pigments were often added for color. In Japanese lacquer work at least 15 coats, separately polished, were applied.

_Leg._--

_Cabriole._--Made in many styles. Illustration on pages 16, 65 show an example with hoof foot and carved knee.

~S~-_scroll._--See illustration, page 62.

_Trumpet-turned._--Here shown with inverted cup and bun foot. Many variations of this general form include octagonal legs and pear bulb legs.

_Term._--Many variations of this form, which is here shown in an ornate leg of the style of Louis XIV.

_Lowboy._--A chest of drawers, usually not more than 4 feet high and standing on four legs.

_Marquetry._--Inlaid work, usually in colored woods, but occasionally with the addition of ivory, bone, mother-of-pearl, etc. Sometimes differentiated as _intarsia_, in which the materials are placed in channels gouged out of the surface of the base, and _marquetry_, in which the pattern is formed as a veneer and glued to the surface of the base.

_Mullion._--A slender bar or pier, forming a division between windows, screens, etc.

_Neoclassic_ (New classic).--Designating the revival of classic taste in art, and here applied to the second revival after the discovery of Pompeian art early in the eighteenth century.

_Ormolu._--An alloy of copper and zinc; used in France for the production of furniture mounts, which were usually first cast, then chiseled with jewel-like precision, and gilded.

_Parquetry._--An inlay of geometric or other patterns for floors, often in colored woods.

_Patina._--In furniture, the surface appearance assumed by wood, marble, or other materials as the result of long exposure.

_Pediment._--In classic architecture, the flat triangular space between the roof lines on the end of a building; now often curved, and applied to over-doors, cabinet tops, etc. In the broken pediment the top line is cut away.

_Pewter._--An alloy of tin with some other metal usually copper, lead, or antimony.

_Reeding._--Embellishment produced by narrow convex moldings; the reverse of fluting.

_Rococo._--The general decorative style which developed from and followed the Baroque; characterized by exclusive employment of curved line, avoidance of complete symmetry, and exuberant and fanciful ornament in which shell and scroll forms were freely employed.

~S~-_scroll._--A scroll roughly in the form of the letter ~S~, often used for the legs of chairs or cabinets; see "leg."

_Serpentine._--Sinuous or winding; in furniture, bow-shaped, with the ends straight or bent back like a Cupid's bow.

_Splat._--A broad, flat upright member in middle of chairback.

_Splay or splayed._--Spread outward obliquely.

_Strap-work._--A decorative design consisting of a narrow fillet or band with crossed, folded, or interlaced ornament.

_Silhouette._--As applied to stretchers or skirts, an ornamental outline or profile.

_Squab._--A thickly stuffed loose cushion, especially one used for the seat of a sofa, couch, chair, or stool.

_Swag._--A decoration in wood or metal, resembling festoons or draperies.

_Truss._--In furniture, a rigid frame, of solid, open, column or arcade construction, used in pairs to support the ends of a piece of furniture, and usually connected by some form of stretcher.

_Tester._--A canopy over a bed, supported by the bedposts.

_Trestle._--A braced frame, forming whole support of a table top.

Appendix B.--GENERAL READING LIST

In order to avoid confusion, this list is restricted to a few books which are adequate for our present purpose, and usually are to be found in every public library. Books dealing with materials, construction, and special aspects of home-furnishing practice, and with salesmanship and merchandising principles are listed for suggested reading at the end of each unit.

GENERAL REFERENCE

The new Encyclopedia Britannica (14th edition) contains an astounding wealth of well written and beautifully illustrated material very useful to the salesman.

GENERAL READING SUGGESTIONS

WHERE TO BEGIN

CRANE, ROSS. _Interior Decoration. A Study Course for Furniture Men._ The Seng Co., 1430 No. Dayton Street, Chicago, Ill., 1928.

EBERLEIN, HAROLD. _Practical Book of Interior Decoration._ J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, Pa. 1937.

KELSEY, CLARK. _Furniture: Its Selection and Use._ National Committee on Wood Utilization, United States Department of Commerce. Superintendent of Documents, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. 1931.

MUSELWHITE, KATHERINE. _Principles and Practice of Interior Decoration._ Suttonhouse, Ltd., Publishers, Los Angeles, Calif.

PALMER, LOIS. _Your House._ Boston Cooking School Magazine Co. 1928.

POST, EMILY PRICE. _Personality of a House._ Funk & Wagnalls Co., New York, N. Y. 1933.

POWELL, LYDIA. _The Attractive Home._ Macmillan Co., New York, N. Y. 1939.

REYBURN, SAMUEL W. _Selling Home Furnishings Successfully._ Prentice-Hall, Inc., New York, N. Y.

WHITON, SHERRILL. _Elements of Interior Decoration._ J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, Pa. 1937.

MAKING AN ATTRACTIVE INTERIOR

BURRIS-MEYER, ELIZABETH. _Decorating Livable Homes._ Prentice-Hall, Inc., New York, N. Y. 1937.

BURROWS, THELMA. _Successful House Furnishing._ Manual Arts Press, Peoria, Ill. 1938.

KNAUFF, CARL G. B. _Refurbishing The Home._ McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc. New York, N. Y. 1938.

KOUES, HELEN. _How To Be Your Own Decorator._ Tudor Publishing Co., Inc., New York, N. Y. 1939.

MAAS, CARL. _Common Sense In Home Decoration._ Greenberg Publishing Co., New York, N. Y. 1938.

MERIVALE, MARGARET. _Furnishing The Small Home._ Studio Publications, London, n. d.

MILLER, GLADYS. _Decoratively Speaking._ Doubleday, Doran & Co., New York, N. Y. 1939.

STOREY, WALTER. _Period Influences in Interior Decoration._ Harper & Bros., New York, N. Y. 1937.

FURNITURE STYLES

ARONSON, JOSEPH. _Book of Furniture and Decoration._ Crown Publishers, New York, N. Y. 1937.

ARONSON, JOSEPH. _Encyclopedia of Furniture._ Crown Publishers, New York, N. Y. 1939.

HOLLOWAY, EDWARD. _Practical Book of American Furniture and Decoration._ J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, Pa. 1937.

KIMERLY, W. L. _How To Know Period Styles in Furniture._ Grand Rapids Furniture Record Co. 1912.

ORMSBEE, THOMAS. _Early American Furniture Makers._ Tudor Publishing Co., New York, N. Y. 1930.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, _Handbook of the American Wing_. R. T. H. Halsey-Charles O. Cornelius. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N. Y. 1928.

STRICTLY MODERN

DRAPER, DOROTHY TUCKERMAN. _Decorating Is Fun._ Doubleday, Doran & Co., Inc., New York, N. Y. 1939.

FRANKL, PAUL. _Space For Living._ Doubleday, Doran & Co., Inc., New York, N. Y. 1938.

PATMORE, DEREK. _Color Schemes for the Modern Home._ Studio Publications, London. 1936.

----. _Decoration for the Small Home._ G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, N. Y. 1938.

_Yearbook of Decorative Art._ Studio Publications. 1938.

Appendix C.--A SUGGESTED TEACHING OUTLINE FOR A GROUP LEADER

Unit IV contains much more material than can be discussed at one meeting. The group leader must be selective and decide which points are to be developed at the group meeting. Two programs are suggested.

FOR THE FIRST GROUP MEETING

1. _Opening remarks by the group leader_ (5 minutes):

_a._ No matter what kind of furniture we stock and sell, we first must have a working knowledge of the historic styles.

_b._ This unit contains condensed information on period decoration. You will not need to learn all these details thoroughly--at least not at once. Take the unit home and read it carefully.

_c._ After this reading, think over your own stock and decide just what parts of the description of period furniture will be most useful to pick out and study in detail.

2. _"High-lighting" a furniture sales talk_ (35 minutes):

_a._ A series of talks made by various salesmen and limited to 5 minutes each. Have five or six articles, furniture and rugs, grouped in front of the class and assign one piece to each man after he gets on his feet. Stress the style appeal of the piece under discussion.

_b._ Permit a minute or two for criticism after each talk and criticize them solely as to their probable effect in influencing a buyer.

3. _A Colonial bedroom_ (15 minutes):

Demonstration by Mr. Williams will cover all the elements of a good selling talk--fitness, room arrangement, color appeal, beauty of design, style (with emphasis upon sentimental appeal and present vogue) and price. The demonstration should be criticized on the basis of its smoothness and cumulative effect, or "build-up."

