FURNISHING 285 



covered with white oil-cloth, nailed down ; though I prefer 

 a thick white dimity cloth, which can be washed as often 

 as necessary. For a luxurious washing-table, plain 

 coloured square tiles, sunk into a bed of cement and held 

 firm by a metal band, make a delightful surface. A great 

 addition both to comfort and tidiness in all bed-rooms is 

 to have a small or large cupboard, or curtained shelves (for 

 bottles, &c.) above the washing-stand. A couple of shelves 

 at the head of the bed is the best place for a bookshelf in 

 a bed-room. It is such a pleasure, morning or night, to 

 be able to reach, without having to get out of bed, the 

 book that suits one's mood. 



Modern London builders have a most irritating way of 

 repeating, in house after house, the most obvious defects. 

 One of the worst of these is the bath : a large tin surface 

 indifferently painted, which is quickly injured by the hot 

 water, surrounded by a mahogany rim, the varnish of 

 which is spotted and marked by every accessory necessary 

 to the bath. One can hardly imagine anything more 

 inappropriate. Doulton has invented a glazed earthen- 

 ware bath which obviates all these objections, and would 

 be more luxurious if the floor of the bath-room were 

 raised nearly to the height of its rim ; the steps to reach 

 this raised floor could be outside the room, or inside, 

 according to the hanging of the door. One of the minor 

 luxuries of life, often not found in the largest houses, is 

 to have reaUy hot water when you expect it. I have 

 found that large cosies — the shape of tea-cosies — to go 

 over the hot-water cans (one for the little can and one for 

 the big), easily bring this luxury within the reach of 

 everybody. They are made of chintz, or of any stuff that 

 comes handy and suits the room, lined with sateen to 

 tone with or contrast with the outside, and thickly 

 wadded. If the water is put in reaUy hot, and the cosies 

 are thick and large enough to cover the can entirely, the 



