Inside the House 
Timely Suggestions and 
Answers to Correspondents 
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A Chair of Old English Inspiration 
N interesting form of modern fur¬ 
niture that probably receives its in¬ 
spiration from that made years ago in 
English cottages is gradually finding 
favor here in America. It is built on sim¬ 
ple lines, reproducing chairs that stood 
in such cottages as Anne Hathaway’s, 
and made of oak and similar hard woods. 
The legs are slightly turned and the wood 
finished generally in oil. The interesting 
effect of rush seats is taken advantage of 
in many of these chairs, and the combina¬ 
tion with the dark natural oak and the 
lighter seat is rather attractive. Some 
of these chairs are fitted with a back 
panel of caning. Since the chairs are so 
simply made and built on such straight¬ 
forward principles, they are enduring and 
well fitted for all-the-year-round use, as 
well as a place in the country cottage. 
Practical Hints on Renovating 
AKING care of the floors is one of the 
most important tasks of the house¬ 
hold when it comes to renovating. Many 
a modern house has the hardwood floor 
which must be kept free from dust and in 
a spotless condition if we wish it to show 
off the rugs to any advantage. The car¬ 
peted floors, such as must necessarily be 
used in the old-time homes that have not 
had the floors renewed, come under the 
head of carpet cleaning; but plain wood 
floors, parquetry floors, oilcloth or lino¬ 
leum, must one and all have individual 
care and attention. 
Water should never be put on a hard¬ 
wood floor; this is very important. The 
floor should first be brushed clean with a 
hair broom or straw broom covered with 
a soft cloth, cotton flannel preferred. It 
should then be wiped with a cloth that has 
been dampened in crude oil and turpentine, 
equal parts. This should be rubbed well 
into the floor. Kerosene also may be used, 
but this will leave an odor for an hour or 
so. A great many patent preparations for 
renovating the hardwood floor are also to 
be had. Most any one of these is good ; 
it is the rubbing with an oil that brings 
the desired effect. 
In cleaning oilcloth it is wise not to use 
too much water, as it will drain through 
and rot the cloth beneath it. Use a flan¬ 
nel cloth well wrung out, and wipe the 
floor until clean. Sal-soda will aid greatly 
in this. Wipe the white spots caused by 
spilling any hot liquid on the oilcloth with 
a few drops of spirits of camphor. 
Window Shades 
HY not make the windows in a coun¬ 
try house bright from without as 
well as from within? In a church we ad¬ 
mire the glass in daylight and at night 
those without are charmed by the beauty 
of color and subject. So it ought to be 
with many of our home windows. In 
Europe one sees window shades depicting 
scenes of various kinds, and in this coun¬ 
try years ago these pictorial window 
shades were much used. It is possible to 
use them advantageously again, especially 
since period furnishing forms such an im¬ 
portant part in decorating. 
Instead of going to a shop and buying 
A form of cottage furniture inspired by old 
English ideas that is durable and attractive 
the ordinary green, yellow or white shades, 
buy several yards of glazed chintz or plain 
chintz, cut it the desired width and length, 
stitch it and then tack it on the roller. If 
you are not apt at this particular branch 
of decoration, you can have it done at the 
shop where you purchase the material. 
How attractive a room would look with 
shades made ol a bright-colored chintz, 
with the sunlight bringing out every color. 
From without the effect would be equally 
charming, quite enlivening the bare side of 
a house with bits of bright hue. I have 
seen this done several times lately with ex¬ 
cellent results. Picture chintz in the soft 
grays of the old French wall-papers will 
make delightful shades. From Italy comes 
a shade in vivid greens depicting a moun¬ 
tain scene with a border of yellow. This 
shade hung in a room with side curtains 
of brown, yellow walls and white wood¬ 
work is quite an addition and a relief from 
the plain shade that makes the window 
look more or less like a void. 
The Fireplace in Summer 
E all acknowledge that the fireplace 
is the hospitable center of a room 
in winter, spring and autumn, but in the 
warm days of summer it must give other 
parts their chance. In most houses one 
finds the fireplace for the time being for¬ 
gotten and with little thought or care it 
has been hidden from view. Don't hang 
a piece of material in front of the open¬ 
ing. That is at once crude and ugly. 
Don't stick a piece of furniture there, 
either, for that seems much out of place 
and, then, why do it in summer when one 
would not think of doing it in winter when 
the open fire is so nobly doing its duty? 
Here are several suggestions that may 
help to keep the fireplace an attractive 
open spot and not one hidden by some un¬ 
sightly article. Pile birch logs in your 
open fireplace and stick in branches of 
pine with the cones that are so suggestive 
of the delicious forests where one goes 
to get the true breath of nature. Let this 
remain until a new lot is needed to freshen 
up with, but don’t hide the opening. So 
shall your fireplace with its filling of birch 
and pine be a gentle reminder of the joy 
it gives you in the cold days of winter. 
(104) 