_Intermission_

4. _Is our merchandise properly styled for our own trade?_ (25 minutes):

Designed to put the buyer on the defensive, and to develop through frank discussion any need for changes in the character of the merchandise from the point of view of design and price only. You are trying to build up a business-getting machine, with no friction, dissatisfaction, or mental alibis. The idea that a salesman can sell anything to anybody will have to be discarded.

5. _Promotion plans for this season's business_ (15 minutes):

By some owner or by the chairman; a brief, candid statement of plans for buying display, advertising, and all forms of promotion and sales effort. Good to insure enthusiastic teamwork and to build up loyalty.

6. _Personal experiences_ (10 minutes):

The chairman will draw upon the selling experiences of individual members of the group.

FOR A SECOND GROUP MEETING (IF DESIRED)

1. _Opening remarks by the group leader_ (5 minutes):

_a._ We can make the best start, with least likelihood of resistance, by helping the customer to find articles that suit her needs, tastes, and means, and add to the comfort, harmony, and beauty of her home.

_b._ Style in furniture doesn't stop with the historic styles, but it does start there, and if we are going to make profitable use of style as a selling factor we must first know how our own merchandise is styled.

2. _Styling our own stock_ (50 minutes):

_a._ Early European styles. Mr. Stark (15 minutes).

_b._ Eighteenth century European styles. Mr. Pearson (20 minutes).

_c._ American styles. Mr. Hahn (15 minutes).

Go in a body directly to the nearest piece to be shown, and move on the minute that this piece has been adequately discussed. See to it that the men give a brief, orderly statement on three points: (1) The style with which they identify the piece; (2) reasons for the classification; and (3) types of non-period pieces, rugs, etc., in your own stock that could be used harmoniously with it. Time should be allowed for criticism and comment, even if very few pieces can be examined. If the group fails to arrive at general agreement on any piece, request the men who are arguing most keenly about it to consult other authorities and report at the next meeting.

_Intermission_

3. _Selling furniture on style basis_ (30 minutes):

Demonstration by Messrs. Black and Herrick. In this demonstration, let the men have 15 minutes free from interruption, with the time limit announced in advance; stop them promptly when their time has expired; and call for comment and criticism. These sales rehearsals are of the utmost value if properly conducted. They should never be permitted to lag or become involved in windy discussion.

4. _How can we make use of unit III in closing any sales now pending? Open discussion_ (20 minutes):

A sale of importance often has to be as carefully prepared and staged as a stage play. If the style appeal can be used to advantage in sales hanging fire or in sight, use the brains of the entire organization to find out how to do it.

As an alternative procedure to that suggested in 4 above, the following may be preferred by some group leaders:

Appoint three style leaders, or divide the entire force into three style committees, to deal respectively with _(a)_ the early European styles, from the Renaissance to William and Mary; _(b)_ the eighteenth century European styles; and _(c)_ the American styles. These leaders or committees should be instructed to go through the stock, assign as many pieces as possible to the various historic periods, and be prepared to give the reasons for these assignments to the whole group. In a large stock, limit the assignment to living room furniture only.

5. _Assignment of practice work_ (5 minutes):

Typed forms prepared about as follows should be distributed at this time:

Historic style_____________ Name of salesman________________________

Approximate dates of beginning and end______________________________

Reigning monarch____________________________________________________

Principal characteristics of the style______________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

Details of construction, ornament, and decorative practice__________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

Other styles more or less closely related to this one_______________ ____________________________________________________________________

Pieces in our own stock which can be assigned to this style. Give number, article, and finish_________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

Criticism and comment by Mr. (Name of second salesman to be filled in later)___________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

Fill in one of these sheets with a different style for each salesman. Choose only the styles important for your own business. Hand these forms out with the request that they be filled in after careful study.

Appendix D.--THE LEADING FURNITURE WOODS

_Acacia._--Africa, Australia, and generally throughout the warmer regions of the globe. The 550 species of acacia include several valuable timber woods, among them the Australian blackwood and acacia koa (see Koa) of the Sandwich Islands. Acacia was used as a furniture wood in the Byzantine and Romanesque styles more than 1,200 years ago.

_Amaranth._--Chiefly from British Guiana, South America. Also known as purpleheart tree and violet wood. It is of fair size; wood heavy, hard, and of a deep purple color not fast to light; used in marquetry embellishment of Louis XV furniture, and still popular in fine furniture.

_Amboyna._--East Indies, Malay Archipelago. (Also spelled Amboina, from the island of that name, Dutch East Indies.) This beautifully figured and mottled wood has much the color of satinwood. Amboyna burl, so-called, comes from the padouk tree. (See Padouk.) It is a rich golden yellow, shot with brilliant red, and is one of the most costly woods in the world.

_Apple._--The fruit wood, used in Elizabethan England and since, as an inlay.

_Ash._--Europe, Asia, and North America. A large, widely distributed group related to the olive family. There are 20 species in North America, ranging from desert shrubs to the magnificent white ash of the lower Ohio valley. The wood is markedly ring-porous, and when skillfully finished is very handsome, either plain or quarter-sawed. Varieties commonly used for veneer are figured trees of American white ash, English, Australian, and Japanese ash, the latter known as "tamo." Color ranges from grayish white to nut brown in tamo; a small fiddle or peanut figure is characteristic.

_Aspen._--Chiefly from Maryland and the Appalachian Mountains. (Also known as silver poplar.) Large trees, yielding some figured logs having a characteristic small block mottle figure. The wood is of light-straw color with some light-brown streaks, and takes a beautiful finish.

_Avodire._--West coast of Africa, near the equator. A creamy colored wood, yielding a handsome figure in crotch or quarter-sliced veneers.

_Ayous._--West coast of Africa. Cream-colored wood of a slight greenish tinge; resembles prima vera in appearance, and because of its low cost is sometimes used as a substitute for blond woods.

_Basswood._--North America. (Also known as linden and whitewood.) This tree, which belongs to the lime family, has a wood of cream-white color, almost free from visible markings due to pores, annual rings, or rays. In furniture manufacture it is used for plywood cores and kitchen table tops to be left unfinished.

_Beech._--Europe, Asia Minor, and eastern North America. Of the same genus as the oak and the chestnut, this tree yields furniture wood of light reddish-brown color. It has about the same weight and hardness as sugar maple.

_Birch._--North America, Europe, Asia Minor, and northern Siberia. A hardy, beautiful tree, yielding a hard and handsome wood, whether in plain or quarter-sawed surfaces, or in the form of veneers. The wood is of close texture; often has a wavy grain, producing what is known as curly birch, noted for wavy figure of changing high lights and shadows.

_Bosse._--Africa, French Ivory Coast. This large tree, closely resembling the cedar, has a wood light red or pink in color, which takes an excellent finish. It is used in America only as a veneer.

_Boxwood._--Europe, North America, and the West Indies. An extremely heavy, tough, close-grained wood, white or pale yellow in color, used in making musical instruments and also in furniture inlay.

_Bubinga._--West coast of Africa. Closely related to the rosewood, and its equal in weight, hardness, and capacity to take a high polish. The wood is slightly darker than mahogany. The veneer is usually striped, but sometimes figured, with a gorgeous black mottle. (See Kewazingo.)

_Butternut._--North Central United States. (Also known as white walnut.) This relatively small tree has a short trunk which makes it difficult to get veneer logs of good length and free from knots.

_Cedar._--Asia, Africa, and North America. The cedar of Lebanon has been a favorite with poets and painters for thousands of years. Other famous members of this family are the deodar or "god tree" of the Himalayas, and the thuya. Among the American varieties are the incense or white cedar, the Port Oxford or Oregon cedar, and the red or American cedar. Cedar was used as a furniture wood in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Persia almost 4,000 years ago.

_Cherry._--Europe and North America. This fruit wood is now rare and little used in furniture making but it is highly valued by cabinet makers by reason of its handsome fine-grained texture, its freedom from warping, and its capacity to take a high polish.

_Chestnut._--Europe and North America. The wood is closely allied to that of the oak, which it resembles in general appearance, though it is softer and the medullary rays are finer and less pronounced. Ideal for lumber cores of hardwood plywood. Decay resistant; easily glued and easy to work. The blight in no way subtracts from the quality of the wood, but it has decreased the amount now available.

