"OLD" applied to furniture is an ambiguous adjective. It may refer to style, actual or relative age, or state of preservation. Age may be its most vaunted merit, or merely a means of excusing its deficiencies until better can be acquired. In either case, a new environment often leads to the discovery of new charms or undreamed of possibilities. A young woman with an independent nature and artistic spirit fell heir, through the decease of her uncle, to a large city house furnished with massive and heavily carved Old English and Italian furniture set amid the usual somber surroundings. At first she vowed she would never live in the house, declaring the very thought of it gave her the "creeps." Later she decided to clear out all the "awful old things" and furnish it anew. But when she came to consider each piece individually in order to set its valuation and determine where to dispose of it, she began to see that they were really of exceptional beauty and well suited to the character and proportions of the house. Also she learned that they had been purchased at the height of the "carved oak" craze and as its popularity had waned in favor of mahogany, she would probably be able to get very much less than had been paid originally and considerably less than the pieces were worth. Against this her independent spirit and her practical New England conscience rebelled, and she began to set her wits to work on the matter, gradually coming to the conclusion that it was the dark walls, the heavy draperies and rugs, and the dingy old tapestries and paintings that gave the house its gloomy and churchy atmosphere, and that the old furniture might appear quite jolly amid modern and cheerful surroundings.

She turned her attention first to the dining-room. The oak paneling was scraped and painted a yellowish green. The cumbersome dark blue and red brocaded draperies were exchanged for straight unlined hangings of violet poplin with a self-toned satin stripe, upon which was appliqued a band of orange. They were made so that they could be pulled entirely across the windows at night and shoved far back in the daytime allowing all the available light and sunshine to filter through the fine yellow scrim curtains, which replaced the old filet lace ones. Upon the floor a rug with a plain violet center and a brown and tan border which seemed to melt away into the parquet floor was used. Upon this foundation the carved furniture seemed to rest solidly. The oriental rug which had been used previously, with its many sections of colors and intricate design, had always appeared in perpetual riot with the elaborate design of the bulbous supports of the furniture. Already the entire aspect of the room was changed.

The next step was to clear the sideboard of its impressive silver which was placed in a small wood paneled cabinet taken from another part of the house and set inconspicuously against the wall. Upon the bare sideboard was placed a long runner of modern orange tinsel brocade left unhemmed. In the center stood a creamy Italian majolica boat-shaped comport filled with majolica painted fruits, and, at either end, amethyst glass candlesticks with yellow candles. A fitted cover of the same material rested on the table and in the center an amethyst glass flower bowl. Bay trees in deep yellow tubs stood on either side of the severely plain mantel and there was a marvelous Chinese bird cage which housed a whole family of canaries, set amid the rubber trees and ferns in the bay window.

All the formidableness of the furniture was gone. The light yellow green walls acted as a foil to the excellence of its lines and the mellow tone of the wood. The violet supplied the necessary depth and richness to the decoration, and the yellow the brightness and life. The exquisite but simple treatment of the sideboard and the joyous note of the bird cage made it a human and gracious place. Few who saw it in its new garb failed to remark about its cheerful atmosphere and the "superb" furniture which had always been taken very much for granted before.

The scheme for the living-room, the rejuvenation of which Miss Evans undertook next, was evolved quite accidentally. Its walls had been covered, above a three-foot wainscoting, with thick brown tapestry. She was firm about its removal, but undecided what to replace it with, until she discovered that the walls beneath had been left in unfinished plaster and, due to some peculiar cause, the fabric had tinged them with yellow. Before the tapestry had been entirely removed she perceived that sections of the brown tapestry on the yellow background was exceedingly attractive, and that led to the idea of hanging some of the tapestry panels loose on the rough plaster walls which were given a good coating of yellow.

Under opposite panels of tapestry were placed two of the great carved Renaissance chests and upon them long, slender strips of turquoise blue silk and tall brass candlesticks. The high-backed carved Italian chairs fell heir to orange velvet seats, while the dull red and blue upholstered ones were left as they were, their somber tones affording a pleasing contrast to the light background and the orange and turquoise of the decoration.

In place of the heavy brown velour hangings, burnt orange curtains of raw silk were used and were, also, made to pull clear across the windows when desired. The oriental rugs were replaced with a plain black carpet. The room had both vitality and character, and touches of charm were added in the deep blue Bristol glass and the orange glazed pottery of the mantelpiece and table. Each piece of furniture added a significant contribution to the beauty of the whole.

There are many delightful modern backgrounds for good oak and mahogany furniture. Turquoise blue, orange, yellow, or yellow green, are excellent with oak. A warm gray background was used with interesting results in one case, and the Italian square-seated oak chairs upholstered with black and white striped velvet. Black and white silk Batiks in decorative compositions supplied the final "note moderne." Yellow and blue striped hangings are attractive with oak - or yellow and black, if the oak is dark, is very striking.