Household Furnishing 1065 



piece of furniture pretending to combine hatrack, mirror, seat, and um- 

 brella rack, but performing no function well, should be avoided. Since the 

 hooks are placed one above another on each side of the mirror, the gar- 

 ments of different persons interfere with one another and hang against 

 the umbrellas, which, when removed, bring down a coat or two; while 

 the seat, in turn, is usually occupied by hats and gloves. 



THE LIVING-ROOM 



The appearance of the family living-room, or sitting-room, influences 

 more persons than does any other part of the house. Not only is it con- 

 stantly used by members of the family, but it touches the lives of neighbors 

 and of friends. Here is the proper place to begin the process of readjust- 

 ment. All other parts of the house should await their turn until this room 

 is fitted out in the best taste the house can afford. Let there be this one 

 room, at least, in which no object violates any one of the principles of 

 harmony, comfort, and convenience. Let us set oiu-selves the problem 

 of proving that utility, beauty, and common sense are all compatible in 

 home-making. It may be necessary that every part of the house shall 

 contribute to this revised living-room, but at all costs let us have it. 



It would be a good plan to think this problem out during the winter 

 months when one is house-bound of necessity, and to go searchingly from 

 room to room with freshened ideas as to the qualities that constitute worth 

 in furnishings, selecting such chairs, tables, pictures, curtains, and 

 other objects as have in common the qualities of simplicity or plainness 

 in form, softness in color, and absence of conspicuous ornament. When 

 the spring house-cleaning begins, a " clean sweep " may be made of every- 

 thing in the living-room; the floors and woodwork may be freshened and 

 the walls finished in a soft, plain tone or in a neat, modest pattern that 

 will make a good background. Since m.ost furniture is reddish or brownish, 

 some warm brownish or tan color scheme will probably be the easiest 

 and most satisfactory to arrange, unless the room is too sunny to stand 

 a warm coloring. 



In general, the furniture should be placed so as to outline the room, 

 leaving the central space free and open for the use of the occupants. A 

 substantial table for the necessary books, magazines, and lamp should be 

 the only piece of furniture centrally placed; the remainder of the room 

 should be so arranged that persons may move about without dodging the 

 furnittue. Desks, bookshelves, couches, or other piecesthat belong against 

 the wall should be fitted into convenient spaces between doors and win- 

 dows, and the chairs should be placed where the light is good for reading 

 or where they command a view from the windows. 

 41 



