Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 42, Number 19, 4 December 1916 — Page 12

QMEftl fUlustraiions appearing ia tfvis department ! ;randin and obtainable mroi By ETHEL DAVIS SEAL (Copyrighted by the Grand Rapids Furniture Record Co., 1916)

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CHRISTMAS GIFTS OF FURNITURE WITHIN YOUR

UST the other day I heard the owner of a great big shop complaining about Christmas presents, lie said he couldn't understand why people fairly crowded each other In his jewelry department, buying anything from useless little pins up to diamonds; and In his book department,

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PIECES LIKE THESE ARE POSSIBILITIES FOR ANY ROOM

buying sets people probably had read, or never wanted to, and hadn't any place to put, anyway; among his dressing gowns, his pipes, his silk hosiery, his neckwear, and his furs, without ever once giving a thought to his furniture. Ho said he supposed the buyer of a diamond would say, if the subject of furniture were introduced to him, "Oh, I could never think of furniture for Christmas why it's too expensive!" And then he'd go and buy another diamond, like as not! "Why," the owner of the great big ehop went on, "one Christmas a mother wandered all around my place trying to decide on something to give her little girl for Christmas. She looked at tippets, I think she called them, and sleds, and dolls she said the child had nearly everything I just happened to discover her meditating out loud to the salesman on a trunk. 'Madam,' I said, stepping up, your little girl would like a desk. And then I took her myself to look at them." The shop-owner scratched his head reflectively. "The week after Christmas that mother came back and told me that her little girl had never been given anything she liked so well as that desk, and she wanted to thank me I've always said," he went on impressively, "that if people could only find out the real pleasure obtained from giving and receiving the gift of furniture, I could stop catering to their foolish fondness for useless novelties and trinkets things which are often not appreciated, and rarely of any lasting value." I made it my business to wander around that furniture department within the next few days, and while doing so, I wondered why people have the feeling that all furniture is beyond their Christmas means. For the price-

THE LAMP SILHOUETTE HAS CHANCED SINCE THE DAYS OF OIL

tags said clearly otherwise. Chairs there were as low as four dollars and up as high as a diamond buyer

might think cheap! Sewing tables of quaint shape and harmonious price. Telephone stands and stools that peo ple so rarely buy for themselves, but always hanker after. Many of the lit tie tables that are so excessively popular now for living room use, and so popularly priced that you do not wonder. Flower stands, small and inexpensive table desks, moderately priced davenport tables. And all of the things were so fashionably smart that you could scarcely help thinking of the delight they would brtng Into the home of a friend whose collection of chairs, tables and things was obsolete enough to create longing desires for new fashion, but too good to discard without extravagance at any other than Christmas time. The proper choosing of Christmas furniture should have no particular terrors. It's hard enough at best to find out what people really want for Christmas, unless you up and ask them but that's another matter. And somehow I'd take a stronger chance on picking out a satisfactory table than a tiara, or anything like that or even a pair of cuff-links! Tables somehow are so very satisfactory. If you give one to your friend, you may feel assured that it will fit somewhere Into her living room that is, the sort of table you find to buy this Christmas whereas she may already have any quantity of tiaras, and it is a known fact that nobody can ever wear more than one of those at a time The two small tables in the illustrations well demonstrate this popular kind the kind that has grown to be an absolute necessity. People have discovered that nothing can equal the comfort of reading by a lamp placed on one of them, the table being pulled close to the arm of the lounging chair. They have discovered, too, that it is difficult to get an adequate light near the davenport without the aid of the small table. It fits, too, Into the most impossibly small quarters, and will

hold attractively a vase, a plant, a few books, or a small service for tea. We are sure that the small table has come to stay- And it, as well as the slightly larger gift of furniture, will make a pleasant, and exceedingly useful, variation on the annual Christmas list.

