The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1886-10-07

ROOM DECORATION.
Aside from being most astutc di.
plonatiste. Mrs. John 4. Logan is an
accomplished housekreper. and her skill
in mprovising hall. parlor. and cham
Der furniture is rs well known rs The
legislative tactics of the Senator. ANY
one who has any important business to
transact with the General is almost ce.-
tain 10 meet his wife. and nobody ever
saw her divaLs or was initiated into
the mysteries of the luxurious settees
and couchcs that line the hall of Der
Washington home who did not dilate
on the inventions with great glory to
the fright little woman who planned
them. Speaking about the matter to a
prominent Ashland avenue lady who
visited her in Washington last winter.
Mrs. Logan said: Now it is not alto
gctler ECONOMY that forces me into
these schemes with the cabinet-maker
and uphoisterer. for some of nv designs
are far more expensive to execute than
a modern purchase would be. But 1
don't want these modern pieces; want
the chair, rocker, couch, and cabinet
that is not likely to be found in every
womans parlor in the States. / like
individuality in furniture. decoration
and housekeeping just as do in people,"
Mrs. Logan is one woman in tn ou-
sand. and the facilities she has are by
no means common. 1t is easy to UNI
derstand the enthusiasm she can work
up in building a bookcase or designing
a cabinet from boards sent her from
Hindoostan, Syria. or from our own
California. where they were cut and
dressed by a party of admiring friends.
She turns barrel heads into Eastlake
lounging chairs. and can make COM
mon packing box captivating by ram
ming a couple OF horns in the top after
tnfting it with raw silk or cotton tapes
try. But the secret of the whole outfit
lies in the sentiment that hallOws keg,
box and horns Her angular couches
with their pretty upholstery and the
stained wood hall seats which afford adj
mrable receptaclcs for dresses, over
coats and bed clothes, are mere or less
historical in architecture. but would
hardly answer the purpose of simple
housewife who buys with the constant
wear and tear of a decade in view.
Aside from utility, Mrs. Logan's name
is rs good rs a crown, and the designer
who would do her odd jobs for the
pleasure OF seeing such distinguished
lady would charge Mrs. Livc-in-Ob-
security figure that can only be desig-
mated us fancy.
But if it is not within the possibility
of every housewife to make successful
sofa out OF Il dry goods box, there are a
few mistakes that she may guard against.
10 wit: II your rooms are small. buy
small furniture. Don't buy upholstered
goods unless you buy the best in the
market, nor buy that quality unless
there is plenty of money to provide a
handsome ensemble. There is plenty
OF willow and rattan ware for small in
comes. which are rs pretty as they are
sweet and clean. Get your lolling-chair
or lounge first. and if you can't devise
ways and means for pomegranate or
pink velvet cushion you are failure as
an economist. This pillow may be
made of common ticking filled with
hair, feathers. moss or better than eli
Their balsam pine. better known to West
erners rs Rocky Mountain feathers. It
will suffice to cover only the side and
top with plush, and this can al. be done
ut home with slight expense. The will
low lounges are made on an iron frame,
and rs the bed is a graduated incline
one cushion is all that is required to
make it a thing Of beauty and Il de-
lightful spot for an after-dinncr nap If
you are at a loss for pattern, have the
tick cut and made Dy some upholsterer
The cost will be almost nothing, and
the filling and covering can be done at
home.
There is no cheaper way of saving
lounge or sofa than by draping it. If
the cover is brand new buy a couple of
large linen lap robes. Throw one of
these over the couch and you have the
incest kind of lounging place. These
robes may be had for 81 apiece, and if
two patterns are bought The eye is rested
with the novelty of change If the
sofa is in actual need of recovering buy
yard and a half of raw silk. fine jute,
velvet. or impression cloth, hem the two
ends. and throw it over the veteran.
Some safety pins will need hiding. and
1t may tax your taste to squeeze the
drapcry in, here and there. II the
springs are intact the drapery will
make IN artistic sofa. to which $25
store couch is not to be compared.
Semi-dcfunct chairs may be treated in
the same manner, and with slumber
blanket or crazy quilt arm chairs may
be made rs picturesque rs unique. Just
now stocks are low. and plenty Of nice
warm iints may be had for 81. 20 yard.
The goods for upholstery use are sixty
four inches wide. and for rs many cents
you can get stuff in jute that will keep
its face for three years. Don't buy blue,
for it is poor dye to wear; greens tire
the eye and do not always harmonic
with surroundings; mulberry. raspberry.
maroon. pomegranate. and dahlia reds
are preferable to brick or crimson;
pinks wear beautifully. and all tints of
grey ditto Chicago Inter- Ocean.