Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-18
ATTRACTIVE HOMES.
The Time of the Year When One
Thinks of Making a Change.
HOW TO RENOvATE A ROOM.
Moving About the Furniture to Give 1t . DIFF
ferent Appearance-A sample Alteration in
Third-story Bed Room-Utilizing All the
Space.
Written for The Evening Star.

must devise q change presumably for the bet
ter, anyway q change. Fanny kemble in the
delightful Records of Girlhood" tells of a
fancy her mother had for making changes in
household effects and how, consequently, the
rooms would be thrown into the utmost confu-
sion every little while when a renovating spirit
took possession Of her. She would with the
greatest enthusiasm enter into the necessary
labor and planning to bring about this change,
and even if it did not prove the success hoped
1t was satisfactory 20 her Change"
WANTS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
/ have had friend who had something of
this same feeling about a change and would
sometimes sacrifice a known good arrangement
in furniture or ornaments for the sake of
something different" she would acknowl-
edge. Others again cling with tenacity to fixed
and time-wOrn ways of having their surround
ings and the idea Of change is all but appalling
TO them
With something Of the spirit Of the first named
class the occupant of certain pleasant room
decided that BY various alterations it could be
made much prettier and that she could no
longer let well enough alone. but must carry
out some of the IDEAS with which she had for
some time been inspired. The share of the
room made furnishing more easy and sure to
be successful than if it had been square or
perfectly rectangular IN every way.
The BAY WINDOW.
bay window in front had one side at
right angle with the room, with broad window
in front, and on the other side, instead of a
right angle again, another window cut dag
onaly across, giving pretty view and a more
extensive one than the front window. Be
tween these windows a space wide enough
for a dressing table, while at the side OF
the slanting window was q straight wall
space wide enough to hang picture A much
wider space was on the other and square side
OF the bay, and here some hanging book shelves
were fastened. The room occupies the whole
width Of the house. including an alcove which
Is over the vestibule at the entrance to the
house. This is connected with the room by an
arch. and adjoining this arch is the wall space
where the head Of the bed comes. A door open
ing from the hall is opposite the front window,
and on the fourth side is a low broad wood
mantel shelf, extending mi three sides of
the chimney, which is narrowe- hers than in
heavy wood brackets. and is very So -: rus.
The room is low. being in the thru s.ory, and
looks larger possibly for that reason.
CONTRASTING THE FLOORS.
In contrast to the rest of the house, which
has bare floors and rugs, it was decided to
cover this floor entirely with mating, the
India mating with plain ground and Just
dashes of color through it. The walls were
already papered suit the color design to be car
ried out, so they were left untouched, a rather
dark terra Gotta red being the ground tone,
with a graceful all-over pattern in another shade
OF the same color. ALI piuks of yellow cast
from old red to shrimp pink. look well with
this paper, as had been proved BY experience
So there was no experimenting as 10 color
combinations The old bed room set was
ignominiously banished as there was to be a
different style of furnishing introduced The
bed to suit the new order of things must be
one Of the white ones with brass rails and
knob, the simplest pattern being chosen, with
no gilt about the paint The width Is four feet
and this size suits the proportions of the room
admirably.
CREroSNE LARGELT Used.
The spread used on the bed is Of cretorne,
which also enters quite largely into the other
furnishings, and which has q groundwork o.
inch-wide pink and cream stripes, over which
is scattered a graceful profusion of roses and
pinks in the French style Of bouquets and gar
lands. The spread is made to nearly touch the
floor or sides and foot, and is finished with a
cream-colored cotton fringe four inches deep
and with a knotted heading. The small pillows
used for sleeping are covered by q scarf of
cream-colored dimity with q rufie six inches
deep the front and ends. and for the day
effect only one pillow is laid on this which is
nearly square and dimity covered, with the
same very deep ruffie all round ths D -. sid g.
This airy-lookIng gsrniture, with its fluffy
ruffies, toning so tremendously wita tie cream
ground Of the cretonne, is very charming and
quite original as well, the experiment. proving
q complete success Just at the bed head and
at the arch into the alcove stands a small
though rather high bedside table
painted white, and with lower
shelf nine inches from the door. Dimity covers
are also on this stand, just fitting the top and
shelf. and with a nine-inch rufte all around.
the shelf cover having the ruftle open at the
four corners to accommodate the legs of the
table, The lower rT1ffa from he ebaIf ;,.t
clears the floor This another expe rhine MT
which is most dsintily effective. On top pink
silk photograph frame for two pictures a can
diestick and book or two are displayed, while
papers or books indulged in for the bedtime
reading, for tie gas burner on the other side of
the bed, on the narrow wall space before the
bay window joys out, is too alluring to be often
resisted.
The alcove forms the little dressing room of
the apartment and is very conveniently ar
ranged Opposite the arched opening is the
wsshstand- an heirloom, painted cream white.
with handsome brass handles and TEMPLATES
There IL quite a deep upper drawer with an
open space the depth Of the drawer ar then
the lower drawer, the open space making a
shelf, on which Is a pink sachet and which
holds several articles. The top Is covered with
white linen scarf and has q toilet set decorated
h old pink.
The splasher is q full curtain Of cream dim.
fty and over IL hangs a small oblong mirror
with white frame. The front side wall Of the
hcove Is nearly taken up by window which
comes TO he floor and opens on TO a little bal
cony with hooded roof.
The opposite wall has a similar openine.
where door leads into the next room. con-
eealed, however, by a portiere, made by sus-
pending Roman blanket, which is in stripes
with terra Gotta predominating.
Two-FoLD SCREEN.
two-fold screen shuts of all that is desira-
bic OF the toilet arrangements and il hung with
orstonne Ike the rest in the room, with lower
edge and edge of valance trimmed with cream
fringe. The six rounds at the back FOR a
rooJny clothes horse painted white. is the salts
factory foundation and gives plenty Of room for
towels JUST under the arch is an openwork
bracket painted white. and on il stands shrine
frame, inelosing q photograph, also painted
white. both Of them originally in dark wood
and therefore cast aside. but made quite effec-
tive by the Transformation
Near the screen but inst the other side of the
arch Is an antique oak chiffonier. having on il
white scarf embroidered in old pink has a
design of carnations, which flower is the one
appearing IN the wall paper, also in tie Gre
tonne and IN the China silk of the
book case curtains. This is a standing
bookcase evolved from boxes and coffes mat
nng, and suits its place and surroundings very
Well lhe coffee mating covering it tones
win the neutral shade of the floor mating,
while the china silk Of the curtains has a cream
ground, and Just such flowers as appear in the
cretonne. The curtains are trimmed with sill
aza.alN ~avTr~a -. H.