Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1912-03-01
DECORATION OF THE FARM
HOUSE..
BY Miss Esther V. Leech, Instructor
in Department of Domestic Art,
at the Oregon Agricultural
College.

college,.
Country life is a book whose
pages are yet uncut" and one of
these pages treats of the decoration
and furnishings of the country house
The country house should, above
everything else, be in keeping with
Gods Out-of-Doors; a place that
will not be contrary to nature but
in harmony with it; a place that is
a part of the country, not a blot on
the country. 1t is folly to attempt
to introduce any new beauty there,
for it already abounds everywhere,
in shaded woodlands, in corn rows,
in field corners, on rocky lodges, in
quiet pools as lilies and in quiet
skies as stars. You cannot make an
inventory of its beauties, they BATTLE
you. At the same time the country
is laden with ideas and therefore one
is never bankrupt for opportunities
If one only takes the proper attitude
towards them. This is why so many
farmers fail to keep their sons and
daughters on the farm. They take
a wrong and narrow view of the sit
uation. They do not realize that
beauty is wealth.
On many a farm we find stock and
crops, machinery and equipment,
wealth showing everywhere except in
the house and yard. Indoors there
are either few or unattractive car
pets, chairs and pictures, no books
nor magazines, not tree in the yard
nor shrub nor flower, nothing to
call forth an honest pride in the
home. This house, instead of being
the most attractive and dearest spot
on the farm, is the most neglected,
most repusive and consequently the
most unpopular.
Although the beauty of the house
should compare favorably with it's
surroundings, one should not forget
its purpose. For the country house
must be as useful as beautiful. Use
and beauty are not enemies and can
well be yoked together to supply this
need With this in mind why not
make the keynote of the furnishings
durability? For instance, a good dark
oak finished woodwork lasts for years
and is always good. Tinting in browns
and tans or even some green last
and are never offensive, no matter
what other colors may be introduced
into the rooms. These, in various
combinations, are good for living
rooms, halls, dining rooms and dens.
The kitchen seems to call for a
more simple painted interior of some
clean cool color and the bed rooms
Tor lighter woodwork and more deli
cately tinted or papered walls.
1t is matter of economy to pos
sess every possible labor saving de-
vice which makes it possible for the
intelligent woman to keep house
without over eXertion. The chief of
these are lightweight utensils, non
rusting dishes, dull finished and sim
ply constructed furniture with ball
bearing castors, good floors, few and
simple hangings, no useless bric-a-
brac, kitchen fittings, which are san
itary, and bedroom fittings which
may be cleaned by draught of fresh
air and glow of sunshine.
One cannot lay down rules as to
how every woman should furnish her
house for, to some extent, the deco
ration Of the home must be repre-
sentative of the originality of the
decorator.
There are, however, some sugges-
tions that we should keep in mind.
First, remember that simplicity is
the fundamental note of good taste"
Then it is use that gives anything
a permanent place. William Morris
expresses this well in this statement:
Have nothing in your house that you
do not know to be useful or believe
to be beautiful" Furnishings now
a-days may be procured which are
both good and inexpensive. Try to
make the furnishings harmonize in
;tx, 81, L.
II some rooms appear either too
small or too large, cover the defect
with the style of decoration. Be a
friend to the straight line and let it
guide you in your furnishing.
The temperament of the household
will depend much upon the prevail
should be used on the side of the
house where the least sunshine en-
ters. Natural colors, which grow
with us as we live with them, are
most useful.
Do not buy a chair only because
It Is pretty. Chairs are made to sit
on and not to look at. Consider the
comfort of such furniture. Arrange
furniture so as to give refinement,
dignity and balance to the ROOM Be
adroit, almost to the point of genius,
in choosing your window draperies.
Heavy draperies do well to shut out
a view of an alley, but commit an
objectionable offense when they hide
the view of beautiful sunset, a
ssnow-capped peak or a ripening field
of grain.
Pictures detract or add to the ap.
'pearance of a room. Do not mix
oils, watercolors, etchings and en-
cravings. Good pictures that mean
something are pleasing to all of us
Before buying one consider your wal
space, color scheme and light OF
room. A picture will usually suggest
Its own frame. Pictures are hung