342 ACCESSORIES

Gifts. Since accessories should express the owner's taste and
personality, it is unfortunate to give them as presents. At one
clever shower a bride-to-be was presented with a basket of paper
flowers with peculiar green leaves which when unfolded proved
to be dollar bills. This was one present that was not stored in the
attic. It is said that the average home reveals the length of time
since the marriage of the owners by the quantity of gifts accumu-
lated in it. It is not a disadvantage to have many accessories, but
most of them should be out of sight until they will provide exactly
the right temporary decorative note. Taste and not sentiment
should be the guide in the use of accessories. The art principles
furnish valuable help in judging the artistic merits of gifts. Even
those with beauty should be excluded unless they are consistent
in style and character with the home.

Birds. Certain types of decoration would seem incomplete
without birds to impart a garden feeling. Their songs, movements,
and colors make them delightful additions to fixed decorations.
Well-designed bird cages are procurable in various styles. Reed
cages are appropriate in sun rooms, porches, dining rooms, or
children's rooms. A bird enthusiast could have cages extending
from floor to ceiling built into two corners of a porch. A parrot
on a perch is an ornament to any garden.

Fish. Tropical fish in particular are prized for the decorative
value of their colors and patterns, as well as their graceful move-
ments. They are equally effective out of doors or indoors. Fish
can be displayed in artistic fashion indoors, as public aquaria dem-
onstrate. Perfectly plain glass containers exhibit the fish to the
best advantage. Aquaria should be designed to conform to archi-
tectural lines. One effective aquarium was set into the wall be-
tween the hall and the sunroom so that it showed from both
rooms. Not even in placing the aquarium may it be forgotten
that things that are used together should express the same idea.
Fish and fish bowls are consistent with plants and sun porches,
but not with velvet carpets and mahogany furniture.

Cats and Dogs. A Siamese cat of golden color with black
nose, toes, and tip of tail, large green eyes, and ever-changing
graceful poses can be far more interesting than any static decora-
tive object. A small black-and-white dog can be a lively decora-
tive note m any color scheme.