Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-08
HOME FURNISHINGS
FOR HOT WEATHER
By KATE oREENLEAF LOCKE.

| The time is here for considering the
furnishing Of the country home and the
seaside cottage. The decorators win
dows are full of suggestions that present
to our minds pictures of shady verandas.
outside tea tables. cool-looking drawing
rooms with open windows, and all of the
possibilities Of hot weather enjoyment
which are directly opposed to the state OF
| the weather. Therefore the following
suggestions are in order:
i There are certain shades of light green
| that give. when combined with sheer
white muslin in a summer room, an ex-
blue In wall coloring, when used with a
tea green ceiling, is particularly refresh
| ing, as 1t comes nearer to producing an
atmosphere effect than any other color
A room so decorated looks much larger
than it actually is because Of this sug-
| gestiOn Of the blue ether that surrounds
us.
/ In order to realize this fact about GER
tain coiors one need only experiment a
little. Enter hall, for example, before
/ the decorators have been at work. Its
| white walls will give 1t a contracted APP
pearance-it presents itself as hard,
cold fact, with nothing to touch the i'm
| agination. 4 1t Is perhaps a passageway
/, in colonial house with a stairway at
the further end; passageway 1t is, and
nothing more, useful but not beautiful
have seen such a hall transformed by it's
wall treatment into a spacious appearing
place. full of charm and beauty. The one
have in mind was papered with panels
of the wonderful paper which Is painted
by hand In certain parts Of Europe of
woodland scenes, with mountains in the
blue distance, the rocks, trees and
streams often showing near at hand,
while the mountain tops in a faraway
mist of delicate color swim against a pale
blue gray or blue green sky. 1t is this
color used as a, background that opens
up this narrow inclosed space SO that the
eye seems to travel far in looking at it,
and it is this color which has given such
distinctive beauty to Watteau's ethereal
landscapes.
Therefore, in decorating a country
house for summer use, / would advise
treating a hall and drawing room some
what in these colOrs. Incidentally there is
nothing which throws into such beautiful
relief the white spindles and mahogany
hand rail of fine old colonial staircase
as these elusive suggestions of painted
landscapes. They give the same pictorial
quaintness to walls that was the charm
of the famous colonial papers II one sets
about in a room with these walls pieces
Of antique mahogany or teakwood furni-
ture. the beauty Of each piece is doubled
by the effect Of the setting. Hang d.
aphanous white draperies at the windows
and cover the floors with white mating,
and an effect Of GOODNESS is secured which
is most refreshing.
In the PHILIPPINES, in Mexico and in
South America: in fact in all hot coun-
tries. one finds black brentwood furniture
in general use. The cane seats are cool
looking, and the black wood accents it
self agreeably with the mattings and
marble floors of the buildings.
As the window plays a peculiarly i'm
portant part In hot weather countries it
is interesting to note their general treat
ment In the hot season all draperies,
even the thinnest. are summarily dis
pensed with; in many cases. however, the
venetian blind Of stats, that can be
drawn up and down, is substituted When
these blinds are painted a delicate pea
green they seem to epitomize the cool
ness of a room. 1t is unfortunate their
use is now limited chiefly to business
houses in this part of the world for there
was time when they formed an impor-
| tant part of the delightful furnishing of
| the old southern colonial mansion. and in
many houses in the south they still lend
| an old-time fascination to the windows.
When curtains of sheer white muslin
\ embroidered are used with these green
slat blinds the effect is particularly good.
Z