The Hospitable Guest-Room 
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURNISHING ONE ROOM SET APART FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT OF GUESTS— 
HINTS THAT LEND COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE—SOME AUXILIARIES NOT TO BE NEGLECTED 
by Abbot McClure and Harold Donaldson Eberlein 
Photographs by P. B. Wallace 
<l \ ND yours, my friend!” Such are the simple words of 
TjL welcome carved above the house-door of a small country 
seat near a certain village in a certain county in England — the 
precise location counts not. What does count a very great deal 
is that the master of the house has voiced with few words and 
genuine sincerity the chief principle of true hospitality to all 
that chance to share the shelter of his roof—the house and all 
its resources are at his visitors’ disposal to make them comfortable 
and happy during their stay. 
To live up consistently to this principle of seeking the guest’s 
comfort and happiness it is obviously of the first importance that 
the appointment of the guest-chamber, where he or she may be 
quartered, should be a matter 
of thoughtful care. It is 
astonishing how many guest- 
chambers fall far short of the 
mark and that too, in houses 
otherwise well furnished. They 
are painfully unattractive, and 
at a glance it is evident that 
little if any attention has been 
paid the thousand and one little 
things that aid in making a 
visitor’s stay most agreeable. 
Proper equipment of the 
guest-chamber need not be a 
matter of great expense, but it 
must be a matter of careful 
consideration. After all it is 
the provision of little acces¬ 
sories that will count most, just 
as it is the little acts of courtesy 
and thoughtfulness habitually 
occurring that go to make the 
charm of a well bred person’s 
manner. So then, since the 
good hostess in furnishing a 
guest-chamber will in every way try to promote the guest's com¬ 
fort and convenience as an earnest of his welcome — if he be not 
welcome the disposal of his quarters must depend upon the 
conscience, manners and diplomacy of the hostess — let us view 
the question first on the score of material requisites, and secondly 
with regard to such arrangement as will most conduce to at¬ 
tractiveness and cheer. 
At the outset it should really go without saying that the guest- 
chamber or chambers ought to be so placed in relation to the 
other bedrooms that guests in their goings and comings may be as 
far as possible independent of the movements of the family. It 
will be much pleasanter for all concerned and save some awkward 
positions. Likewise in settling the location of guest-chambers 
it should be carefully seen to that they are out of sight, sound 
and smell of the service end of the house. It is not considerate 
nor in good taste to afflict the eyes or ears of one’s visitors with 
selected glimpses and strains from the domestic workings of the 
establishment, neither is it desirable to advertise several hours 
beforehand what’s a-cooking for dinner. 
Nothing can be more important in fixing the position of guest- 
chambers than convenient access to a bathroom quite separate 
from those in constant use by members of the family. It is al¬ 
ways extremely uncomfortable for guests to be obliged to use 
family bathrooms. When they go for their bath in the morning 
they have the annoying feeling that they may be encroaching 
upon the master’s or mistress’s accustomed time of bathing or 
else from their bedroom door they must maintain a circumspect 
lookout to see when the coast is clear. On the other hand it is 
unpleasant for the family to feel all during their ablutions that 
perhaps they are keeping their guests waiting. In all well ar¬ 
ranged houses, therefore, separate bathrooms will be provided 
for guest-chambers. In cases where this may be impossible, how¬ 
ever, the guest-chamber should 
be so placed that the unfortu¬ 
nate guest will not have to run 
a perfect gauntlet of doors be¬ 
fore reaching the particular 
one he seeks. In houses where 
much entertaining is done it is 
almost indispensable to have a 
maid’s room adjoining the 
guest-chamber. 
As to the furniture contents 
of the guest-chamber, while ob¬ 
serving a rule of simplicity as 
far as practicable, there are 
certain considerations that are 
absolutely imperative. In the 
first place it is well to have two 
single beds or, if there is only 
one let it be of full size. Single 
beds, however, are preferable, 
and as the taste of many per¬ 
sons varies in the matter of 
sleeping arrangements, the mat¬ 
tresses should be neither ex¬ 
tremely hard nor soft, striking 
a medium between the two that will adapt itself to the needs of 
the average visitor. Between the heads of the beds there should be 
a small table for candles, pitcher and telephone. It is well for this 
table to have a shelf or shelves beneath. It is often desirable, 
especially where there is only one bed, to have two tables, one on 
each side. There is then plenty of room for candles, tumbler 
and pitcher, or better still, a thermos bottle on one side and 
telephone with directory and pads on the other. It is thoughtful 
to provide a list, if in the city, of the principal shops, theaters 
and so on, including also the family physician’s number. By the 
bedside there should be nice, warm, soft rugs, and the comforters 
ought to be of silk and light in weight. 
If the house is equipped with electricity there ought to be a 
light with a cord of adjustable length over the middle of the bed 
head for reading in bed. While speaking of lighting, hints about 
several appliances seem necessary from the general lack of at¬ 
tention in several respects. For one thing, there ought to be a 
drop light over the dresser or bureau and it ought to be adjustable 
and have a shade to throw the light down. There ought also to 
be adjustable lights at the side. With the light, or rather lack of 
The guest-room should be adaptable to more purposes than sleeping. 
This sitting-room corner with its desk is a desirable feature 
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