The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-19

take orders. and everything shipshape
for living.
Just now | am going down to superin-
tend the decoration Of a new cottage at
Easthampton. At least. it isn't new, but
Il something better from a decorator
point Of view. 1t Is an old cottage reno
waited, and still has the quaint old windows
and fireplaces Of the original farmhouse.
There is no pleasahter work in the
world than furnishing up a summer cot
tage, but one has to understand how to
do II. In the first place, many people
wish to move their furnishings from city
homes down to a place in the country or
at the. seaside. This Is a mistake. for the
idea Is to get away from the formal furnish
ings Of town and produce that complete
change OF surroundings which is such a
tonic TO tired nerves and bodies.
AS a rule, people try to put too much
into summer home. The better way is 10
plan carefully. but to seek to produce an
effect Of space rather than over-crowding
Any number OF the little houses that one
finds in cottage colonies are overdone in
their decoration and furnishing. and this
spoils them.
ITO begin with walls and floors. Many
people decorate the walls with the gay
Powered papers that are now in the shops
They are pretty, I'll admit. but one wants
to get away from wall paper in the summer
Besides, near the seashore wall paper fades
and becomes wrinkled and ragged looking.
STAINED or painted walls are the best,
hut IL the walls are merely of white plaster
have a new plan Of doing them-in burlap,
In denim or in mating. different rooms in
different ways.
For instance. you take the new heavy
grass mating in artistic green shades.
II makes a beautiful foundation for a wall
Of burlap. II IL very easonable and the
buriap comes In the most artistic reds and
green's II can he tackled over the walls,
hanging as closely and az neatly as wall
paper, but giving that rich look that one
finds only in studios in town. for the artists
all use burlap for their walls.
Grass mating is excellent for sittirg
rooms and dining rooms. or, IL the floors
he of hardwood. there are the rugs OF grass
mating or the jute rugs from japan that
come In such gay colorings. Mating,
however. is cleaner than rugs, and unless
there are plenty Of servants il Is a more
economical floor covering.
For cottage bedrooms mating Is also
the most desirable flor covering II is
now possible to buy old-fashioned rag car
pet in strips as long as d esired and IL makes
beautiful rugs for placing beside beds.
For windows, dotted swiss and rufflsi
curtains are prettiest, neatly hung and
tied back so thct the summer winds will
not play havoc with them.
There should be just few pictures in
the summer cottage. and these should be
different from the pictures in the town
house. Posters framed and the popular
hunt pictures make the best pictures for
country homes.
Rattan furniture is always cool, com.
Portable and easy to move. The unweath-
cred oak In good for dining room and
hall, and there should be plenty OF commodi.
Gus piazza CHAIRS and rattan settles or
couches.
For table furnishings in the summer
home nothing is prettier or more suitable
than the blue and white japanese china
that Is 30 plentiful just now but which many
people do not care TO use, because of its
Ye: this Is just what
1t to the summer cottager.
The large hallway with, which nearly
all seashore and country houses are built
nowadays, offers delightful opportunity
for individuality In decoration. or course,
vacation cottage. but there are beautiful
potteries now to he had which make at
tracti-e ornaments for halls and piazzas.
There Is one green. highly polished pot
terry that comes In jardinieres and umbrella
stands. and II is most desirable for such
purposes. Personally always like TO use
pottery and Japanese wares on shelves
and walls rather than too many pictures.
Japanese umbrella and lanterns are !
effective for occasional decoration, but
used with any idea OF permanency. Japan
ese bead portiAres make good doors. and
he Italian blankets In their CAV stripes
are pretty portieree between rooms or
may be used for couch covers on rattan ;
sIInbols,eced chairs or sofa. .ho,,id ho