Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-23
Interior Decoration.


There is nothing which adds more to
the attractiveness Of a house, and es-
pecially country or suburban house.
than a number Of closets of quaint and
unusual shape poked away in odd cor
ners or tucked neatly between irregular
wall spaces. Individuality is given to a
room far more by the architectural fea-
lures which have been built into it to
suit the pleasure or convenience Of the
occupant than by the pieces of movable
furniture with which 1t is later furnished.
One of the most attractive, inexpensive
additions to a room Is corner closet,
which can be built into almost any house
at very little expense by a fairly compe-
tent carpenter. 1t Is necessary only to
put In slight framework from which
the door can be hung and to have door
made with small panes of glass, either
square or diamond shaped. The door
does not need to have actual small panes,
which would be expensive. The Same
effect is produced by large single panes
over which has been placed framework
Of wood molding. The loaded panes
are, of course, much too expensive to be
considered by the average householder.
Many dining rooms are 50 arranged tnat
they will be improved by two corner
closets.
II there is an open fireplace in the din
ing room or hall and space on either side
Of 1t which Is not to be used for seat, 1t
may well be made into closets, either
broad and low or high and narrow, as
should have glass doors with small panes,
at least, In the upper part. One very
attractive room which has closets each
side of the fireplace has drawers in the
lower part of the closets and large grass
ovals cut out of the doors of the upper
part, these ovals being filled in with small
diamond panes. Another attractive way
Of placing closets next the fireplace IS
to use narrow three-cornered Closets 10y
placing them across the corners between
the fireplace and the wall. These may
or may not have doors, but It Is more
convenient for the housewife If they 90.
as it will save busting to have the brlc-
a-brac covered.
II is never well to have closet or set
OF shelves Of any sort which stand out
from the wall All closets and shelves
should fit into a hollow space winch
seems exactly made for it. Sometimes,
however, 1t Is possible to make a space
where none exists by building a new wall
across the end Of a room, part Of which
Is used for narrow end closets with a
large central blind closet or closet
which is closed at the bottom and with
little closets across the top.
Another way Of fitting in closets is to
have book shelves in the middle and at
the end small closets Of the same depth
having diamOnd-paned doors The book
shelves and the closets fill up one en-
tire end Of the room. The shelves may
be placed at the ends and there may be
a narrow closet in the middle, which has
a wood or glass door, according to the
use to which it is to be put. Closets may
also be built into the ends of a wall
whose central space is taken up with a
buiit-in seat. TIE closets then furnish
the end pieces to the sea: and may be
filed either with books or bric-a-brac.
Generally il does not look we'll to build
closets across the top OF a wall unless
there is something built against the wall
below, which, will balance this effect and
keep it from looking heavy. There are,
however, many exceptions to this rule
and it does not apply at all to closets
which may be sunk into the wall
Over a long window very shallow
closet may be built in which plates may
be kept or small bits OF bric-a-brac. This
will not look heavy II kept very shallow.
especially il there is seat below the
window to balance it. A corner closet
Is most attractive when built on the
wall over a couch. In dining room d
wall closet sometimes looks very well
no mirror. Such closet should always
be shallow. as otherwise it will be sure
to male room topheavy.
The closets spoken Of have been Sug-
gested as decorative features. the closet
| space acquired being Of secondary impor-
! lance II actual space is required quite
| apart from decorative effect il may be
! lower part Of the wall underneath book
| shelves and bric-a-hrac shelves The
! lower shelves Of bookcase are not at
| all comfortable to get at and it is very
| good plan to make them into these small
| closets. MARY r. WATTS.