Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-23
I IOUSE=
HOLD
lINTS

| EidCn year sees the VeranQa becoming
more and more integral part of the
house beautiful. 1t is no longer considered
merely an adjunct of the building, sparsely
| settled with a scraper, mat and one I'M
! compromising chair, and never used save
| as a sheltered place to dry the clothes or
take a constitutional in the winter, or set
the hydrangea tub in the summer. In it's
| evolution 1t has become the very heart of
| the house in summer, while in winter, in
| closed in glass, comfortably heated, filed
! with palms and Towering plants, its floor
/ covered with warm rugs and well supplied
| with easy chairs and table for periodicals,
a very delightful bit of the tropics comes to
| Mohammed in place of Mohammed trudg-
| ing down Sahara or across the continent
| to find it.
| If one is free to plan a piazza as one
| would like 1t, broad and noble veranda
extending around at least three SIDES OF
| the house and descending in the middle
of the front by a few wide and low steps
| to the lawn, would seem ideal
If as in the majority of cases. the piazza
| must be taken as the builder left 1t, its
| possibilities for comfort may be enhanced
| or it's defects CLOSED over by the woman
| who puts her heart into its Encouragement.
While the "cool shade of vines sounds
/ WELL the truth remains that II one is
| not especially interested in entomology,
| the ratings and posts are better free from
| those insect harborers There are sew
| eral forms of screen curtains that are
| both cheap and tasteful, though Venetian
| blinds of proper size are usually preferred
| Opinions differ to the floor covering:
Some incline to mating, with leaded
| edges to keep it from curling and small
rugs; others to a large rug, so arranged
| that 1t can be turned back when the rains
| are heavy. Damascus mats or heavy stra"
| come in the natural straw color. with d
| conventional design in dark tones In the
center They are strong and durable Inc
| large mats over two yards long, cost Sooo,
and the smaller ones &.
The Papago Indians also make large
and extremely durable and picturesque
straw mat appropriate for the summer
home, but these cannot be found In the
general market.
and furniture employed on the porch must
be waterproof, as far as possible.
To this end 1t is a good idea to arrange
the couch on the side next the house. and
have it in box form, SO that on rainy days
and at night any pillows or cushions that
might be injured by dampness could be put
into it. Hammocks are the natural loung-
ing place for a veranda room, and they
may be luxurious and picturesque ana
piled with many cushions as fancy nc
tates and the purse allows. A canvas ham
mock having a canvas canopy and provided
with spring will be appreciated at the
seashore, while no hammock is more COM
Portable than one of the old-fashioned
barrel ones, especially Wnen NtleU out Will
a light soft mattress. Swinging seats or
sofas are a delightful adjunct. For the
sybarite with long pocket book there are
exquisite eastern affairs of this kind made
of teak wood and hung by curiously
wrought iron chains but their expense
| 5000 or more-puts them out Of the ques-
| ton for the great majority. pretty and
| picturesque substitute can be made by cut
| ting off the legs of a small reed sofa and
suspending it by log chains, which may be
purchased by the yard at the hardware
store. With pretty cushions a swinging
seat of this kind would be as useful and
| comfortable as an eastern one even if not
| so picturesque Still other effective veran-
| da swinging couches have bamboo frames
| and are covered with the prairie grass
mating Rattan or rush furniture is the
| most serviceable and attractive, but one
can get on very well with any substantial,
| comfortable chairs and steady table with
| a drawer that will hold writing materials.
| Utilizing their knowledge of basketry as
| taught in many of the schools, some clever
| women have wound plain wooden chairs
| with green rushes, making a charming eff
| feet, at slight expense. A low portable
| table, that may be used for games, sewing
| or 5 o'clock tea. plenty of footstools and
round cushions for the steps complete the
essentials, but there are any number of
accessories that may be added at dscre
| ton. If there is an aged person or invalid
| in the family hooded bath chair, afford
| ing perfect protection from draughts, is
great comfort A screen that can be easily
moved about to intercept too vigorous
breeze; water cooler-one of the porous
olas, beloved of Mexicans-swung in a cor
| ner, where a glass Of water cold as one
| from a mountain spring, is ever ready for
the thirsty; stand of reed or willow for
holding golf clubs, umbrellas and parasols
are all of service.
One woman had box seats made on either
side Of the front door, whose hinged COW
| ers lifting, made excellent receptacles for
| overshoes, extra wraps and covers on the
| one side, and the children's blocks and
playthings on the other
In some places an open fireplace inside
an alcove OF the piazza has been arranged
| and made to draw satisfactorily enough
| SO that on damp or chilly evenings pine
| knot, an armful of driftwood from the
beach, half dozen resinous pine cones or
a handful of desert mesquite may add the
| fascination of dancing flames and genial
warmth to this haven Of rest.
Such piazza should be large enough for
| tea to be served there, and If. as is the
| case in an Adirondack piazza open f1rejlace,
| there can be an oven at one side, chestnuts
| and apples may be roasted, the kettle
boiled. corn popped or bread toasted If
| the sewing machine has a fat cover 1t may
serve double duty as an addendum to the
! tea table.
| AS an abundance of color on the piazza Is
| allowable, ndIHmOCkS, CuSHOnS ana plank
| cts may furnish 1t ad lib.
Scarlet denim covers, heavily embroid-
| cred in white linen thread are effective and
pretty, while defying sunshine and fog
| Indian cottons soft and cool to the
| touch, and possess equally well the merit
| of bearing the strongest sunshine without
1 fading
Flowers on the porch there must be. In
| the stimulating salt air boxes of scarlet
geraniums bloom profusely, while a series
| of narrow boxes fixed to the top of the
porch rail may be filled with nignonette
panses, sweet elyssum, or other small and
| fragrant flowers.
| A large jar In the corner for the reception
| Of the armful of "Black-eyed Susan" the
| aromatic fronds of fern sturdy brake
| the spreading branches of creamy white
| elder, the golden rod and asters in turn
| brought In from the morning ramble or
| afternoon drive, is always artistic For
| this purpose a common butter jar in dull
| gray. with its dash of blue In conventional
vine figure, lends admirable assistance
| 1t is the democracy of the piazza room
| that makes 1t so popular. Here the men of
I the family may hang their pipe racks and
| take their ease. Here the industrious house,
| mother may bring her laden work basket,
| or even the pan of peas which she is going
| to shell for dinner. Here the neighbor may
/ drop in. unannounced, for a friendly chat
| or the passing cyclist friend, moor his