New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-15

| When a furniture dealer offers to fur
nish a fiat for $780," 1t sounds very cheap
| indeed. But here is a woman who has fur
nished a five-room apartment at cost OF
less than $50, and what is more. it is beau
| tiful and artistic which few flats are. What
| did she do it with? Boxes-nere cast off
wooden boxes and packing cases. a few
paints and stains, and some inexpensive
| draperies. With these and her fund of in
genuty Miss Louise Brigham. traveller and
social worker, has fitted UP her fiat in East
End avenue with desks chairs, tables
| couches window seats, everything home
| could need. The first thing that strikes
ones eye in the living room is the desk
which, like everything else in the place. wa:
made by Miss Brigham's own hands. 1t is
| not only a desk, but "a bookcase. file, rack
and sketch holder, and to look ct it one
would never guess that it was made out OF
shoe boxes and a breakfast food case.
| 1.-The file shelves built around it and the
bookshelves I had to have, as 1 have Sc
many volumes said Miss Brigham to The
Tribune reporter, as she showed her fiat
THE main point is to fit the material you
have on hand to your space: the other
dimensions will adjust themselves. 1 want
ed place to keep some large drawings. so
box on the front of the desk, and there was
my pocket for sketches
The desk chair was originally a con-
densed milk box. In this in everything
Miss Brigham has carried out her principle
OF making the most of every bit of space.
The seat of the chair, which is really the
hinged and cleated cover of the box, con-
ceals a receptacle in which she keeps her
drawing materials.
In the window, which overlooks a bend of
the East River, just where the ferryboats
from Astoria land. are hanging flower pots,
gay with growing things, which pots were
originally cocoa boxes. They are suspend
ed by knotted clotheslines from inexpensive
butcher hooks. The window curtains. made
of theatrical art cloth, are Miss Brigham
one extravaganza. II had to resort to
this material. she explained. for it was
the only thing I could find that fitted in
with the color scheme. and nothing so dis
turbs me as to have to live in a room
which lacks harmony of color
Miss Brigham even made her fireplace
Prowling about in second hand shop she
found an old coal hod. which she had built
into the brokendown fireplace, where It
served her very well last winter Made of
boxes are the curio cabinet in this room,
full of rare things Miss Brigham has
gathered in various parts Of the world: the
couch and the window seat Couch and
seat are equipped with pillows. some of
which are hung against the backs by
knotted clothesline. The pillows are thrift
lily covered with bagging In which Miss
Bingham's express packages came wrapped
and stuffed with waste shavings. the refuse
Of Miss Brigham's carpentering feats
Most interesting Of all the five rooms is
the studio Here are the owners work
bench. her spinning wheel and loom,
Here one may see boxes vases, stools and
baskets made by her out of reed and viii
low. and a willow trunk of her manufacture
which so pleased the people OF Belgium
when she was Ia that country that they