New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-18
FURNISHING A HOME.
4n old Fashioned House Made
artistic by Means of a Small Sum.


| woman who has transformed cherries
| suburban house into an abode of rest and beauty
| tells in interesting fashion how she accom-
plished the task with small fund.
zone hot summers day." she says, my hus-
band and | sailed forth to find & suburban
house that would be artistic and at the same
time within our means. In terrace overlooking
some beautiful grounds we found one of several
houses ready for occupancy and renting at
price which suited us.
"On the first floor we were confronted with a
narrow hail. a dingy little dining room and a
parlor, with paper Stimulating French panels on
the walls and ceiling decorations more suitable
for brides cake than a parlor. and mantel-
piece over furnace register and woodwork of
highly vanished pine.
ION the second floor this abominable wood
work still assaied our eyes, and. to crown all,
combination wardrobe and washstand filled in
the entire end Of the larger bedrooms. The
only attractive rooms in the house were the
bathroom and laundry We concluded therefore
that an UP to date house was not for us.
After spending another afternoon looking at
old fashioned. decrepit dwellings we were about
to give up the search In despair, when We nap
pened upon a charming old house with large
rooms and at a moderate rent, owing to the fact
that It needed repainting inside and out 1t
was anything but modern, but we decided 10
take up our abode there, and do the best we
could with 1T.
from top to bottom with nut brown felt paper.
and the ceiling with cream. This harmonized
with the brown paint on the first floor and the
staircase. Next stained the floors of the
rooms and the staircases.
I'VE possessed one carpet, one beautiful cash.
mere rug and full quota Of bed linen, CHINA,
pictures and silver. We had, however, only the
small sum of $3.50 with which to make our home
habitable and / was engaged in business
during the day, had only about an hour and
half In the afternoons in which to find furniture
for the house
LAS so many hours of our lives are spent in
sleep, We decided that we would have good
beds Being able to buy them at wholesale
prices, went to the factory and chose simple
white enamel beds, with second grade hair mat
quality. This important purchase took up the
best portion of our money. The rest of the
necessaries in the way of furniture We bought
from junk shops or auction rooms.
For 50 we got large extension dining table
or walnut, strong and substantial We bought
temporarily a dozen second hand cane chairs at
% cents apiece These were afterward replaced
by some pretty black oak chairs with leather
seats. We Possessed a beautiful carved oak
sideboard over three hundred years old and
the room contained quaint built-in cupboard
for china, our dining room was economically
furnished. Fortunately, the woodwork of the
room was painted dull black, with handsome
green foliage paper on the walls. At the win
dows we hung scrim curtains. on which stem
cilled design with dark green vine leaves
Above the mantelpiece placed some dark
green plates of peasant pottery, picked up
abroad. Our chef d9uvre. however is the
elSHteeH hlng william WedgWood plates, nVe
OF which may be seen above the mantel.
Adjoining the dining room is the living room.
ttere we have rag rug, sixteen feet by nine
rect made all in one piece. out OF heavy pieces of
cloth in softest greens and reds Above the open
fireplace is simple bookcase, with cubbyholes
While some japanese leather paper above forms
good background for some green Bruges
ware. The chair near the window is only ma
hoganized,' and. though factory made and very
cheap, possesses good lines Ladder backed |
chairs make convenient wall chairs for the lower
rooms Our piano. bought some time later for
so at auction. is cherished possession, al |
though by no means beautiful Some day we
for plain one. as We have number of good |
pictures, which now look spotty on this varie- |
gated background. Stencilled scrim curtains are |
also used In the living room.
The library has lately been papered in dark |
green felt, above a two-tone base of green and |
brown. Our Oriental rug covers the floor In |
the corner near the fireplace may be seen an old |
oak corner cupboard, which belonged to Bishop |
of England. The bookcases are |
woodwork. A dark green muslin with yellow |
flower, costing 121 cents a yard, is used for |
the curtains. The black marble mantelpiece is |
partly concealed by a dark green cotton cover
that was stencilled with acids, which extracted |
the color, leaving the design white. Table cover
and sofa cushions all have individual touch |
was picked up for 90 cents. The lounging chair
by the fire, and the little table later addi-
lions
TN the bedrooms we have had to use walnut |
furniture almost entirely. AS 1t is thing of the
past II can be picked up for almost nothing. |
We have also some beautiful mahogany bureaus
with twisted columns, bought at country sales
at - piece. Mating or rag rugs used |
almost entirely as floor coverings upstairs
Many happy hours are spent our porch in |
the summer. We have tried to make It attract
i've with odd shaped chairs, also picked UP at |
salesrooms. The ironing table settle cost rs |
cents, while the church pew cost 81. Some dark |
green paint turned them into respectable articles
Of porch furnftura"