Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 July 1912 — IDEAS FOR HOME BUILDERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

IDEAS FOR HOME BUILDERS

BY WM.A.RADFORD.

Mr. William A. Radford will answer questions and give advice FREE 'OF COST on all subjects pertaining to the subject of building, for the readers of this paper. On account of tils wide experience as Editor, Author and Manufacturer, he is. without doubt; the highest authority on all these Subjects, Address all Inquiries to William A. Radford, No. 17S West Jackson boulevard. Chicago. 111., and only enclose two-cent stamp for reply.

There is one feature about a house that has a very strong and potent influence on our dally lives, a factor that we seldom think of. It Is the wall decorations of the house. You may not realize It, but the colors and tints on your walls not only have an artistic effect, but they have something to do with your moods. A good many people have gone into the whys and wherefores of this fact, dug into mysterious sciences, and told us all about It with big words that had to be looked up In the dictionary; but that Is not necessary. There are very few things that cannot lie told simply and. plainly without Impressing on the' hearer or reader that the writer or speaker has been to college. We will spend weeks and weeks planning our house, lay awake nights over It, and probably have harsh words with our wife over the number of closets and where the pantry shall be placed (for as a rule the wife only cares about the closet room and the pantry). The men folks can have everything else as they want It, except the parlor, dining room, kitchen, hall, bedrooms, and the bathroom. That is all she cares to arrange, except the size of the porch. Everything else we can have our way about. Then, when It comes to decorating the wall, we defer to her and let her have her way, too. That Is kind. Maybe the parlor will be green, the dining room red, the kitchen walls will be apple-green, and one bedroom will be blue. Another bedroom will be buff, and a third one will be pink. Or we will leave it all to the decorator or paper hanger, and let him choose the combination. Then we are living In a paperhanger’s house, not in one of our own choice. A wall should be a background for the personality. If the color of the

room does not hitch with your personality, there will be discord. All things have color, and it is not an accident that their colors exist. They are all caused by vibration as shown in th® spectrum. Red vibrates at the lowest rate of speed and violet at the highest. Next in the scale above red comes orange; then yellow, green, blue and violet. Red has nearly the same effect as semi-darkness. We all know that in the twilight we are calm and thoughtful. So in your red room you are influenced to be calm. Red has not this effect, however, on some of the lower animals, as we have often had reason

to know during rambles in the fields where cattle graze. Blue, en the other hand, at the other extremity, has a tendency to make us inspired and think of the higher things, like poetry and art. We know know why some dining rooms are finished in blue. This tint in a boarding house dining room will help take the mind off the possible meager array on the table. If you are thinking of Bryant or Longfellow, it matters little what is in the hash. This is what

blue walls are supposed to do to you. But, seriously, the first thing to consider in the furnishing of the house is the decorations that are to go on the walls, for they ahev their influence. Cheery colors should be used in the dining room—-not gaudy, but tones that will harmonize with the atmosphere that should pervade any place where bread Is broken. In the living room or in the library, there sh&uld be restful tones like browns or tans. The bedroom walls should have tints that are not loud or disturbing. house we show here is one planned to be lived In all over. There Is no parlor that has to be closed against the encroachments of the children'. The large living room Is invit-

ing, and it is given- a specially strong home aspect by the big fireplace and the seat at the side. The celling of this room has beams that give the impression of solidity and strength. The walls of this room should be decorated with a soft tint like buff or brown In some shade, with the beams stained darker. This house is 28 feet wide and 29 feet, 6 Inches long, exclusive of porches. It will be noticed that the den and the dining room also are provided with beam ceilings, and are so arranged that they can be made practically

Into one room where there is any social function. The kitchen is of sufficient size to be convenient. Aocess to the stairway may be had either from the living room or the kitchen. On the second floor are three bedrooms and an alcove. The front bedroom is the largest, and the wall space affords opportunity for good taste in decoration. This bouse is estimated to cost from $2,800 to $3,500, using good, substantial materials.

Second Floor Plan

First Floor Plan