Buildings and Yards. 



499 



The size of the room is important. An ordinary dining tahle is three 

 and a half feet wide at least, and dining tables run from that up to four 

 and a half feet. The table occupies the middle of the room and there must 

 be space enough around it for 

 chairs, and back of the chairs 

 space for service, all of which 

 means that even in a very 

 small house a dining room less 

 than ten feet wide is nearly 

 useless for its purpose. Then 

 too in every dining room pro- 

 vision should be made for 

 seating such guests as every 

 householder expects to enter- 

 tain from time to time. A 

 simple room ten by twelve, 

 without any side furniture in fi 

 it, would seat about eight peo- 

 ple by crowding ; and a room , ^- 

 twelve bv sixteen, not a large 

 room b}' any means, might 

 seat ten or twelve people on 

 occasion, but twelve would 

 crowd it and leave no place 

 for buffet or chma closets, etc. 

 If buft"et, sideboard, or other 

 pieces of furniture desirable 

 in such a room are to be vised, 

 space should be provided for 

 them. 



The dining room and 

 kitchen should not open di- 

 rectly into each other, but 

 -Iiould be separated by the 

 pantry through which the 

 meals are served. In this way 

 odors and sounds from the 

 kitchen may be shut out as 

 completely as possible. The 

 pantry, besides, serves as a 

 clearing ground between kitchen and dining room where things mav be 

 put into proper condition for serving. The serving pantry should be 

 fitted up with shelves and cupboards where the table service of china, 

 cutlery, silver, etc., may be kept. 



