22 
HOUSE & GARDEN 
that at the same time one had sud¬ 
den use for a vacuum cleaner or 
wished to turn on an electric fan? 
Unless the room were provided 
with plenty of outlets around the 
baseboard and in the floor, some 
fixture light would have to be sac¬ 
rificed, beside putting an extra 
strain on the lighting fixture to 
which the device was attached. In 
general, four baseboard outlets, 
two in opposite corners of a room, 
and one in about the center on 
either side, provide a good light¬ 
ing plan for the living-room. 
In the dining-room the situation 
is a little different because that 
room is not in general use. Here, 
in addition to the general illumi¬ 
nation, it is wise to provide a floor 
outlet in the spot over which the 
table will stand. This is to take 
care of any portable cooking de¬ 
vice that one may wish to use at 
the table, for instance, an egg boiler, 
toaster, coffee percolator, etc., with¬ 
out disturbing a fixture. Where gas is 
installed two baseboard outlets far 
enough apart to allow the sideboard 
between them provide for the use on 
the sideboard, if preferred, of the gas 
chafing-dish, toaster, coffee percolator 
and other portable cooking conveni¬ 
ences now in such common use. These 
baseboard outlets for gas are now as 
inconspicuous as those for electricity. 
In neither case do the outlets disfigure 
the trim of the room. 
In the bathroom it is convenient to 
be able to attach a curling iron, water 
heater or other small device without 
disturbing the lighting fixture. In the 
bedroom almost everyone likes a port¬ 
able reading light, and in these days 
of luxury and convenience, a base¬ 
board outlet also allows for the prepa¬ 
ration of breakfast in one’s own room. 
The situation in the nursery is 
practically the same as in the bedroom, 
baseboard outlets here being 
especially appreciated in the mid¬ 
dle of the night for the quick 
warming of a milk bottle, the 
heating of water or the tem¬ 
porary use of an electric or gas 
heater to provide a little warmth 
on a stormy winter night. 
Though at first it might not be 
suspected, baseboard outlets are 
quite as desirable in the modern 
kitchen and pantry as in the living- 
rooms of the house, for there are 
many small portable conveniences 
like the fiat iron, polishing motor, 
etc., that are really a necessary 
part of the up-to-date kitchen 
equipment. It can thus be well 
understood why provision for the 
attachment of household appli¬ 
ances becomes a real and neces¬ 
sary part of a perfect lighting 
scheme. 
This discussion likewise brings 
up the important question of fix¬ 
ture location which, in view of 
the recent progress in lighting 
methods, must be considered with 
great care before a decision is 
made. Upon the lighting system 
you use depends the position of 
the outlets for baseboard, floor 
and wall receptacles. 
In general it may be said that 
diffused lighting is the accepted 
sight-saving method of illumina¬ 
tion. Whether one uses it through¬ 
out the house or not is largely a 
question for individual decision. 
There are, however, certain rooms 
in which care for the eyes de¬ 
mands that either the wholly indi¬ 
rect or partly indirect methods of 
illumination, both of which give 
diffused light, should be used. 
These are the living and working 
rooms of the house. In addition 
to the overhead light provided by 
these systems, as many portable lamps 
as may be desired, are also excellent 
for local lighting. In the sleeping 
rooms one may be guided by individual 
preference as to whether the rooms 
shall be lighted generally from over¬ 
head or wholly by means of well- 
shaded portable lamps. The necessity 
for deciding this point when the plans 
for the house are drawn is therefore 
easily understood. 
In the nursery, however, diffused 
lighting is an absolute necessity. To 
let the direct rays from a lamp or fix¬ 
ture shine into a child’s face is exactly 
equivalent to letting it face the sun- 
Hght. 
Diffused methods of lighting call 
for ceiling outlets since the fixtures 
consist of hanging howls suspended 
from the ceiling. Wall fixtures are 
little used in the home that is correctly 
lighted. They serve a decorative 
rather than a practical purpose and, 
unless carefully shaded, are a source 
of danger to the eyes because they 
carry the lights in a position where 
it is impossible for the eye to es¬ 
cape them. Their place is well 
supplied by properly shaded port¬ 
ables. However, if it is desired to 
treat certain rooms in “period” 
style, wall or mantel lights in the 
shape of sconces or candelabra are 
often necessary, in which case the 
light source must be completely 
concealed behind screens or shades 
of opaque material. Where wall 
fixtures are thus properly used as 
decorative accessories, outlets lo¬ 
cated with reference to the posi¬ 
tion of mantel, sideboard or dress¬ 
ing table, as the case may be, 
must be provided for in planning 
the treatment of the rooms. 
The lighting of bathroom, pan¬ 
try and kitchen, the three rooms 
in the house where artificial illum- 
(Continued on page 58) 
On the fixture is a current-top attachment by means of 
which any portable electric device may be connected 
without cutting off the light 
A baseboard outlet for gas will be found useful 
in the dining-room 
Baseboard and floor outlets for electricity make possible 
the use of portable appliances without attaching wire 
from overhead fixtures 
