Evening star., 1935-10-13

.fySTA8A&fa equestions are from
Sss A&AX brides. but consid-
cradle number of let
tiers are from those who are moving out of
big houses
One of these. for example, asks: How in
the world can we ever get our diversified furni-
ture and our many cherished belongings into
the few small rooms whose closet space is
smaller still?" Another inquiries: "How can
we reproduce the charm of our old home in
these little cubcles of rooms that are exactly
like row of horses stalls, and look to me
just about the same size?" Several others ask
what structural changes are possible if one
rents on long lease or buys cooperative
apartment
So beginning with the last questions first:
If you buy an apartment you are free to
make as many changes in its interior as you
choose. But you can not, as rule make any
exterior changes. 1t is sometimes possible to
get permission to put in new window, or to
widen one already installed at the back of the
building But nothing can ever be altered ON
the front of building. nor is it likely that
anything such as projecting easement Win
dow can be added at the back
If you rent an apartment, it is also some
times possible to widen rear windows (at
your expense, of course and it is almost al
ways possible to put up partitions if they are
constructed so that they can be taken down
again when you move away.
But, as a rule, the apartment tenant
moves into lives in, and moves out of, must
stay structmally untouched. Sometimes. how
ever - especially in an unfinished building -
tenant is given the privilege of changing par
titions.
For example Mrs. Dollhouse, whose letter
have already quoted as asking about over
sized furniture, explains that the building
they are moving into is not yet completed and
there is still time to take the wall down be-
tween living room and dining room. She can
not make up her mind about having this done
because although she realizes that throwing
the two rooms into one will give her a big
living room instead of very small one, there
are several objections to this change.
The first objection is that the space will be
ell-shaped because the dining room is almost
a third shorter than the living room. The
second is that she does not like the idea of
having the dining table set and unset in plain
view, and she can not think of satisfactory
way of hiding it. She had thought of using
screens. but the only one that would be big
enough as well as becoming to the style,
more Georgian than anything" of her fur
nishings, is one of old Chinese lacquer and far
beyond her present means. Some of her fur
niture, is very good some of it just comfort
able, and all the upholstery too big.
In answer to the first of these questions:
An irregular room is much more apt to have
charm than one which is evenly square or
rectangular On the other hand, one can make
a very little room even one that suggests
horses stall - charming and inviting; there
is no doubt about this.
The ways whereby effects OF size can be
produced are several Panoramic papers or
mirrors for wall decoration are obviously best;
otherwise woodwork and walls both painted
the lightest tint of blue or green, and furniture
that is small in scale or else down close to the
floor.
In one of my own books have described