By all means spend the little more needed for a characteristic background in the house you are building or in remodeling your present house. The furnishing and accessories will be more effective and your room will be more live able if you determine the background first and select and place your furniture in relation to it. As here, paneling is nice, and it is quite worth your while to get an estimate on the cost of one side wall. But if it proves too expensive, consider wallpaper with the effect of pine wood to simulate paneling. Other informal effects can be achieved by painted walls, wallpaper and dado, or just wallpaper in formal patterns.

Reminiscent of pie – plate candle shields of colonial days are those used here. They combine happily with the small pictures used in the paneling, the china on the cupboard shelves, and the old – fashioned swinging crane in the white – washed fireplace. Note the colorful hooked rug before the hearth and the hanging bookshelf in the inset

Our early American houses, because of this paneled wall, have an architectural quality that is informal and can be easily followed today. As a rule, the other three walls are plastered and later papered. Choose a small geometrical design or an informal floral one of small scale for these walls. It is an elastic style, however, and the maple, cherry and birch gate leg and butterfly tables, dressers and rush – seat chairs fit into many another informal setting far away from New England, where the style originated. Pewter tankards and candlesticks, earthen jars and pottery, generally make nice lamp bases. Use a free hand, putting together informal things you like, remembering to observe scale and general type.