Excerpt from Cutting and Draping: A Practical Handbook for Upholsterers and DecoratorsThe nature of this treatment is to disguise the piano and give it the effect and usefulness of another piece of furniture.Figure 28 illustrates a popular treatment, the back covered with a curtain of soft fabric Shirred on a rod, and attached to the back of the instrument so that the heading or shirring projects slightly above the top. In making the curtain allow about as much again for fullness (or twice the length of the space to be covered), letting the bottom edge of the curtain hang free or shirr it on a rod similar to the top. To this is added an upholstered seat or bench and a few pillows.If desired a festoon drapery can be added at the top of the curtain with good effect.A decorative panel may be used instead of a cur tain, as illustrated in Figure 29, either with or without a seat, and the drapery made to conform to the style of the panel.The drapery may be made as a part of the panel, as Figure 29 A, or attached separately after the panel is in place.A square or grand piano is prettily treated with a ¿at cover, the size and shape of the top trimmed with an overhanging fringe or appliqued edge Of a depth to suit the individual taste.The cover may be made of any medium-weight material of self or composite colorings, but preference should be given to a fabric not easily marked by the ornaments or bric-a-brac.In many cases the designs suitable for an upright piano can be used with good effect on a mantel, Fig ures 23, 24, 25 and 27 of our illustrations possessing this feature to a certain degree.The decoration of a mantel, however, does not present the same difficulties as the decoration of a piano, because there are fewer restrictions to bear in mind, and there is perhaps more danger of overdoing mantel decoration on this account.From the appearance of some of the old-fashioned fireplaces still in existence we would infer that in those days utility and capacity were the first, last and only considerations.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.