350 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



September, 1910 



are a picturesque memory to the traveler, and something 

 of their charm becomes associated with those in our modern 

 dwelling. One may, of course, overdo this contribution to 

 the furnishings and introduce a superfluity of permanent 

 seats, but, aside from a caution in this direction, one may 

 contribute much to the interior effect of a room by install- 

 ing a fireside settle or a window seat. 



Of the first variety one expects to find the back rather 

 high to make a snug enclosure near the fire or the hearth. 

 If the seat is boxed in it will afford a convenient recep- 

 tacle for firewood, and sub-divisions may be made for 

 kindlings and logs. As the height and width of the seat 

 contribute a large part toward its success, these points 

 should be determined upon by actual experiments before 

 accepting the ordinary dimensions. 



Window seats are usually incorporated with the original 

 plan of a house, but they may often be added as an after- 

 thought. The mistake is in admitting them when they do 

 not fit into the construction as if they belonged to it, as 

 when the window is too shallow to admit a board of the 

 right width and its projection becomes imperative. 



Seats that are built into windows may have the lower 

 part left open showing the supports, or they may be boxed 

 in with the space left for storing away small articles. An 

 improvement on having the top of the seat open is to have 

 the front panel arranged to drop to the floor on concealed 

 hinges. 



Placing a window seat in a hall is not so often thought 

 of as in the living-room, but it often creates a point of 

 interest that is unattainable with the movable furniture. In 

 the dining-room, too, the window seat often contributes dis- 

 tinct usefulness to the furnishings, particularly when the 

 family is given to much entertaining. 



A built-in seat in the nursery need not be placed by the 



window. A long, wide, low seat against the wall affords 

 enjoyment in various ways for small children and takes the 

 place of chairs, sofa and table. 



Whether to cushion a built-in seat or leave it uncovered 

 is sometimes a problem to the home maker, and no definite 

 rule can be specified as a solution. In some places where 

 the wood is obviously well selected and carefully finished, 

 its uncovered surface adds to the dignity of the woodwork, 

 and, again, where the seat is not low enough to admit of 

 the cushion without raising it to an uncomfortable height, 

 it is best to leave oft the cushion. 



The most substantial filling for a cushion that is used 

 very much is hair of a good quality. For a long seat such a 

 filling would cost almost as much as a mattress for a sin- 

 gle bed, and as a substitute at less cost one may use layers of 

 cotton felt. As the material for covering a seat cover is 

 tufted, a pattern does not show to advantage. A plain or 

 striped material is almost always the best choice, in colors 

 that will withstand both the wear and action of the light. 



Linen velour is a favorite covering for cushioned seats, 

 as its range of colors is extensive and its wearing quality 

 well known. Its width is fifty inches and the price by the 

 yard from a dollar and sixty cents to two dollars and a half. 

 Corduroy at a dollar a yard is only twenty-seven inches 

 wide, but it is an excellent covering for a window-seat cush- 

 ion, as it is strong in texture and when it fades its tones are 

 still worth preserving. 



With the covering of the seat in plain goods, the selec- 

 tion of the pillow covers can be made from figured materials. 

 The size of the pillow is usually the width of the seat, and 

 it is better to cover both sides of the pillow alike, than to 

 join two separate pieces and cover the seams with trim- 

 ming. A neat finish may be given by stitching the edges 

 a quarter of an inch from the outside. 



A library with built-in furniture 



