October, 1909 
HOUSE AND GARDEN j 
1 39 
work. When the bare wood has been 
reached and is perfectly dry it may be 
treated as a new floor. 
If the floors are of soft wood, such 
as white pine, poplar, etc., the best 
method of treatment is to give them 
three coats of floor paint; a good choice 
of color is a tone of soft brown. When 
the last coat is perfectly dry and pre¬ 
sents a smooth surface, two coats of 
some good floor finish should be applied 
as to a new floor. Such a floor will 
wear and look fairly well, and afford 
a good background for rugs. The 
several coats of paint give firmness to 
the soft wood and render the floor much 
more durable. 
There is now manufactured a wood 
covering for old floors known as wood 
carpet. It is obtainable in a variety of 
parquetry patterns and, when laid over 
the old floor and securely fastened 
in place, is practical and serviceable. 
Such a floor may be given any finish 
desired. 
The choice of floor covering is 
affected by so many conditions that it 
is not easy to lay down any definite 
rules as a guide. The rugs or carpets 
selected should, so far as is practical, 
be inconspicuous. Obtrusive and un¬ 
suitable rugs or carpets will render an otherwise beautiful room 
unpleasant to live in. The less prominence given the floor of 
the room the better for the completed effect. 
The rugs selected should, in color and design as well as in 
their placing (which is not the least important feature in good 
floor treatment), fit like mosaics into the picture. Where a 
rug of large and pronounced design is used upon the floor the 
side walls should be plain and show at least two tones of the same 
color. In rooms where a high wainscot is employed rugs show¬ 
ing pronounced figure and design look well, as in the dining-room 
presented in the first illustration at the bottom of this page — in 
the Boardman residence, Washington, where the Tafts stayed 
just prior to their occupancy of the White House. 
In the illustration adjoining the latter, showing a hall, the 
Georgia rift pine makes an excellent flooring and is less expensive than oak or maple. 
North Carolina pine is cheaper still 
very beautiful Persian rugs supply the variety of color. The 
walls here are painted a shade of mulberry red which harmonizes 
well with the rich brown of the woodwork. 
Among the best domestic rugs are those made in two tones, 
the central color being lighter than the marginal border. These 
rugs have a deep pile and are closely woven. They are particularly 
suitable to use in rooms where there is pronounced figure and 
color in the wall treatment or draperies. To select the dominant 
color in the wall covering and reproduce it in a darker shade in the 
two-toned rug goes far towards making a restful and attractive 
room. 
Objection is sometimes made that 
show dust and footmarks too plainly. 
— keep the rugs clean. 
these solid-color rugs 
There is a sure remedy 
With sombre walls or dark wainscoting the floor covering should 
be pronounced in design or coloring 
Beautiful Persian rugs supply the variety of color here; the walls are 
painted mulberry red, the woodwork finished brown 
