The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-01-14
FIXTURES mold
HOUSE MADE
LIKE new
ingenious Woman Succeeds in
Restoring Them to Thing
Of Beauty.
BY SALLY e. DAVIDSON.

It is admittedly easier to throw
old things into the discard. and buy
new. but to make old things look
as good as new is indeed an &C.
colnplishment. Every time make
such a rehabilitation, enjoy
thrill of satisfaction for the reason
that it takes real ingenuity ana
skill. Many women continue to
live In homes with old-fashioned
electric light fixtures which they
hate, but either because they lack
money or ingenuity continue to
live with them. It is surprising
what can be done with a little
paint, parchment, silk and the
proper wattage bulbs.
Mrs. Hilton, friend of mine,
illustrated that only a short time
ago. She purchased a beautiful old
house with what, / thought, per-
fectly hopeless electric lighting fix
lures. l expressed surprise when
she told me calmly she had no
intention of replacing them.
Wait and See.
'How in the world will you ever
be able to live with them?" asked
her.
"You just wait when you see
them next time and you'll change
your mind" she informed me.
"Wish you luck, but ] have my
doubts" I replied.
The fixtures were of the type in
vogue about twenty-five years ago.
Not downright ugly, but far from
attractive. When / next visited
her I didn't even recognize the
fixtures. She laughed delightedly
at my amazement.
In each OF the bedrooms there
was one or two side-wall electric.
light brackets of the old-fashioned
shiny brass and curlicue variety
These she had painted old ivory
to match the wallis and had also
equipped them with candle at.
tachments and rs watt frosted
bulbs. AS a final touch she had
added Louis XVI shield shaped
shades made of parchment and
painted with pretty floral designs
These, she assured me, were quite
easily made, and they were really
quite decorative.
Fixture Transformed.
The ceiling fixture Of the living
room had also been transformed.
Certain parts had been removed
and then my friend had painted the
fixture apple green. to match the
color of the walls. Candle attach
ments had been installed together
with 15-watt frosted bulbs covered
with amber silk shades edged with
greenish gold braids.
The only new installations were
two convenient outlets for floor
lamps.
The fixtures in the dining.room
she told me were more difficult to
Ia ndle The walls were tan and
the furniture walnut. SO she
painted the two side brackets to
look like bronze, and equipped these
also with candle sockets and 25-
watt. frosted bulbs. She made tiny
burnt orange silk and brown chif-
fon shades which gave "a warm
glow to the room. >
Dome Over Table.
Directly over the table had been
a huge colored glass dome sus-
pended from the ceiling on brass
chain. She painted the chain
place of which she made a large
fringed shade in the coloring OF the
side lights. This was equipped
with 25-watt frosted bulbs and the
fixture hung about twenty-four
inches above the table top This
furnishes strong enough illumina-
ton on the table, a soft light on
the faces Of the diners, and casts q
mellow light over the entire room.
The kitchen and bathroom fix.
lures she painted white and
equipped each with a ground glass
globe. In the bathroom she uses
a 40-watt and in the kitchen 100
watt frosted bulb. She uses frost
ed bulbs, she told me, because they
are softer on the eyes and give a
better light than the clear lamps
of the same vantage. incidentally,
she confided they are a little cheap
err to burn.