The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-02-07
KEY WEST WOMEN
Their Homes and Gardens
BY MYRTLE COSGROVE
MRS. EVERETT WINTER
AND HER HOME

Key West is a mecca for artists
who come to transfer to canvas
the lush tropical loneliness Of
this city by the sea. One of the
latest additions to this colony is
Mrs. Everett Winter, known in
artistic circles as Marion Winter
D.. Something like five years ago,
Mr.. and Mrs. Winter came South
in search of warm weather. The
quest was long and ended only
when Key West, the frost-free
city was reached. Even after
their return to st. Paul, they were
haunted by memories of blue
skies and bluer waters, of warm,
glowing sunshine, and graceful
palms. Last year they returned
to see if first impressions were
true. It was the same old story:
they came, they saw, and Key
West conquered them so COM
pletely that they remained to
build one of the loveliest of
homes. Indeed, they went a step
farther and became legal resi-
dents. Mrs Winters artistic ca
reer extending over a period of
20 years had an interesting in
ception. While reading Henry
Van Looms History of Mankind"
to her small daughter, she con-
ceived the idea of Costumes of
the Ages. Research work was
straightway begun on this gigan-
tic undertaking; a task that is far
from finished. In fact, she has
up to date covered only that pc
riod from 5000 BIC. to 1000 AID.
In connection with this work
she created costumes for the
child's favorite characters in the
book and dressed dolls in them.
This collection was a feature of
last seasons Flower Show. q.
When Stephen BuTleigh, dean of
New England Arts, began design
ing toy houses for tiny tots, no
suitable figures for them could
be found on the market. Mrs.
Winter came to his aid and thus
her art became commercialiZed.
. . This proved to be a stepping
stone for her next creation known
nc GCarioof,,ror IF EavDoo11C Don
pie" For this, she devised little
figures of wire and crepe paper.
These were known as Marion
Winters Figurines" and are said
to be the first created in this
country. 1t is interesting to
learn that she was also the orig
inator of the wool, organdy and
Bingham flowers for women's
frocks; a fad which swept the
country a few years back. Her
time at present is occupied by
her paintings and etchingS. 8.
The Winter home, 1927 Whalton
street, aptly known as Casa In
vieTno. is French Provincial style
of architecture. The low, ramb-
ling white structure is set in
palm fringed garden. 1t was de-
signed by Mrs. Winter for the
Key West climate and every adj
vantage has been taken of sun
and gulf breezeS. She has caught
the gay. young spirit of the trop-
les and this motif has been eX-
pressed with a rare degree of I'M
Outstanding in both architecture
and furnishings. Ones first re-
action TO this unique house is that
the outdoors has been brought in,
doors. Then, comes the realiza-
ton that it is not of any special
feature but of the harmony of
the whole that one is chiefly
aware. II is a beautiful. simple
and practical home and reflects
to- a marked degree the personal
ity of the designer. Walls
throughout are ivory tinted, pro-
viding a neutral background adj
mirably suited for the brilliant
color schemes of the various
rooms. There are no heavy rugs
in Casa Invierno, or cumbersome
overStuffed furniture; no thick
draperies to exclude air and sun
shine. On the contrary, every
advantage has been taken of
Gods free gift to mankind. The
vivid coloring of the tropics is
reflected in draperies, cushions,
and curtains Perfectly repro
duced are the exquisite lavender
tints of the bauhinia. the soft
greens Of coconut palms, the yell
low of allamanda, the flaming
crimson of pOinSettia, the pinkS of
frangi PAM petals and the lapis
lazuli of Gulf Stream. The
cement floor of the living room,
devoid of rugs, is a delicate sea
green; fish nets, dyed to match,
curtain the windows. The mod
ernistic furniture is of metal and
glass; char cushions are of brill
liant hued leather. A table
stripped in bamboo, a desk and
shelves of gay, glowing yellow
are the hand-work of Mr.. Win
ter. The shelves, containing ex-
quisite flower medallions, dainty
figurines and miniature gardens
in shells, are the creation of Mrs.
Winter Tho feature Of tho rOOvo