House and Garden 
choice. The shape should be low and heavy, the 
shade spreading. Whether of pierced brass or of 
very open wicker, the lining should be of thin silk. 
Shades made of the same metal as the lamp, framing 
softly colored frosted glass, are suitable also lor rooms 
of this kind. 
The screen is a useful and beautiful feature in the 
fitting of a room. A wide range ot choice in these is 
possible. If the frame is of wood, of two or more 
leaves, this should be the same as is used for the 
standing woodwork or furniture of the room. 
Palms and ferns set in wicker covered pottery, brass 
or bronze jardinieres, are highly decorative. While 
there is wide personal choice in the selection of house 
plants, we feel that the one least conducive to beauty 
is the rubber plant. Low stands or tabourets 
matching the furniture used in the room should hold 
the plants unless one is fortunate enough to be 
enabled to give up a sunny window to their accom¬ 
modation. This latter disposition of them is partic¬ 
ularly attractive in a dining-room. 
Well chosen and properly placed desk fittings are 
also decorative features and not to be overlooked. 
These may be of the simplest description or of silver, 
brass or bronze and do equally effective work in 
beautifying the library or living-room in which they 
may be used. 
The real point to be borne in mind in adding these 
“finishing touches” to the room is to select suitable 
and harmonious articles and colors. As will be 
seen, most of the features recommended are those 
which are decorative and useful and one finds after 
all the rule of the artist is not a difficult one to live 
up to. 
CORRESPONDENCE 
FINISHING AN ATTRACTIVE HOME 
W E are finishing a house, the plans of which I 
enclose. It is set on a hundred foot lot in a 
town of five thousand, on the northwest corner of a 
block. 
The woodwork downstairs is pine finished with 
weathered oak, upstairs, except bath-room finished 
in a gray green satin. The floors are oak down¬ 
stairs and pine upstairs. All woodwork and floors 
have a waxed finish. We have some Oriental rugs, 
the largest four by ten feet. Small Scotch rugs up¬ 
stairs. The furniture throughout is mission oak in 
Craftsman style, downstairs. Mahogany in the front 
room, bird’s-eye maple in the guests’ room. 
We would like suggestions for the exterior color of 
the house. It is frame. The color for walls and 
ceiling in the halls and in the different rooms, also 
window hangings. We would like a flat oil paint 
on the walls which are now gray plaster having a 
smooth finish. 
There is a chair rail in the dining-room, hall and 
bath-room. Would like the name of the firms having 
flat paint for walls, also a hard white finish for the 
bath-room walls. The woodwork is white enamel. 
Full suggestions for electric light fixtures for each 
room with the name of firms carrying these. I 
enclose a stamped envelope for reply as we desire the 
work done at once. 
Answer: Allow us to thank you for the clear and 
concise way you put the requirements for your house 
before us. We are pleased to send you the following 
advice. Names of materials advised and the ad¬ 
dresses of the firms manufacturing them have gone 
forward to you by post in accordance with your 
request. 
For the exterior treatment of your house as shown 
in the little drawing on your letter, we would suggest 
a shingle stain in a shade of moss green for the roof. 
The body of the house brown, trim ivory white, porch 
floor gray. You have failed to mention whether the 
gables are shingles or siding. If shingles, use a 
darker brown shade than the body of the house 
shows. If the gables are of siding, they should be 
treated with the paint advised for the body of the 
house. 
To obtain the best flat finish in oil for your walls 
we heartily advise the material of which we send you 
the name. This comes in a number of beautiful soft 
colors. Also there is a finish made by the same firm 
suitable for bath-room walls which is sanitary and 
washable. 
For the rooms on the first floor with the exception 
of one, we suggest tints for the entire wall. For the 
dining-room we advise a paper to be used above the 
chair rail. This will add much to the decorative 
effect of the room taking away the monotony of the 
plain wall. The wall below the chair rail to be tinted 
green with the flat oil paint. The paper advised 
while inexpensive, is particularly decorative in effect 
as the green foliage of the trees against the tan back¬ 
ground has the effect of a wash water-color. This 
will harmonize well with the weathered oak wood¬ 
work. 
The tint advised for the adjoining living-room is 
a slight variation of the tan shade shown in the back¬ 
ground of this paper. The brown velvet recom¬ 
mended for door curtains and the printed tapestry 
in shades of tan, green and mahogany brown, 
suggested for over draperies and sofa pillows, will be 
found to harmonize well with the wall tint and make 
an agreeable setting for the mission furniture in this 
room. A more yellow shade of tan is recommended 
for the tint in the hall. 
For the bedroom walls of your den on the second 
floor, where the gray green stain has been used for the 
woodwork, we recommend a dull sage green tint for 
the wall. We send you a sample of cretonne in 
