Evening star., 1902-03-08
THE HOMELY SETTLE
JUST NOW AT HEIGHT OF POPU-
LARITY.
With Appropriate Finish Suits
Every Room and
Hail.
Written for The Evening Star.

| Written for The Evening Star.
! Odd as 1t may seem, modern furniture
designers seem able to find nothing more
| satisfactory than the classic designs Of the
ancients. the comfortable patterns OF the
middle ages or the light and graceful mod
els peculiar to the golden age Of France.
| No up-to-date furniture Is more unique
| in outline than the settle. which is one of
| the oldest forms of English chair. A GEN.
| tury and half ago there was no home too
| humble and none too luxurious to dispense
| with Its presence.
! Kings once sat upon settles. Green In his
History Of the English People" speaks of
"the high settle of the king or californian
in the midst Of the mead benches ranged
| about the walls" These settles were seats
made longer than chair in order that In
conferences they might accommodate more
than one person. Those of the mobiles were
| richly carved, and as furniture was rare in
| the good old days they often were put to
use as seats, beds and chests for valuables.
| The old-faShioned settles of oak were SO
| durable that they We're handed down from
generation to generation in almost perfect
| condition, Tor when skillful craftsmen were
| rare their cost was something considerable.
! In noble families crests or coats Of arms
| were generally carved upon the backs Of
| the settles. Those pieces which consisted Of
a combined chest and seat were called box
| settles In the chilly medieval castle halls
| the settles, with their high, straight backs
and sides, reared substantial barriers to
/ the approach of drafts, and when winter
winds waxed high and bleak. preserved the
| lord Of the manor from embarrassing at
| tacks Of sneezing, which must have racked
| with undignified violence the mighty frames
| Of his less well protected retainers. The
| combination Of seat. bed and chest was
doubtless also satisfying to his lordship in
| those unreliable days when the only war
| rant to the safety of ones property was
| found in the ability to hold 1t down with a
| stalwart frame and a good, stout sword.
During the summer these settles We're
ranged about the oak paneled or tapestried
| walls. but in the winter they were pushed
up to the fire and hung with soft draperies
or overlaid with warm furs.
Modern Art Settles.
! Modern settles of the new art school fol-
| low In most details the style of the old
fashioned sort. One of the handsomest
pieces Of furniture in the home Of the
Queen of England at Sandringham is a
carved settle presented to her recently by
the Alexandra Technical School. Of which
she is a patroness. The shaped sides are
covered with raised designs in griffens and
| conventionalized foliage and flowers The
royal arms are inconspicuously set In a
narrow border on the upper part of the
| back, a model to the snobs whose ready
made coats arms, acquired from herald
ry shops. are Haunted all over their silver,
furniture and carriage panels. The back
reaches only to the fiat seat. which is
covered with plain, fringed rug. In the
straight back is set a fiat cushion covered
with an odd piece Of tapestry. Under
meath a fiat bar connects the two side
pieces of the settle.
The queens pretty piece of furniture
may be Initiated at home, a carpenter put
ting the frame together and the staining
and decorating being added by home ar
fists The sides of the frame may be orna-
mented with outline patterns in burnt
wood instead of carving. although perfect
ly plain side panels also look very well.
Settles make appropriate hall pieces
Covered with cushions, they give charm
ing note Of individuality to the corner of a
| room fitted with old English furniture. or
what is more usual, limitations Of 1t.
Fill Vacant Space.
When there Is narrow space between
the wall and the fireplace, a settle Is just
the thing to fill In the vacant spot. The
homemade settle may be stained or enam-
eled: green wood looks quite as well as
dark oak. A novel effect was obtained in
chimney corner by the use Of a green
wood settle lined with mattress cushions |
covered with dark green velours. A cur
tain OF the velours shut off view Of the |
under part Of the settle, and bracket |
lamp Of bronze with a shade Of delicate |
green crepe was swung from the fndented |
side of the seat. Narrow shelves were at |
tached for the accommodation OF books |
and vases of flowers.
and with a mattress seat cushion is use !
full for halls, sitting rooms and porches. |
1t may be made a comfortable lounging |
place by the addition of soft cushions for
the head and back. The typical settle |
never has permanent cushions. but is modi- |
fled by the addition of removable ones.
Wicker settles are expensive. but they |
make handsome and useful furnishings |
OF course, they cannot be initiated at |
home and are therefore possible only to |
the opulent. They are to be purchased |
in self-colored wicker, in black or in green. !
Handsome cushions are an imperative part |
Of their fitting.
Swinging Back.
In some old-fashioned country kitch- |
ems are still found the rough settles with |
swinging backs that may be turned over |
on the top Of the seat to make table |
Such an arrangement is most convenient |
for dwellers in small apartments who have |
sometimes need of an extra table or whose |
dining room is of minute proportions. |
These swinging affairs may be ordered at |
any cabinet makers shop and can be built |
of wood as handsome as may be desired.
The simplicity of the settle has caused |
it's merits to be overlooked. 1t makes a |
slightly and comfortable piece Of furniture |
for the porch, and any man who I'M |
derstands the use of carpenters tools can
put a simple together the ordinary
settles are within the means of everybody. |
Prepared stains or varnishes make their |
manufacture easy. and good durable
cushions add to their attractiveness
In the hall the high-backed settle may
be furnished with handsome brass hooks |
for the accommodation of hats and cloaks,
making 1t useful as a hatrack as we'll as
a hall seat.
For the Bed Room
A long wide settle in the bed room or
sitting room. II supplied with a mattress
cushion, may be used as a couch and when
the days are cold IL pushed close to the
fire. will prove much cozier than an open |
couch for an invalid.
Settles are expensive or not according |
to the quality of the material used In |