_Cypress._--Europe, Asia, and North America. The common cypress is straight, tapering, and stately, but dark and forbidding in appearance. The wood is hard, close-grained, of a rich reddish hue and durable. A veneer of cypress stumps, with a highly intricate grain, is used in furniture making under the name of _faux satine_, or false satin.

_Deal._--Scotland. The Scotch fir, used to some extent in Elizabethan England and later as a furniture wood.

_Ebony._--India, East Indies, and Ceylon. Accurately, the black, heavy heartwood of a genus of tropical trees. According to legend the wood was used by the ancient kings of India not only for scepters and images, but also as drinking cups. Macassar ebony, so named from Macassar, seaport of the island of Celebes, Dutch East Indies, is notable for its close grain, intense hardness and rich hazel brown color, striped or mottled with black. It is much used in this country, where it is often known as "marblewood."

_Elm._--Europe, Asia, and North America. A noble and beautiful tree, widely distributed in the north temperate zone. In this country white elm is chiefly important for furniture, with some use of rock elm and slippery elm. The wood is hard, ranging in color from reddish brown at the heart to white sap wood, and has a fine wavelike grain when plain sawed. The richly figured leather-brown burl veneers made from trunk burls of elms from the Carpathian mountains, in central Europe, are among the costliest of cabinet woods.

_Goncalo alves._--Brazil. A hard and beautiful wood, closely related to rosewood. It has a rosy straw color, streaked with dark brown and black; is both sawed and sliced on the quarter, and is used for the same purposes as Macassar ebony.

_Greywood or Silver Greywood._--See Harewood.

_Gum._--United States. The term gum tree is applied to several unrelated gum-bearing trees in the United States, of which the wood of the red gum is chiefly used for furniture. It has a close grain, uniform texture, white sapwood, and reddish brown heartwood, the latter sometimes containing dark streaks, and known in the trade as figured gum. Tupelo gum and black gum have almost the same texture as red gum, but are white or warm gray in color. Gumwood was formerly called satin walnut in this country and still bears that name in England. Red gum is one of the most widely used hardwoods for plywood and ranks second among native hardwoods in production of face veneers and first in production of utility or commercial veneers. The sap wood is commonly called "sap gum."

_Harewood_ (artificial).--England and the Continent. Harewood, a West Indies wood now practically extinct, was much used by eighteenth century cabinet makers. Artificial harewood, also known as silver grey-wood, is made from carefully chosen English curly maple, known there as sycamore. The logs are first cut into planks and air-dried for three months; then cut into veneer and dyed with iron salts in huge tanks under pressure, which produces a beautiful silver grey wood with a slightly metallic sheen. It is one of the most costly veneers.

_Holly._--England. English white holly has been used since the time of Elizabeth for inlays. The thin veneers, having an exceptionally close texture, can be dyed to various colors. It is similar in appearance and use to boxwood, but less expensive.

_Iroko._--Africa. Though not of the teak family, this wood is called African teak. It is hard, firm, of the color of a ripe cucumber, and in veneers has a waxy figure.

_Kewazingo._--Africa. A veneer made in France from a species of bubinga, and cut in a peculiar way to a wavy figure. It is used as a decorative as well as a base wood in tables and case goods.

_Khaya._--Africa. (African mahogany.) See Mahogany.

_Koa._--Hawaiian Islands. Belonging to the acacia family, the koa is the most valuable Hawaiian tree. Its beautiful wood is of golden color, sometimes streaked with black or brown. Most logs have some figure and many have a pronounced ripple grain in veneers.

_Kingwood._--British Guiana, South America. A heavy wood, related to the rosewood, and sometimes called violet wood because of its color. It is chiefly used in the form of veneers sawed from small logs, about the size of fence posts.

_Koko._--Andaman Islands, East Indies. The East India walnut; has a hard, smooth texture similar to koa; not much figure, but a narrow prominent stripe when quartered; nut brown color.

_Lacewood._--Australia. (Also known as silky or Australian oak or selano.) This wood of a light, rosy color has pronounced medullary rays, and when quartered yields a beautiful effect of grain strikingly similar to that of coarse lace.

_Lauaan._--Philippine Islands. (Pronounced la-wan', with both a's as in "arm".) A tall tree native to the Philippines, the wood of which bears a marked resemblance to mahogany. Formerly marketed as "Philippine mahogany," and now as red lauaan.

_Laurelwood._--Andaman Islands, East Indies. Related to koko, and one of the finest timbers of the East. Laurelwood is a highly figured wood, gray with black stripes, and with a wavy grain.

_Lime._--Europe. (Also known as linden, the North American variety is basswood.) A soft, white wood, extraordinarily well adapted for carving in high relief or in the round.

_Macassar._--See Ebony. (Often, and properly, spelled Makassar.) Makassar oil, originally produced from the sandalwood of Makassar, was so much used as a hair dressing in Victorian England that it gave rise to the use of antimacassars or "tidies," as a protection to upholstered chair backs.

_Magnolia._--Southeast United States. Also species are found in Japan, China, the Himalayas. The wood is fine-grained, fairly hard, white at the sap and of a pale yellowish or greenish tinge at the heart.

_Mahogany._--A fine cabinet wood, is noted for variety and beauty of figure or pattern of the grain of the wood. Widely used for veneers and lumber of extreme dimensions and freedom from defect. Used for traditional furniture styles such as Chippendale, Hepplewhite, Sheraton, and Duncan Phyfe, and desirable for modern styles either in traditional or the lighter finishes.[32]

Three general types of mahogany are recognized: West Indian, conceded to be the hardest and strongest. Most of this type now comes from Cuba, but less than 5 percent of the American imports of mahogany are from the West Indies. The mainland Tropical American, which grows from southern Mexico to Colombia and Venezuela and appears again on the Upper Amazon and its tributaries in western Brazil and eastern Peru. Somewhat milder textured than the West Indian. A third type comes from the West Coast of Africa. This mahogany is not quite as firm textured as the American mahogany, but the trees are large and many are highly figured. Accordingly, the most of the mahogany veneers used in this country are _African_.

Mahogany wood is strong and tough, uniform in structure and close or moderately open grained, depending upon the locality where it is grown. Mahogany possesses a combination of physical and woodworking characteristics that have brought it into high renown as a cabinet wood. It is receptive to the finest of finishes. Freshly cut mahogany ranges from a light pink to yellow, but on exposure to light and air, quickly turns to a reddish brown or sherry color.

Mahogany has an interlocking grain which, on the quarter, usually reveals a straight stripe or ribbon figure. To a more limited degree some trees show broken stripe, rope, ripple, mottle, fiddleback, and blister figures and various combinations of these figures. Outstanding are the crotch and swirl figures obtained from sections of the trunk immediately beneath a fork or crotch in the tree. Mahogany does not produce clearly defined annual growth rings common to trees of the temperate zone. Consequently, the shell or leaf pattern in flat cut mahogany is due to the interlocking grain rather than to annual growth rings.

_Maidou._--Burma and Indo-China. This tree is closely related to the amboyna, but has a coarser figure and a darker brown color. Maidou burls are hard, sound, and valuable.

_Makore._--Africa, West Coast. (Also known as African cherry.) A large tree, yielding a furniture wood similar in texture and coloring to our cherry, but frequently revealing a strong black mottle.

_Madrone._--California and Oregon. (Also called Madrona.) Chiefly used in in the form of burl veneer, which has a tough hard surface, intricately veined figure, and rose-pink color.

_Maple._--North temperate zone. There are about 150 species in the maple family, of which 13 are native to North America. The sugar maple (also known as hard maple and rock maple) is a magnificent tree which sometimes attains a height of 120 feet. The wood is heavy, hard and of fine grain, as is that of the black maple. In veneers the maples yield many beautiful effects, including curly maple, bird's-eye maple, and the remarkable maple burls from Oregon trees. With the "natural" finish it is principally used for bedroom, porch, and kitchen furniture. Occasionally it is used in combination with other woods for exposed parts which are stained or painted and for interior parts where strength or rigidity are essential.

_Marblewood_ or _Marble-heart_.--See Ebony.

_Movingue._--Africa, west coast. A straw-colored wood resembling Java teak, but more yellow in color. In veneers it produces mottled wood and fine feather crotches.

_Myrtle._--Northern California and Oregon. A greenish-yellow wood, which when used in veneers has the peculiarity of showing the characteristic figuration of plain, butt, and burl woods in a single small area. Chiefly used in burls.

