Upon the decoration and furnishing of
the living-room depend much of the warmth,
comfort, and pleasure to be obtained from
it. The old-fashioned fire-place is again
coming into vogue, as the warmth and light
of a good wood or coal fire add greatly to
the cheer of the home. The mantelpiece
and surroundings should not be receptacles
for odds and ends that may be placed there
by various occupants of the room, but
should be tastefully decorated with a mantel
clock, vases of flowers or dried grasses, and
one or two ornamental articles. Over-
crowding should be avoided. On each side
of the mantel should be hung suitable and
suggestive pictures, neatly framed, always
avoiding the cheap penny pictures, which
do nothing more than encumber the walls.
A few choice pictures are much more to be
desired than many cheap prints. Books
should be arranged on shelves, or in book-
cases specially prepared for them. Care
should be taken that they be properly ar-
ranged in such order as may be agreed upon ,
whether by titles or by sizes. Window
draperies for the living-room should always
be bright in color and serviceable. There
are several ways of hanging them ; probably
the most serviceable one is by rings from
poles placed across the window.
The Convenient Kitchen.
The kitchen is the workshop of the home.
It therefore should be furnished and ar-
ranged for the special convenience of the
housewife and cook, and for the health of
the occupants of the home. Plenty of light
and air should be provided. At some time
during the day it should have sunshine in
abundance. In building a house it is more
important to decide the location of the
kitchen than that of the parlor. The sani-
tary arrangements include proper drainage,
copious and clean supply of water, the best
sanitary plumbing, generous room in the
closets and pantries, and facilities for the
proper care of cooking utensils. Kitchens
should be made attractive as well as useful.
This may be accomplished by giving atten-
tion to the hanging of simple curtaitis at the
windows and over open cupboards ; by the
arrangement of dishes and utensils in the
places where they belong ; by tidiness in
the furniture of the kitchen, and by general
cleanliness. It is not customary to decorate
the walls with pictures. The mantelpiece
should have its clock and one or two sug-
gestive ornaments.
Window Gardens.
Nothing adds so much cheer to the house
as beautiful window^ gardens filled with
flowers and potted plants. These decora-
tions are within the reach of all, and there
are many beautiful designs which will sup-
gest themselves besides those we offer. One
of the prettiest we have seen is a window
garden occupying the south end of a dining-
room, arranged with a wire stand in the
centre. These stands are readily procured
at almost any merchandise store, or they
may be readily made out of light pieces of
lumber in the form of steps, which, if neatl}"
painted green or red, will be very service-
able. Window shelves may be made and
covered with heavy paper or oil cloth of a
neat figure. The plants may be so arranged
as to give sunlight to the varieties needing
it most.
Page 103
Presented as published in 1901. 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
Upon the decoration and furnishing of the living-room depend much of the warmth, comfort, and pleasure to be obtained from it. The old-fashioned fire-place is again coming into vogue, as the warmth and light of a good wood or coal fire add greatly to the cheer of the home. The mantelpiece and surroundings should not be receptacles for odds and ends that may be placed there by various occupants of the room, but should be tastefully decorated with a mantel clock, vases of flowers or dried grasses, and one or two ornamental articles. Overcrowding should be avoided. On each side of the mantel should be hung suitable and suggestive pictures, neatly framed, always avoiding the cheap penny pictures, which do nothing more than encumber the walls. A few choice pictures are much more to be desired than many cheap prints. Books should be arranged on shelves, or in bookcases specially prepared for them. Care should be taken that they be properly arranged in such order as may be agreed upon , whether by titles or by sizes. Window draperies for the living-room should always be bright in color and serviceable. There are several ways of hanging them ; probably the most serviceable one is by rings from poles placed across the window.
The Convenient Kitchen.
The kitchen is the workshop of the home. It therefore should be furnished and arranged for the special convenience of the housewife and cook, and for the health of the occupants of the home. Plenty of light
and air should be provided. At some time during the day it should have sunshine in abundance. In building a house it is more important to decide the location of the kitchen than that of the parlor. The sanitary arrangements include proper drainage, copious and clean supply of water, the best sanitary plumbing, generous room in the closets and pantries, and facilities for the proper care of cooking utensils. Kitchens should be made attractive as well as useful. This may be accomplished by giving attention to the hanging of simple curtaitis at the windows and over open cupboards ; by the arrangement of dishes and utensils in the places where they belong ; by tidiness in the furniture of the kitchen, and by general cleanliness. It is not customary to decorate the walls with pictures. The mantelpiece should have its clock and one or two suggestive ornaments.
Window Gardens.
Nothing adds so much cheer to the house as beautiful window gardens filled with flowers and potted plants. These decorations are within the reach of all, and there are many beautiful designs which will suggest themselves besides those we offer. One of the prettiest we have seen is a window garden occupying the south end of a diningroom, arranged with a wire stand in the centre. These stands are readily procured at almost any merchandise store, or they may be readily made out of light pieces of lumber in the form of steps, which, if neatly painted green or red, will be very serviceable. Window shelves may be made and covered with heavy paper or oil cloth of a neat figure. The plants may be so arranged as to give sunlight to the varieties needing it most.