  A lounge before the fireplace becomes more useful if a table bearing a lamp is placed behind it. Cypress is reasonable for interior trim, costing from sixty to sixty-eight dollars a thousand feet After the method of modern planning, the living-room is treated as the principal room in the house. I do not mean to say that this room should be overdone, or given undue prominence to the exclusion of the other rooms, but it is essential that this room be treated differently from the old-fashioned way we formerly treated our living-rooms, then generally a front and back parlor. These two The drawing of the suggested room arrangement shows the fireplace and the French doors leading to the piazza. Above the ivory tinted wainscoting the background paper is of a putty color and panels are filled with a striped and foliated fabric held in place by a molding strip The ground plan of the room shows a good arrangement of rugs and furniture in order that advantage may be taken of the fireplace and the various lights. Conversation may be carried on with ease and comfort and the room used for various purposes conveniently This reception room has chiefly Louis XVI furniture, which appears well with the light gray and white woodwork designed after the Adam style There are probably two or three dozen ways that the living-room can be planned and decorated and at the same time be comfortable and attractive. I have chosen to illustrate this with a type of living-room that adapts itself to almost any house and offers the greatest amount of free space when the room is properly furnished. The room is 15 ft. × 29 ft. 6 in., with a ceiling height of 9 feet, these dimensions giving a well-proportioned room. The fireplace is in Such architectural features as beamed ceilings should only be used in rooms of pretentious size. A good example of Caen stone fireplace is found here The treatment of the room is Colonial. A low wainscot, 2 ft. 6 in. high, comprising a base, panel, and cap, is carried around the room. The ceiling is beamed with four substantial beams and a half beam to form a cornice around the room at the junction of the wall and ceiling. Over the heads of the doors and windows there is a wide wooden frieze with a cap which ties them, one might say, to the bottom of the cornice, and makes them more completely an integral part of the woodwork. The window stools form a part of the wainscot cap. A summer living-room that achieves a brilliant note through white woodwork and figured hangings with upholstery to match The finish of the room is white wood, given four coats of lead and oil paint, with a fifth coat of white enamel, rubbed down, and a sixth and final finishing coat of enamel of an ivory shade that dries out with a very dull satin-like luster that is very durable and not easily marred. Above the wainscot the walls are covered with a heavy background paper having a body color almost of a putty shade, enlivened in certain lights with a pinkish caste. This is accented by the panels, between the windows and doors, of a delicately hued fabric with a foliated striped design. A flat molding covers the edge of the fabric and forms the panel. In order to balance these and add character to the room, the draperies at the windows and doors are of soft blue velour, without which the scheme would be lifeless and flat. The facing of the fireplace is of Sienna marble surmounted with a simple mantel, consisting merely of a heavy classical architrave, with a shelf above and a large plate glass mirror over it. One must not lose sight of the fact that the colors of this room, while light and delicate, are Some would consider it bold to combine white walls and white woodwork in the living-room. The rug, pictures and furniture covering, however, are chosen with an eye to bright colors The ceiling is sand-finished and tinted to match the walls. The floor is of quartered oak, filled and given two coats of a finish which produces a durable even surface with a dull luster that is not so slippery as a waxed floor. The disposition of the rugs over this floor is a matter of personal taste and the amount one can afford for rugs. The rugs should be Oriental and of light uniform coloring. The plans show probably the most economical way of covering the floor—using one large rug as a center and filling with smaller rugs. One large rug might be obtained that would extend from the piano to the pier glass, but it would have to be an odd shape or specially made. Two large rugs might be used, one in each end of the room, with a small rug to fill in before the fireplace. The approximate positions and proper design for the various pieces of furniture used in the room are indicated. In order to obtain the real benefit of the fireplace, it is necessary to have a broad comfortable sofa or an upholstered mahogany seat in front of it. In back of this should be a small mahogany table on which an ornamental lamp may stand. On each side of the table can be drawn up large comfortable chairs. This arrangement permits the light of the lamp to fall in the correct position for anyone wishing to read in the chairs or on the seat in front of the fireplace. At one side of the fireplace a large wing-chair would be well placed. The bookcases would, of course, be unnecessary if there were a library in the house, but where the living-room is to answer the general purposes of the family, the book-shelves would be found very useful, and could be movable or built in as part of the finish. Between the northern windows a fine position is obtained for the piano, on the right of which is a good place for a davenport. Where a living-room is long, various parts of it may be devoted to different uses, one end being a library and the other a sitting-room for instance, with a corner for deskwork The disposition of the