The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-24
HOW TO MAKE YOUR
HOME BEAUTIFUL
Your homel Yours.


There is magic In the word your
there Is beauty in the word home
and there is all the stuff that dreams
are made of in the two words "your
home" So let's get together, you and
me, and think of all the small, prac-
tical ways by which we can get as
much beauty into 1t as possible.
We will suppose that you are going
to furnish your House of Drea ms.
I mean the very first homo you
have ever had OF your very own.
Do you know how best to divide up
the sum of money to be spent on in
terror decoration, and how much to
allow for the different rooms?
will tell you. For the hall, 10
per cent of the total amount: for tho
living room, 40 per cent; for the
own bedroom, 90 per cent, and for
your guest room, 10 per cent.
Then the expenditure on materials,
curtains, etc.. should be divided like
this: Furniture, 80 per cent; floor
coverings, 20 per cent: under cur
tains, per cent; hangings, per
cent; accessories, 10 per cent.
Now 1 will tell you why. for this,
too. is interesting. Not SO mu. !
money for the hall. because little
halls are often only places where you
hang up your hat and pass on.
would hate to be han: wouldn't
you?
But even though 1t plays small
part. the hall can play 1t well by
creating an atmosphere of hospitality
and warmth But 1t has to convey
it's message quickly, because nobody
stops to listen. Yesl the other rooms
have time to speak, but for the
hall there is only time for smile.
But now l come to think OF II,
a welcoming smile is no small thing
it is big, important--so the hall
should be 10 the house Like tho hand
to the body small, but able to give
the heartiest of welcomes
Now. you may wonder why the
sum allotted for the stranger within
our gates" is such little ono. wen,
is is for the very practical reason
that guests are only there for mt
tie while, and very lasting materials
are not needed as they do not get
much wear and tear. Also many
= pieces of furniture are not needed.
The important thing is to create IN
atmosphere of charm, ana TINS Is
done chiefly by coloring and ar
rangement.
Now, with regard to that 10 per
cent for the accessories. That also
is important. We must never Tor
get to leave something Tor the I'm
ish, and accessories are the tlnlsh-
irg touch Like, for instance, a
woman buying new suit, very
smart, stylish suit, and then not al
lowing herself enough money TO ouy
hat, shoes and stockings to match
you see the moral? For where
ever there Is woman you should
look for a little moral. and when
will always find it. and here 1t Is:
You must fix a limit on the ex-
penditure and you must have an
ideal. OF course, all women have
ideals, but life has a nasty habit
OF limiting the expenditure.
Bien, we will therefore be most
practical. and spend our money first
on the things that get the wear and
tear; the shoes for the outfit. and
the floor coverings for the home.
Then next on the suit and on the
furniture, because they are the per.
to the "frills" of furnishing, aud our
hangings should be like our hats,
Individual, snappy, hecomingly. soft.
engagingly coquettish, fanciful, de-
mure, smple-what We Will.
And the little lace fronts TO our
tailored suits are like the soft in
side curtains to our windows, and
both must be spotless.
These last mentioned are the tran
silent things. We can change them
to suit our moods. and by them we
can get that desirable thing called
variety.
In my next story, 1 will tell you
about the human touch in furnishing.
Now. the human touch is your
touch. for it is not what we have,
but what we do with what We have
that counts. So whether you are
furnishing, or wellfurnished. let us
see what this touch of a woman
can accomplish.