Correspondence 
The editor wishes to extend a personal invitation to all readers of House and Garden to send into this department, 
inquiries on any matter pertaining to house finishing and furnishing. Careful consideration is given each inquiry, the letter and 
answer being published in due time as matters of interest to other readers. Where an early reply is desired if a stamp and self-addressed 
envelope are enclosed, the answer will be sent. No charge whatever is made for any advice given. Beginning with the June 
number, a short talk by the editor will be given each month in connection with this department. The interior of the house 
will be first considered, the houses to vary in price from $2,500 to $8,000. 
REMODELING A RESIDENCE 
Physician writes: I am remodeling my residence and desire 
to make a feature of one room any way, although I cannot go to 
much expense. The dining-room and possibly the parlor I should 
like to make especially attractive. My architect has suggested 
panels in the dining-room to the height of seven feet, with false 
beams on the ceiling, running one way. The wood, I will say, is 
whitewood and the floors of maple. Would mahogany be too 
heavy a tone for such a small room ? For the parlor I had thought 
of using white paint or enamel. What would you suggest for wall 
coloring in dining-room and parlor; there will be sliding doors 
between, although mostly kept open ? 
Answer: The combination of ivory white and mahogany stain 
is always attractive so you would make no mistake in using the 
treatment suggested. There is a stain now on the market which 
closely resembles the real San Domingo mahogany in color and 
when finished with a finishing varnish, which is inexpensive 
because it requires but little rubbing, the effect is wonderfully like 
the more costly wood treated with rubbed wax. Therefore, I feel 
that you would be wise in using this for your dining-room, the 
beams to be treated in the same way. The ivory white in your 
parlor will look well leading from this room and the doors of 
mahogany will add to the Colonial effect. The plan you supply 
me shows the rooms of sufficiently good proportions to bear the 
treatment suggested. I would advise for your parlor walls a 
covering of wall-paper in French Colonial design in two tones of 
green. This is almost silvery in effect and most attractive in 
combination with the ivory woodwork; it also makes an excellent 
setting for mahogany furniture. For your dining-room, since this 
is of southern exposure. I would suggest the Japanese grass-cloth 
in coppery shades, to extend to the ceiling line. This harmonizes 
beautifully with the mahogany stain. The drapery here should 
be of tapestry, showing a mingling of fruit and flowers in shades 
of mahogany, dull blue, tan and olive green. This same tapestry 
should be used to upholster the seats of your chairs. The floor 
covering to be a rug 9 x 12 in size, showing some of this copper 
brown mahogany and lighter shades of tan. The ceiling to be in 
tan with a suggestion of copper. The door curtain between these 
two rooms should be of pastel green cut velour on the parlor side, 
the silvery high lights of which will be found to harmonize well 
with the wall coloring. The fixtures in the parlor to be of the dull 
silver, this also carried out in the hardware. In the dining-room, 
bronze fixtures and hardware should be used. The central lights 
over the table to have a spreading shade in art glass in tones of 
green and gold. For the parlor floor, Oriental rugs should be 
used and your furniture should be of mahogany. Leave your 
floors in the natural color of the maple, treating them with some 
good floor finish, something that does not show too much gloss. 
The color of the maple will be an attractive feature in the decora¬ 
tion of your room and will give you a much better effect than a 
stained floor. 
FINISH FOR A SUBURBAN HOUSE 
“Country” writes: I send you by this post, plans of a small 
house which we are building in the suburbs of Milwaukee. I 
would like some suggestions for the finish of woodwork and floors, 
for tiles, hardware, mantels, etc., from you. You will note that 
the dining-room shows a six foot wainscot. This is to be of ash. 
Unfortunately my dining-room furniture is of mahogany of good 
design and much too handsome to be dispensed with. What can 
I do about this ? I would like to cover the upper wall in my 
dining-room with fabric if you can suggest something suitable. 
I shall not be ready for the full color scheme for the house until 
much later. I will, however, appreciate it if you will make sug¬ 
gestions for the dining-room, as requested. The estimated cost 
of the house will be about $12,000.00. I am enclosing a self- 
addressed envelope and would appreciate a reply by post to some 
of my questions. 
Answer: I wish to congratulate you upon the very attractive 
plan of your country house. It is quite ideal. The plans, how¬ 
ever, fail to show the character of the wood used in the various 
rooms. I note that you mention ash for the dining-room. I 
therefore, would suggest that you write to a firm whose address I 
am sending you by post, asking them to supply you with a special 
stain for use here. This gives the ash a grayish color which is 
almost blue in some lights. It is most artistic and attractive. I 
send you a sample of fabric which I would advise you to use with 
this for wall covering. This is tapestry showing bluish green 
trees against a gray ground. It is exquisitely harmonious with the 
woodwork of which I speak. Your ceiling should be tinted a 
shade of gray lighter than the gray in the woodwork. The fixtures 
in this room should be of bronze. Your door curtains and over¬ 
draperies should be of the same tapestry as I have advised for wall 
covering. Next the glass of your windows hang heavy raw silk 
draperies in a shade of dull blue. If your mahogany chairs could 
be re-seated, I would advise dull blue morocco of the same shade. 
The shades of your electric lights should be in dull blue-green favrile 
glass effects. You will find that a room so treated as to 
color will make a most excellent setting for your mahog¬ 
any furniture. The floor should be stained with English oak 
wood tint and finished with a dull gloss. I will be glad to send 
you a full color scheme for the other rooms of your house 
should you desire it, when you have supplied me with the infor¬ 
mation I request. 
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