Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1929-03-29
MAKING THE KITCHEN LTyABLE
@dBy Helen B. Amesb.

In the Help Wanted" columns OF
metropolitan daily, not long ago,
there appeared an unusual adver-
tisement for cook. Instead of con-
filming itself entirely to the qualifi-
cations of the kitchen incumbent, it
devoted most of the space to the
charms of the kitchen itself. New
ly decorated in cheerful colors" read
the description-and it is hardly
necessary to add that a dozen Gull
nary experts presented themselves
at that home before the day was
over.
If cheerful kitchen will lure the
Norahs and Dinahs who have be-
come callous to it's drudgery, how
much more will it bring content
ment to the housekeeper who per-
forms these tasks herself. Most of us
who do our own work resent the
| large amount of time we have to
spend in this part of the house and
welcome the moment when we can
escape to our pleasant living room,
with its bright curtains and tinted
walls. But we always have to go
back; no matter how many labor
saving devices we have, no matter
how we'll arranged our equipment,
kitchen tasks seem to be endless.
We need not, however, leave be-
hind that cheerful atmosphere when
we step into the kitchen once more.
If we gave as much thought to the
decoration of our workshop as we
do to the rooms where we spend our
leisure, we should find it easier to
relax when our labors are over. It
isn't enough to keep the kitchen
white and immaculate. That is bet
ter, of course, than the drab walls
and colorless furniture of our
grandmothers' regime, but it is
hardly attractive. Brightly painted
walls and woodwork are not only
more pleasing to the eye, but are
more easily taken care of. White
paint must be scrubbed, but a col
ored finish may usually be kept in
pristine condition by wiping it off
with damp cloth.
Here is the way one housekeeper
transformed her kitchen. She first
had the walls painted light yellow
and the woodrow jade green. Then
she rejuvenated the linoleum by Civ
ing it a coat of the same bright
green-fortunately it had never been
waxed, so the paint adhered readily.
Next the sink was freshly enameled
and the rusty stove dressed up with
black paint and silver bronze. Then
she was ready to turn her attention
to the furniture. 1t certainly need
ed it, having acquired the smoke
and grease of years on its implanted
surface. Chairs and tables were
covered with coat of green to
match the woodwork and trimmed
with bright yellow. Window cur
tains of yellow scrim completed a
delightful picture.
If you don't vibrate to green or
yellow, try mauve gray walls and
paint the woodwork blue and the
furniture the same color, touching
up the grooves and edges with the
gray. Or make your kitchen still
daintier by using lavendar with
purple trim on the furniture and
painting the walls cream color. This
is especially attractive when the
kitchen includes a breakfast nook.
But if you would be really artistic,
ornament the backs of the chairs
with stencil designs or decalcomania
transfers which come in many pat
terms. Either method of decoration
is very simple. The decalcomanias
are easily applied and last indef-
nitely if they are vanished over.
Upstairs and down, every part of
the house today is being made more
for we are all beginning
to learn that we have more zest for
living when we work or play in
cheerful surroundings.