Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-22
A GUEST CHAMBER
7p
How One Houaekeeper Fur
nished One.
PRETTY ODDH-AND ENDS
MUCH THOUGHT AND TASTE IN
EVERY DETAIL.
old-Time Furniture Given Modern
Treatment-The Extra
Touches.


tom that household matters conform to 1t,
and anything that interferes must be rele-
fated to another time.
Indeed. jewellers in cities are apt to forget
that there are places where rest and quiet
prevail. even during what is called in town
1.-The season. but some there are who re-
member it with longing, for an abiding
place where such conditions may be found.
and more and more families are leaving the
big cities and seeking homes which supply
such wants
Suburban life is halfway matter be-
tween town and country which appeals to
many. but to be in the real country, and
yet not too remote to mingle to some ex-
tent in the winter life of the city, is the
ideal of many people Some have realized
this dream, some still are dreaming only,
and wishing for the power of dreaming
true" which has been SO fascinatingly set
forth in the story of Peter Ibbetson.
If one has a prediction for country life,
as yet unrealized, it is next best to have
friends there who send invitations for week
end visits to town jewellers, so that glimpses
may be gotten of what winter in the coun-
try may be under pleasant auspices. Such
an invitation 1t was my good fortune to re-
ceive lately, and 1t goes without saying
that 1t was accepted. even though 1t in
volved reorganizing Of plans already made
for the exigencies Of town life.
Pleasant Experiences.
The experience of country home is
rather new one to my hostess, but the
pleasure In it is very genuine. and re-
hearsal of her occupations and enjoyments
quite inspiring to one to whom the same
pursuits are thoroughly congenial
or course, one cannot go into detail too
closely. but an achievement in the way of
furnishing guest chamber Interested me
so much. and the result was SO charming
that obtained permission to describe the
room which fell to, my lot to occupy as
first of. hope, a long line of happy visitors
II one is at all Hospitality inclined a single
spare room'-as the old7fashioned phrase
is-will not be sufficient, and as many as
are arranged for will, no doubt, be filled as
often as the hostess so wills it,
There were several guest rooms already
when the need of one more was felt, and
my friend desired that it should really de-
serve that often e,misapplied adjective
quaint" -.
She seemed to have the first requisite in
the room itself. which is one with double
dormer window in front, a closet on either
side being taken off under the sloping roof
so that the effect of very deep square bay
window is given. with, only a slight slope
to the ceiling of the room itself.
Windows In each of the two side walls
make it very bright room, especially in
winter, and it is entirely charming.
The Old Pieces.
The old pieces Of furniture, neither of
them of hard wood, but both unusual and
pretty in form. oreiaA bureau and one to be
used as a washstand. were the foundation
for the scheme of furnishing
The bureau had received hard usage but
the fine old brass handles were still on it,
and the damages not beyond the skill of a
cabnetmaker to repair. az
1t was made white in the first place.
hIal until, Ina,
smooth, and then painted green in flat"
color, a gray-green, strong and yet SOFT a
color against which the brass handles made
a fine showing.
Handy Hideaways.
The upper part is higher and shallower
than the bureau proper and has wealth
of little drawers with brass knobs, pigeon
holes and a row of compartments which
hold collection of small books delightfully."-
all these being inclosed by sliding panels
in a fascinating way, the upper part only
having a swell front. ~
No one ever saw a piece of furniture like
it before or will again, for it had belonged
to the great grandmother of my friend, and
was designed for her personal use, but it
has found perfect setting in the room it
now graceS.
The washstand which was made to go
with the bureau. is one of ample size,
having a protecting rail on three sides of
the top, with a moderately deep drawer be-
low, then an open space, instead of a mid
die drawer. and bottom drawer; on that
the handles are also brass but not the
original ones like those the bureau
still very pretty. At first it was prob
lem to decide what kind of a bed should
be used, for anything SO modern brass
or an iron one seemed inharmonious Then
an inspiration seized my friend.
Almost Dream Bed.
When she was boarding in the country
in PENNSYLVANIA a few summers ago when
her Country home was still in her imagi-
nation, she had been much attracted by a
little old wooden bedstead which, while
much on the lines of a mahogany one, was
of soft wood painted, and she had bespoken
1t when her dream of home some where
besides in city should come true.
Immediately she wrote to her old land
lady and the transfer of ownership was
soon accomplished. 1t suited the other
principal pieces to perfection, and 1t, too,
was rubbed and painted green like them,
shop and applied to the low posts giving
it a finish corresponding to their brass
handles.
With so much green in the furniture
one or two small chairs being also so treat
ed-the wood work of the room was paint
ed white as being better, choice.
The Wall Finish.
me wall paper was .dlSO WIlte, Il Water
ed stripe being the design, and ceiling and
side walls were alike. a picture rod of
green being put eighteen inches below the
top of the wall. %" ns
Having this background of white and
green, my friend struck, bold note IT.
draperies and furniture covers. A cretonne
was chosen with white ground and very
large pattern well covering it of flowers in
which strong shades of green, pinks and
yellows mingled artisticaiig with touches of
dull purple and deep crimson in charming
contrast.
The Finishing Touches.
Long curtains shirred on brass rods hang
at all the windows Hoped back over brass
rosettes An easy chair rs upholstered with
it, and the small chairs have frilled seat
covers of 1t, and the bed has valance and
ruffied spread, and a narrow scarf of it lies
across the bureau top, before the cabinet
like upper part With so much color and
design rioting over this cretonne quieter
tone is taken in minor things.
On the bureau some small bowls of green
Spanish pottery and trays and candlesticks
of brass take the place of the usual bits of
silver and small china articles.
A brass toilet set is ON the washstand
opd 10 lipbt ia ,Ica and lphraa kaf, la