October, 1920 
55 
benches along the wall and 
a special dressing room at¬ 
tached. 
The Laundry 
If no provision has been 
made elsewhere in the house 
for laundry equipment, it 
should be installed in the 
cellar. An ideal arrange¬ 
ment consists of a wash 
room having a minimum 
floor area of 8' x 8', a dry¬ 
ing room with an area of 
1' x 7' and an ironing room 
of 8' x 8'. If desired, the 
washing, drying and iron¬ 
ing equipment can be in¬ 
stalled within one room 
having a minimum floor 
space of 12' x 16'. 
Of the many factors that 
should be given considera¬ 
tion, ventilation is one of 
the most important. To 
make a cellar a healthful 
place to work in, an abund¬ 
ance of fresh air must be 
provided. This can be done 
by well-arranged windows 
or by electric blower fans. 
An adequate lighting 
system is next in importance 
to proper ventilation. Out¬ 
lets should be provided for 
lights in each room and 
special wiring for the heav¬ 
ier equipment of the laun¬ 
dry. It is well to remember 
that sunlight is the best 
possible preservative. See 
that the shrubbery planting 
around the foundations does 
not cut off this light. 
Hospitality now begins in the cellar and it will be made interesting if 
there is provided a hospitality room close to the precious home supply. 
The dresser , table and benches and wrought iron fixtures of this room 
give it a Twelfth Night appearance. The floor can be tile or cement cut 
to simulate tile 
gested the Twelfth Night 
room as a possible feature 
for the basement. It is 
finished in an old English 
style, with solid table, 
benches and dresser, mak¬ 
ing a picturesque comer for 
hospitality. Now that al¬ 
most everyone is brewing 
some kind of goodly potion, 
this room will be especially 
appreciated. Since Prohi¬ 
bition, as some wit ob¬ 
served, hospitality, begins 
in the cellar. 
Decorations 
In arranging the equip¬ 
ment of the cellar it is ad¬ 
visable to remember that it 
should not alone be effi¬ 
cient, but should be pleas¬ 
ant. The happy color for 
the walls, a bit of iron 
grating on the wine vault 
door, a solid batten door 
for the preserve room— 
these additions will make a 
great deal of difference. 
Such improvements are es¬ 
pecially necessary when one 
remodels a city house and 
part of the erstwhile cellar 
will be occupied by such 
different rooms as a recep¬ 
tion hall and kitchen. The 
high-ceilinged basements of 
the old-fashioned city 
brownstone houses offers an 
excellent opportunity for 
cellar beautifying, an op¬ 
portunity that architects are 
not overlooking. 
The door for the Twelfth Night room 
must be solidly built, provided with 
sturdy latches, locks and hinges and the 
window protected by a wrought iron 
grill. Solid oak is suggested for this door 
The low shoulder of the wall will 
provide a work bench for the 
garden enthusiast or amateur car¬ 
penter. With a little ingenuity 
such a corner can be made a 
great convenience 
The preserve room door can be cut 
in the Dutch style, which will aid 
ventilation. Wrought iron strap 
hinges and a decorative latch will 
give it interest. The upper half 
might have an opaque light 
While the decoration of the cellar walls is 
a matter of taste, their sealing and waterproof¬ 
ing are essential. Waterproofing paints are on 
the market, and the owner should consider 
them. A dry cellar is one of the most de¬ 
sirable features in a house, and the health of 
the family depends much upon it. Of colors, 
white is perhaps the best, and the old-fash¬ 
ioned whitewash is not to be despised. With a 
modern type of heater, which reduces dust to 
a minimum, and with moderate care, the white¬ 
washed wall should keep in good condition 
for a year. 
d he pleasant custom of Sunday night supper 
parties that one finds in our suburbs has sug- 
