The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-20
TO MAKE THE HOME
INVITING IN SUMMER.

Making the home cool and inviting for
the stay-at-homes is a summer problem
for every housewife, but gradually women
are learning that home. with every con-
venience, even in town, can be made more
comfortable than cramped bedrooms, with
out bath or even running water, at some
crowded resort.
First, have a clearing out day, not house
cleaning, but clearing things away, far
put of sight, until cool weather returns.
Take down all hangings and curtains If
you Rave no prying neighbors. and leave
your windows bare, save for shades, or
better still. venetian blinds. II you feel
you must have some sort of hangings be-
tween adjoining rooms, at least pack away
your tapestries. c~retonnes. ETC., and sub
stitute the tinkling bamboo hangings FROM
Japan, which can be had as low as 81 a
door.
Remember hat green, gray, grayish
blue and n faded buff are all cool colors
and employ them wherever you can.
Cover your chairs with washable slips,
linen, or its cheaper limitations. in a fine
strire, like green on a gray ground. bounl
with green braid. Cut first a paper pat
tern for each chair. starting with the
~lnraes.; then make n trial slip with che1n
muslin or scrim. and when you secure a
III, reproduce I1lS III tue lnth ohliuN
the braid before applying it TO bind
seams. You can ave on the scrim or
muslin by rlakjng the pattern for the
larges. chair first and then cutting this
down to smaller ones. DO not leave n bit
of/wool or silk upholstery in sight and
introduce as many rush or wicker pieces
as your purse will permit,
Have no drapeties ON mantels, book
shelves or tables. A washable centre
piece for the reading lamp or the bowl of
flowers will be sufficient to save your
table top. Put away all embroidered,
painted or tlnseled cushion tops and sub
stltute lowered cretonnes or inexpensive
wash materials In soft shades of green,
white and yellow or blue and white. Pho-
tugraphs which attract dust and flies, em-
hrcidercd frames. plush albums-all the
mass Of decorative articles which make a
living rocm cosy and homelike In win
ter, make 1t Uttered and hot looking in
summer. A few current magazines on the
tables, bowls or vases Of flowers here and
there-and you nave all the bric-a-brac
necessary for summer comfort.
You will recall that the heart of the
woods Is always inviting in summer. That
Is because Of the soft, faded colorings
n the shadows. Therefore, In your town
house steal some hints from the woods.
Have vines at your windows. not thick
enough to keep out the air, but just
enough TO break the glare OF the sun on
pavements or lawns without. Morning
glories grow rapidly, but you must thin
them out, cutting away dead leaves. or
they will mat and choke off your supply
of summer breezes. Madeira vines also
grow quickly and ivy can be bought ready
to train In pots or boxes of various sizes.
Train the vines toward the sides of the
window frame rather than toward the CEN
tire. where you need only a few of the
young, tender shoots.
II YOU have a large living room or a big
alcove in your dining-room install a ham
mock or deep swing, with plenty OF pill
lows. as a summer lounging place. Hang
this 50 that the light from a well-screened
window falls over your shoulder when you
want to rest and read.
In bedrooms put away all fussy bureau
fittings and use only a long, white towel
or strip of hemmed swiss. Loops of rib
bon and embroidery both catch dust when
the windows are open day and night. A
plain dlmity or barred muslin counterpane
with plain pillow cases to match affords
the best finish for your bed.
Learn to rise early in summer get your
housework lone and your windows all
closed or your blinds drawn before mid
day sun smites your house. Leave no
important or heavy task till afternoon and
your men folk will soon be resigned to
cold teas or even dinners composed of
cold coarees, like sliced meat, salads,
fruit, crackers. etc, If this means a
homemeaker looking cool and comfortable
in a fresh, white dress, instead Of n
frowsy, overheated parsonage, who can
talk of nothing but the misery of having
to stay in town.
Always nave q bow filled with ferns
and other green things in the centre of
the table. In fact, ferns, soft, green
leaves or foliage. with just a few white
or dellcately tinted garden flowers, make
much cooler-looking decorations In sum
mer than masses of brilliantly tinted