FIREPLACES AND DECORATION 357 



Closet walls should be painted and then coated with spar varnish. 



In place of the barn-like, all-wooden sliding door, we can use 

 leaded glass in the upper half, the pockets ceiled against dust and 

 noise. In the basement the outer door should be four feet wide, and 

 glazed to aid in making the term "basement" a misnomer. 



Recesses there can be in goodly measure, whether in the 

 form of a usable ingle spaced for unscorched comfort, a billiard 

 alcove large enough to squelch profanity, a solarium a veritable 

 Sahara in July and August but a welcome retreat in March and 

 November a simple jog under a staircase or 'gainst a chimney, 

 arranged for a built-in chest of drawers with rollers and guide strips, 

 a nest of pigeon holes, or a pokehole closet for magazines and papers, 

 remembering that closets and bays make good safety valves for ugly 

 square box rooms. 



Parquetry floors of seven-eighths stuff instead of thin veneer 

 prevent warping but should not be narrowed by strongly contrast- 

 ing borders. 



The passing of the door saddle means less dust, disturbance of 

 carpets and space shortening but generally at floor line a wider 

 opening. 



A developing closet will have porcelain sink, ventilating fan, 

 and colored glass inset in door. 



The list of hardware requirements should include espagnolette 

 bolts, double-action butts, drop escutcheons, cut glass knobs, old- 

 fashioned latches, bead-edged, brass finger plates, window lifts and 

 check valves. A gilded, decorated reception alcove could have gold- 

 plated hardware at moderate expense. 



All casements and glass doors should have rubber plugs set in 

 the door frames, and window stops may have adjustable socket 

 screws to match hardware. 



Blinds and gutters are essentials requiring our best thought. 



Copper flashing and calking with oakum and white lead at the 

 right time, and in the right place, save much trouble farther on, 

 and effectually circumscribe King Moisture's realm. 



Seaweed, felt, and heavy paper will be necessary as floor and 

 wall linings and for sound deadening. 



In plastering (made non-sound carrying) where angle irons are 

 not used corners are rounded in the plaster. All walls are plas- 

 tered to the floor. 



Every ceiling in the house will be insured by either canvas or 

 burlap firmly fastened against it and decorated as desired, but neither 

 this nor wall covering of any kind should be used until months of 

 drying out have brought the walls to a state of absolute dryness. 

 The correct proportion of plaster of paris, proper mixing, applica- 

 tion, and non-freezing of plaster prevent pockmarked, easily rubbed 

 walls. 



