Porch Pillows 
THE NEED FOR DURABLE MATERIALS, 
STRONG DESIGN AND BRIGHT COLORS IN 
PILLOWS FOR THE OUTDOOR LIVING-ROOM 
T 
Select conventionalized flower pat¬ 
terns rather than naturalistic ones 
'HE outdoor living- 
room, into which 
the American porch has 
developed during the past 
few years, requires espe¬ 
cial care in its furnish¬ 
ings. It cannot be treated 
like an ordinary room ; a brilliant outdoor light is a very different 
proposition, when considering color schemes, from the shaded 
effects obtained indoors; the adjoining lawn or garden, with its 
flower beds and shrubs, is seen in connection with the porch, and 
the two should be planned together. Everyone has seen the 
porch where this precaution has not been taken, where not only 
porch railings but sofa pillows and cushions are of a magenta 
hue, while close by are growing- 
scarlet geraniums. This is an 
extreme case, but the porch is 
frequently fitted up in style and 
color to harmonize with the hall 
or living-room of the house, and 
no consideration is given the sub¬ 
tle relationship that might exist 
between porch and garden. A 
careful study of harmony and 
contrast in flower beds is thought 
a necessity by successful planners 
of modern gardens. To go a step 
further, and to include in the gar¬ 
den color scheme the furnishings 
of the porch, usually built to over¬ 
look the garden, is the logical con¬ 
clusion of an artistic scheme. 
In choosing colors it is found that a luminous outdoor 
atmosphere softens certain colors that would be glaring indoors, 
while others become much more prominent on a porch than in 
an indoor room. The best method of selection is to test good- 
size color samples for pillows and cushions, as well as for wood 
finishes, on the porch where they are to be used, keeping in 
mind the colors of flower groups planned for the garden, and 
subordinating the porch scheme, making it a background effect 
rather than a color climax. In selecting shades of green, espe¬ 
cial care must be used, as 
it is easy to pick out in a 
shop a green that is agree¬ 
able enough indoors, but 
glaringly inharmonious 
when seen outdoors, near 
the modified greens of 
grass and shrubs. 
While occasionally defi¬ 
cient in color values, mod¬ 
ern porch furnishings are 
almost always simple in 
type. The word simplicity 
has been exploited of late 
rp. „ , years until it is connected 
ing adapted for a porch pillow hi some minds with a Spar¬ 
tan austerity of line and 
color in architectural de¬ 
tail and in house furnish¬ 
ings. However much some 
Stenciling, with an embroidered out¬ 
line, is used on this linen cover 
Pillows and cushion of rough canvas decorated with colored 
tapes go well with the dark oak swing-seat 
people may protest against 
this idea, clinging to as 
much luxury as they can 
afford in their houses, everyone admits that luxurious furnish¬ 
ings are out of place on a porch, where a free and easy out-of- 
door life is enjoyed during the warmer months. Comfort is 
demanded in porch furnishings, and especially in chairs and 
settles. Either woven furniture is used, with thin pad-like seat 
and back cushions; or Mission furniture, with its straight lines 
and sombre coloring relieved by a summer outfit of removable 
cushions; or if the house under 
consideration is Colonial in style, 
quaint Colonial chairs and high- 
backed settles, of the type once 
used in old farmhouses and cot¬ 
tages, are employed, either genu¬ 
ine antiques or modern reproduc¬ 
tions, fitted out with cushions to 
soften any angularities of shape. 
Pillows and cushions may 
readily be made at home, and the 
time and thought devoted to them 
are amply repaid by the increased 
comfort of the porch. In choos¬ 
ing material for covers, stuffs are 
selected that will stand sunlight 
or a few drops of rain without 
fading or spotting, and linens, 
cottons, or woollens that have a homespun appearance are usu¬ 
ally employed. The covers are of uniform material and color, 
with perhaps one or two of contrasting tone to give needed 
accents. If of washable material, two sets of removable covers 
are made, for greater convenience in laundering. White linens 
or cottons are especially delightful in tone when flecked by sun¬ 
light or in cool shadow, and English linens, that are printed by 
hand in all-over patterns of delicate coloring, are charming in 
effect. Importers’ samples of these linens can sometimes be 
bought at reduced prices at 
linen sales. Hesper cloth, 
a material that imitates a 
coarse linen weave, makes 
good pillow covers, and 
other dress goods are often 
used. Plain materials are 
sometimes decorated at 
home with hand - printed 
designs, by using the wood 
blocks now sold in Japan¬ 
ese shops. English cot¬ 
tons, with quaint patterns 
woven in the goods, are at¬ 
tractive as covers, thoug’ 
(Continued on page 48.) 
Applique decoration gives opportun¬ 
ity for strong color accents 
( 29 ) 
