STOCK BACKGROUNDS.
Many trimmers construct their backgrounds in the windows, which takes considerable time, and when completed, they hurry in the goods to be shown, not giving themselves time to show them properly, feeling they have spent too much time on the background. Consequently, the window is not what it should be. To obviate this I would advise the using of portable stock backgrounds. They are not expensive, and are easily constructed. The time saved in trimming a window is a very important factor. A few frames made of light strips, covered with cheap muslin, forms an excellent groundwork. They can be decorated with cheesecloth in sunbursts, pleating—or, in fact, there is no limit to the variety of ways to treat them. The frames can be made in convenient sizes to fit your windows, so that they can be easily handled and put together quickly in the window. Both sides of the frames should be decorated, so that after you have used one you can turn your frame, showing a different style and color entirely.
These backgrounds are also to be commended as examples of good taste and elegance of design without being elaborately ornate. A very great mistake is not infrequently made in trying to gain a great effect by using an overdone and complicated background which results in distracting the eye from the rest of the display, just as an extremely simple and beautiful picture is often killed because it has been put into a huge gilded Rococo frame.
There are almost countless materials which may be used in making backgrounds, which will give just the finishing touch needed to complete a harmonious window; for instance, Japanese Grass Cloth, which can be procured from most of the large wall paper houses. This is a combination of thread and fine straw, woven together, and backed with tough paper. It comes in just the colors which will harmonize with any other color without predomination,—rich olive green and golden browns, or even beautiful dull reds.
The Oriental mattings and cloths of unique weave and pattern may also be used.
The accompanying plates illustrate how quickly these backgrounds can be put together.
STANDARD BACKGROUNDS—PLATES 1 AND 2.
STANDARD BACKGROUNDS—PLATE 3.