The Library of Work and Play: Home Decoration

** "The Library of Work and Play: Home Decoration" by Charles Franklin Warner is an early 20th-century manual dedicated to the art of home decoration. It hones in on the design, planning, and creation of home models, particularly aimed at educating young people about decorative arts. The book stresses the significance of both functionality and aesthetics in home design, seeking to spark imagination and skill in young readers. The author introduces a project where public school students in New England faced the task of designing and constructing a model house that taught the students about architectural design, the meaningfulness of artistic spaces, and the effective application of space. Warner displays the collaboration between boys and girls in making this house, emphasizing the individual contributions to design and craftsmanship while advocating for the integration of artistic expression into realistic applications. This provides a strong base for looking into the different ideas in home decoration that take shape throughout the rest of the manual. **