minor pieces of furniture need not be mentioned, except the fact that a pier glass at the opposite end of the The low hanging center light is rapidly being superseded by individual fixtures about the room or hung from chains. The three-quarter paneling here is attractive when combined with some conventionalized frieze design In addition the electric lights are provided with switches, and in the baseboard around the room are two plugs for attaching portable table lamps. There must also be a bell registering its signal on an annunciator in the kitchen,—one ring for a maid—two rings for tea, or as the housewife may arrange. The cost of the furniture used in this room, covered in cotton, made from the architect's drawings, would be as follows: 18th century sofa, rolled ends, $90; and it requires 3-1/6 yards of 50-inch goods to cover it. Low-boy with drawers, $90—size 2 ft. 6 in. × 4 As a general color rule for decoration, red should be used for north rooms and blue for east and west rooms; the warmer tones in living-rooms than in bedrooms. This shows a good use of scrim curtains with a gathered valance The beamed ceiling, door and window casings, mantel and wainscot in the room would cost about $450. If the wainscot were omitted about $75 would be saved—the mantel and marble facing cost about $100 separately. A. Raymond Ellis The use of a single large rug as the basis for the floor covering is often very satisfactory. This house shows an interesting treatment with a molding that acts as cornice There is something in the restraint shown in the fireplace of Indiana limestone with no mantel shelf that overdecoration could never have obtained. An interesting feature is the use of candle sconces as an auxiliary to the electric lighting Heavy woodwork requires the use of heavy, substantial furniture. In this room, where the appearance of craftsmanship is prevalent, such furniture is very suitable A very unpretentious room, but one in good taste. The furniture has all been planned for a distinct location and has been built in to it A large living-room demands some such architectural treatment as these pillars. The usual mistake is on the side of overdecoration. Here, however, a decided simplicity is employed, leaving the flanking windows in small bays Oftentimes four beams only are used for the ceiling; two as a cornice and two framing in the chimney-piece A consideration of modern house decoration is to provide comfort for all members. A small den off the living-room affords privacy when others occupy the living-room In a California bungalow there is an interesting decorative combination where old heirlooms of furniture from the Eastern ancestors of the family are carefully preserved and Navajo rugs are used as a floor covering. These rugs and the Indian baskets are chosen of a color that will not clash with the polished mahogany Another corner of the bungalow living-room on page 18 shows a good type of secretary. The Navajo rugs seem to add a tone of vigor that is not found in the rag rugs generally used in this connection A living-room given a Manorial treatment with the use of Gothic arches. It is carefully treated, even to the rug, which is rectangular in pattern somewhat like the ceiling beams. Although this is in a great house, there is no reason why smaller houses might not be furnished with equal consistency Two living-rooms in an old Connecticut Colonial house that are decorated with furniture in use during Revolutionary times. These flowered papers were considered very rich then and have colors well chosen as a background for the dark mahogany furniture An antique stone fireplace forms the keynote for this room and gives the suggestion for large commodious chairs and lounges. The table and chair in the foreground show Jacobean influences There is surely a decorative quality in bookcases that is heightened by the color of books when arranged properly. Perhaps the results might have been better had all the bookcases been built the same height entirely around the room. The furniture here is of a type that is particularly comfortable and wears well A living-room decorated along Colonial lines, where the fireplace of red brick with wide white mortar joints is particularly effective. French doors open onto a veranda that is used as a living-room annex. The mantel is a reproduction of an old one A charming, little Colonial room is decorated entirely in white woodwork with a baseboard. The prim pattern of the flowered wallpaper is quite appropriate. The only modern furniture appearing is the wicker chair, but it lends no jarring note This room with its heavy settles and rag rugs, its ornaments and pictures, is furnished with nothing but objects from Colonial times. The floor with its original wide boards is stained a dark color and much of it left bare This room shows the possibility of combining various sorts of furniture. Wicker and willow are suitable for the living-room when used with furniture of an informal type. Above the fireplace is a plaster reproduction of a section of the Parthenon frieze that is well placed The architects of the West are achieving distinction in the creation of a particular style. This interior is characteristic of their work. Horizontal lines are emphasized and colored brickwork enters as a part of the decoration A bay with three connecting windows of this sort may be curtained as a unit. There is but one valance for the three windows and light silk curtains are used to match the grass cloth of the walls Living-rooms need not always be indoors. In this home a glazed in piazza makes it possible to enjoy the early days of spring and late fall when the weather is too uncomfortable to remain out-of-doors. The porch is furnished with all the conveniences that may be found in an indoor living-room and has connections