34 
House & 
Garden 
HOW TO BUY FURNITU RE 
The Values to Look for in Wood, Construction and Upholstery—What Comprises 
Good Cabinet - making—Choosing the Right Furniture for the Right Place 
H . W . DANA 
I T is undoubtedly true that most 
people in selecting wearing ap¬ 
parel, dry-goods and merchan¬ 
dise understand how to buy so as 
to get value received in style, quality 
and intrinsic value. When it comes 
to buying furniture, however, these 
same people are more or less at sea, 
and must depend upon the mercy 
of the salesman, merchant or dec¬ 
orator of whom they are purchasing. 
Consider, for example, the homes 
of almost any prosperous com¬ 
munity in the United States. The 
people may be well dressed, edu¬ 
cated and refined. Their selection 
of wearing apparel may be ad¬ 
mirable, in good taste, fashionable 
and up to date. The colors are well 
chosen, the materials good, the lines 
simple and refined, the finish and 
workmanship above the average. 
Now look to the homes of these 
same well dressed families. Walk 
into the halls, the living-rooms, the 
bedrooms, and what is the first 
impression ? 
In nearly every instance will be found 
too much furniture, too many odd pieces, a 
lack of harmony in style and color. Often¬ 
times the different pieces of furniture in them¬ 
selves show good lines and quality, but are 
not chosen with an eye to their appearance in 
completed rooms. The furnishings appear 
hit-or-miss, made up of a combination of 
hand-downs and new furniture picked up at 
random, with no carefully considered plan 
behind the selection. 
Dress and Decoration 
The fact that people in general are better 
versed in matters of dress than of decoration 
is easy to understand. For men, women and 
children read and study the wealth of excel¬ 
lent style literature, the magazines, newspaper 
fashion pages, catalogs and many other fashion 
publications. They believe the question is 
When well made, the bedroom suite has a distinct 
place'in house furnishing. This set of black twin 
beds, gaily decorated in color, speaks for an interest¬ 
ing suite of which the other pieces are a bedside table, 
bureau, with separate mirror, dressing table, chair, 
table, desk and chiffonier. Also available in French 
gray enamel. Furniture by courtesy of Paine 
A suggestion for the sunroom or living room is found 
in a black enamel set decorated with old-fashioned 
flowers. It includes a day bed, large arm chair, table 
desk, chair, bench, tabouret and aquarium 
worthy of consideration and discussion. Their 
success in matters of dress, therefore, is not 
wholly the result of their own taste, but also 
of the knowledge and experience of others. 
Even greater care should be given to the 
selection of furniture, because it is far more 
permanent than is clothing. 
It is well, first of all, to read and study the 
many fine magazines, books and other publi¬ 
cations that treat of house furnishings, and 
to observe and frequent really well furnished 
homes whenever possible. 
In making purchases of furniture, be sure 
to plan the total outlay at the start. It is far 
better to buy a little furniture of good quality, 
filling in other pieces as time goes on, than 
to expect too much from a limited appropria¬ 
tion. Furniture of bad construction or ugly 
design will not give lasting satisfaction, but 
in most cases must be discarded later at prac¬ 
tically a total loss. 
Choose the place to buy furniture very care¬ 
fully. Go to reliable dealers only, for even 
with the most expert technical knowledge and 
experience, it is not always possible to avoid 
deception if the dealer is unscrupulous. 
The situation in which your furniture will 
be placed is an all-important matter. Consult 
an able interior decorator, if possible. If not, 
consider the architectural plant of the home 
to be furnished. Learn to visualize, to picture 
in your mind, how the furniture will 
appear in the completed rooms. Ask 
the dealer to assemble the pieces 
selected so as to show as nearly as 
possible how they will appear. Re¬ 
member that no manufactured product 
has shown more marked improvement 
in quality and design than has fur¬ 
niture during the last half century. 
Really good furniture may be had 
in abundance and at reasonable 
prices in many places. 
Concerning Woods 
The woods most used in furniture 
making are mahogany, oak—prefer¬ 
ably white oak—and walnut. Of 
these mahogany is by far the leader 
in popular favor. Mahogany furni¬ 
ture has long been admired and treas¬ 
ured, and probably will be for many 
years to come, for it is truly beautiful 
in the hands of expert craftsmen. 
Workmen like to handle mahogany, 
Loose cushions 
add comfort to 
upbolstered 
furniture. Here 
are black and 
gold cushions on 
black velour up¬ 
holstery. The 
small sofa has 
midberry velour 
and gold and 
mulberry taffeta 
cushions 
