The art of decorating dry goods windows and interiors

Interior display should be simple, harmonious, artistic. Don’t attempt to bewilder your customers. A woman in search of an apron shies from a great bunch of aprons swung from the ceiling, but is attracted by a single apron tastefully displayed. So it is with all goods.

The day has gone by in the dry goods business when a few dummies, draped with dress goods and placed upon the ledge, will suffice. Something more attractive is required. Ladies especially like to see pretty goods, and will invariably do their purchasing where goods are brought out and displayed in an attractive manner. Some firms have objected to interior trimming, believing that it requires too many goods to make an effective trim, thus robbing the stocks. This, however, is a gross mistake, as we know from experience that pretty, effective trims may be made with the use of comparatively few goods. One idea which has found favor among trimmers is that of dividing off a ledge (where there is one of considerable length) into booths, by the use of draperies, and in each of these displaying different lines of goods.

This is perhaps one of the easiest effective trims which may be put up, but where time and space will permit we would suggest that the trimmer get up some sort of framework or something on which a few goods may be displayed in such a manner as to show them off to the best possible advantage.

Admitting all the benefits of good advertising—and surely there are no enterprising merchants in these days who do not admit them—it only remains to choose the best methods. The simple display of a bolt of goods is an advertisement, but a weak one. How much more effective that same piece of goods would become if spread out, or draped, or made into some shape that would mean something, create a mental picture, and leave an impression on the memory.

A little ingenuity, a little taste, an idea of the harmony of colors can do wonders in the interior of any store, no matter what the character of the stock may be, or its quality or quantity. The thing to do is to let your goods tell some clear, legible story that shall be as plain to your customers as was the handwriting on the wall of Belshazzar’s palace to Daniel, the prophet. Aside from printer’s ink and show window displays, there is no better advertising, and it costs very little.

It would seem as though dress goods might afford the very best opportunities for making an attractive interior display. It is, however, a fact that ordinarily this important line is shown to the worst possible advantages. One often sees an effort made at display by piling up a lot of bright goods on the end of a counter, and by filling a top shelf with pretty folds of goods; but no attractive effects are obtained. The risk of soiling expensive fabrics is of course one reason why a better show is not made, but with a little care, a little ingenuity and more or less trouble to make frequent changes of goods, an exceedingly handsome display can be made and run no risk whatever.

LEDGES.

I show in this connection a large number of ledge displays, which will serve as examples of what may be done in this style of decoration.

The trimmer should always keep in mind the season for which he is trimming, and trim accordingly. Make your spring trim light and airy. Your summer trim should be the lightest of the year, to give your store a cool appearance. Your fall trim should be of filled up, stocky effect, and your Christmas trim as gay and elaborate as possible.

The ledge displays herewith presented illustrate some of the best methods of decoration and will convey many valuable ideas.

The accompanying cut shows an arrangement in which linens are used in connection with china and lamps, making a very attractive display.

In this ledge display, the arches, six in number, were puffed in white cheesecloth, the edge being trimmed with coiled crepe paper of a dark green shade. The six arches represented three departments, the first two silks, the next two linens, the others dress goods. The wall, back of the arches, was covered with lace curtains. Palms were placed at intervals between the arches, and the goods were as carefully displayed as if they were in a show window. The framework of the arches were built of light strips. The entire display was imposing and attractive.

SHOW CASE DISPLAYS.

I wish to call the attention of my readers to the desirability of trimming their show-cases artistically, and the cut we show of a show-case trim is an example of what may be done in that line. The goods shown are laces, trimmings, handkerchiefs, and gloves, and the beauty of the display attracted the eye of many customers of the store and induced them to examine and purchase the goods.

A neatly decorated show-case is shown in the picture. The festooning of ribbons against the back adds much to the beauty of the display, which is as carefully arranged as if in a window.