MATERIAL REVIEW.
MESSRS. STORY'S FURNISHING FABRICS.
IN criticizing the materials shown-in Messrs. Story's Catalogue of Furnishing Fabrics, the fact which strikes the appreciative faculty at once is that there must have been a definite visualization of the ideal room in which each pattern would look its best. There is not that loose sense of multiplying pattern for the sake of multiplication Which is so lamentably present in many catalogues.
Here is a Chinese cretonne. Its colour variations are all of the types one would want to use as backgrounds for col- lections of lacquer ; there are red, green, black, blue, yellow, each colour selected in its Chinese character, while sufficient variety of detached Chinese motives have been scattered over the design to help to give it an unconventionalized balance- s thing very necessary when considering the art of the East, where symmetry is almost unknown, or rather unused, and the balance of void and detailed mass is marvelously thought out and used with consummate skill.
A striking contrast is found on the next page but one of this firm's interesting catalogue—a William and Mary printed linen, rich in pattern, repeated with meticulous care, though allowing itself the least possible variety of expression by using the same repeat on the " drop-pattern " system. This would form a diamond of patterned motive when two or more widths were hung together—a convenient method of design, and one very useful in large patterns where variety and repetition should balance. This pattern would be especially suitable for any well-proportioned late 176 century room.
Some people will like the pattern called "Delphinium." It is rich in colour, but seems to need some restraint, • some conventionalization. A mere repeating of natural objects does not make a designed pattern. One could wish to see this more decoratively treated, in order to be able to put it to further use.
Of the blinds illustrated, we feel that the last word has by no means been said. This braid lace pattern definitely diminishes the efficiency of the blind, and will inevitably tear at the weakest spot. Messrs. Story have certainly enough vitality to expend some of it on reconsidering the
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