_Narra._--Dutch East Indies and the Philippines. Red narra varies in color from deep red shadings to attractive rose tint. Yellow narra ranges through the brilliant browns to golden yellow. When cut on the quarter the appearance is not unlike quartered unfigured satinwood.

_New Guinea Wood._--A recent popular importation. Brown to light gray with definite black lines. Large trees produce wide, long veneers. A highly figured wood with straight narrow stripe. Resembles oriental wood, but slightly lighter. Usually cut on the quarter.

_Oak._--North temperate zone. Of the hundreds of species of oak, 84 are found in the United States. Some of the splendid forest oaks reach a height of 150 feet. In the trade, oak lumber is classified as _white oak_ (cut chiefly from the white, chestnut, post, burr, over-cup, and swamp chestnut oaks), and _red oak_ (cut chiefly from the red, Shumard red, scarlet, black, and yellow oaks).

English brown oak is taken from certain English white oak trees, the wood of which has become brown from an infection of microscopic fungus which feeds on the tannin in the wood, leaving a brown residue which gives the wood the appearance of fine tortoise shell. Many of these trees were sturdy specimens hundreds of years before the Norman conquest in the year 1066.

Pollard oak is the term applied by English cabinet makers to oak burls. The veneers are choice and costly. Its uses are legion, but in fine furniture it has great strength, durability and attractive appearance.

_Oriental wood._--Queensland, Australia. (Also known as Queensland or Australian "walnut.") These huge trees resemble the Australian silky oak and the American blue beech. The wood, which is comparatively new on the American market, resembles walnut in appearance, and the veneers, quarter cut, yield stripe, fiddleback, and mottled effects.

_Padouk._--Burma and the Andaman Islands. (Also known as Vermilion wood.) A beautiful wood of reddish golden color with prominent ribbon stripe. (See Yomawood.)

_Pearwood._--Europe and North America. The fruit wood, much used by seventeenth century furniture makers.

_Peroba._--Brazil. The largest family of fine Brazilian woods. Peroba Rosa has a pink color, somewhat resembling that of tulipwood, while Peroba Blanca resembles satinwood. The veneers have a fine grain and take a remarkable polish.

_Poplar._--United States. The cabinet wood known as yellow poplar, whitewood, and poplar in this country, and as canary whitewood in England, comes from a tall North American tree known as the tulip tree. The wood is of fine grain, uniform texture, and of a color ranging from the yellowish white in the sap to yellowish green, purplish brown, or iridescent blue in the heart. It closely resembles magnolia, but is somewhat softer. Must not be confused with the rarer Brazilian tulipwood.

_Prima Vera._--Central America. While not a mahogany, prima vera is generally known as white mahogany. The wood is of cream color with a greenish cast, and resembles stripe mahogany in texture.

_Purpleheart._--See Amaranth.

_Redwood._--Northern California. (Also known as Sequoia.) Chiefly used in furniture in the form of veneers cut from the huge trunk burls, which yield sheets 5 × 6 feet without defects. The wood has a strikingly veined figure and a light brick-red color.

_Rosewood._--Brazil, eastern India, and Madagascar. Brazilian rosewood, also known as Rio rosewood, was formerly extensively used in making piano cases and musical instruments, and is still sometimes known as piano-wood. Color varies from brownish yellow to deep red, with black growth lines. The veneer is generally cut rotary, but also sliced on the quarter or across the heart. East Indian rosewood, sometimes known in veneer form as malabor or Bombay rosewood, is one of the finest cabinet woods. It varies in color from clear yellow through the reds to purple, with dark stripes. Madagascar rosewood, also known as _faux rose_, is a heavy hardwood ranging from pale pink to dull red in color, and revealing a fine pin-stripe in veneer.

_Sapele._--West African coast. Most Sapele logs are cut on the quarter and produce a straight stripe that in width is about halfway between the stripe of mahogany and stripe of satinwood.

_Satinwood._--Puerto Rico, and Island of Ceylon. This finest of cabinet woods was obtained by the eighteenth century masters from the West Indies, but little is now to be had outside Ceylon. Whether straight-grained or figured, satinwood has an incomparable beauty and fire.

_Snakewood._--Brazil. This term is applied to several woods, of which the most striking is the handsomely mottled wood of the South American leopard tree. It is used only in veneer.

_Sycamore._--United States. This name is applied to the native American plane tree, although the term still is applied to the ancient Egyptian and Asia Minor mulberry. Sycamore wood, generally known in Europe as maple, is reddish-brown in color and when quartered is handsomely figured. It has interlocked grain and is therefore difficult to split.

_Tamo._--Japan. (Native name for the Japanese ash.) Veneers cut from figured logs reveal an extraordinary wavy-like figure, and are beautiful and costly.

_Tanguile._--Philippine Islands. A Philippine hardwood similar to red lauaan (see Lauaan) and like the latter at one time marketed as "Philippine mahogany."

_Teakwood._--Region of the Gulf of Bengal. A hardwood of extreme durability, with white sapwood and a beautiful golden-yellow heartwood which on seasoning becomes dark brown, mottled with still browner streaks. The teak tree is native to India, Burma, and Thailand, and the wood is known to have been used in India for more than 2,000 years. It is one of the most enduring woods, and instances are recorded of teak beams which lasted more than 1,000 years.

_Thuya._--Algeria, Africa. (Formerly and properly spelled "thuja.") This is the botanical name for the arbor vitae, or tree of life, of the cedar family. In Europe the thuya burl is considered to share with amboyna the distinction of being the finest of all woods. The veneer is of reddish brown color, with a characteristic figure remotely suggestive of the feather crotch, and speckled with small round "eyes." It is used in Europe chiefly for fine cigarette and jewel cases.

_Tigerwood._--Africa, west coast. (Also known as African or Benin walnut.) An inexpensive but handsome veneer wood, ranging from golden-yellow to dull brown in color, with a wide and pronounced ribbon stripe. The crotches are large and good.

_Tulipwood._--Brazil. An extremely hard wood of pinkish-red color, much used since the seventeenth century for marquetry.

_Vermilion wood._--See Padouk.

_Violet wood._--See Amaranth and Kingwood.

_Walnut._--North temperate zone of America and Europe. American walnut is produced commercially from Wisconsin and Southern Ontario to Kansas, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. It is widely used for lumber and veneers.[33]

Its use as a cabinetwood for furniture began in the late fifteenth century and has continued from that time until the present. The wood's natural color, within its outer band of creamy sapwood, ranges through a gamut of soft grayish browns whose deepest note is pale chocolate sometimes lightly tinged with violet.

Dean S. J. Record, Yale University says: "Walnut is one of the finest cabinet woods in the world. It has stood the test of time. Trace its use back through the centuries, and it will be found a medium of expression for what successive periods have considered most beautiful and worthy in furniture design. As one lover of the wood phrases it, 'from the massiveness of the Flemish, the elegance of the Italian and French, and the balanced beauty of the eighteenth century English walnut, by its inherent qualities, has been the one cabinet wood that fulfilled all demands.'" This record resulted from walnut's unusual combination of physical and mechanical properties.

It is widely used not only for the most costly furniture, but for the medium priced as well, because of another important feature--its great variety of figure types. These vary from the severely plain straight-quartered walnut, commonly seen on modern furniture and architectural woodwork, through sliced wood, rotary, many types of stumpwood, to the swirls, burls, and highly figured crotches.

In addition to the American species, imported varieties such as French, English, Italian, and Circassian, are still used occasionally. However, more than 99 percent of all America's needs are supplied by our own American walnut, which ranks somewhat higher in strength properties than the European variety.

_Yomawood._--Burma and the Andaman Islands. (Also known as Burmese Padouk.) This is one of the most beautiful woods, varying in color from deep crimson through cherry red, pink and red-brown to brown. The figure is commonly of the straight ribbon type, but some veneers show a cross figure, a little like that of figured satinwood.

_Zebrawood._--Africa, west coast. (Also known as Zebrana.) This highly decorative wood has been used since the early eighteenth century. The trees are large, and the veneer logs are imported in squares 4 to 5 feet square and 20 feet or more in length. The wood is light in color, and when cut on the quarter the veneers reveal dark stripes of extraordinary straightness, which makes the wood a favorite for matched diamond veneers. The name is derived from the resemblance of this wood to the skin of the zebra.

