Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-25
LIVING OUT OF DOORS
Accessories to Turn a Porch
Into a Parlor.

If you are going away to your own or to
a rented cottage this summer there are
hundreds of decorative accessories which
will make 1t bright and gay. and none of
them need be expensive. But there's a
| deal of art and a lot of good taste to be en-
ployed both In choice and arrangement IL
the result is to be success.
People are now very sensibly living so
much out of doors that the cottage piazza is
almost universally fitted up as living
room. One of the first things to attain in
this al fresco apartment is privacy. for one
does not like 10 be in the eye of ones
neighbor at all times. The ideal screen is
vine, but many persons object to this pretty
protection as keeping out the light and at
tracing bugs and insects. Canvas awnings
and reed screens are most in use Tor TINS
purpose, and. indeed, are much smarter,
though less beautiful, than the vines They
have the advantage, too, when rolled up at
night of allowing the breezes to blow over
the place Combinations in colors never
were varied as in this seasons canvas
awnings. but bright hues are now the thing,
the subdued shades of last summer having
given way to odd cOlorings. The new avn
ings are shown in brown with narrow red
stripes, in green with broad brown ones. IN
red and black and In green and yellow.
Whether they harmonic or not. these COM
last years styles. Next to the canvas avn
ings are those of light straw. They cost lit
tie and roll up like shades. To be sure
they last only one season. but temporarily
they are very satisfactory.
Debatable Questions.
When a striped awning is purchased the
buyer knows that the colors will lose from
exposure some of their brightness, and the
best thing to do is to select the shade that
fades least and then take every precaution
| to preserve it. 1t has always been dis
puted point as to whether during rain
| storm the awning should be rolled up or
| left to take it's share of the water unilis-
| turbed. Experts declare that If let down
| the rain washes through and runs of, TAX
| ing the dirt with it. while if they are pulled
| up the water settles in little pools, and
when dry dirty spots are apt to appear here
| and there. In case of wind storm, It is
| best to raise the awning to keep the cloth
| from tapping and straining. Immediately
after.th storm it should be lowered SO that
| the material may quickly dry. A wonder
| fully pretty effect is obtained II the piazza
| rail Is bordered with boxes filled with gay
| flowers protected by bright-colored avn
! ing.
In porch furniture the choice is almost
| unlimited. Whatever sort Is chosen. let It
| be the kind that wetting will not spoil and
the wind cannot blow over. The new mat
| ting furniture in modified mission shapes
| framed in green oak is always comfortable
and effective. Tightly woven rush chairs
| and settles wear like iron, and in attractive
| colorings leave nothing to be desired from
| the standpoint Of smartness. A few willow
| tabourets are handy for extra seats when
| the piazza is crowded, and at other times
| may hold jars of field flowers or may be
! used as rests for the tea service. OF course,
| every well-equipped outdoor living room
| will have its prettiy appointed tea table
| and one other firm table for holding sewing.
| books and the many odds and ends one has
| about.
! If the porch Is large enough, there Is a
! chair of the steamer variety that should
| never be missing. 1t is delightful in sum-
mer when one is reading to be able to get
| ones feet up, and a woman may do this
| with propriety in one of these chairs. An
| other piazza comfort is a swinging seat
| that holds two or three persons. This may
| be made of rustic Stats. 1t has a nigh
fastened by staples into the timbers. Fit
ted with dainty cushions of cretonne or
| chintz, it adds a pretty touch of color.
A Hammock for Some One.
The lazy member of the family will thor
oughly enjoy having an artistically woven
hammock swung across one end or the
| porch. 1t should be so arranged that 1t
may be taken down readily.
One rug or several small ones should be
used for floor covering. Cotton jute rugs
are very NICE though much smarter are
| those of mating in Indian designs and col
orings large square rug of this kind Is
to be had for $40 1t wears splendidly and
| il desired may be used indoors in the win
| ter.
Nothing makes a summer home more at
| tractive than dainty window and door hang
| ings. Dotted and plain scrlm and SWISS
and madras are all stunning for the pur-
pose. Madras curtains show more wonder
| full developments perhaps than those of any
~tt.A -t,,ep5 Thnr 70 no a oh % dnd
| effects good for upstairs rooms and dark,
| soft, dull effects particularly appropriate
| for library and den. When the light comes
| through these designs the effect is that
| of filtered sunshine. Loaded glass patterns
| have invaded madras designs as well as
| everything else in the decorative line. and
when the light steals through alternate
| blocks of black and red-for instance
! coarse net-the effect is exceptionally pleas
ant.
| Pretty Scrim Curtains.
Scrim will be very much used for cur
| tains and the French is most attractive on
| account of differences in weave, which form
| plaids, stripes and squares. When made
| with deep hem with few tucks above, a
| curtain of this scrim Is charming.
| Colored fish net is especially nice to use
| in dining rooms, as 1t screens without
shutting out the air. 1t is used very eff
fectively, too as drapery over short cur
| tains. A point to bear in mind Is that
| all smart sash curtains hang from the top
| of the window to the SILL the half length
| is out of fashion. There was about them
| an unfinished appearance when the linen
shade was raised that proved their down
| fall.
| oldest of all summer furnishings is the
| bath towel which is used as house decora-
| tions. These towels are employed pill
| low coverings, the fringe being left on or
| cut off and the toweling scalloped and butt
| tonholed about the edges. Several large
| towels may be put together with fancy
| stitches and made into bedspreads and bu-
| reau covers. One enterprising woman has
| covered her upholstered furniture with
| brown Turkish towels held in position by
| tape strings.
Other Novelties.
In lamps and candles for the summer cot
| tage there are many novel ideas. Antique
designs are sought after and have in a
great measure superseded the Japanese pa
per affairs. Lamps are of course necessary.
| but candlesticks for the dinner tables still