" One of the famous dining-rooms of modem times
is that designed by the artist Whistler for a London
house. The walls are pale blue, decorated with ara-
besques (relating to Arabic architecture) that recall
the feathers of a peacock. Peacocks decorated the
carved panels of the window shutters, and blue and
white china was placed on gilt shelves. One almost
suspects that this color scheme and decoration was
suggested by dining-rooms of Chinese mandarins
that chanced to be of royal blood, for the walls of these
rooms are himg with yellow, and against these hang-
ings rest the blue and white china. Particularly does
this notion occur to one who looks into Whistler's
own room. His walls are hung with canary yellow
and the only decorations are the blue and white
china. Comte Mole used to change his decorations
to suit his guests. For example, in giving a dinner
to a foreign diplomat, pictures, flowers and plants
were used characteristic of the fatherland of his
guest. Lord Lonsdale went so far as to make the color
scheme of the room suit the complexion, hair and eyes
of his guest."
But times have changed and the most intelligent
people of today furnish their dining-room very
simply and artistically, depending upon perfect
cookery, absolute cleanliness and delicate service
as an ideal environment in which to live and to
entertain their guests.
162 DOMESTIC SCIENCE
The school dining-room may be simply but at-
tractively furnished. Pupils may discuss with the
teacher the kinds of wood used for furniture — its
treatment — some emphasis may be placed upon
the tendency of to-day to preserve the beauty of
natural woods in furniture, and that even the simplest
home may be artistically furnished by choosing
furniture with good lines and designs, that can be
obtained in the inexpensive woods; that no article
of furniture is cheap that is heavy and inappropriate
even if it be decorated with cheap carving.
The pupUs may discuss the kinds of rugs appropri-
ate for a dining-room, and be told that a simple
rug, well made and chosen with reference to the color
scheme of the room, is in good taste.
It is very necessary that the first principle of house-
furnishing be a part of every school curriculum, and
that these principles be taught the young children.
If this were universally done we should have many
improvements in convenience from landlords. Arti-
cles of furniture that can be made a structural part
of a house or a part of the builder's plan, should be
built in when the structure is made.
Attractiveness. The dining-room should be well
lighted. There should be a care to make the table
and food pleasing to the eye. Well-laundered linen,
and table ware which has been properly washed and
wiped and is arranged in an orderly manner, are the
strongest factors in making a table attractive. Ferns
or flowers adorn and brighten a table more than any-
thing else that can be used. Such decorations are in
place on the humblest as well as the most sumptuous
tables. The table linen should be as fine in quality
THE DINING-ROOM AND SERVING 163
as one's purse can buy. The oftener a good piece
of linen is laundered the more beautiful it grows,
so that a good piece is always cheap in the end. If
the linen is of a very heavy quality, it should not be
starched. If it is thin, however, it will require a little
starch to give it body.
The Table. As far as it relates to the table, one
point in the dining-room may be regarded as the
center. The chandelier is usually this point. The
center of the table should be exactly under the center
of the chandelier.
Page 65
Presented as published in 1911. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
" One of the famous dining-rooms of modem times is that designed by the artist Whistler for a London house. The walls are pale blue, decorated with arabesques (relating to Arabic architecture) that recall the feathers of a peacock. Peacocks decorated the carved panels of the window shutters, and blue and white china was placed on gilt shelves. One almost suspects that this color scheme and decoration was suggested by dining-rooms of Chinese mandarins that chanced to be of royal blood, for the walls of these rooms are himg with yellow, and against these hangings rest the blue and white china. Particularly does this notion occur to one who looks into Whistler's own room. His walls are hung with canary yellow and the only decorations are the blue and white china. Comte Mole used to change his decorations to suit his guests. For example, in giving a dinner to a foreign diplomat, pictures, flowers and plants were used characteristic of the fatherland of his guest. Lord Lonsdale went so far as to make the color scheme of the room suit the complexion, hair and eyes of his guest."
But times have changed and the most intelligent people of today furnish their dining-room very simply and artistically, depending upon perfect cookery, absolute cleanliness and delicate service as an ideal environment in which to live and to entertain their guests.
The school dining-room may be simply but attractively furnished. Pupils may discuss with the teacher the kinds of wood used for furniture — its treatment — some emphasis may be placed upon the tendency of to-day to preserve the beauty of natural woods in furniture, and that even the simplest home may be artistically furnished by choosing furniture with good lines and designs, that can be obtained in the inexpensive woods; that no article of furniture is cheap that is heavy and inappropriate even if it be decorated with cheap carving.
The pupUs may discuss the kinds of rugs appropriate for a dining-room, and be told that a simple rug, well made and chosen with reference to the color scheme of the room, is in good taste.
It is very necessary that the first principle of housefurnishing be a part of every school curriculum, and that these principles be taught the young children. If this were universally done we should have many improvements in convenience from landlords. Articles of furniture that can be made a structural part of a house or a part of the builder's plan, should be built in when the structure is made.
Attractiveness. The dining-room should be well lighted. There should be a care to make the table and food pleasing to the eye. Well-laundered linen, and table ware which has been properly washed and wiped and is arranged in an orderly manner, are the strongest factors in making a table attractive. Ferns or flowers adorn and brighten a table more than anything else that can be used. Such decorations are in place on the humblest as well as the most sumptuous tables. The table linen should be as fine in quality
as one's purse can buy. The oftener a good piece of linen is laundered the more beautiful it grows, so that a good piece is always cheap in the end. If the linen is of a very heavy quality, it should not be starched. If it is thin, however, it will require a little starch to give it body.
The Table. As far as it relates to the table, one point in the dining-room may be regarded as the center. The chandelier is usually this point. The center of the table should be exactly under the center of the chandelier.