Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-07-23
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.
on topics Of interest 70 tho ladie
ia solicited. Address: Editor H0nEnAkkks
COLUMN, Oxford Democrat, Paris, Maine.
piazza ueE lN SUMMER.

PIAZZA LIFE IN SUMMER.
We in America are coming to under
stand the Importance of outdoor life.
The real poetry of summer is we'll nigh
lost unless one can come in contact with
trees. grass and flowers. True country
life bars none from this delight, but in
villages and suburban towns it's limit is
fixed by the space devoted to the piazza
The importance of this portion OF the
house should be duly recognized before
the plans are out of the architects hands,
and the three essentials for the correct
location-exposure, privacy and outlook
be as carefully considered as its con-
struction and relation to the main build
ing. In some instances even the con-
ventional rule for attaching the piazza to
that portion of the house that faces the
street should not be followed, the inte-
rior plans being reversed in order to
bring the living rooms and porch at the
rear.
Each point of the compass offers some
inducement for the placing OF the
piazza, and these should be weighed,
advantage for advantage. The east af-
fords comfortable retreat on cool
mornings, toward the south one has the
sunlight longest and the strongest cur
rents of air, to the north the maximum
of shade, and to the west the afterglow
of early evening.
A comparison of the best effects reach
ed in piazza architecture shows that the
main underlying element is good proper
ton, and that piazza's degree of use
fulness depends upon the width of the
flooring.
Rallied or shingled sides are a decided
protection for young children and a
necessary screen ON thoroughfare.
Ease of approach and an informal APP
pearance are gained by keeping the
piazza floor near the ground. Where the
expense of roofing is too great, the idea
of the Italian ''pergOla" can be adopted
in modified form.
A difficult achievement, oftentimes, is
that of making the general entrance to
the house separa from the veranda, Sc
curing for the latter the seclusion de-
sirable for rest and entertainment.
Forethought will always provide the
most convenient means of ingrcss to the
house from the piazza and also of egress
to the yard.
Hardy vines may be planted at the
corners of the house-w0Odbine trumpet
creepers-and while giving these time to
reach protective height certain swifter.
growing ANIMALS may be substituted
The supports to the entrance may be-
come distinctive when EMBODIED by tho
dark leaves and rich blossoms OF the
CobGa scandens. Graceful festoons OF
the wild cucumber vine may be swung
from pillar to pillar, and an eastern
porch can be illuminated during the
morning hours with the Convolvulus
major.
The green-and-white Japanese pots
balanced over small wheel make an ar
tistic outdoor holder for flowers. Long
narrow wooden boxes painted to mattel
the piazza floor, if filled with plants Of
one color and stood ON the outer edge
will make decorative border.
The most substantial piece of furni
ture for a piazza is the wooden settet
with enclosed seat and table combined
The ideal rug for piazza use is the
Navajo blanket, made by our American
Indians. The least expensive, by way
of contrast, is denim rug woven like ;
rag carpet in suitable lengths. Japanese
rugs, Indian moodji and wood-fiber art
each in their way attractive for summer
wear.
Bamboo, willow, wicker and Eas
Indian furniture, swinging divan will
Turkish pillows, square cushion seats, ;
Moorish bench, Japanese lanterns
these are only suggestions, intimation
merely, of the manifold resources which
can be drawn upon to render piazza-lif'
delightful.
There is one opportunity afforded b!
a broad piazza of which we are slow t.
take advantage. We might take mor'
of our meals al fresco. One of the mos
fascinating things about living abroad il
that in summer one may dine often on
of doors. We should import the custom
into this country, for it is good one
and then to the delights of long evening"
on our piazzas we should have added
that greater pleasure of sitting down t.
tea or to luncheon with nature herself