The Editor’s Talks and Correspondence 
the Arts and Crafts designs. Among these I think you would find 
something best suited to your rooms. I will be glad to supply you 
with the addresses of firms from whom you can obtain cuts and 
prices if you will send me a self-addressed envelope. 
SELECTING THE WOOD TRIM FOR THE HOUSE 
Kindly give me the benefit of your advice as to the best cheap 
wood to select for the standing woodwork of a new house. The 
house completed must not cost more than $4000. I want some¬ 
thing rather out of the ordinary and artistic as well as durable in the 
wood trim of the house, as I think this greatly affects the appear¬ 
ance of the interior. I shall use oak floors throughout but cannot 
afford a hardwood for the standing woodwork. 
Wood Trim. 
Ash, chestnut, cypress, hazel, poplar and white pine are all inex¬ 
pensive woods and are also susceptible of beautiful effects under 
stain and finish as in most of them the grain of the wood shows up 
well when so treated. For the living-rooms of your house I 
would advise ash as a wood which will surely give you beautiful 
effects, although any of the others named would be satisfactory. 
There is but one which presents difficulty among those named, and 
that is cypress, as the sap in this wood makes it somewhat difficult 
to handle if inexperienced workmen are employed. The white 
wood or poplar is susceptible of good effects under stain and also 
takes an enamel very beautifully. The effect under mahogany 
stain is especially good, and if you desire a Colonial effect in your 
house I would recommend that you use white wood exclusively, 
enameling the standing woodwork and treating doors and hand¬ 
rail of banisters, etc., with mahogany stain. Over all the dark stains 
save the mahogany I advise a dull finish. Where mahogany is 
used a slightly rubbed effect is always better. In any case you 
would find that the ivory enamel for the chambers of your house 
would be attractive and satisfactory. If I can be of further service 
to you and you desire to send me a rough draft of the plan of your 
proposed house, I will be glad to take the matter up with you fur¬ 
ther. 
SELECTING ORIENTAL RUGS 
I am desirous of purchasing some really good Oriental rugs. 
I have had no experience whatever in buying these, and while I 
think I know what is beautiful I am not at all sure I could judge of 
the quality. Can you furnish me with the address of some one who 
will make these purchases for me or some one who can put me in 
touch with the proper party from whom to buy. I enclose self- 
addressed envelope. Rugs. 
I take great pleasure in sending you the names you requested, 
and hope that you will successfully select your rugs. You are quite 
right in feeling that some knowledge other than an appreciation of 
the beautiful is necessary in selecting Oriental rugs, and I would 
heartily advise all who contemplate purchasing to be as careful as 
you have been. 
SUGGESTIONS FOR A MORNING ROOM 
Will you kindly give me suggestions for floor covering in a room, 
the walls of which are papered with paper like enclosed sample. 
The room is 12x15, western exposure, woodwork white enamel 
paint and floor of oak, it is used as a writing-room and morning 
sitting-room; has a large roll-top cherry desk in natural color and 
an old fall-leaf cherry table which we wish to retain. The other 
furniture can be adapted to the floor covering. I have thought 
that I would prefer one rug to several small ones, but am willing 
to consider any plan. 
I should like suggestions also for materials to upholster a couch, 
and a rocking chair for the same room and for pillows for the couch. 
I enclose stamped envelope and shall be pleased to receive an 
early reply. L. A. F. 
The sample of wall-paper you send showing a design in light 
mahogany and Gobelin blue on a deep wood tan ground will give 
you sufficient figure in the decorations of your room. Therefore 
I would recommend that you use a two toned tan, deepening to 
brown, rug or one showing various dull blue tones. Upholster 
your couch and rocking chair with cut velour in a shade of dull 
blue which is a little darker than the figure in the paper. This 
material may be obtained in fifty inch width for $2.35 a yard. It 
has most excellent wearing qualities and does not fade. A rug, in 
size 8 x 10 in two or three tones of one color might be used together 
with one Oriental rug,—a runner, showing the wood color as a 
ground with blue, dull red and black figures. Such a rug in size 
about 3x12 would fill out agreeably. This should cost not more 
than $30. The other rug may be had in domestic weave, Wilton, 
Royal Wilton or Brussels. The best quality of Brussels may be 
bought for about $25. The Wiltons are rather more expensive. 
The cherry furniture should look well in this room, as the coloring 
will harmonize with one figure in the paper. I would suggest that 
any furniture you purpose buying be of the same tones, either 
mahogany or cherry. 
For covering the pillows of your couch I recommend that you use 
raw silk, either the brocaded or plain, in tones matching the three 
colors of the wall-paper. The brocaded raw silk is $3.35 a yard, 
fifty inches wide. The plain raw silk is $1.50 a yard, thirty-six 
inches wide. 
HARMONIOUS COLORS FOR ADJOINING ROOMS 
I have a figured wall-paper in my hall which shows dull reds, 
greens, and browns. The room directly off the hall has been 
papered in gray and the combination is not agreeable. I must 
keep this room light in color and also I must use a paper. What 
would you advise ? My dining-room too has caused me much 
thought, as I cannot obtain a satisfactory effect here. My furni¬ 
ture is golden oak; this probably is my real difficulty, but at the time 
it was purchased it was the best of its kind, and I cannot afford to 
change it at present. The woodwork of my dining-room is of pine 
and I propose treating it in some way to improve it, if this be pos¬ 
sible. It is certainly most unattractive as it now stands. It has 
been finished with hard oil and shows the strong yellow of the 
natural pine. I intend to repaper the walls in the dining-room, 
and also in line with this will you tell me if plate rails are still used. 
R. F. D. 
I would suggest that the best color for your room opening oft' the 
hall would be of deep tan showing something of yellow. This is a 
color which lightens and brightens any room in which it is used. 
For the woodwork of your dining-room I advise first a varnish 
remover. This will thoroughly cleanse the wood of its present 
hard oil finish and enable you to treat it as new. Select some rich 
soft shade of brown which will harmonize well with the golden 
brown grass-cloth which I would recommend for covering the lower 
wall, this to extend to the plate rail, which you should by all means 
introduce. Above the golden brown lower wall, cover the upper 
two thirds with wall-paper showing yellow and brown conventional 
figures against a clear ivory ground. Use cream net at your win¬ 
dows with overdraperies of light golden brown raw silk. With 
this treatment you will find your golden oak furniture will look 
extremely well as it will become a part of the color scheme. Also 
this room will open well off of the yellow tan used in the adjoining 
room. 
AN ATTRACTIVE WINDOW TO ENLARGE A ROOM 
I wish to add to the end of a 14x18 foot room a combination 
fireplace and window. My idea is to secure privacy and at the 
same time to have a good outlook. I am enclosing you blue-print 
of the idea as it has been worked out by my architect. I think that 
the fireplace as shown in the blue-print lacks the old-fashioned 
look and cosey appearance I should desire and it also is too narrow. 
I would like to have the chimney of the fireplace extend to the ceil¬ 
ing and the mantel extend around over the windows and along 
into the main room forming the top of a seat which I would have 
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