Appendix E.--COMMON RUG TERMS[34]

_Burling._--An inspection treatment after weaving, to straighten up sunken tufts, to clip off long tufts, and otherwise add to finished appearance of fabric.

_Chenille._--A soft tufted or fluffy cord of cotton, wool, silk, or worsted, made by weaving four warp threads about soft filling threads, afterward cut.

_Filling._--Threads thrown across the warp to fill up space between knots.

_Ground color._--The prevailing color against which other colors create the motif or design.

_Jaspe._--Broad irregular stripes of two shades, usually a lighter and darker shade of the same color, used either as an effect in plain goods or as a ground frame (sometimes in top colors as well) of figured goods. It is produced by dipping a skein of yarn twice in the dye, first the entire skein in the lighter shade and then a portion of it in the darker shade. Various types of fine or broad jaspes are obtained by the twist given the yarn. From the French word meaning marbled. Linoleum: A two-toned pattern resembling marble.

_Jute._--Fiber from inner bark of jute plant, used as base for cheaper rugs.

_Pick._--The weft thread shuttled through the fabric crosswise of the loom between the warp threads. The weft serves to tie in the yarn that forms the surface tufts or loops. The number of picks per inch is indicative of the closeness of the weave; for example, a high class Wilton has about 13½ picks per inch. In the Axminster weaves, the word "row" means the same as "pick." (See Wires.)

_Pile._--Projecting fibers or tufts on surface of rug; the _nap_.

_Pile weaving._--In which there are two warps one with the weft forming the base and the other, formed into loops over wires, making the pile. In Brussels, the wire is pulled out leaving the loop intact. In Wiltons, there is a knife at the end of each wire which cuts the yarn as the wire is drawn out, making each loop a tuft. The pile is closer on Wiltons than on Brussels, as 13 wires are used to the inch, 8 being customary on Brussels.

_Pitch._--Indicative of closeness of weave, considered in connection with "pick" or "rows." Pitch means the number of warp threads per inch measured crosswise of the loom. The warp threads run lengthwise of the fabric and interlock to bind in the weft, thus fastening the surface yarn. The closer together the warp threads the finer the weave; for example, good Wilton rugs are 256 pitch, meaning that there are 256 warp threads to each 27 inches of width of carpet, or 1,024 in a 9 by 12 rug.

_Quarter._--Unit of loom width, 9 inches, or ¼ of a yard. The standard carpet width is ¾, or 3 times 9 equals 27 inches. Yard-wide carpet is known as ⁴/₄; 9 feet wide as ¹²/₄; 15 feet wide as ²⁰/₄, etc.

_Shot._--The number of weft threads (see "pick") considered in reference to the tufts or loops of surface yarn. Two-shot means that there is one weft thread between each row of pile tufts. Three-shot means three weft threads to each row of tufts, one on the back and one on each side. Three-shot, requiring more material and more loom motion, adds to the cost, but increases durability.

_Staple._--The general fibers of wool or cotton, considered as an index of quality; for example, a single fiber judged by itself as to length, thickness, and resiliency denotes the quality of the batch.

_Stuffers._--Coarse yarn (usually jute) running lengthwise of the fabric that is caught by the weft and warp and bound into the fabric to form a thick, stiff, protective backing.

_Top colors._--Colors forming the design, as distinguished from the ground color.

_Tuft._--A bunch of flexible fibers like hairs, united at the base. Fine Wiltons contain 18,000 tufts to the square foot.

_Warp._--Threads running the long way of rug, between which the weft, or woof (cross threads) are woven.

_Weft._--Threads running the short way of the rug.

_Wires._--Metal rods inserted between warp at same time weft is inserted, crosswise of loom. When withdrawn, resulting loops compose the pile. Number of wires is also used as index of quality.

_Woof._--Same as weft.

_Worsted._--Selected wool yarn made from long fibers, combed parallel and twisted hard. Three pounds of raw wool provide one of worsted.

Appendix F.--AN ADVERTISING CHECK LIST

This advertising check list was worked out by the Chicago Tribune for appraising the effectiveness of retail advertising. Copy which gets 70 points or better has proved to be satisfactory. Sample checking of your advertisements against this table occasionally is suggested.

_Rating_

1. Does the headline contain news value? 15

2. Is there a promise to the reader's self-interest? 15

3. Is there an appeal for direct action? 10

4. Is the advertisement of proper size for the importance of the offer and for its most favorable presentation? 10

5. Is the advertiser's signature clearly displayed? 5

6. Is the merchandise or service mentioned in the headline? 3

7. Does the headline include the name of the firm? 2

8. Does the illustration show the merchandise or service in use? 5

9. Does the illustration invite the reader to project himself into it pleasantly, profitably, or favorably? 3

10. Does the lay-out locate elements logically and eye-invitingly? 5

11. Is the lay-out exciting or attention compelling? 3

12. Does the copy tell what is new, different, or better about the merchandise or service, especially from the style angle? 3

13. Does the copy inspire enthusiasm for the merchandise or service? 3

14. Does the copy have a definite ring of truth and sincerity? 5

15. Does the copy tell the merchandise or service is priced to save money? 2

16. Does the copy tell that the product is guaranteed, lasting, and gives good service? 3

17. Does the copy develop and appeal to price? 2

18. Does the copy or illustration imply the merchandise increases sex appeal? 3

19. Does the copy tell why the merchandise is so priced? 1

20. Does the copy tell of the seasonal appeal of the merchandise? 1

21. Does the copy describe the merchandise or service with reasonable completeness? 2

22. Does the copy indicate a personal loss for not buying or using the product? 1

23. Are all negative thoughts connected with the product eliminated from the copy? 2

24. Does the copy indicate enthusiasm of users, such as testimonials? 2

25. Does the copy bring out superiorities of the merchandise or service over competitive products? 1

26. Is the urge to action repeated three times--in the heading, in first paragraph, and in closing? 5

27. Is the price displayed so it will command sufficient attention? 3

28. Is there a free deal, free offer, free trial, or something free included? 3

29. Have all details to facilitate action been included? (Phone number, order blank, store hours, mention of air conditioning, parking, etc.) 2

Appendix G.--FIVEFOLD SELLING PLAN FOR FLOOR COVERINGS[35]

One furniture store has enjoyed a record of sales increases every month but one for the last 2 years in the floor coverings department. This is attributed to a fivefold merchandising approach based upon "style" and "value."

During the entire year, other than at special "sales periods" this company promotes oriental reproductions, finer broadloom (tone on tone) carpeting, washed carpet, inlaid linoleum (yard goods), always accenting "Style" and the necessity of fine floor coverings in relation to fine home furnishings.

During the so-called "sale periods" of the year, the store features "Room-wide floor coverings," "Bound broadloom remnant rugs," low-priced 9 by 12 Axminsters, and, in February and August, oriental reproductions at reduced prices. The store theme is, "Value in every advertisement." Customers are always sold the advertised merchandise, and full stocks make it unnecessary to say--"Madam, we are sold out." These two things build customer confidence in the store's publicity and in the store itself.

Here are the fundamentals of the "Fivefold Plan":

1. _Advertising._--Based on 5 percent of the departmental volume, the floor covering department is represented in the newspaper 52 weeks of the year. _Constant promotion insures results._

2. _Window display._--A window is assigned to the department every week wherein may be found the advertised merchandise, or new and highly styled floor covering innovations. _A Window Every Week._

3. _Inner-store displays._--The theme is "Fine floor coverings are a necessity in the home of today." Every one of the model rooms features as an integral part of the furnishings a fine rug. The same holds true in the "Smaller home groupings." These rugs are not placed on the floor and forgotten. The furniture salesmen call attention to them daily. The carpet salesmen from time to time make use of these groupings as selling aids.

4. _Trained salespersons._--New merchandise is sold _first_ to the salespersons. They are taught also that "truth" is the most powerful selling argument.

5. _Service._--The customer is not sold to be forgotten. This company keeps in constant touch with the customer after the sale is made, both to foster business and to keep her satisfied.

Appendix H.--COLOR AND STYLE IN MODERN ADVERTISING COPY?

For months we have been interested in checking home-furnishings advertising copy in daily papers. This easily may become more than an absorbing pastime.

As this is written, there is before us copy of a double-page spread by a well-known company which sells home furnishings. The copy fairly shouts color, tapestries, and period styles. Even brief study of the copy will show how many and varied are the offerings to meet ever-increasing competitive demands for something new.

