House and Garden 
rugs were used on the floor,—these had been 
picked up at various auctions, and, save in 
time expended in seeking them, had been 
moderate in price. A Khiva Bokhara, show¬ 
ing the beautiful mulberry red one finds in 
them, mingled slightly with dull blues, greens 
and black, was the cbef-d’oeuvre among them. 
The fixtures in this room, as well as the hard¬ 
ware, were of brush brass, simple in design. 
The built-in book-shelves were well filled and 
much care was taken in the placing of books 
to make an attractive color arrangement of 
their bindings. No smallest detail of color 
effect was missed in the furnishing of this 
room. The table, Morris chair, several 
straight chairs, and the desk were all of Arts 
and Crafts design and of black oak. The 
mulberry red of the Khiva rug was repeated 
in the crinkled sheepskin with which the 
cushions of the Morris chair were covered. 
A tall green vase of Chinese ware had been 
converted into a lamp which wore a shade of 
pierced metal, lined with green silk. Few 
pictures were used. Some pieces of copper 
and brass in quaint shapes were placed 
decoratively; against the wainscot a frag¬ 
ment of plaster frieze was hung, stained 
brownish yellow and given a wax finish. 
Except the rugs in this room there was 
nothing which was really costly in its furnish¬ 
ing. The chairs and heavy table had been 
purchased from the same firm who made the 
dining-room set. This furniture can be had 
in all of the simple designs suggestive of the 
Arts and Crafts which are now so favored. 
They are well made and strong but simple in 
construction so that their cost is nominal. 
Opening from this living-hall on the north 
side was a small room fitted as a smoking- 
room and den. Here the walls were covered 
with two-toned dull blue fibre paper, the 
woodwork was stained black. The ceiling 
to the picture rail, which was set at the tops 
of doors and windows, was tinted in a shade 
of cafe au lait that was repeated in straight 
pongee curtains which hung at the windows, 
these were decorated across the lower end 
with a conventionalized stencil design in 
blue, dull old red and black. 
The mistress of the house had not only done 
this work but made and designed the stencil. 
These curtains were very beautiful and Ori¬ 
ental in appearance. Some rich bits of 
Oriental embroidery had been converted into 
pillow covers and were used on a long deep 
window seat, which served as a lounging 
place in this inviting room. The mattress 
pad which covered this seat was upholstered 
in dull blue velveteen, and beside the em¬ 
broidered pillows referred to, there were 
others covered in raw silk in shades of dull 
green, blue and old red. Hongkong wicker 
chairs were used here, and they also were 
furnished with soft loose cushions. A collec¬ 
tion of interesting foreign photographs framed 
in narrow flat black frames were well grouped 
on the walls, the blue paper making an excel¬ 
lent background. Tabourets and low stands 
of teak-wood and black stained oak were 
conveniently placed. The stands held brass 
and copper jardinieres with growing plants. 
The rug was a Wilton of small Persian 
pattern, reproducing all of the various colors 
used in the room. 
The kitchen which was only divided from 
the dining-room by a butler’s pantry of 
narrow confines, was not the least attractive 
feature. The standing woodwork here was 
of yellow pine, and had been treated with 
three coats of Shipoleum, a tough varnish 
which well withstands heat and moisture, 
and has so high a gloss as to render it sanitary 
and readily cleansed. Above the four-foot 
wainscot, (ceiled, tongued and grooved) the 
walls were covered with a washable paper, 
of blue and white tile design. At the win¬ 
dows were hung curtains of blue and white 
linen crash. 1 here were wide sills to these case¬ 
ment windows, and on these were set red flower 
pots in which grew geraniums. The cooking 
utensils had been selected with much care, 
and had decorative qualities as well as utility 
to recommend them. The blue and white 
enamel ware, the long-handled copper sauce¬ 
pans and big-bodied brass boilers, added 
greatly to the attractiveness of this unusual 
kitchen. The floor was covered with blue 
and white linoleum, and above the range the 
chimney-breast was painted a strong brick 
red in oils. Above the artistic qualities one 
felt in looking at this room the thoroughly 
sanitary and washable possibilities of every¬ 
thing. Floor, wall covering, curtains, chim¬ 
ney, all were capable of being thoroughly 
cleansed with soap and water. A row of 
potted flowers added to the quaint effect. 
210 
