Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-13
BY GENEvIEVE HENDRICKS.

us "tth"te 0etdtt the furnishings OF
the Temporary White House"
BY GENEVIEVE HENDRICKS.
There are in Washington many
elaborate homes which might have
MADE a fitting abode for the Presi
dent and Mrs. Coolidge during their
absence from the White House. II
is In Keeping with the natures OF
president and Mrs. Coolidge that they
nave not accepted the most elaborate
OF the houses that have been offered
to them. but have chosen instead one
which is better known for the refine.
ment and simple beauty of it's fur.
nlshlngs than for its ostentatiousness
contrary to popular belief. the Pat.
terson house is not a particularly
large house. 1t is a comfortable
iivable house, which contains but Is
main rooms, besides a number of
service rooms and the servants QUAR-.
ters.
Having been for many years the
nome of a woman of rare taste and
dlscernment, who is constantly study.
ing the appearance of her home, it Is
known as one of the best kept houses
in Washington.
French i'm Character.
The house is French in character
both in it's architecture and in the ma.
Jor1ty of its interior furnishings. al.
though the exterior shows Italian in.
Huence as well. 1t is Of the restrained
and classical period in French decora.
tive art, rather than in the more
elaborate periods popularity thought of
as representative French.
The house has an imposing setting
loveliest Of Washington's many small
parks. Formal gardens at the sides
and rear, green at all seasons of the
year with ivy and lockwood, give the
mouse a spaciousness and distinction
of which few Washington homes can
boast.
The proportions of the house, not
only OF the exterior but of the inter-
Tor as well, are as nearly perfect as it
would be possible to have them, They
are credit to the architect, Stanford
White. The carving, both in the out
side stone and marble work and in
the interior marble and woodwork, is
restrained and beautiful, an example
OF the finest in ornamental design.
Harmony i'm Color.
An interesting feature about the
house which makes 1t one Of charm
is that it expresses unity and harmony
In the color and type of it's furnish
ings. One passes from each room into
the next without conscious shock
from Earring notes of color or widely
varying periods and types of furniture.
An object lesson for American
householders might be learned from a
study of the history of the furnish
ings of this house. Everything that
has come into the house has been
of the finest quality.
Mrs. Robert w. Patterson, the
mother of the present owner, Mrs.
Elmer Schlesinger, like her daughter,
was woman of artistic discernment
and judgment. That she purchased
well is proven by the fact that by far
the large majority of the furnishings
in this house are those which she
placed there some 80 years ago.
Whatever has been placed new in re-
cent years in the house has been Sc
lected with a view to fitting in with
and experimenting. if not replacing.
the original furniture. It's owners
have held to one ideal of taste and
have not wandered along the treach-
erous by-paths of fads and fancies in
DECORATION.
For State Functions.
For state functions there will be
very lovely ballroom. perhaps as
charming as any that might be found
in this country. Against paneled
walls of soft French gray the pastel
shades in the materials and rugs give
pleasing contrast. The ceiling is high
in this room and beautifully modelled
The walls are undecorated except for
two large portraits and an old mirror
over the fireplace, which graces one
end of the room. Bronze electric
fixtures in old gilt when lighted give
to the room q satisfying glow.
In the center of the room Is a large
Arbusson rug with Powered medal
lions in soft shades of rose and mauve
and green against a soft pinkish
background.
The furniture in this room is all
French in design except for the large
grand piano which stands in one cor
ner. This is covered with a piece of
old silk brocade and is partly screened
off from the rest of the room by an
old French screen, also covered in
antique brocade.
Unlike most large rooms of this
character. the ballroom has an invit-
ing quality to it. This Is because