The Editor wishes to extend a personal invitation to all readers of House and Garden to send to the 
Correspondence Department, inquiries on any matter pertaining to house finishing and furnishing. Care¬ 
ful consideration is given each inquiry, the letter and answer being published in due time as matters of 
interest to other readers. Where an early reply is desired if a stamp and self-addressed envelope are 
enclosed, the answer will be sent. No charge whatever is made for any advice given. 
W ITH the approach of the spring season the 
careful housewife gives much thought to 
the redecoration and refitting of her house. 
In a certain thrifty and well regulated house which 
we recall it is the custom to redecorate one room each 
season. In this way the house is kept in absolutely 
good condition and all old furniture which is not of 
intrinsic value is disposed of from time to time, insur¬ 
ing a freedom from the thrall of old belongings for 
which we have no place and from which so many of 
us suffer. Recovering the walls of a room produces 
the most radical change at the least expense, and 
where the “doing over” does not include architec¬ 
tural changes the first question to settle is the choice 
of paper. 
Ibis season’s offerings in wall coverings are 
especially fascinating, and excellent papers are to be 
obtained at prices within the reach of the most 
modest purse; both domestic and imported papers 
can be found much lower in price than they have been 
in the past, and therefore it behooves the economical 
woman to make her selection early, even though she 
must lay away the rolls of paper for another season. 
It is never real economy to select a wall covering 
which shows a very pronounced design or too 
vivid color. Where two toned or plain paper is not 
suitable a harmonious mingling of colors and tones 
may be found which will serve as an excellent back¬ 
ground for pictures and a good setting for the furni¬ 
ture of the room. In a room where the rugs or 
floor coverings are already chosen these must be well 
considered in selecting the paper. A very excellent 
plan to pursue is to obtain a generous sample of the 
paper under consideration, and pin it on the wall 
(in a good light) of the room in which it is proposed 
to use it. A paper which has seemed thoroughly 
attractive and appropriate to us in the shop will 
develop entirely different qualities under this treat¬ 
ment. 
By \^ ay of general advice on wall coverings, a very 
safe line to pursue in the selection of hall paper is to 
confine oneself to two toned or plain effects. Jap¬ 
anese grass-cloth makes a beautiful covering for the 
wall of the hall; this is a closely woven fabric of soft 
sheen which is most attractive. The price of this 
material is, however, in some cases prohibitive as it 
costs eighty-five cents a square yard. A linen cloth, 
like buckram, comes also in an excellent selection of 
colors and gives satisfactory results as a wall cover¬ 
ing. This material is about thirty-six inches wide and 
fifty-five cents a yard. It has the superior advantage 
of being extremely durable and allowing of re-tinting 
or painting if one desires to change the coloring of the 
room. 
Th is also may be said of burlap. In the 
latter case, however, oil paint must be used on the 
burlap. Many decorators feel that the treatment of 
burlap walls with oil paint is an improvement over 
the fabric in its original state. This prevents its 
catching and holding the dust and wdiile giving a 
somewdiat uneven surface, such as we obtain through 
painted and tinted rough plaster walls, it is more 
satisfactory. In the matter of color selection for the 
walls of the hall, a yellow tan or a soft ecru or any 
one of the rich or pastel green shades may he 
safely selected, as with these tones the various 
colors which may be used in the adjoining rooms 
will harmonize. 
Where the hall is large and well lighted some shade 
of sreen should be chosen. Where the reverse is 
the case, yellow tints are advised. In the adjoin¬ 
ing rooms some of the same color as the hall walls 
show should be reproduced, either in some figure 
in the paper, in portieres, curtains or furniture 
coverings. In nearly all instances it is practical to use 
the same tone for the ceilings of all rooms opening 
together. This is as essential to thoroughly harmo¬ 
nious treatment as the use of the same stain and 
finish for the floors throughout. 
A simple treatment for bedroom walls is desirable 
although more of color and figure is here permissible. 
{Continued on page 12, Advertising Section.) 
