When the nation is called on to do honor to one high in the world’s esteem, and State, corporation or society coffers contribute to the erection of a triumphal arch, the experienced decorator, supplementing his knowledge with the advice of the carpenter, plasterer and painter, will submit plans and specifications, and will frequently secure the contract. Figure 50 shows a quadruple arch placed at the intersection of two streets. The frame is built of heavy timbers and lathed into the shape of the arches and moldings. Then two or three heavy coats of plaster, and a smoothing last coat, which is colored dead-white.

The same effect can be produced with bleached cotton stretched tight over wooden frames, the molding being covered separately and attached afterwards.

Electricity is an important decorative feature in nearly all present-day treatments of any size, and serves the two-fold purpose of decoration and illumination. Its unquestioned supremacy after dark is a temptation to place the entire decoration in the hands of the electrician. The result of that is a building pleasing by night, but by daylight exhibiting nothing more attractive than a temporary wiring and stripping.

To produce a satisfactory result the electrical and fabric decorations should be planned together, so that one will aid the other.

Ball and banquet decorations are usually planned in keeping with the nature of the function, and suggest by the symbols and emblems used the nature of the organization under whose auspices it is held. Figure 53 represents a large hall decorated for a yacht club ball. This hall is fortunate in possessing a stage and gallery, which facilitates its decorative arrangement. The stage is planned to represent the upper deck and pilot house of a large yacht, and is arranged for the use of the orchestra. Everything in the yacht’s furnishings is represented, and the effect is of a vessel moored bow on, at the end of the hall.

Flanking this, on each side, are miniature lighthouses, made of wood covered with cotton, and fitted in the upper chamber with electric lights. The roof of the hall is covered in the club colors of blue and white, so interwoven as to form four complete club burgees radiating from the centrepiece, which is a St. Andrew’s cross, made on a frame and drawn up into position.

The cotton forming the ceiling is first attached to the centrepiece and stretched to the outer edges, one or two men handling each end of the goods so that it can be stretched without showing gaps between. Where there is much overhead work, time is saved by constructing an upright trestle after the manner of Figure 54, which is mounted on large casters, and can be moved about from place to place in the room without the workmen descending. We have used trestles of this kind thirty-five feet high, eight feet square at the base and three feet square at the top, which could be moved about quite easily.

Immediately below the ceiling is a painted frieze, representing primitive and modern methods of navigation, the figures sketched on white cotton and heavily shadowed to give a relief effect. Separating the figures are shields bearing the principal dates and events in the club’s history.

The space between the bottom of the frieze and the edge of the gallery ceiling is covered with white, over which are suspended banners bearing the club emblem and the names of the different yachts, and in addition to these a double festooning of large white cotton rope, with anchor pendants.

The pillars are pleated from floor to frieze with white cotton, which spreads fan-shape above the electric light bracket; a short board is fastened across the post, just above the bracket, and another of equal length at its base; the cotton is tacked first to the upper block and drawn up to the frieze and tacked there. Then commencing at the upper block again it is drawn to the lower block and secured. It can be done in one piece, but is more easily accomplished by using one piece for the fan and another for the straight lower part.

The spaces between the pillars above and below the gallery are draped with large tri-color banners, gathered as dotted lines, Figures 55 and 55 A, and require about two feet of material to each foot of space. The banners on the faces of the pillars are suspended from boat-hooks, the whole thought being to give things nautical particular prominence.

The drapery on the front of the stage platform, with Figure 56, illustrates another method of manipulating a scarf drapery to secure the necessary fullness for the bottom edge, and take up the excess of the top edge, by forming a double pleat at the top and gathering the material from the bottom. This method is equally applicable to any purpose where the fringe is all on one edge of the material, and not reversed, and will be found particularly useful with narrow material. The back and sides of the stage may either be pleated in with white or covered with marine scenery.

We illustrate, Figure 57, a booth for exhibition purposes which embodies some of the main decorative ideas in use. This is built independent of any pillars or beams of the building in which it may be used, but frequently a booth is so situated that part of the building proper is incorporated in its construction.

In all cases where goods are exhibited for commercial purposes, the size, shape and appearance of the materials exhibited should guide in the construction of the booth. Our illustration shows only one exposure of the booth which is repeated on all four sides. The corners are columns made like Figures 40A and 40B, capped with plaster crowns. The roof is made on a shaped frame covered in the same manner as the globe Figure 41. The arches are curved pieces of wood covered with velvet, and radiating from the corners to the arches are spirals of twisted ribbon or colored crêpe tissue paper. The drapery illustrated is a simple reversed scarf drapery made as explained in the chapter on scarf draperies. The lower portion of the booth shows three methods of paneling. The first one on the left is made of one piece of material with a circular piece taken out of the centre. The piece taken out is equal to about one-quarter of the width of the panel and the material gathered and fastened in the centre as illustrated by Figure 58. After that it is stretched into pleats to the edges.

The centre panel is a quick and effective method of covering space. The background is first covered plain, then commencing at the floor or bottom of paneling stretch the goods out its full width and tack the end of it at A—B, Figure 57. Tie a small piece of the goods loosely around this at what will be about the middle when it is pulled up. Then proceed to stretch up the top and tack it along. Draw it out to the same width as the bottom and pull out all the wrinkles, so that it pleats nicely each way from the tied part. After it is tacked in place adjust the tying to the exact middle and proceed the same with the next one.

To make the right hand panel, alternate colors of material are bunched and tacked in the centre of the space and stretched to the outer edge, keeping the dividing lines square and true.

The designs and instructions that we have given are sufficient when variously combined and assembled for almost any decorative requirement. The main things to bear in mind are balance or symmetry, neatness, and color harmony; a proper consideration of these points will result in a satisfactory trim.

For interior work the decorator is limited only by his price in his selection of material; but sometimes the best effects are obtained without the use of more expensive fabrics than those previously mentioned. Next in the order of values are sateen, cashmere, velours, satin and silk, in plain fabrics, and the endless variety of damasks, brocades, etc.