for reading lights and other lamps. The furniture is of grass cloth, willow and wicker, and there are rugs covering the entire floorspace Much of the Colonial carving was extremely simple. Here added decorative detail appears in the old-fashioned fireback of modeled iron. The covering of the old rosewood furniture is quite in harmony with the wallpaper An exemplification of the use of deep colors in the living-room treatment is here shown. A restful green makes a good background for large and variously formed pieces This studio living-room is a successful exponent of the same principle of color harmony shown in the previous illustration. A heterogeneous collection of various styles of furniture is rendered harmonious by the use of kindred tones of browns, tans and dull reds Built-in furniture is not limited to seats and cupboards. This desk is carpenter built, and although quite inexpensive fits more exactly than many products that could be purchased. The bookcases encircling the room are made part of the desk The living-room of two stories and with mezzanine floor is receiving more and more favor for its spacious effect. The simple woodwork in this room is well chosen and there is a good suggestion in the lighting fixtures The cream colored walls and woodwork in this English drawing-room make an especially fine background for mahogany furniture. This fireplace nook is a good example of modern English work English architects consider that woodwork may be decorative in itself, and finish it so that its natural colors take the place of wall paper. The walls are of unfinished plaster Some straight lines might be introduced by different curtains and by doing away with the fussy table-covers and frilled lounge pillow. The mantel is particularly good Dutch Colonial but is too much cluttered with bric-À-brac Every house builder should consider that the downstairs living-room may not always be occupied by the entire family at one time. The upstairs sitting-room provides privacy on all occasions. The mantel treatment here is interesting The living-room in the same house is rendered distinctive by a large inglenook. It is finished in rough plaster and colored in a light tan Green and white is a scheme for this summer living-room. White wicker chairs are combined with green willow ones and the green design of the wall paper is echoed in the green rug with a white pattern Even the most modest bungalow may have personality. The match board wall is finished with a light stain that shows the grain. India prints with their bold colors and striking designs are used for curtains, table and couch covers and for the pillows The inside curtains in this living-room are of figured Madras. Although they fade, their price is reasonable enough to permit reduplication every few years with small expense A more formal room is this with its intricate mahogany paneling. The ceiling has an architectural cornice, below which the wall is decorated with a velour in proper coloring There is a growing desire to build living-rooms that open into the light and air. This is as completely furnished as any other room in the house, but is given a dark stained lattice background as suitable for plants An informal living-room, where the plaster walls are divided by vertical strips run from a wide molding to the baseboard. This is a cheap, and if properly handled, effective substitute for paneling A living-room that was designed to take advantage of the view in many directions from a high situation. A large rug with harmonious colors occupies the center of the floor space Dutch house builders make a feature of the window nook and most of the light is directed toward one part of the room. Matting of an ivory color has been selected as a floor covering An English mantel treatment that is worth copying is shown here. A single-color carpet is used and the brilliant chintzes lend the completing note of cheerfulness In contrast is this room where deeper tones are emphasized in rugs and wall treatment and it is desired to produce a more serious effect Another example of the two-story living-room is here shown in more elaborate style where the precedent was the Manorial hall of England. Tapestries and heavy wall papers are used and the chandeliers are large and elaborate This sun room is an integral part of the house and is fitted with casement windows, but is by no means a porch. The fireplace renders it a comfortable place in the most severe weather Furniture covering and draperies here are of a large figured English chintz. As the ceiling was low, a green paper with a perpendicular stripe was used for heightening effect The chief feature of this room is the doorway with its fine fan light. The chairs in the foreground are of Heppelwhite design In England a great deal of attention is given to centering the family life about the hearth. This inglenook has almost the value of an additional room. The walls are plain except for the woodwork and the tiling The inglenook here has a raised floor of ordinary brick and an attractive brick fireplace the mantel of which is a cypress beam supported by projecting bricks. The furniture is made consistent by being stained and then waxed Glazed tile fireplaces are very much the vogue in England. Here the colors are selected to go well with the light ash treatment of the woodwork The heavy beams in this living-room made it a simple matter to place the inglenook. The curved lines of the seat, however, and the grotesque plaster figures might grow tiresome, and are most suitable for the house occupied only in the summer or one with more informal treatment An architect's suggested treatment of a Flemish dining-room. The fireplace is of Caen stone and the plaster wall is sand-finished in a dark shade |
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