In a well-ordered household the sitting-room should
be the social centre of family life. It should be one
of the largest and brightest rooms in the house, and
furnished with a view to comfort rather than appearance
only. There is no place in a well-ordered home for the
stiff " parlor " loaded with bric-a-brac, with blinds drawn
to keep out the sunlight, and the furniture chosen for
ornament rather than use. The sitting-room should be
the family room in the truest sense, the room which will
invite rest and pleasant social intercourse after the work
of the day has been accomplished, and which will remain
a pleasant memory of home while life lasts. If possible
this room should have a hardwood floor. The cracks
in an ordinary pine floor may be filled with putty or
other filling and the whole painted any desired color
(oak is the most satisfactory), with a rug in the centre.
The rug need not be an expensive one ; any kind of
carpet may bo made into a rug and tacked into place.
There should be a comfortable couch with plenty of
pillows in this room, a useful table, a bookcase and some
comfortable chairs. A f(!W plants, pictures, piano, etc.,
may l>o added us tlio means will allow, but the essentials
should come first
I
the house and its care. 119
The Dining-Room.
There are only two articles absolutely necessary for
this room, a table and some chairs. But few dining-
rooms are limited to the bare necessaries. The table
should be of good width, and the chairs should be as
comfortable as possible. A hardwood or stained floor is
best for a dining-room. A rug may be used and the
border of the room stained to match. Elaborate draperies,
etc., are out of place in a dining-room. The furnishing of
the table is one of the most important matters in connec-
tion with this room. Table china can now be purchased
in artistic designs at prices within reach of all house-
keepers. As a rule " the best is the cheapest " but with
care the cheaper wares may last a long time. Simple
patterns, in soft tints, or plain white will give greater
satisfaction than the more glaring colors, of which one
soon tires. Neat patterns in glassware may be purchased
at little cost, and the little accessories which make a
table attractive, such as a pretty flower vase, neat designs
for holding pepper and salt, etc., are inexpensive. The
cutlery may be of sterling silver, silverplate or steel,
according to the means of the user, but no matter what
the quality, it must be well cared for and placed on the
table in spotless condition.
The Kitchen.
From the practical standpoint the kitchen is the most
important room in the house, and as the greater portion
of the housekeepers' time is spent there, it should be fur-
nished so as to make the work as easy and attractive as
possible. Great care should be taken in the selection of
a range, as the first essential in kitchen furnishing. • Care
120 DOMESTIC SCIENCE.
should be taken in furnishing a kitchen to have the
articles in most frequent use in convenient places, so as
to save as many steps as possible. It is economy to
buy good articles, for kitchen use. Granite ware is more
easily cleaned, but is not so durable as iron, steel or
copper. Special attention should be given to the ventila-
tion of the kitchen, not only in the interest of the
workers' health, but to prevent disagreeable odors pene-
trating into the other rooms.
Page 52
Presented as published in 1905. 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
In a well-ordered household the sitting-room should be the social centre of family life. It should be one of the largest and brightest rooms in the house, and furnished with a view to comfort rather than appearance only. There is no place in a well-ordered home for the stiff " parlor " loaded with bric-a-brac, with blinds drawn to keep out the sunlight, and the furniture chosen for ornament rather than use. The sitting-room should be the family room in the truest sense, the room which will invite rest and pleasant social intercourse after the work of the day has been accomplished, and which will remain a pleasant memory of home while life lasts. If possible this room should have a hardwood floor. The cracks in an ordinary pine floor may be filled with putty or other filling and the whole painted any desired color (oak is the most satisfactory), with a rug in the centre. The rug need not be an expensive one ; any kind of carpet may be made into a rug and tacked into place. There should be a comfortable couch with plenty of pillows in this room, a useful table, a bookcase and some comfortable chairs. A few plants, pictures, piano, etc., may be added as the means will allow, but the essentials should come first
[illustration: the house and its care. 119]
The Dining-Room.
There are only two articles absolutely necessary for this room, a table and some chairs. But few diningrooms are limited to the bare necessaries. The table should be of good width, and the chairs should be as comfortable as possible. A hardwood or stained floor is best for a dining-room. A rug may be used and the border of the room stained to match. Elaborate draperies, etc., are out of place in a dining-room. The furnishing of the table is one of the most important matters in connection with this room. Table china can now be purchased in artistic designs at prices within reach of all housekeepers. As a rule " the best is the cheapest " but with care the cheaper wares may last a long time. Simple patterns, in soft tints, or plain white will give greater satisfaction than the more glaring colors, of which one soon tires. Neat patterns in glassware may be purchased at little cost, and the little accessories which make a table attractive, such as a pretty flower vase, neat designs for holding pepper and salt, etc., are inexpensive. The cutlery may be of sterling silver, silverplate or steel, according to the means of the user, but no matter what the quality, it must be well cared for and placed on the table in spotless condition.
The Kitchen.
From the practical standpoint the kitchen is the most important room in the house, and as the greater portion of the housekeepers' time is spent there, it should be furnished so as to make the work as easy and attractive as possible. Great care should be taken in the selection of a range, as the first essential in kitchen furnishing. • Care
should be taken in furnishing a kitchen to have the articles in most frequent use in convenient places, so as to save as many steps as possible. It is economy to buy good articles, for kitchen use. Granite ware is more easily cleaned, but is not so durable as iron, steel or copper. Special attention should be given to the ventilation of the kitchen, not only in the interest of the workers' health, but to prevent disagreeable odors penetrating into the other rooms.