Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-04
WORK OFIMPR0VEMENT
The White House to Be Redecorated
and Refurnished.
THE ARTISTIC DESIGNS.
The Green Psrior. state Dining Room and
the Ne-tibuIe to Receive the Greatest At
tention-The Corridor May BE Attended to
NJ the Appropriation Lasts

VI wednesday, ulhll muir Will De
at their mercy and the tread OF the sight-seel
viii be heard no more until next fall. The con
tract by which the transformation Of the pres
eni dinginess into modern artistic luxury is t.
be effected makes it binding that the work shall
be all finished by the LIST of October and com
Inenced any time after July /. The drawings
samples OF the fabrics and estimates of the cost
Oi each part of the work were all discussed with
Mrs Harrison nearly two months ago, and all
the alterations and changes that her taste
and good Judgment suggested have been
faithfully followed ia the designs which
have finally met her appreciation Since the
summer after President Garfield died there
has been M such general cleaning up of the
White House a. il has received the last twelve
months. In Tat period al the upper floors
have been repapered and reprinted and the
basement has been entirely renovated and
made healthy and wholesome. the kitchen in
particular being made most inviting by its
newly tiled floor and walls and generous use
OF Shay white paint. Like good housekeeper
Mrs Harrison put of the process Of beautify-
ing the show part Of the mansion until this less
pretentIous but absolutely necessary part of
the task was completed Before another year
goes around the entire first door will receive
the transforming touch of modern artistic
treatment
THE BLUE PARLOR-
The blue psrlor, where the social world dis
ported itself all Of last winter, was the first to
receive its new habiliments. All Washington
Is familiar with the changes wrought there and
what really beautiful room II now is. 1t hav-
ing been recently finished. Mrs. Harrison
decided not to have either the carpet or the
window hangI1gs removed this summer as
during the progress u: the work in the adjoin-
ing rooms II Will be kept closed. The carpet is
covered over with gray linen. the furniture Is
robed II white, the heavy silk curtains at the
and al litiOnal shades of "a pale blue tint keep
ont az stray CLEANS of sunlight which might
peep through the closed shutters. Only the
Lace cuI tIins have been taken down and need
the freshness cnly to be impaired through the
wash tub before they will he hung again.
The ve-tIbule, the green parlor and the state
dining room are the points upon which the
wOrkmen will At once commence operations.
The corridor may also receive a much needed
Frightening. 20 place u in harmony with the
Rooms opening upon IT. But the work L.
Necessarily costly. the appropriation which Is
avaIlabis NAV not be sufficiently elastic to
stretch up and down its lengthy proportions
and the presidential portrait gallery. as il has
now become, may be left II Is for another
year.
1Hk FURNITURE TO BE REMOVED.
Excepting ia the east room all the furniture
on the trst tOOr will be removed. Most Of that
in the green AMI red parlors will be taken away
"a be reIphol-iered. and. where it is necessary.
rcgilded- That portion which needs n touch
INK up % entitle 70 To- "a further presence in the
newly dscked rooms will be packed away la the
blue PaIlor. This will lie the fate of the two
pianos, the grand one In the green room and
the upright IN the red parlor. Mrs. Hayes por-
trait IN The green Parlor being an object of
great interest," Ia sight-eers will be placed tenn
porarily IN the east room. but the smaller por-
trait 90 the same walls. those Of Mrs. Polk,
Mrs. Tyisr, he. will lie probably packed away
safely tor the time being.
The stringing % the electric wires in al
parts Vi the house Is about finished. IL has
been tedious operation aud difficult one,
where any damage % the neat appearance Of
tbs walls would be noticeable. Where things
were gong 10 be torn up, anyway, 10 was an
easy matter, such that part finished yester-
day IN the state dining room. where for the fti-
ture the state banquet- will be illumined with
other lights than that which falls over the table
from ths two crystal chandeliers. The wire,
on these walls lay concealed IN neat little gashes
which are plain enough now. but will be en-
trely forgotten when the decorators brush
changes the look Of things there.
THE AMERICAN KESAIs-AScE.
As q tribute 20 tho national progress In a
true art feeling Mr.. L. ;. Yergason. who will
do the entire work Of redecoration. has made
the design Of the vestibule in the style of the
American renaissance lite colorlng will be a
minglIng q soft browns and pale terra Gotta
shades The walls will be done in a sort of
pansled effect and the scheme will center in
the treatment Of the spaces over the two man
telTiere-- There are portraits there now of
Washington and Llncoln- 50 there will be il.
the new medalhons. but the heads will be
modelled IN bold relief and be much more
striking than nov. The framework around
these he ads will be also IN relief as will be the
shield al pair Of tags which will form the
upper part Of the medallion. The cOlOring in
The hag-. the bright blue and reds, will be III.
only decided unt- used IN the whole design.
The ceiling Is Ia soft shades in twists and turns
Ald grs 'eful curves focusing a. IL were at the
Chandelier IN the center. All over the ceiling
VII! be Tiny gold STAR. another concession to
the national character Of the mansion. With a
hall such a. this In ordinary mansion there
would be opportunity for much artistic adapts-
tion OF old-time furnishings For instance, the
nrepiac.s might be real instead of simulated
ones. aAd -ettees. tables aad chairs could be
introduced with good advantage.
MANY USES Or TIE yEsrIBrLE
None Of these things, however. a-e practica-
be. since every inch of the space the vestibule
affords u absolutely necessary in the meager
SceOmul Odstions the house affords for large
crowds at cereInOnious events. The vestibule
L-s - be band stand and music gallery, en-
tassstor's ball and public waiting room. ante
chamber for high iunctionaties or a place for
fo"imeu 20 sees refuge from the weather upon
esFetnOniOus OCCASIONS. AID the late of the ma
Ton does not seem 10 be Imperiled by the clio 81
stooNin< eitner. NEen The -CArOluiug Hut
Nj an tho yestibule Lext weeA passageway
under 70 vii - cOastru cted. lined ali around
With canvas 30 that cleaEiv and safe u ethOd of
getting up stairs viii be Afforded hose Wi hay
business " and down there al summer. This
T4iI be also Appreciated by he VIZ; tors AZ sucn
times when II Will be possible to Keep the east
rOom open
rHy STATE DINING ROOM
IL there ~as any spot ia the White House
ai'rr tie kitchen which needed . fresheuiug
~ II was the state dining room Its perma-
2eIt decoration never in good taste. and
the only wsy II redeemed from absolute
shaobiness Was 10 make u annex Of the con
s-rystory and 20 line the walls and the window
inches With plants. All this added grandeur
made the background for the table ,Ieeorntiou.
Happily the era % patching up in this vay is
pasi. or II VII! be before the erst state dinner
l. given next January. The design Of the new
interior Will be colonial. which Is In keeping
With the arehltectuTe and, perhaps, the original
ApleaEince Of the room Its tone will be ligh
AID cheerful The eOlOring will be a blending
Of fasH aud golden brown shades The ceiling
will lie bOrdered III . garland OF laurel leaves
and at the four corners .beTe will be medal
hoE.- These modelled ia hand relief will rep
resent horns of plenty nlied to oyernowins
with fruit and flowers The old-time mirrors
over the Inzntsls Slu, Of course, be restored 10
their positlons after the frames have been re-
gilded.
TIE xARBLk MASTEIs.
The marble m@ntels. which probably have
axsr bean pasicad hv anv ops ,1ipipo