The Washington herald., 1914-05-27

During the past twenty years chang
ing taste has sirnplified the question OF
wall and floor covering. but the furni'
ture problem remains. In the city apart
ment and small suburban dwelling the
ever present need is for attractive furni-
ture, moderate in cost, light in weight
and answering the mandates Of good
taste.
The housewife who considers her owr
or her servants comfort remembers that
cumbersome frames and delicate up
holstery means much labor with little
reward. Tugging and pushing at a mas
sive sideboard or an elephantine desk
attempting to dodge under and around
an unwieldy book or china cabinet or
moving and cleaning days are painful
memories to the old-time housekeeper
second to none but the exasperated mo
ment Of discovering the pink roses or
the perlor chairs faded a dingy ecru. OF
the "stuffing'' protruding from the sit
ting room sofa in unexpected places
Most Of us have visited the little room
where our entering gaze. delighted by
some beautiful appointment. became sud
denly detected by a mere turning of the
head For the remaining three sides OF
the room were distressingly bare AND
the fittings poor and meager. Never dis
figure "the little home" by lavishing hall
q stipend on one ambitious piece, only
to finish out with cheap wooden rockers
and gaudy bric-a-brac.
Keep Things Simple.
Following carefully the laws Of sim
pliciry and harmony will keep the home
maker from going far astray. Harmony
does not of necessity mean a stiff. back
breaking "parlor set." lined uninvitingly
against the wall. nor yet a collection OF
mission chairs and settees facing TOWARD
a rectangular table from the four cor
ners Of the room. Rather. harmony i'm
plies fitness and gradual blending be-
tween object and object, room and room
This end should be sought throughout
the house, especially the small hom-
where the apartments open out to on.
another.
Undoubtedly the living room presents
the most difficult situation. 1t must be
cheerful and artistic for, under constant
association. unattracive settings soon
become hideous. Remember that the iv-
ing room shapes the tastes of the chill
dren growing up in the household; that
1t is the lure that keeps the father and
sons around the fireside and the mirror
wherein visitors see reflected the home
life of the family. Its appointments can
not be chosen with too great care.
Durability is one of the foremost con-
siderations: For this reason dull finished
wood is preferable to that with high
polish. Solid wood is more economical
in the final estimate than any imitation,
however excellent. because when a few
scratches appear they may be removed
by brisk rubbing with a good oil dress
ing. Yet il the question Of cost means a
choice between stained wood and a
veneered material select the former in
variably. In even the best veneered ar
ticles the outside will peel OF, and rare
ly can be replaced permanently. On the
other hand, the art of imitation has CIV
en- us many examples of furniture strong
ly made from the less costly woods and
cieverly stained. OF course these woods
will show wear, but theresare dependable
stains and polisnes that will repair such
defects. The darker woods and finishes
such as Circassian walnut, Old English
fumed oak, mission and unpublished ma,