The Uses for Woodwork in Interior Decoration 
WHEREIN A DEMOCRATIC PIONEER TYPE OF ROOM IS EVOLVED IN A SIMPLE MANNER- 
SPECIFICATION AND DETAILS THROUGHOUT—THE KINDS OF WOOD TO USE—THE COSTS 
by Alfred M. Githens 
Editor’s Note: This is the first of a series of valuable articles on Woodwork in. Decoration, by Mr. Githens. Each will be developed along the lines of a Period, and 
contain matter of eminently practical value to both architects and those considering the erection of a house. In this article the kinds of woods are considered; the next will 
discuss the varieties of wood finish. 
A RCHITECTUKE, unlike our old algebra books, allows many 
“answers” to the same problem. Under certain conditions 
one answer might seem the more satisfactory; under others, an¬ 
other; and a comparison of results is 
interesting. 
Just such a comparison shall be at¬ 
tempted in these articles. It shall be 
a problem in room-decoration, and we 
will assume identically the same room 
throughout the series, and each month 
treat it in a different way, find a dif¬ 
ferent “answer.” It will be an ordin¬ 
ary room with ordinary window and 
door openings and a fireplace in a pro¬ 
jecting chimney breast. From the in¬ 
formal type of the present issue, we 
shall carry it through several of the 
historic styles, such as “Adam” or 
“Jacobean.” 
The room may be in city or coun¬ 
try, this is unessential; but the room 
should harmonize more or less with 
the lives of its occupants and must 
harmonize with its furniture. The 
mantel and wainscoting, for instance, 
must be designed to accord with the tables and chairs destined 
to be placed next them, the furniture thus governing the style 
selected ; or else, the style of decoration being first determined, the 
furniture must be cbosen to 
suit. 
This issue will assume fur¬ 
niture of the so-called Mission 
or Craftsman type; therefore 
the architectural character 
must be simple, strong, crude, 
not easily injured, a frontier 
architecture almost, one re¬ 
move only from the log cabin 
or the Swiss mountain hut. 
Such a room is democratic, 
suited to any way of life; din¬ 
ner therein might be a formal 
function, served by a butler, 
or the housewife might serve 
it herself; evening clothes or 
shirtsleeves would find them¬ 
selves equally at home. But 
such latitude, mark you, is not 
allowed the furnishings. A 
Heppelwhite or Sheraton 
chair against the rough stone 
fireplace would seem flimsy, 
absurd; there should be noth¬ 
ing that is delicately refined, 
such as fine tapestry or silk 
Oriental rugs, but rather 
leather cushions and grass or Navajo rugs, with perhaps a bear¬ 
skin on the floor. The floor itself should be of a not too highly 
polished wood, or better, square, dark-red tile; the ceiling might 
expose the heavy beams. 
It is a comparatively inexpensive 
treatment, the greatest effect, with the 
least cost, I should say, consistent with 
sound construction and good work¬ 
manship. 
A rough stone chimney breast is 
economical, if the stone can be found 
nearby; field stone or seam-faced 
quarry stone would be the preference; 
or rock that has just started to de¬ 
compose, or rock exposed to the 
weather for some years, so that it is 
stained with iron; certainly not the 
hard, cold gray or cold blue rock ad¬ 
mired of quarrymen and school build¬ 
ing committees. An acquaintance of 
mine spent days driving about the 
countryside investigating old stone 
walls and buying particular stones in 
them for this color. A gate-lodge not 
far away is faced with fragments of 
micaceous rock, chosen for their unusual tint or glittering bril¬ 
liancy. 
After selection of the stone comes the “bonding” or method 
of laying-up, and these two 
determine if the mantel be a 
success. The first the owner 
or architect must do himself; 
the second I have attempted 
to describe in connection with 
a house now being built in 
Maine, and I will quote the 
specification: 
“Exposed stonework to be 
laid carefully, bonded as 
shown -; weathered faces 
of stones exposed-; small 
stones to be built in with large, 
to give variety; where beds 
are near the horizontal, stone 
to be laid exactly true, with 
mason’s level; horizontal 
joints may carry through, but 
vertical joints must be broken, 
so that no vertical joint carries 
past more than two stones in 
height. 
“Joints to be raked out and 
pointed with cement mortar 
very slightly colored with yel¬ 
low ochre; no rodding or 
scratching of false 
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