The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-14
SIMPLE BEDROOM.
Superfuous characterization Is In Bsi

Superfuous characterization Is In Had
Taste.
! Among the many absurdities that
have crept into our houses there is none
more absurd than the elaborate bed
room Copied like our elaborate par
lors, from great mansions of state, they
add nothing of comfort to our home
life. The fashion OF the elaborate bed
( room descendS from that ancient time
when it was not considered bad taste
to make the bedroom also a reception
room, where the lady of the castle,
\ clad in gorgeous gown and surround
ed by stately trappings OF rank, re-
ceiTed her morning callers. Thus
Queen Elizabeth received messengers
of state, and it was necessary in such
cases TO add a certain elaboration
and magnifcence to the outfit of this
room.
/ All this seems indicate and coarse
/ TO our more refined age. The sleeping
room is essentially as it should be, a
private apartment. Only in boarding
houses, where space is valuable, and
where we have the folding-bed, thar
/ piece of furniture that contrives
! "a double debt TO pay.
| A bed by night, a chest Of drawers by day."
do we have a sleeping-rOom made
+ into u reception. In private house,
where space Is not valuable, such an
arrangement would be ineXcusable
7 ali such polygenOus furniture is simply
a makeshift to save space. In the
country where there is ample room
there is no apology or excuse for 1t.
The best taste of the present day de-
clares that bedsteadS and bedding shall
be as simple as possible to make them
comfortable. Heavy carven bedsteads
of wood are no longer in favor, but in
place of them are brass bedsteads Of
simplest construction, every part of
which can be reached by a buster.
Where the brass bedstead is objected
TO on the score of expense, an iron bed
stead may be chosen, made with a
somewhat lighter frame of rods of iron
in the same general style as a brass
bedstead. These iron bedsteads are
enameled white, and are sometimes
trimmed with brass. A pure white
bedstead is generally to be preferred,
and such one four feet six in width,
may be purchased at as low figure as
ten dollars. The only elaboration that
is allowa ole about the bed is the use of
drapery or a half-tester at the head,
and this is matter of taste. 1t GER
tainly gives dainty finish to a simple
bedstead.
All stuffv mattresses or elaboration
of mattresses are now done away with
and a single hair mattress resting on
woven wire springs is considered a
sufficient substitute for the mass of
feather beds and double beds formerly
used. Even the pillows are sometimes
left off the bed, and single bolster,
covered with some fine material to
match the Counterpart, is sometimes
used.
The washstand is another piece of
furniture that has undergone thor
ough remodelling. The modern wash
stand, with its shut-up compartments
below, is quite often superseded by the
open washstand made of thin sheets Of
euamelIed white. The chest of draw
ers or old-fashioned bureau and the
picturesque low dressing-table. are al
most the only pieces of furniture, ex-
cept the chairs. that are made of wood
in the fashionable bedroom. Even the
dressing-table is quite frequently an
old-fashioned DuchesSe table-an affair
of muslin frills and silk ribbon.-N. y.
Tribune.