The Washington times., 1910-03-14


affections" certain it is that never has I
the home, be it mansion, bungalow. or |
apartment. been the raIiying place of .
greater comfort, simplicity, and beauty
than it is today
Compare the house of yesterday, with
fits stoop and its stiffness and its par
lor. to the house Of today, with its
wide verara as, its classic architecture,
its comfortable living room, and cozy
den.
Compare the fat Of yesterday with
the apartment of today, which has
changed its character completely, with
its name. With the passing Of the
parlor has gone the pretentious man
tel. with its fireless hearth, and the
elegantly nideuus console. Fireplaces
and book shelves have taken their place.
The long, narrow hall. which ran Ike
a spinal cord through the old-time fats,
has undergone such a curvature that
one no longer recognizes II upon enter
ing the vestibule of the modern apart
ment. which discloses a roomy vista Of
adjoining rooms.
In house building. this may well be
called the concrete age Though brick
end hollow tile are used extensively,
the durability Of concrete and the ease
with which II may be adapted to ar
tistic effects has put II In the lead OF
building materials. It's use IS being
extended TO interior accessories, such as
frapIaces and chimney pieces, and ar
chitecturaI details It is taking the
place of TIE expensive Caen stone and
the italian and English terra cOttas for
garden furniture. Its fireproof qualities,
the coolness which is claimed for it In
summer, and its delightful contrast with
the green of foliage and lawn, commend
e. strongly to the man who is about TO
build. inexpensive lawn or garden ac-
cessOries in concrete make a harmoni-
Gus decorative scheme possible, which
may not h obtained when other build
ing material is used. From the cement
jardinieres for bay trees or decorative
plants which may now be bought as
cheaply as s., one may enhance more
elaborate grounds with pergOlas, and
lily ponds. and bathing tanks, whose
curbing and surrounding benches are OF
concrete.
The bungalow continues to flourish
IN the land. albeit there have arisen
many which might be more rightly
called bungles. We see them bUlging
over narrow frontings and shrinking to
the size Of a dolls house on spreading
lawns: but with proper environments
there is surely no more attractive style
for the moderate priced home than the
unpretentiOus, .turdy, artistic little bun
galow. a six-rOom bungalow recently
put up had as a background sixty
foot bluff, while II commanded a view
h 8Frn
gently into timbered hills. The piers Of
the porch and walls and chimney base
were Of moss-covered stones brought
from the nearby bluff and laid up in
black mortar with recessed joints so
that the extremely rough face was pre-
served. The outside walls were Of mar
row siding painted a light gray, the
trim being painted IVORY white. The
gable panels were finished with a fine
screened gravel md the porch floors
as well as entrance and carriage steps
were Of cement. The roof shingles and
the porch balustrade of rough plank
were stained a soft green. The interior
finish of the rooms was IN curly FIR
stained and waxed. In the living room
a simple fireplace had built-In book
cases on one side Of it and a writing
desk on the other. Loaded easement
windows admitted the light above the
book case and the desk.
Fumed Oak Is
Prevailing Interior Wood.
The prevailing interior woods just nov
seem 70 be almost universally a fUmeC
oak, in the soft finish, for the living
rooms and white enamel for the bed
rooms When the style of the living
room or drawing room Is carried out Il
colonial furnishings, white paint is con
sidered the only true colonial trim, bu
when the furnishings tend toward mis-
sion effects the dark woods are used
In nothing so much as wall decoration
has the taste Of century changed
Indeed. we are prone TO think that tn
dingy, durable wall papers and famil
portraits that ornamented the walls o
our grandfathers' houses, indicated Il
taste whatever. The walls Of our lowe
rooms are a harmony Of low. quie
tones. with sometimes the intrOductio
OF a decorative border or artistic sten
cling Plain hangings are used, and III
portieres OF tapestry or silk may hav
plush lining the shade OF the wall. Ms
hogany or English oak, always In tn
dull finish. is favored for furnitur
with cane insets are especially suitab
for the dining-rbom or the hall
The doom or the plate rail, with 4
congIomeration Of plates end odds an
ends, has been sounded. The neaPes
approach to this abomination is II
wainscoted room, having a finish Z,
the wainscot in the form of a shelf II
preferred method Of treating the dinir
room just now IS the use Of burlap,
oatmeal paper, or the woven woody
neer for the lower third. with the pap
above and a plain strip OF wood III
the trim Of the room separating ther
Picture holdings are being placed at Il
ceiling just below the moiding that col
meets the ceiling with the side walls.
\ noticeable feature OF the new dil
ing room IS the corner cupboard Of Il
same wood as the trim of the rooT
wiki glass doors which may be di
nond-paned OF in small SQUARES. II
closed closet below affords a hanC
cupboard for linens or other thin
which it IS desirable to stow away. a
other innovation that is gaining fav
Is the use OF wardrObes in place Of clio
cts in the bed rooms. These are but "
feet deep, but the garments are hui
on coat hangers from the one shelf, al