The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-17

warming was given New Years eve
but the last details of the decorations
have only just been added, for it takes
time to build and furnish a. house as
attractive as this one. There is moth
ing like it in Topeka, nor indeed in
Kansas. for although there are many
beautiful houses in Kansas, there is
nothing of just this order, illustrative
of the best in the dernier cri of archi-
lecture and decoration. Mighty few
Kansas people are in a position to
build and furnish a house to their
liking regardless of expense and COM
plete to the last detail, as the Null
vaneS have done. Most of us are sur
rounded by lares ct penates Ono piece
about a house is legal without them
words, wot are Latin, and this is as
good place as any, perhaps, to lug
them IND gathered more or less hap
nits. for vulgar financial reasons to
many necessary compromises with his
tastes and preferences.
1t is the dream of every woman's
life to build a house just as she wants
it, retaining nothing merely because 1t
will do until we can afford better"
This Mrs. Mulvane has done, and as
she brought to the task a cultivated
taste, the advantages of travel and a
varied experience in housekeeping and
home-making, the result of her eff
forts is particularly happy. The Null
vane house is essentially a woman's
house, for Mr.. Mulvane admits that,
although he is proud of it and enjoys
it immensely, he didn't have much to
do with it, besides paying the bills,
and that the few cherished ideals he
had in his bachelor days, about a
house of his own, were promptly shat
tered when they came in contact with
a woman'S greater domestic expert
ence and information. For instance,
Mr.. Mulvane had always supposed he
wanted plain plastered and tinted
walls in his house. floors absolutely
bare, and brass beds. But the most
notable features of the Mulvane house
are the tapestry hung walls and the
| exquisite collection of oriental rugs
| Incidentally, Mr.. Mu1vane has learned
| that brass beds are hope1essly passe,
and that the old-fashioned wooden
| bed has returned to fashionable favor
Matrimony is great educator. Mr..
Mulvane who knew nothing about
| rugs a few years ago, is now an ar
! dent enthusiast on this subject and
something of an authority in a dilet-
! tante way. He pirates learnedly of
/ Bohkaras and Kurdistans and Be
loochistans. and knows the nice dis
! tinctions of the Persian and the Ara
! bian and the Turkish, although doubt
| less he would once have said with
1 Dundreary, that those are things no
| fellow can find out"
The Mulvane house has been one of
| the show places of Topeka, to which
! we point with pride to visitors. since
| it's completion. The architecture is art
nouveau, combining some of the best
| features of the French chateau and
the Italian villa, modified for town
| house purposes. The entrance is a
| puzzle, because, although from the ex-
terror you might think it was on the
| east or Van Buren, street side, it is
really on the south or Eleventh street.
And after you have been admitted
| you are still dubious, because the
stairway isn't in sight and you are
| used to seeing the stairs near the
| front door" The entrance is one of
| the most attractive features of the
| house In accordance with the new
| ideas in house building the hall, draw
| ing room and library are practically
one big living room although divi-
| sions are suggested, in this particular
| pillars and arches. Facing the main
entrance are loaded glass doors. with
mirrored panels between. that lead to
the porte cochere- The stairway rises
| opposite the east entrance
In this big living room. hail. draw
ing room and library in one. the wood
| work is natural oak with no suspicion
| of varnish or polish, but finished sim
| ply with a number of coats of oil.
There are exquisite inlaid oak floors
apartment are hung with an import
ed tapestry in burnt carmine, which
if you don't know, is dull soft old
| rose. Between the heavy oak beams
of the ceiling the plaster is tinted q
| rich creamy tone. The window hang
ings are of imported easement cloth
in ecru. with overhangings of dull
rose velvet The big oriel window OF
| stained glass which makes the MAR
| entrance so remarkably attractive has
French puff shades of easement cloth
The rugs are Persians in rich. sof
tones that harmonfze perfectly witt
the decorations. On the north wall !.
| a splendid great fireplace of bricl
tiles In Pompeiian red and moss green