The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Theory Of Decoration
When the measurements are complete the plan of the room should be drawn to scale. It will often be found that the opposite sides do not measure the same, and this may be due either to lack of care in measurement or to actual irregularities in the form of the room. If the error is less than an inch, it will rarely be worth while going back to check up the work. If it is greater, this may be necessary. The best method is to add up the measurements before leaving the building, so as to avoid errors.
Plans may be drawn to any convenient scale, but the standard architects' scales of 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 inch to the foot are the most useful. It is advisable to use as few scales as possible for any piece of work, in order to avoid confusion. Fig. 2, Page 62, shows the plan of the same room that is roughly sketched in Fig. 1, drawn up to 1/4 inch scale. The elevations of the various sides of the room should be drawn up in the same way, and if an elaborate ceiling treatment is to be attempted, this must also be drawn up. The room shown on page 62 shows a complete floor plan and the four wall elevation drawn at a scale of eight, feet to the inch. It is usually advisable however to make your drawings or sketches at least twice or four times this size, i.e., at the scale of four feet or two feet to the inch.
If the purpose of the drawings is the working out of a color scheme, they should be made on Whatman's or other water-color paper, preferably mounted. Whatman's hot-pressed has the smoothest surface, and is the best for this use. The cold pressed is slightly rougher, and is more adapted for water-color sketching and work at larger scales.
If the work involved changes in design, it is best to make the first drawing on detail paper and to study the changes on tracing paper pinned over it, so as not to destroy the original drawing. When a scheme is decided on, it can be drawn on Whatman and rendered. If mounted Whatman is not used the paper should be stretched, as otherwise it will wrinkle badly. This is a rather troublesome operation, and the mounted paper is usually to be preferred. For pencil or pen drawings Strathmore board is very good, but for color work there is nothing on the market equal to Whatman.
The use of tracing paper for studies is a great convenience, as it enables one to try out several schemes for the same room with little loss of time. Portieres can be introduced in place of doors, curtains can be shifted and rearranged, wainscots and dados added or removed, arches substituted for square openings, and the like, all with great, ease. Several different period styles may be applied to one room if desired, or different materials may be indicated.
