Evening star., 1901-12-07
AN ARTISTIC BOUDOlR
ITS ATTRACTIVENEss ALL DUE TO
ITS OWNER,
Who Designed Each Feature and Su
perintended the WOrk-Pretty
Odds and Ends.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
Steam and hot-air furnaces have well
nigh displaced the picturesque fireplaces OF
a half century ago. This is unfortunate,
for women never looked more charming
| than when lost in reverie before the flick
ering blaze, that touched even the most
unpromiSing features into SoftnesS and
sweetness. Women are much creatures
of environment that it is a pity the fire.
places have gone out of fashion. A cheer
full open fire. would do much to dispel
| the blues into which oversenstive, over
nervous women are prone to lapse in these
busy days when feminine shoulders are
so often forced to bear heavy burdens.
For business or professional woman
a boudoir warmed and lighted by an open
fire is a blessing unalloyed. Many wage
earners fit and furnish their own rooms,
for the decorative vagaries Of landladies
are often beyond the forbearance of artis-
tic natures. The cost Of furniture is mod
crate, and If the woman chances to live
in the home of her parents or relatives
they will countenance any alterations
which she cares to make in the arrange
ment of the rom, even to the insertion
of an open CRATE.
The fireplace fed with logs or coal is
not possibility in very city house, but
a very effective substitute is found in arti-
ficial logs with Illuminating gas for the
flame. The services of gas filter and the
purchase of andirons may come nigh, but
the comfort and pleasure will more than
repay for the expenditure.
For the tired mother of a large family
there is nothing so restful as a pretty
boudoir of her own No mere man can ap-
preciate the feminine craving for dainty
and restful surroundings, else would the
bachelors apartment less often be remark
able for Its barnlike. disordered appear
ance Low ceiled, % ld-fashioned rooms
that were once the, despair of the home
decorator are now acknowledged to most
readily give good results in the hands
of the amateur designerros. -,@ay
Her OwnBesisn.
A model boudoir was designed by a clever
artist whose means were Anaited and whose
cravings for cozy copner in which to
spend the hours whens the days work was
over was curbed byisthrift and prudence.
Most of her fittings wersdnade by clever
carpenter from sketches furnished by her
self. The settee by theoo<fire, the corner
seat, the cupboard afbvefft and the quaint
center table We're bdAeJby the carpenter,
coats of green enaffieI sbeing applied to
them by the lady's otn fingers. AS enamel
is expensive an application of shellac var
nish was put on the woodwork and allowed
to dry in before anything more was done.
Then coat of green paint the shade of
the enamel was put on. and last of all
the enamel This gave the wood rich,
glossy finish.
A simple dado decorated the wall above
the picture molding, the rest of its surface
being covered with green cartridge paper,
giving simple, restful background for
the eyes.
AS she was not an admirer of painted
floors in sleeping room, dark green
carpet was put down with handsome
oriental rug in front OK the fire.
A Practical view.>r
The tiny CRATE, with its cast iron hood
and green tiling. the young woman added
to the room for two considerations-one its
artistic merit and the other its practical
comfort in world where heating appara-
fuses are not to be relied on. Close to one
side OF the fireplace the settee was placed,
At the opposite side was corner seat
BY clever arrangement the emantel was
subdivided, short white pillar running