This one piece of copy--typical of many appearing in the daily papers--should convince any home-furnishings salesman that he must be a constant student if he is to appear at his best as an interpreter of color and style to his customers.

Look at this parade of 19 different colors, both plain and pebbly twist, in carpets in 9-, 12-, and 15-foot widths.

_Plain colors_

Reseda green. Beaver taupe. Royal blue. Heather-mist. Cherry red. Normandie rose. Horizon blue. French peach. Burgundy. Maple tan. Henna wine. Roseglow. Dubonnet. French grey.

_Pebbly textured colors_

Burgundy. Reseda. Maple tan. Roseglow. Royal blue. Tango rust. Jade green. French peach. Platinum beige. Burnt copper. Deer-tone. Dubonnet.

Oriental rugs in exquisite blending of colors and native originality in design are offered in India, Teheran, Garevan, Kirman, Bidjar, and Ardebil weaves. (See footnote 5, p. 160, unit VIII.)

For the _dining room_ there are _Sheraton-Hepplewhite groups_ of "genuine mahogany construction rubbed and then waxed to its deep rich red color." Choice is offered of pedestal dining table, or one of the leg type; also "choice of the famous Hepplewhite shield back or Sheraton model chairs." Other offerings include an _Adam_ group in "genuine Honduras mahogany with beautifully figured swirl mahogany veneers, delicately carved"; an _English Chippendale_ group; an _Early American_ group of solid rock maple construction. Separate pieces for the apartment dining room from which one may create his own ensemble include offerings of a--

_Sheraton extension console_--genuine Honduras mahogany construction inlaid with satinwood.

_Duncan Phyfe side chair_ of lyre back design.

_Colonial corner cabinet_--genuine Honduras mahogany.

_Sheraton drop-leaf table_ of the pedestal type.

For the _living room_ are offered "upholstered pieces--sofas, wing chairs, easy chairs, open armchairs, 'tailored' in effective coverings; but which may be purchased in muslin and tailored in fabrics of your own selection." Look at these noteworthy dependable furniture friends:

_Chippendale wing chair_ with handsomely carved cabriole legs; ball and claw feet. Tapestry tailoring.

_Fireside wing chair._--Colonial Chippendale design; ball and claw feet of solid mahogany. Tailored in tapestry.

_English easy chair._--Exposed frame solid mahogany covered in a combination of tapestry and velvet.

_English club chair._--Seat cushions filled with genuine down. Tailored in damask.

_English Chippendale sofa._--Tailored in damask.

_Eighteenth century easy chair._--Tailored in frieze.

_Barrel-back chair_ of English design.--Tailored in brocatelle.

The occasional pieces include: Secretary Desk in three designs--American Hepplewhite, Colonial Sheraton, and Early Colonial.

_Cocktail table._--Hepplewhite design--hand-tooled leather top.

_Cocktail table._--Chippendale period--swirl figured veneer top.

_Tier table_ after the colonial period--each of the tops is square in shape making an ideal lamp table for the chair side.

_Knee-hole desk._--Eighteenth century English.

_Kidney desk._--Finished in the old colonial red tone.

_Nest of tables._--Sheraton in design--master table has hand-tooled leather top.

_Book shelf._--Early colonial in design, genuine Honduras mahogany.

For the bedroom are many new interpretations of old periods in interesting color finishes and a variety of woods, including an offering of--

_American Hepplewhite_ finished in the new silver green known as silver-mint.

_American Sheraton._--Honduras mahogany inlaid with satinwood.

_English Sheraton._--Inlays of marquetry.

_Chippendale group_ following the Chinese influence.

_Modern figured oak._--Blond color--trimmed with silver hardware--hanging mirrors of crystal type.

_Chinese Chippendale group._--Genuine Amazon mahogany with crotch mahogany panels.

_Early American._--Solid maple finished in the traditional tone.

_French Provincial._--Solid maple, finished in lovely pine color, each piece effectively proportioned--twin beds of the footless type with upholstered headboards, covered in chintz.

Appendix I.--CHECK LIST FOR PLANNING A STORE-WIDE PROMOTION

=(Courtesy the National Retail Furniture Association, Chicago, Ill.)=

1. Opening date; closing date.

(NOTE.--The most successful store-wide promotions run 10 days. Two weeks should be the limit. Make your plan at least a month ahead. Be all set at least a week in advance.)

2. Name.

(This should include at least a hint of the reason why you are holding this sale.)

3. Merchandise to be featured.

(See that a good percentage of this is new merchandise, items that you have never run before. Store-wide events based entirely on old merchandise are never as successful as they should be.)

4. Total advertising expenditure for event:

_a._ Newspapers.

_b._ Direct-mail.

_c._ Radio.

_d._ Window and store displays.

5. Advertising expenditure by days.

(Start your sale off with a bang and end it with a grand finale. The middle will take care of itself.)

6. "Presale" or old-customer courtesy days:

_a._ The dates.

_b._ Form of announcing them to customers (letter, folder, phone calls, etc.).

_c._ Special terms, premiums or other inducements to old customers who purchase on these dates.

(NOTE.--Sale or no sale, most of your business comes from old customers. See that they get special attention in any store-wide event.)

7. Window displays:

_a._ Merchandise to be featured.

_b._ Window streamers.

_c._ Price and description signs.

8. Interior and other displays:

_a._ Aisle banners, post hangers, elevator signs, cashier and credit department signs.

_b._ General floor arrangement and special merchandise displays.

_c._ Buttons or other special identification insignia for salesmen.

_d._ Truck banners.

9. Price tags.

For any store-wide event, your merchandise should carry special price tags--not the ones you ordinarily use.

10. Quotas:

_a._ By departments.

_b._ By salesmen.

11. Meetings:

_a._ Special meeting for all employees.

_b._ Meeting for sales employees only.

_c._ Meeting for credit employees only.

12. Special employee remuneration:

_a._ Store-wide sales contest, selling and non-selling help.

_b._ Contest for salesmen only.

_c._ Special "spiffs" on particular pieces of merchandise which you wish to push.

(NOTE.--It is not recommended that every store-wide promotion embrace every one of these points, although this is possible. You should, however, consider all these possibilities in planning your store-wide sale.)

Appendix J.--READY REFERENCE INDEX

Accessories, 136, 145, 191, 198, 215, 227, 232

Adam furniture and decoration, 58, 66, 67, 72

Adjoining rooms, relationships among, 171

Advertising, 3, 7, 196, 265, 266, 267

All-over carpeting, 171, 181

Aluminum, 73

American styles, 70, 165

Analogous color harmonies, 131, 134

Animal fibers, 153

Antique: Furniture, 60, 73, 161 Rugs, 160, 161

Apartment living room, 267

Architectural factors in selling furniture, 131, 133

Argument, folly of, 78

Armures, 157, 168

Axminster carpetings, 71, 157, 160, 164, 231

Balance in room arrangement, 142, 147

Basket weave, 167, 168

Beauty: Nature of, 131 Relation to price, 132

Bedding, 107, 108, 205

Bedroom: Children's bedrooms, 208 Decorative processes, 61, 206, 237 Draperies, 207 Floor coverings, 172, 207 Relaxation room, 205 Sales of merchandise for, 76, 205, 208, 210 Wall treatments, 206

Bedsprings, 119, 208

Blond woods, 100

Body Brussels carpetings, 154, 164

Book rack, use of hanging, 58, 221

Brackets, 66

Breakfast nook, 217, 221

Breakfast room, 100, 217, 218

Broadloom carpetings, 165, 168, 266

Brocades and brocatelles, 54, 60, 156, 157

Buffets, 54, 196, 235

Bureaus, 51, 94

Burls, 91, 255

Buying habits, 3, 24, 35, 36, 38, 42, 83, 84, 196, 210

Cabinets, 50, 56, 63, 69, 189, 190, 193, 196

Cabriole leg, 41, 69

Calcimine colors, 180, 187

Call trade, 5, 8

Carolean style, 70

Carpetings, 153, 155, 160, 162, 170, 174

Case goods, 51, 94, 210

Cedar chest, 187

Cellulose plastics, 239

Center of interest, 141, 184

Chairs, 51, 55, 64, 92, 94, 192, 194, 231, 237

Chaise lounge, 55, 58, 205

Charles I, II furniture, 61

Check-up, the daily, 10

Chenille carpetings, 154, 160, 162, 263

Chests, 51, 52, 54, 189, 190, 208, 209, 239

Chiffonier, 58

China shelves, 66, 196

Chinese, influence in decoration, 63, 66, 232, 235

Chintzes, 64, 157, 158

Chippendale furniture, 16, 64, 65, 66, 72, 76, 267, 268

Chromatic circle, 139

Chromium, 73, 97, 219, 236

Clocks, 56, 63, 190, 235, 236

Cocktail tables, 157

Coils, 112, 113, 114, 115

Coir, 153, 155

Colonial furniture, 70, 72, 193, 237, 267

Color: Chart of color combinations, 135, 146 Definitions, 134, 136, 227 Emotional effects of, 133, 134, 136, 145, 218 Management, 135, 136, 139, 140, 235 Means for larger sales, 267 Names and families, 134, 135 Sales talk based on, 133, 136

