334 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



July, 19 17 



INSIDE 



THE 



GARDEN HOME 



JAMES COLLIER MARSHALL 

 — ^_ — 



FURNISHING THE PORCH FOR SUMMER 



i 



Mr. James Collier Marshall, Director of the Decorating Service of The Garden Magazine's Advertising Dept., will solve your problems of home 

 decoration — color schemes, hangings, floor coverings, art objects and interior arrangements, making purchases at the most favorable prices. 

 This service is free to our readers. Address inquiries to "Inside the Garden Home," The Garden Magazine, 1 1 West 32nd Street, New York. 



THERE are as many ways of decorating a sum- 

 mer porch as there are different types of porches 

 to decorate, though in every case the ideas of 

 restfulness in the matter of color scheme and actual 

 physic.^' comfort as to furnishing are common to all 

 types and are found in the same manner; that is, by 

 careful forethought and pre-arrangement. 



Like schemes for the interiors, the color should be 

 decided upon first. Open porches are so exceptional 

 to-day that they need not be discussed in this regard. 

 In the enclosed porch, that is, those glazed as well as the 

 screened ones, the outside finish of the house forms one 

 wall of the sun room. However, if this were an en- 

 closed porch, I should not hesitate in changing its tint 

 or even texture to suit my taste in color. For if the 

 wall is not absolutely satisfactory, no amount of fur- 

 nishing will be able to make it restful. 



Let us assume that this is a rectangular room, about 

 16 x 20, with two doors, giving into it from the living 

 room; three sides opened with casement windows fully 

 screened, to be left open most of the time. This means 

 that your woodwork inside must be painted to match 

 the wall. Usually this is a distemper, either putty, 

 gray or a grayish white. Yet, if there is much light, 

 this very light paint is liable to be trying and if one is to 

 have any comfort, the curtains must necessarily be kept 

 drawn, a condition quite out of the question in hot 

 weather. Hence, we must tone down our walls to suit 

 the amount of light, using cool colors instead of gray or 

 white. There is nothing more beautiful than apple 

 green for this use. And white walls, with sky-blue 

 trimmings are remarkably fine. One of the nicest porches 

 I have seen in recent years was white — one whose very 

 high ceiling was brought down by painting it a splendid 

 sky-blue. Against the white wall was arranged an 

 old-fashioned long settee, painted the same luminous 

 color, decorated with white, flanked by a white and blue 

 striped wicker table and chair, the latter being cushioned 

 with a cretonne that lent color while exactly working 

 into the scheme This blue and white, with dashes of 

 flowered cretonne was carried throughout most success- 



There is a full-blown summery feeling in this fine cretonne, $1.15, 

 whose rich and fresh colors are ideal for sun room use 



A reed table with a solid wood top is a real need for the summer 

 porch. This one striped blue and white, costs $15. Chair $1 1.50 



fully. Of course, it was most unusual, but all the more 

 worth while because of that. 



Imagine what one can do by combining one of these 

 gay colors with white. And there is no reason why one 

 shouldn't paint the wall and woodwork green. Just be- 

 cause it isn't commonly done is no reason for not follow- 

 ing out our tastes. The thing we should regard is 

 whether it is in good tastevand appropriate. 



Apple-green is the only color one can endure to paint 

 the whole wall. Not only will one endure but enjoy it 

 very much. If this is done, a selection of sober furniture 

 is necessary. Instead of getting all wicker, choose some 

 wood finished in the oak that seems a trifle green. 

 Several such pieces, lightened by some natural wicker 

 or cane, will make the porch perfect. 



Stripes are good too, though one must be very careful 

 of their use in a summer porch. Indeed, they are 

 much the best thing one can put into a room that is 

 lacking life and spice. 



Columns have been written about hangings for the 

 sun room, sun porch, summer porch, etc. I am of 

 the opinion that the shading of every porch is an 

 individual bit of business and must be so worked 

 out. 



One cannot, without suffering, hang shades and net 

 clirtains in a summer porch that has casement windows. 

 But in the evening, when the awnings are up, there must 

 be something to relieve the plainness of the casement. 

 Hence, hangings — either of cretonne or some solid color 

 ■ — must be hung. I have seen khaki (plain, stencilled, 

 and embroidered with worsted), used to splendid effect. 

 Also dark blue denim is effective — the green of this 

 weave also being good. Surprising as it may be, the 

 old blue and white striped mattress ticking makes a 

 stunning hanging, especially where the woods are 

 finished natural. The putty colored figured patterns 

 used for ticking are also very good, especially those 

 having the running vine patterns in blue. The great 

 advantage of these materials is that they do not fade 

 and can be put into the hands of the most merciless 

 laundry with greatest success. Nothing hurts them. 



If one is using black, a gay cretonne is necessary. 

 This chair is very good 



The porch with green painted walls should have a good deal of oak furniture. This oval 

 table, with curved benches, can be converted into a bench by raising the board ,. 



The porch needs a comfortable writing desk and 

 chair This one stained, costs $30. Chair $14 



