334 
THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 
July, 1917 
INSIDE 
THE 
GARDEN HOME 
JAMES COLLIER MARSHALL 
'll 
FURNISHING THE PORCH FOR SUMMER 
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 I West 32nd Street, New York. 
T HERE 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 
physical 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-biue 
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 $11.50 
fully. Of course, it was most unusual, but all the more I 
w T orth while because of that. 
Imagine what one can do by combining one of these I 
gay colors with white. And there is no reason why one I 
shouldn’t paint the wall and woodwork green. Just be- I 
cause it isn’t commonly done is no reason for not follow- II 
ing out our tastes. The thing we should regard is I 
whether it is in good taste and appropriate. 
Apple-green is the only color one can endure to paint I 
the whole wall. Not only will one endure but enjoy it | 
very much. If this is done, a selection of sober furniture I 
is necessary. Instead of getting all wicker, choose some I 
wood finished in the oak that seems a trifle green. I 
Several such pieces, lightened by some natural wicker I 
or cane, will make the porch perfect. 
Stripes are good too, though one must be very careful I j 
of their use in a summer porch. Indeed, they are J 
much the best thing one can put into a room that is 'I 
lacking life and spice. 
Columns have been written about hangings for the |fl 
sun room, sun porch, summer porch, etc. I am of I 
the opinion that the shading of every porch is an 
individual bit of business and must be so worked 1 
out. 
One cannot, without suffering, hang shades and net I 
curtains in a summer porch that has casement windows. I 
But in the evening, when the awnings are up, there must I 
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, i 
Also dark blue denim is effective — the green of this 
weave also being good. Surprising as it may be, the l‘ 
old blue and white striped mattress ticking makes a 
stunning hanging, especially where the woods are I 
finished natural. The putty colored figured patterns 1 
used for ticking are also very good, especially those J 
having the running vine patterns in blue. 1 he great 
advantage of these materials is that they do not fade I 
and can be put into the hands of the most merciless I 
laundry with greatest success. Nothing hurts them. 
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 
