As for chairs, there are a great many ways 'for achieving
handsome ones without paying five dollars apiece for them at
furniture shops. If a dozen oak chairs without seats can be
obtained "in the rough" at the factory, they can be transformed
into something pretty and substantial at small cost. They
should first be oiled and varnished. Then with some stout
sacking or canvas, some rich, dark cretonne, some gimp and
furniture tacks, and either hair or wool for stuffing the seats—*
being careful to fasten the canvas securely in place and to cut
the cretonne to fit neatly — even the cheap "splint-bottoms"
which cost much less than oak, can be made into handsome
chairs by painting the wood-work black, ornamenting it with
gilt and scarlet lines, and varnishing — the seats to be uphol-
stered in cretonne, striped linen, or common chintz.
The Parlor. — If means are small, and best room furniture
seems to be among the things never to be obtained, let not the
whole house be made dismal because of it; but rejoice that
there is a kitchen, that there are comfortable bedrooms, and
86 HOUSEHOLD.
that there is a bit of Heaven in the form of a flower garden
under the windows !
Even if one have but a small room to devote to this pur-
pose, it can be made very pleasing, and has the advantage of
requiring less furniture. A fire-place, with a mirror above it
and a large wide-ledged window opposite, make the room
already half-fitted up. The ceiling calcimined with the palest
blue, and the walls with a tint two shades deeper, will have
the effect to make the room appear more spacious. A border
of dark and light blue, or of bluish-green and gold, should be
used on such walls. The wood-work should be stained walnut
color and varnished. The most suitable carpet would be
an ingrain in small figures of blue and gray, with perhaps a
bit of yellow or a bit of rose-colored scattered through it.
Plain blue or gray lambrequins should be used for the win-
dows, trimmed with fringe of the same color. For the cur-
tains beneath them, sheer Swiss muslin is always pretty and
graceful. Sometimes they are made with a knife plaiting or a
fluted rufile down the inner edges and across the bottom; but
they look well when finished with simple hems, and are much
easier laundried.
The fire place should be treated after the manner described
in a, previous chapter, and will be found the most effective
feature in the room, especially if furnished with a good sized
mirror, which will reflect back all the light and beauty of the
apartment, and, like the cool color on the walls and ceiling,
enhance its size. All those tasteful but restricted house-keep-
ers who are anxious to have really attractive parlors, should
aim for simply these three things — a large, wide-silled win-
dow, a fire-place, and a generous-sized mirror to place above
it — ^letting curtains and carpet and chairs come about as they
can; or using for a while plain shades for the windows, and a
neat matting for the floor. Adding two or three pictures, a
few books, some growing vines, and an easy chair to such a
room, it is already cosy and hospitable in its aspect. In this
room, as in all others, one should avoid a cluttered, crowded
appearance. Do not afflict the wall with a general outbreak
of small pictures, brackets, and fancy articles, as if a notion
store were being fitted up. It is better to distribute such
Page 58
Presented as published in 1883. 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
As for chairs, there are a great many ways 'for achieving handsome ones without paying five dollars apiece for them at furniture shops. If a dozen oak chairs without seats can be obtained "in the rough" at the factory, they can be transformed into something pretty and substantial at small cost. They should first be oiled and varnished. Then with some stout sacking or canvas, some rich, dark cretonne, some gimp and furniture tacks, and either hair or wool for stuffing the seats—being careful to fasten the canvas securely in place and to cut the cretonne to fit neatly — even the cheap "splint-bottoms" which cost much less than oak, can be made into handsome chairs by painting the wood-work black, ornamenting it with gilt and scarlet lines, and varnishing — the seats to be upholstered in cretonne, striped linen, or common chintz.
The Parlor. — If means are small, and best room furniture seems to be among the things never to be obtained, let not the whole house be made dismal because of it; but rejoice that there is a kitchen, that there are comfortable bedrooms, and
that there is a bit of Heaven in the form of a flower garden under the windows !
Even if one have but a small room to devote to this purpose, it can be made very pleasing, and has the advantage of requiring less furniture. A fire-place, with a mirror above it and a large wide-ledged window opposite, make the room already half-fitted up. The ceiling calcimined with the palest blue, and the walls with a tint two shades deeper, will have the effect to make the room appear more spacious. A border of dark and light blue, or of bluish-green and gold, should be used on such walls. The wood-work should be stained walnut color and varnished. The most suitable carpet would be an ingrain in small figures of blue and gray, with perhaps a bit of yellow or a bit of rose-colored scattered through it. Plain blue or gray lambrequins should be used for the windows, trimmed with fringe of the same color. For the curtains beneath them, sheer Swiss muslin is always pretty and graceful. Sometimes they are made with a knife plaiting or a fluted rufile down the inner edges and across the bottom; but they look well when finished with simple hems, and are much easier laundried.
The fire place should be treated after the manner described in a, previous chapter, and will be found the most effective feature in the room, especially if furnished with a good sized mirror, which will reflect back all the light and beauty of the apartment, and, like the cool color on the walls and ceiling, enhance its size. All those tasteful but restricted house-keepers who are anxious to have really attractive parlors, should aim for simply these three things — a large, wide-silled window, a fire-place, and a generous-sized mirror to place above it — ^letting curtains and carpet and chairs come about as they can; or using for a while plain shades for the windows, and a neat matting for the floor. Adding two or three pictures, a few books, some growing vines, and an easy chair to such a room, it is already cosy and hospitable in its aspect. In this room, as in all others, one should avoid a cluttered, crowded appearance. Do not afflict the wall with a general outbreak of small pictures, brackets, and fancy articles, as if a notion store were being fitted up. It is better to distribute such