The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-10-23
BEAUTIFYING A HOME
Low Cost Need Not Deny
Many COnVeniences.
ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT EASY
Suburban Home Offers Opportunity
for SimpIicity-Pine Takes Place
Furniture Economics Space-Niii
Develop New Type of Home.

While critics have been calling loudly
/ for something true and original in Ameri-
can architecture. there has been quietly
developing a type that is really both new
and artistic. says Charles NJ Cheney in
The House Beautiful. Dlscarding the
restrictions of tradition. strong and
virile style founded on the best principles
of composition and design is asserting
itself in the small house Beauty is ar
rived az through the simple elements of
construction, All details of decoration
have been eliminated. yet these houses
are more than ever interesting for their
good taste. sincerity, and truth OF ex-
preston
In America each family starts with a
/ precOnceived notion Of new home, and
1t is generally thought of as a detached
dwelling. On account of congestion our
large cities may make this locally i'm
( possible. but the ever Increasing subur-
ban communities, aside from the country
I in general. show how prevalent this con-
ception is Usually the idea of a first
home is modest Why is It. then. that
this so important factor in our life-the
small hOuse-has been neglected?
Cheap Woods Possible.
| Hard woods can seldom be afforded In
small houses. but the most satisfactory
results are being obtained with ordinary
pine and California redwood. selected
/ for the grain where possible. In panel
ing the proper arrangement OF wide
vertical boards with bands covering the
joints and ends can give at once a simple
and pleasing effect. Thus the dining
room and often the living room are I'm
ished in wood at very small extra eX-
pense. With the addition of beamed cell
| ings they become more charming than in
many OF the more elaborate and pTeten-
tiOus dwellings, The only true beamng
is where the joists of the floor above are
used. However, the chief difficulty In this
case has been 10 deaden the sounds from
above. 1t is largely overcome by placing
the ceiling panel "A few inches below the
upper floor aud laying heavy building
paper under the floor or between the
flooring If double.
Buiit-iH Furniture.
The use OF SO much plain wood finish
has naturally led to built-in furniture
The addition OF more windows makes
logical many window seats, and the Iiv-
ing room gains a great deal with a few
built-in bookcases running up four or
five feet. In the dining room most agree
able buffets and china closets with
! loaded glass are being set into the wall
connecting with the pantry
Every small house now has a buffers
pantry where the sink is placed This
pantry connects with both dining-room
and kitchen, and generally has a window
near the sink. The cabinet kitchens that
are being built for small families present
an interesting solution of many difficult
ties. They have ell the wall space taken
up with cupboards. thus placing every
thing Immediately at hand for the house,
wife
Needs Proper Finish.
Nearly half the charm of natural wood
is lost when it does not have the proper
finish. The beautiful effect of using oil
and little color. and then rubbing down
with wax, have made this treatment
preferable to the shiny shellac and pol
ishes so long in vogue. II is so much
more In taste and keeping with the de-
sign. The soft dull red and beautiful
grain of the California redwood come out
admirably in this way. The surfaced
Georgia or Oregon pine makes lighter
interior, but does not have the richness
of the other wood. 1t follows that the
general color scheme is also simple.
combination of two colors seems to give
the best results and helps TO emphasize
the largeness and lightness of the whole
conception
When the architecture has been treated
with such directions and simplicity the
choice OF furnishings is naturally guided
by stronger and simpler artistic sense
However. the effect Is quite as easily
and completely spoiled by having too
many pieces, either of hangings or fur
niture in the room. The movement for
purity Of design in modern furniture is
particularly in keeping with the archi-
tectural movement. as it makes the most
of constructive detail