The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-24

II HE problem of interior fnishings
/ at the smallest cost consistent
with artistic and durable effect is
one that large number of home build
ers are considering. Oliver Coleman
takes up this question and answers it in
Homes Mr.. Coleman says:
For simple house of moderate cost,
fine woods are generally out of the
question, but that is no reason why the
small house should not be equally
charming in color scheme. Whitewood
or poplar, the cheapest of woods, is
close in grain and can be stained and
red, green, blue, brown or mahogany
color. Hazel or gumwood, which is but
little more expensive than poplar,
makes beautiful finish, either natural
or stained to match mahogany, which it
does more perfectly than birch or
cherry; while Georgia pine, stained a
rich Vandyke brown, is almost if not
quite as beautiful as bog OF Flemish
oak.
In an inexpensive house no other
wood than poplar or Georgia pine need
be considered land if they are properly
stained, the effect can be made very
beautiful. If the house has sunny ex-
posure and direct light into the hall,
the woodwork of vestibule, hall and
to represent old English oak. The best
l<way to get this effect is to cut half a
pound of bichromate Of potash in about
gallon Of hot water; cover all the
| woodwork with this mixture, then rub
it down smooth with sandpaper to 1e-
move any roughness or imperfections in
the surface. When this is done, cover
the. wood with an oil stain, made of
amber and black and toned to the Ge-
sired shade. This stain must be well
rubbed in, so that the grain of the wood
is thoroly filed, and cleaned off while
wet.
The final finish depends on the
amount one is willing to expend. The
simplest way to finish stained wood is
to cover the stain with one or two coats
Of raw. hnseed oil; while the best way
is to give it three coats of spirit white
shallac, and rub with pumice stone and
oil to a dead, even finish.
1t the house allows of reception
| room, the woodwork of this room had
| best always be painted white.
The stains for the various zcolors can
be procured easily by buying them all
mixed, or by preparing them one s self
and the latter method is strongly rec
commended. The first preparation is the
same for all colors: To one quart of
| OIL, take two quarts of turpentine and
about one pint of drier, and then add
the coloring matter. To produce a good
green, use chrome green, yellow and
black, experimenting until the desired
shade is reached; for blue, use Prussia1
blue, yellow and black; for red, if a
brilliant color is desired, use vermillion
otherwise use Venetian red, unless q
particularly rich Moorish red is desired
when it is best to use Indian red and
black. The best mahogany effect is
procured by purchasing, in dry form
mahogany and dissolving four parts O.
1T in hot water, to one part of walnut
which will give a strong, rich color.
| The colors mentioned come in dry
powder, and are soluble either in al
! cOhol or water; they also come in spirit
form, when they are clearer in color
but require much more skill in apbli
cation. All of these colors are to bt
mixed and applied in the same manner
and much of the richness of the effec
depends on the rubbing. The mahogan,
stain can be applied to birch, cherry
poplar and gumwood, Of which the last
named produces the riches effect. Fol
the various shades of green, blue. rec
or brown, it is best to use poplar. as i
seems to hold the color better. Georgia
pine is so resinous that it is only saft
to use it for the bog-oak stain. de
scribed above.
In the northwest, poplar is not large
ly used, altho it. is employed where {
Geogia pine and Washington fir are til,
popular soft woods for using with
4 natural finish.