The Editor wishes to extend a personal invitation to all readers of House and Garden to send to the Correspond¬ 
ence Department, inquiries on any matter pertaining to house finishing and furnishing. Careful 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. 
T he following letter has been received by this 
department during the past month and while 
the writer has been supplied with the re¬ 
quested information, it covers questions asked by 
so many of our readers that we have decided it is 
of sufficient general interest to use as a text tor the 
advice given in regard to the mantels of the house, 
also we would say that House and Garden has 
arranged to publish an article in the September 
number which will take up this question of appro¬ 
priate mantels for the various rooms in the house. 
The article will be fully illustrated and will be tound 
full of good suggestions to those who are building or 
whose plans are in the making. 
This letter comes from a town in North Dakota 
and the blue prints of the house show a building 
of good proportion and excellent planning. 
“ Can you give me some ideas as a guide in the 
selection of mantels for my new home. I know 
there are good mantels made ready to set in place 
but as yet I have not been able to find anything I like. 
We are willing to pay good prices to procure the 
right thing. I have a den to consider in which I felt 
I could use a brick mantel if this meets with your 
approval. A large living-hall in which I would like 
to have a stone mantel or rough tile. The reception- 
room, parlor and dining-room you will see by the 
plan have the Colonial idea brought out in the archi¬ 
tectural detail of the standing woodwork. 
In parlor and reception-hall the standing wood¬ 
work will be finished in ivory enamel. In the dining¬ 
room we are using mahogany which will be stained 
a dark shade. 
I do not like the mantels which have been sug¬ 
gested to me. I would like your ideas on the subject. 
In the bedrooms I had thought I might use brick 
mantels throughout or would that be correct ? As 
you will see by the plan there are two family rooms, a 
nursery, two men’s rooms and one for a young girl. 
I would greatly appreciate your advice for as you see, 
I am far from the center of things and do not feel 
competent to decide these points for myself. If you 
could have some of the manufacturers send me their 
booklets or cuts I would appreciate it. Any sug¬ 
gestions that you can make for the betterment of the 
house I will gladly act upon.” 
Answer:—The plans you send are attractive and 
should make a very livable house. While there are 
but few changes we would suggest, it would seem 
advisable to abandon the idea of fancy grilles over 
your doors and over the bay window in the dining¬ 
room. You will find the rooms more dignified and 
beautiful without these. 
For your living-hall, as well as the den you would 
he wise to choose a mantel of brick or rough tile. If 
the latter is chosen the tile should he six inches 
square and show a rough surface with under-glaze. 
The woodwork in this latter I note is oak. If you 
would stain it in a dull shade of brown with a greenish 
tinge and select tile or brick, yellow brown or deep 
ecru, in color, tinting the ceiling between the beams 
the same shade, you would have an excellent color 
effect. I am senffing you two cuts of mantels either 
of which I would suggest for use in this hall. 
For the den the mantel with the cupboard topping 
it is advised. For the reception-room and parlor I 
send two or three designs showing simple Colonial 
mantels. With these dull tile of appropriate plain 
color should be used. In the two upper rooms which 
you say will be occupied by men, you might use the 
brick mantel. In all other bedrooms, however, I 
would suggest a simple Colonial design as this will 
be more in touch with the general planning of the 
rooms and the architectural detail of the woodwork. 
Ivory enamel is the best finish for the standing wood¬ 
work in these rooms. Stain could be used in the 
bedrooms where dark mantels are desired. The 
cuts I send you are from various manufacturers. 
The names and addresses will be found on each and 
you can communicate directly with them. 
Where a room is of craftsman design or its archi¬ 
tectural detail is suggestive of the mission, a simple 
{Continued on page i8, Advertising Section.) 
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