Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-30

j
average household can get along without
a parlor Not that there is any speclal
need for such room. especially of the
conventional pattern, and that is what
most of them are, but whether the fixed
habit of generations can be changed in
this particular. 1t seems to be one or
the major and unalterable requirements OF
household life that at least one or the
rooms should be set apart for what might
be termed state occasions. 1t is also
part Of the same tradition that it should
be furnished with class of furnishings
that differs from that in any other portion
of the house.
The furniture is OF finer grade-that
is, it is likely to cost more than what is
found in other rooms-and Its character as
to form and finish depends upon the cur
rent fashion in that direction. 1t is OF
lighter, Trailer character, and the up
hOlstery in these days OF white and gold
parlors is easily sciled and shows readiIy
tho erfect of usage In the event some Of
the children come into the room when there
is no one to watch them the traces OF
their wanderings and their modes OF
amusing themselves are plainly notlceaoie
on floor and walls and furniture.
The parlor costs more at the outset, ana
requires more care and attention, ana
sooner grows shabby then any other room
in the house. Ii takes up space that Is
needed for the everyday uses OF the famlly'
especially In the smaller class of houses
and annears to serve no useful purpose
other than Saving the face OF the 1ami-
ly'' in the eyes of a world that Is govern
ed by convention. .
The parlor exists apparently because IL
has been a feature of houses for genera
lions and because it is the fashion, and
not because it meets any real and vital
need of the family life. whether consld-
cred purely from the standpoint OF the
home or of it's relations to the community.
To Do Away With the Parlor.
It is mainly on account of this fetch
that in former days the dining room was
placed in the basement, and now, since that
room has been brought up to the first
floor. the back building with it's dark area
has become a familiar and depressing
feature of the average home. In recent
wears however, owing to the more liberal
use of building land. the back building Is
not so common as was formerly the case.
width allow for the kitchen and the din
ing room side by side, with large open
ings on the rear yard.
Another change is now proposed in
houses that are to be erected by Middaugh
e Shannon the coming season. They pro-
pose to plan them without making provi-
sion for a parlor. The part of the house
that is ordinarily assigned for such use
is to be a living room. 1t will occupy
the same relative place in the interior ar
rangement as that of the conventional
parlor. and will be on the right or the
left of the entrance hall.
The Living Room.
The room will be fitted ur with shelves
along the walls and will have an open
fireplace. and is designed to be furnished
so it will be a convenient and comfortable
place for most of the home life of the
family Sliding doors and draperies shut
off the dining room. which will adjoin,
while alongside Of the latter room and oc-
cupying with it the width OF the house
will be the kitchen.
There will be direct air and light from
both the front and the rear of such
house. as there will be no back building,
with It's unwholesome and certainly de-
pressing areaway. The effect of the lat
ter upon the health Of the occupants has
been recognized in late years by the Dis
tTict Commissioners. so there Is a build
ing regulation IN force that practically
prohibits a back building on house less
than twenty feet in width.
The doing away with the parlor results
really in adding one more room to the
average house. AS the parlor was used
only for state occasions or for such prob
for the use of the family when it set
tied down to have a really restful and
coy tine, 1t was natural that a demand
should arise for something to take its
place, and in this way the upstairs sitting
room, even in dwellings of rather mod
crate size, has come to be more or less
common. But the space thus occupied on
the bedroom floor lessened the sleeping
accommodations, and that was source o.
Inconvenience. and has not in all cases
proved satisfactory.
No Excuse for a Parlor.
Where the family was small a place on
the second floor could be spared for use as
a living room without much difficulty, but
in cases where the needs changed, then
such an expansion of the mode of living
would have to be curtailed. For some
time past the designers of houses havA
looked with questioning eyes upon the
parlor. especially they could see no
valid reason why it should be accepted as
a cardinal article of all faith and practice
in domestic architecture.
In the country house 1t has been done
away with long ago-that is the average