Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-09-08
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.

0UWEMAkEhO VULUMNs
Correspondence on topics of interest 70 the ladei
n solicited. Address: Editor HOMENAKER1
COLUMN. Oxford Democrat. South Paris. NJ
Furnishing . Homo.
We will suppose Il ID . fat or an
apartment to be furnished-a moderate.
sized fiat Of Eve or six rooms-by people
of moderate means and moderate In
come. But moderate" 10 90 vague that
We will specify a. to the income and say
1t 10 fifteen hundred year, with some
thing to be laid up.
This is not case of bride and groom
just going to housekeeping, but any
family of some education and some cnl'
ture, who are going to move into such
fiat as the above mentioned. They have
probably worn of the new OF moro than
one set Of furniture and when they move
this time they will probably sell OF the
Oldest pieces to the second hand furni.
ture dealer and replace them with new
ones, using the left-overs whore they best
at In. :,
First Of all, the fiat or apartment itself
will largely determine to the discrimi-
mating housewife how 1t would best be
furnished. This it does BY its arrange.
ment of rooms, its woodwork, floors
windows, re.place, china-closet, and
like features.
Hardwood polished floors make the
O uestion of rugs . fairly easy one. A
large rug in the center Of the living
room, parlor, drawing-room, or what
ever it may be called, la usually satisfac'
tory as it saves the floor and 10 pleasing
to look at and to walk on. The kind oil
rug may be determined by price, amount
of wear and other considerations.
II the moderate plan 10 adhered to,
probably a good Wilton will be chosen,
of either q solid color CT varied accord
ing to the color scheme Of the room, fol
there must be q color scheme ut the
start, else all will be haphazard at the
end.
When the general tone Of the room ID
decided on, then the walls are the frs!
thought and all the furnishings should
fit into this color scheme-rug, uphol-
stored furniture,-ifi In fabrics-curtsins
II other than white, portieres, and 20 on,
to the last smallest feature.
The pictures on the walls OF the par
lor should be of broad interest or chosen
for their special beauty or appeal oil
some sort, such as landscapes or marine
views. Pictures of the family do not ap
peal to outsiders generally; so should b
placed on more intimate walls-the bed
rooms.
The pieces of furniture necessary II
the parlor or living room are few. a
Davenport, perhaps, q few reception
chairs, . rocker or two, q piano, piano
bench and music cabinet, and II the par
lor must serve as library, also, 1t must
contain the bookcases and library
table with good reading lamp. Surely
this is enough in one room and the lest
bric-a.brac the better, nothing OF this
sort finding place unless 1t has definite
use or exceptional beauty.
The dining-room calls for treatment
and consideration al! its own. We hope
it has the beamed ceiling with beauti
full dome or light arrangement over thu
table, and that there Is no plate rack
where things Of no special beauty ART
put to catch and hold dust, calling fol
frequent cleaning. These walls, too, VI
want in solid color with top border o.
foliage, forest or landscape of some sort
Mahogany furniture goes we'll with dull
blue, but since this dining-room 10 to b
furnished in moderate way, the furni
ture will probably be of quarter-sawee
oak and the built-in sideboard and wood
work are Of the came material.
Again the large rug Is chosen and thu
dining table stands in its center with the
leather bottomed chairs arranged order
y about the room. A 'low.bOy' standt
against one wall with the silver an6
glass needed at each meal on 1t, while
all other dishes and glassware are ar
ranged neatly in the china closet OF
built-in sideboard. When not in use
the table is cleared of the linen and 81
lence cloth and pretty center-piece II
placed on 1t to hold the fern dish.
As to dining-room curtains there Ia
great scope, but the essential thing ID
that they be just window-sill length of
material that can be kept fresh. They
look better banging straight and pushed
we'll to the side rather than draped.
For the bedrooms it ia difficult to give
more than very general plan, for here
is where each person should have the
opportunity to express his or her indi'
viduality. However, few general ar
engagements are necessary to the comfort
and sanitation of all sleeping rooms. IL
flats, particularly, the sleeping rooms
are apt to be rather small and offer little
choice az to the arrangement Of the fur
niture. To avoid the draft from the one
window, the bed must stand there, the
bureau here, the dressing table and
chair in whatever place Is left, and 60
there we are.
But even so, we can have the. walls In
Q delicate color, either tinted or paper
cd and never, never fill them With dust
catching calendars and useless brio .,
brac. By the arrangement OF ones
"belongments" the individual touch
comes, and so each has his room to bis
liking.
It is not to be taken that the kitchen
is regarded BY the writer as unimpor-
tant-quite the reverse-fOr / believe that
out of 1t come the tissues Of life" In q
much larger way than has been dreamed
Of in the past. To great extent, 'as a
man eateth SO is he
First of all, the kitchen must be clean
and sanitary. To this end it must have
10 1t just the things necessary for the
work needed and no moro. These are q
good range, With ample facilities 10 the
kitchen for plenty of hot water, q work
table, refrigerator, a sink and perhaps a
kitchen cabinet. prefer we'll arrang-
ID, we'll lighted pantry. The kitchen,
above all other rooms, should be we'll
lighted and we'll ventilated for the escape
Of steam aud odors. A good, even hard
wood floor 10 hard to improve on, though
some use linoleum even over this. A
painted wall is best for the kitchen, and
this should be made fresh each year.
The bathroom should be made mod
81 for sanitation and cleanliness. Tiled
walls and floor are easy to clean, while a
porcelain tub and bowl, likewise, are
,asily cleaned. The just pride of par
ocular housewife shows itself in all
bathroom accessories, together with
plenty Of towels and wash cloths.
The hall, which lie the first place to be
,ntered, comes In for consideration last,
10 it happens. 1t does not need Q great
Teal Of furnishing. A runner Of good
,arpet, body Brussels, Wilton, or any
,ther preferred, the length Of the hall,
md the floor question is settled. The
nj u q - l.