While attempting to catalog a book about getting the most from one's interior design investment, I began to wonder about the distinction between 645 Household furnishings and 747 Interior decoration. Can you elucidate?

First, please note that at 645 it should say "for interior decoration, see 747." We forgot to add this to Edition 21 when we removed an Edition 20 relocation note, but we posted the correction on our Web site long ago. (Reminder: be sure to check our site monthly for our featured new and changed entries, which are posted at http://www.oclc.org/dewey/new/.)

This previously missing note should solve your problem: if your work is limited to or emphasizes interior decoration, give no thought to 645.

The best way to get a feel for the distinction between two widely separated numbers is to go up the hierarchy. 645 is part of home economics and family living; 747 is part of drawing and decorative arts. Works belonging in the 600s (Technology) are almost invariably of a practical nature, while those in the arts subdivisions of the 700s usually deal with the aesthetic aspects of a topic. Works on "household furnishings" tend to be filled with sketches and practical tips, and often make you itch to get out your tools or sewing machines--or figure out ways to stretch your budget to get the same effect with less expenditure of elbow grease. Works on interior decoration tend to be filled with gorgeous pictures that make you dream, or philosophically observe that if you have to ask the price, you cannot afford the vision .

Last revised: 13 January 2004