Color schemes: General, 133, 136, 139, 171 Bedroom, 171, 206 Breakfast room, 100, 218 Connecting rooms, 195 Dining room, 190, 191 Hall, 171, 186 Kitchen, 219 Living room, 171, 180, 185, 231 Sunroom, 100, 171

Commodes, 36, 235

Competition: Factor in selling, 36, 197 Forms of, 196

Complementary colors, 134, 135, 136, 176

Confidence: Destroyed by unproved assertions, 33 Winning the buyer's, 34, 40, 197, 222

Console tables, 54, 67, 143, 189, 237

Construction: Hidden values, 30, 93, 96 Methods in floor coverings, 162-166 Methods in furniture, 95, 214 Order of in sales presentation, 31, 84, 214 Women's attitude toward, 49, 84, 197, 240

Consumer education: Wide spread, c, 5, 10, 37, 74, 107 Problems increasing, 5, 197 Service to, 5, 93, 123, 198, 218, 234

Contrast: As an element of beauty, 139 As a method in showing furniture, 210, 211, 213

Cotton fibers, 116, 153, 154

Couch, studio, 63

Craftsmanship, 78, 92

Credenzas, 54

Cretonnes, 155, 158, 215

Crewel embroidery, 159, 190, 247

Crotch figure, 82, 91

Cupboards, 247

Customer: Attention to, 20, 22, 84, 108, 199, 209 Buying habits, 35, 84, 209, 222 Influencing the, 6, 40, 108, 123, 198 Meeting the, 24, 199, 241 Psychology of, 23, 42, 85, 198, 200, 209, 241 Types of exceptional, 32, 78

Daily check-up, 10, 36, 241

Damasks, 54, 60, 118, 154, 157

David style, 60

Dining room: Combined with living room, 193, 195 Decoration of, 190, 237 Dinettes, 194, 195, 237 Floor coverings, 191, 267 Junior dining rooms, 193, 194, 196 Lighting, 190, 192, 227 Relation to connecting rooms, 193 Window treatments, 192

Directoire furniture, 48, 60

Dominant element: Method of, 137, 189 Necessity for, 189

Draperies: Choice of, 69, 136, 207 Fabrics, 136, 155, 207 Function of, 138, 207, 215 Length of, 183 Patterns, 136, 183, 192 Women's interest in, 216

Drum printing of carpetings, 158, 160, 165

Dutch cabinet, 63

Early American, 71, 193, 213, 230, 236

Easy chair, sales procedure, 17

Elizabethan style, 61, 62

Embroideries, 66, 159, 198

Emotional harmony, test for, 143, 144, 145

Emotional values: Color, 135, 138 Light, 133, 138 Line, 137, 138 Proportion, 137, 138

Empire style, 59, 60, 72

Enameling, 100

English styles, 61, 268

Ensembles: Advantages, 172, 199, 208 Building units for use in, 172, 194, 211 Sales techniques, 172, 174, 196, 199, 200, 211

Fabrics, 42, 153, 172, 220, 228

Feathers, 124

Federal period, 60

Felt-base carpetings, 160

Fibers, textile, 153, 154, 156, 166, 192

Figures in woods, 34, 85, 96, 225

Finish as an element of value, 49, 97, 98, 209

Finishing methods, 73, 97, 98

Fireplace group, 184, 235

Flake figure, 87

Flax, 153, 155

Floor coverings: Choice of--See discussion of various rooms, 181, 207, 216 Care of, 166, 169 Color management in, 159, 207 Common terms, 263 Construction in, 33, 159 Plain vs. figured, 172, 207, 216 Sales talk based on, 171, 216, 266 Used to unite adjoining rooms, 171

Floor plans, nature and use, 20, 21, 200

Fluorescent lighting, 226, 228, 238

Follow-up Methods, 190, 200

Foot: Various types of, 69, 248 Defined-glossary, 248

Formal balance, 143

Francis I, 55

French Provincial, 59, 60, 194, 237, 268

French Renaissance, 55, 230

Friezes, frisés, 156, 268

Furniture: Arrangement, 141, 144, 183, 194 Coverings, 144, 155 Effects, women interested in, 85, 132 Hidden values, 33, 42, 93, 94, 96 Selection and use, 195 Upholstery, 96

Furniture woods: Appeal of, 85, 88 Finishes, 97, 98, 99, 255 Hardwood and softwood, 87 List of principal, 255 Structure and eye appeal, 86

Gate-leg table, 62, 63, 64, 195

Georgian styles, 64, 72, 237

Girandoles, 66, 67, 248

Glass: Furniture material, 73 Curtains, 182, 207, 216

Glossary, 247

Grass rugs, 166, 168

Grouping, importance of, 132, 141, 144, 147, 184, 185, 231, 237

Growth-ring figures, 86

Guest room, 208

Hall: Color scheme for, 186 Decorative principles for, 186, 188 Draperies, 188 Floor coverings, 188 Minimum equipment, 189, 190

Harmony: Nature of, 131, 144, 146, 208 Tests for, 145

Hepplewhite furniture, 67, 68, 267

"High-lighting" merchandise, 41, 76, 77, 211, 252

"High-pressure" methods, 18, 37, 197

Hooked rugs, 160, 173

Horsehair, 153

Hues, definition of term, 134, 220

Imagination in sales, 8, 198, 217, 218

Inlay, historic use of, 42, 54, 69, 94, 247

Intensity in color, 183

Interior Decoration: Definition of, 3, 131, 133 Basic principles, 138, 141, 198, 241

Inventory your home, 133, 211

Italian Renaissance, 52, 77

Jacquard weave, 118, 156, 163, 167

Jacobean style, 61, 62

Jute, 153, 155, 263

Kapok, 117, 125, 153, 155

Key piece method of selling, 33

Kitchen: Accessories for, 218, 220, 235 Breakfast nook, 217, 221 Color in the, 219, 220 Curtains for the, 220 Decoration of, 220, 236 Floors, 220 Walls, 220

Knee-hole desk, 58, 268

Knickknack shelves, 236

Kroehler survey, 39

Lacquer, 56, 63, 64, 97, 99, 248

Ladder-back chair, 66

Lamps, 173, 199, 215, 227, 230, 235

Latex, 117

Leather, 54

Legs, table and chair--styles of, 248

Library, 171

Light: Emotional effect of, 133, 232 Relation to color, 133, 207

Lighting: Fluorescent, 227 Methods for rooms, 144, 230, 231

Line and form, emotional values, 137, 139, 208

Linens, 155

Linoleum: Materials and construction, 73, 160, 165 Used in various rooms, 181, 188, 220

Living room: Color schemes for, 171, 180, 185, 231 Decorative principles, 179, 188 Groupings, 141, 267 Individual pieces, 193, 267 Related merchandise for, 179 Room picture method, 197 Setting up complete room, 197, 199, 200 Wall treatments, 180

