The Editor’s Talks and Correspondence 
through without breaks. New ones can be placed 
after the floor is laid if desired. It will be necessary 
to saw a strip from the bottom of the doors to allow 
for the extra floor. It is also desirable to finish the 
joining of the flooring and base-board with f inch 
quarter round of same material as the floor and given 
the same finish. After the floor is laid, it should be 
carefully planed, scraped and sandpapered to a per¬ 
fectly smooth surface. It should then be given its 
first coat of stain, filler, or other finish as the case 
may be, to protect it and its final finish must be 
the last thing done in the house. Nothing adds 
more to the beauty of a house than good floors and 
none are so easily cared for as those that have 
received the best finish. 
When the woodwork is to be repainted or enameled 
the old finish may be smoothed by sandpapering 
lightly, as it is not necessary to remove it entirely. 
It should then be covered with two or three coats of 
white lead and oil followed by the final coat of paint 
or enamel. All manufacturers of reliable finishes 
furnish full and complete specifications for applica¬ 
tion with all-the materials that they put out. 
It is not at all an expensive undertaking to make 
beautiful the chambers of the home. Color restfully 
used, simple muslin draperies, figured prints or plain 
linen or sateen over-draperies and furniture coverings 
which will pull well together will provide a setting 
for the other fittings of the room which cannot be 
surpassed in point of comfort and beauty, although it 
need cost but little money. Many old and alien 
pieces of furniture may be brought amicably together 
through the use of some of the satisfactory and easily 
applied enamels or paints so largely advertised, and 
by selecting a color delicately repeating some shade 
in the wall covering, charming effects will be secured. 
I have seen recently an old country house of most 
unpretentious type which by the expenditure of less 
than $300 has been converted into a really beautiful 
home. The living-rooms have low ceilings and are 
not large. The dividing wall between the best room 
(the clever woman who lives here holds to the quaint 
old name) and the dining-room was removed entirely, 
making a room of excellent proportions. The down¬ 
stairs bedroom directly opposite the parlor has been 
converted into a dining-room. The hall between is 
but eight feet in width, but by widening the doors into 
square cased openings a spacious effect is gained. 
All woodwork has been treated with an ivory white 
paint and all walls covered with simple two tone 
effects in inexpensive papers. The draperies used 
are washable and entirely suitable for the environ¬ 
ment. In the doorways are hung curtains of arras 
cloth, a rough burlap effect which holds its color 
and hangs well. This can be obtained in excellent 
shades. Here a soft, leaf green was chosen. 
In the dining-room, being of northern exposure, 
yellow was chosen as the dominating color. In the 
large living-room of southern, eastern and western 
exposure the walls are covered with a two toned 
paper in shades of golden brown which contrast 
extremely well with the ivory woodwork and ceiling. 
The furniture covering and window draperies are of 
linen taffeta, green leaves on a self-colored ground 
showing brown stems, thus bringing the coloring of 
the door curtains and walls harmoniously together. 
Many quaint bits of brass and copper in candle¬ 
sticks, ewers and trays were used in all of these rooms 
and some choice pieces of old blue and white willow 
ware were hung against the yellow wall of the dining¬ 
room. No single piece of new furniture had been 
bought for these rooms save some wicker chairs. 
These cost but $6 and were wide, low and com¬ 
fortable, and upholstered with home-made cushions 
covered with the linen taffeta as described seemed 
eminently fitting for this quaint room. 
CORRESPONDENCE 
FITTING UP A FIVE-ROOM APARTMENT 
I am endeavoring to make livable, attractive and 
uncrowded a five-room apartment in which three 
people must live. I have in the past found the sug¬ 
gestions offered through the Correspondence De¬ 
partment of House and Garden most helpful, there¬ 
fore I am applying to you to help me solve this dif¬ 
ficult question. The arrangement of the rooms is as 
follows: The dining-room and parlor or living- 
room adjoin and are about 14 x 16 and 12 x 14 respec¬ 
tively in size. Opening directly from the dining¬ 
room is a small pantry leading to the kitchen. Be¬ 
yond is the kitchen and the maid’s room. At the 
end of the hall adjoining the parlor is a bedroom of 
fairly good dimensions. The hall is long and not 
unusually narrow. I can obtain a room for my maid 
in another part of the house, therefore I shall utilize 
her room. I wish very much to have in my living- 
room a couch of some description, as I heartily dis¬ 
like the folding bed. Will you advise me what to 
use ? Also I may add that the exposure of the apart¬ 
ment is east and west. The rooms are fairly well 
lighted. What colors would you suggest for the 
walls ? The woodwork in the dining-room, which 
includes a wainscot, is dark oak; parlor light 
mahogany; bedrooms ivory. I have one set of 
mahogany furniture which I can use in a bedroom, 
otherwise I must buy everything. I have failed to 
say that the bath-room is large and supplied with 
mirrors and a cabinet which will enable me to use 
it as a dressing-room for the occupant of the living- 
room, as it is directly across the hall. Also there is 
a fairly good-sized closet adjoining the bath-room. 
Answer : Your apartment as described seems 
full of delightful possibilities and you will have no 
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