The Interior Finish and Furnishing of the Small House 
recently, had no thought or ambition other 
than to secure the most desirable location 
and a cottage in the best repair for his $20 a 
month, has now realized that for a like 
monthly payment the property may become 
his own. With this realization has awakened 
the ambition to make of his house, however 
small, a real home,—this explains the change 
in the architecture of the small house in 
recent years. When an architect plans for 
the individual the result is, or should be, 
characteristic, and therefore much more 
interesting than where one design serves for 
dozens of houses. 
The wise man in building for himself a 
home, considers site, environment, and the 
proposed floor plan relatively, and designs 
his interior decoration and even furnishing, 
with these various points well in mind. 
Fortunately, with the passing of jig-saw work 
and grills from the wood trim of the interior, 
the brass and onyx table, the plush covered 
rocker, with all that these stand for in furni¬ 
ture, is fast disappearing. 
Suitability, dignity and simplicity of line 
and treatment, well handled masses of color, 
with values carefully considered, are the 
points that make for success in the interior 
finish, decoration, and furnishing of a small 
house. However inexpensive the wood 
chosen for the standing woodwork, it is now 
possible to obtain beautiful effects by its 
treatment with stains and dull varnishes. 
Built-in seats, ingle-nooks, bookcases, buffets, 
etc., go far toward furnishing the rooms, and 
at small additional expense when considered 
in the original plan of the house. Windows 
also may be made most decorative. 
The architectural detail of the interior of 
a residence should be in complete harmony 
with the exterior. This is, of course, the 
responsibility of the architect. The wall 
covering, drapery, and furniture, however, 
are not always so well selected, yet in these 
details harmony is quite as important. 
The fan-shaped transom and leaded side 
lights which frame the ivory panels of a 
Colonial front door should light a hallway 
where the standing woodwork is of ivory 
enamel, accentuated by mahogany doors, 
with the hand rail and newel post of the 
stairs also of mahogany. So far the architect’s 
hand is shown. But to complete this hall a 
paper of Colonial design with furniture to 
match should be selected. This consider¬ 
ation of exterior, interior and furnishing 
together, is applicable to the small house as 
well as to the mansion. 
In deciding the color scheme for the interior 
of a house the woodwork is frequently made 
the keynote for the whole. A stain of some 
soft nut-brown shade—seemingly Nature’s 
own coloring—is given the dull finish that 
serves best to bring out the full beauty of the 
grain. Where rooms open well together the 
tone dominating the principal room should 
he repeated in the adjoining apartments. 
Many householders are possessed of certain 
furnishings which, for reasons of economy, 
or from association must be retained. When 
this is so these should be carefully looked 
over and mentally adjusted to the new rooms. 
By having them well in mind that scheme of 
finish and decoration can be determined upon 
which will prove the best setting for them. 
There is no call, and indeed, no place for 
period furnishing in the small and inexpen¬ 
sive house. If one be the fortunate possessor 
of some old pieces of mahogany, suggestive 
of Colonial days, it is well in making new 
purchases to select something built on Chip¬ 
pendale, Heppelwhite Colonial, or Georgian 
lines. There is an excellent chair called 
“Windsor” fashioned after those used by 
the Pilgrim fathers, and brought by them 
overseas. These are made in mahogany 
and birch, and sell for six and eight dollars 
each, and may be given any finish desired; 
not only are the lines of these chairs good, 
but they are also most comfortable. 
In the furnishing of a house where the 
interior architectural detail shows the simple 
lines of the one here described, there is no 
furniture more fitting than that of the so- 
called Mission or Arts and Crafts. It is not, 
however, impossible to use a piece or two of 
this style furniture where other chairs and 
tables are of mahogany, provided the latter 
are not Oriental or French in style. 
The house of which this article treats, was 
well planned and well built, and in the plan¬ 
ning the needs of its occupants were carefully 
considered and met. 
The low-studded front door was of Dutch 
design, the upper section filled with leaded 
bull’s-eye glass, against which hung a dull 
207 