Louis XIV furniture and decoration, 55, 57, 88

Louis XV furniture and decoration, 56, 57, 60

Louis XVI furniture and decoration, 58, 60, 69, 76

Love seat, 69, 143

Luminosity in color, 227

Machine-made furniture, 77, 78, 92

Mahogany, 58, 60, 64, 67, 73, 100, 232, 258

Maple, 92, 100, 193, 213, 232, 259

Marquetry, 42, 56, 58, 249

Materials as element of value, 31, 49, 84, 110

Mattresses, 106, 108, 112, 116, 208

Men as buyers, 38, 119

Mirrors, decorative use of, 56, 66, 137, 187, 189, 191, 232, 233

Mohair, 153, 154, 156

Moisture content in woods, 94

Moss, 153, 155

Motifs in decoration, 141, 181, 206, 235

Murals, 236

Names, importance in selling, 23, 25

Needlepoint, 54, 64, 159

Neutral colors, 136, 137

Night tables, 205

Nursery, 171

Oak, 56, 61, 99, 259

Objections: How to anticipate, 212 How to answer, 9, 199

Occult balance, 142

Odd pieces, selling, 194, 208

Order taking vs. selling, 18, 140, 206

Oriental rugs, 61, 75, 160, 266

Ornament, 67, 73

Outfit sales, technique for, 199, 200

Palm fiber, 97, 153, 155

Paneling, proper employment of, 71, 180, 237

Pedestals, 56

Period furniture and decoration, 49, 235

Personality, elements of, 6, 12, 241

Phyfe, Duncan, 72, 193, 267

Physical harmony, tests for, 141, 145

Pictures in decoration, 137, 138, 191, 232, 233

Pillows, 106, 109, 112, 123, 124, 125

Planned selling, methods of, 190, 199, 201, 208, 210, 223

Plastics enter field of competition, 100, 237, 238

Plushes, 156

Plywood: Construction, 89, 90 Characteristics, 96, 240 Value, 90

Porch furnishings, 100, 217

Powder table, 58

Prices: Element of value, 8, 78, 83, 206, 222 Changing attitude toward, 78, 111, 131, 196 Judging customer's level, 132, 206 Meeting competition of, 111, 197 When to quote, 24, 200

Primary colors, 134, 135

Printed linens, 158

Progress program chart, 4

Proportion, emotional value of, 137

Protein plastics, 239

Pure colors, effect of, 134

Quality, often a concealed value in furniture in relation to price, 93

Queen Anne style, 63, 65

Questions as an aid in selling, 19, 22, 38

Ramie, 153, 155

Rattan, 97

Rayon, 118, 153, 155

Reed furniture: Materials and construction, 93, 96 In the sunroom, 215

Related merchandise: Importance of selling, 7 Sale of, 7, 190

Renaissance, the, 51

Repetition: Artistic method of, 34 Basic importance in selling, 34

Resistance--due to unproved assertions, 9, 210

Retail-store services, 174, 266, 269

Rococo ornament, 66, 69, 249

Roller shades, 182

Room arrangement, 21, 133, 147, 207

Room picture method, 136, 198, 200, 211, 214

Rugs: Arrangement of small, 181, 188, 192, 207 Choice of, 181, 188, 192 Common terms, 263 Hand-tufted weaves, 160 Proper margins for, 181 Sales procedure for, 43, 74, 164, 171, 172

Sale: Closing the, 17, 23, 212, 214, 222 Starting the, 17, 18, 132, 211

Salesman: As business builder, 3, 85, 107, 122, 140, 222 As interpreter of appreciations, 78, 85, 138, 140 Daily check-up, 10, 12, 16 Equipment of, 10, 85, 140 Objectives of, 5, 17, 222 Techniques used by, 6, 8, 83, 172, 206

Sales volume: Sources of increasing, 5, 7, 84, 107, 111, 198 Ways to larger, 5, 208, 210, 211, 222

Sateen, satin, 118, 126, 156, 209

Savery, William, 72

Scatter rugs, 181, 207

Screens, 56

Secretaries, 141, 268

Selling: According to plan, 20, 173, 210, 211 Fundamentals in, 8, 10, 29, 37, 221 Hidden factors in, 42, 85, 205, 212, 241

Shade as a color term, 133, 134

Shades: See window shades, 170, 182, 192 Lamp, 229

"Shading" in pile carpets, 216

Shadow prints, 158

"Sheen"-type rugs, 33

Shelves, wall, 235, 236

Sheraton furniture and decoration, 16, 68, 69, 267

Sideboards, 67, 69

Silk, 153

Sisal rugs, 168, 169

Small rugs, 181

Sofa bed, 60, 107, 126, 143, 232

Solarium, 214

Solid furniture, 73, 87, 90

Spaciousness, securing effect of, 137, 141

Spanish furniture and decoration, 54

Springs, 107, 112, 115

Stains, 98, 99

Stair carpets, 172, 188

Steel as furniture material, 73, 100

Store services, 174, 266, 269

Stretchers, 53, 63, 64, 92

Studio couch, 106, 126

Style: Appeal of color in, 267 Appeals based on period decoration, 74, 76, 78 As a selling factor, 8, 49, 75, 180, 212 See period furniture discussion, 49

Sunroom: Decorative principles, 100, 171, 214, 215 Furniture suitable for, 214 Typical treatments for, 215, 216

Superlatives, avoid use of, 9, 24, 211

Synthetics, 73, 240

Tables: Bedside, 237 Breakfast, 60 Construction of, 52, 94 Dining room, 60 Gate-leg, 62 Importance of small, 50, 56, 58 Kitchen, 2, 219 Occasional, 7, 52, 189, 237 Tea, 60, 231

Tabouret, 55, 56

Tact, 8, 241

Taffetas, 144, 157

Tallboys, 64

Tapestries, 56, 106, 136, 141, 155, 156, 189, 236

Tapestry Brussels carpetings, 165

Textile fibers, 216

Thermoplastic, 239

Thermosetting, 239

Ticking, 118

Tint, as a color term, 134

Tone, color, 134, 139, 161

Touch, sense of, 42, 43, 44

Training levels, 4, 5

Truth in selling, 9, 33, 34, 75, 77, 108, 199, 266

Tuft, 119, 164, 170, 263, 264

Twill weave, 118, 156, 167, 168

Unit, shifting from to entire room, 198, 199

Unity as element of beauty, 181

Unmatched furniture, sale of, 189, 191, 193, 208

Upholstered fabrics: Choice of, 118, 154, 159, 185, 194 See discussion of various rooms, 159, 209 Historic practices, 56, 154

Upholstered furniture: Construction of, 93 Hidden values, 93, 96

Utility: As a buying motive, 8, 50, 133, 147 Values, 8, 133, 144

Value: Defined as color term, 133 How to demonstrate, 29, 84, 94 Real nature of, 83 Studies of emotional, 133, 134 When to demonstrate, 31, 109

Vargueno, 41, 53

Vegetable fibers, 154

Velvet carpetings, 165

Velvets; velours, 60, 76, 156

Veneer: Beauty and historic use, 55, 87, 88, 91, 228 Preparation of, 86, 88, 89 Sales talk based on, 73, 91 When to sell merits of, 90, 91

Venetian blinds, 182, 207, 216

Vernis Martin, 41

Vocabulary building: Aids to, 41, 76 Importance of, 35, 40, 75, 77 List of descriptive terms, 41 Suggestions for, 41

Voyeuse, 60

Wall decorations, 147, 189, 191, 235, 236

Wall panels, 190, 215

Wallpapers, 136, 139, 147, 188, 191, 206, 215, 237

Wall treatments: Color in, 170, 220 Connecting rooms, 186 Description of methods, 41, 147, 215 Painted, 180, 187, 206, 218, 220 Papered, 64, 137, 180, 206, 218 Proper relationships among, 147, 180, 188, 191, 215

Walnut, 55, 58, 63, 73, 91, 100, 232, 261

Warm colors, 135, 218

Warp prints, 155, 157, 158, 263

"Washed" rugs, 161, 266

Wavy figures in woods, 256

Weft, 156, 157, 263, 264

White used in decoration, 204, 206, 219, 228

William and Mary furniture and decoration, 63, 65

Wilton carpetings, 154, 160, 163, 165, 263

Window display, 40, 266

Window shades, character and use, 170, 182, 192

Window treatments, 40, 141, 182, 192

Wood: see furniture woods, 85, 93

Woodwork in the decorative process, 98, 99

Wool fibers, 153, 168

Woolen and worsted yarns, 153, 154

Women as buyers, 35, 37, 84, 196, 199, 211, 216

"Word painting," importance in selling, 35, 208, 212

FOOTNOTES:

[32] Statement prepared by the Mahogany Association, Chicago, Ill.

[33] Statement prepared by American Walnut Manufacturers Association, Chicago, Ill.

[34] The Seng Handbook, The Seng Co., Chicago, Ill. (1939), pp. 54-55.

[35] Reproduced by permission of Robert B. Palmer, advertising manager, Duff & Repp, Kansas City, Mo., and the National Furniture Review.

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