Ceilings that have rough or crooked places which cannot be repaired may be hung with a paper of the same quality as the walls, but usually of a lighter tint. The border may be put on around the edge of the ceiling in stead of around the top of the wall, thus giving the room the effect of greater height.
Or ceilings may be whitewashed or calcimined, or tinted with water col ors, with or without stenciled borders or frescoes.
Dadoes.—The effect of any room may be improved by a chair rail around the walls three feet from the floor. Suit able material can be procured from dealers in picture moldings. This will, of course, be painted the same color as the woodwork.
On the wall below hang cotton or linen cloth previously painted with boiled linseed oil and well dried, or cheap ingrain paper, and when dry paint this wall covering the same color as the woodwork.
Or this dado may be developed with picture molding, the corners being mitered the same as picture frames. With the aid of a homemade miter box anyone who is handy with tools can do this work.
Test for Wall Paper.—To test green wall paper for the presence of arsenic in dangerous quantities dip a sample in aqua ammonia. If arsenic is pres ent, the paper will turn from green to blue.
Or light a piece of the paper with a match, and when burning briskly blow it out. The presence of arsenic may be detected by an odor similar to that of garlic.
Wall Coverings — Cloth.—Various grades of prepared cloth wall cover ings are obtainable, as silk, linen, and burlap. These are more expensive
than paper, and are objected to by some on the ground that they catch dust and are unsanitary, unless regu larly swept and dusted every day. But these materials when of good quality are very durable, and furnish perhaps the most artistic of all backgrounds for pictures and other decorations. Burlap is more suitable for outer halls or rooms furnished with heavy oak or Mission furniture. Silks and linens harmonize with mahogany and with the lighter and more graceful furni ture of parlors and drawing-rooms.
To Color Walls. — The Arts-and Crafts movement is introducing the custom of tinting walls in waterproof colors without the use of cloth or pa per hangings, either in solid colors or with the addition of designs by means of stencils. The wall is usually tinted in a solid color, and the stencil added above the picture molding by way of border.
Or the walls may be painted for half or two thirds of their height and sanded and tinted above, a light Molding of simple design being used to divide the two surfaces. The molding should be painted the same color as the woodwork.
Or a chair rail and painted dado may be used, and the walls tinted above.
Stairways. — Paper for stairways may be the same as the hall paper. It often becomes soiled along the bot tom, and may be protected by means of a dado about three feet high car ried around the hall and up the stairway, and surmounted by a light wooden molding painted to corre spond to the adjacent woodwork,