Evening star., 1933-01-20
Treatment of Furniture
Harmony With Rooms as Important as Choice
of Materias-Qualty Should Always Be
Considered-Order in Rooms.

polish and an excess Of carving, as they
show soil and scratches more easily and
require more work to keep them clean.
Have only the furniture absolutely
needed-a dining table, the necessary
chairs, a sideboard, buffet, or old chest
of drawers for the silver and linen. A
serving table is convenient or tea
wagon may be used in its place.
Some points are to be observed when
buying table for the dining room
A hard, dull finish is not easily marred
Select a fine grained wood. See the
table extended with all the leaves in
grouped Are the leaves Of the same
grain and finish as the table? Do
not have the legs flush with the ia
BILE. viii it be necessary to seat a
guest In front of table leg? Is the
table of sufficient size? Avoid foot
rests.
Dining room chairs must be COM
Portable. They should be constructed
at the Joints so that no piece or part
will pull out. Chairs in a dining room
are moved about so much that the
top rail should be mortised into the
upper part Of the back legs. Front and
same place in the leg, it weakens the
brace. Use g!ides.
The buffet should be firm enough
to hold the heavy load of silver and
linen. 1t should have suitable drawer
space for tablecloths and other large
pieces of linen. The drawers are lined
inside with oak or mahogany in the
best bullets. The drawers should
have a "dustpan" to aid in keeping
dust out of drawers. See that they
slide easily.s
To Repair Old Furniture.
Much old furniture can be refin-
ished at small cost and made attrac-
tive and usable The old. scratched
be given a new finish. Some patience
and a little money will also reflnish
the table and buffet so that they will
look like new.
Painted furniture Is used great
deal, is attractive, and is easy to care
for. Paint in good colors, such as a
cheerful buff. a soft gray green, or
dull gray blue. will transform set
of furniture For about SO cents you
can buy two coats Of fiat paint and
two coats of enamel for plain dining
room chair.
Do not try to refinish ugly. poor
furniture. First see if it is built on
good lines. Is it pleasing to look at?
Is it fussy in design, queer, and freaklsh
in shape or unattractiVe in any way?
Is it well constructed? Is it made OF
wood which will show up well when
refinished? Be sure that it is worth
the expenditure of time, money and
labor that you expect to put on 1t.
Have YOU an old black walnut chest
of drawers in the attic or cellar? II
so. it has wonderful possibilities. Its
lines are quiet and dignified. 1t is
plain and substantial, and the wood Is
beautiful Take off the coats Of paint,
smooth the wood and apply raw linseed
oil. You will gaze in wonder on the
transformation, and give it a place OF
honor in your home.
You can make that shiny light golden
oak rocker match your new oak library
table with its soft dark finish: First,
scrape off the varnish, smooth the wood
to a satin finish and stain it the same
color as the table, then wax it. Don't
varnish it. Wax finish is easy to apply,
easy to care for and looks well.
Woodwork and Floors.
Since the woodwork of room Is part
of the background it should be quiet
in coloring and blend into the color
scheme of the walls. Painted wood
work permits the matching Of the color
of the wall paper Very often the de-
sired effect will be obtained by using
the same color as the wall in a darker
or lighter value; about two tones differ
ent from the walls is pleasing. This is
especially good for a small room or for
one that Is cut up by many doors and
windows, or in which the design of
windows and doors Is poor.