WINDOW DRAPES FOR A SMOKY ATMOSPHERE. WHEN you live in a smoky city you often hesitate to have colored drapes at your windows. I know you do. But when you think ONE time I was Invited to take afternoon tea with a woman who had five children. When a mother of five children finds time to invite people to tea, you may rest assured there is a reason: I wondered about this, and about the mother's interesting conversation when I had met her several times at the house of a friend. She probably had money for governesses and nurse maids, I thought and yet somehow she didn't seem like that kind of a woman. She seemed as though she would be the sort to take a deep personal interest in her children. I wondered about it as I clad myself in my best bib and tucker. I wondered still more about it as my hostess ushered me into an attractive and orderly living room, and we sat and talked as though she had not a care in the world. There wasn't even a sound of a child in the house. Presently I asked her if her children were not at home "Oh, yes," she said, "they are upstairs " And then I said they must be very good children to stay upstairs, and be so quiet, all at the same time "Oh," said my hostess, "they like it! And they are really not so quiet we just don't hear them. You see, I have a nice big play room for them at the top of the house. I have It furnished with furniture that they love, and they have quantities of SUBSTITUTES DON'T you remember when lamps had decorated china bowls and shades? With glass chimneys and a hole in the bowl to pour oil through? Times have changed. Gas and electricity have overrun the world, and with them have come much better looking lamps. For I am sure that you will agree with me that those ancient lamps would have kept any room from success! This fact is occasionally demonstrated to us, for we from time to time see a few left-overs in boarding house parlors, or in homes where it is still necessary to burn oil. While I write, one of the former arises before me, a boarding house parlor in a house of massive proportions and old-time grandeur; high ceilings, four large pier-glasses, enormous doorways, several sofas, many plush covered arm chairs, and five tables, on every one of which there was a china oil lamp. I remember there was one dark red one with brass trimmings, and three with naturalistic flower decorations I forget what characterized the fifth; but I do remember that every lamp had a shade as round as a balloon. Because you have not seen this parlor, as I have, you will probably be startled when I say that there was nothing really wrong about it except the lamps; it was old-fashioned true; It was not furnished as we would furnish that room today, but it had a certain consistent stateliness which was not to be criticised, I immediately imagined how that room would have looked had the ugly old lamps been replaced by modern wooden-base ones topped by the fashionable silk shades, and I found I was much pleased with what I

A PAYING INVESTMENT

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about it, doesn't it often seem a little foolish for you to be governed entirely by this, when, if you compromised on the matter, your house would be much prettier? I know just the dissatisfaction you feel when you put up brand new and joyous hangings only to find that they smudge over night, and the smudges in time connect themselves with a dingy grayness. And your dissatisfaction deepens when you reflect that those curtains probably will not wash! Dirt is a disagreeable thing. But

toys, and they love to play with each other, and with the things. Just before you came they were playing school." "Couldn't we go up to see them after while?" I asked. "Why, yes." assented the children's mother, "we can go up now while I'm waiting for this kettle to boil." So we left the polished brass kettle and the flickering blue flame to their own devices, while we journeyed up to the top of the house, to the room that the children loved. As we approached the door we heard a small, studiously severe voice say, "That word was spelled wrong, John Oliver; you go down to the foot!" And as we opened it, there was a scuffle as John went. A tot of six was carefully spelling b-u-t-y, beauty, after the earnestly whispered advice of her eight-year-old neighbor, and the teacher, of eleven years, calmly proceeded to the next or she would have, If she had not been compelled to notice our interruption. As it was, she gravely came forward with the request that we sit down a moment until she would be at liberty. I am afraid we caused consternation in her classor at least I did for there was some embarrassment, and much uncertainty in the spelling. As soon as I could take my eyes THE CHILDREN DESERVE A ROOM OF THEIR

FOR OLD TABLE LAMPS

imaged. New lamps would have simply worked a transformation in that room. In your own little living room, when it is necessary to use an oil lamp, do not be tempted to use an ornate one; the pretentious oil lamps are in very bad taste. We have the makers to blame for this, but since there is so little necessity to provide for oil burning, they do hot deem it worth while to provide artistically for the few demands for this sort of a lamp. The only kind of oil lamp I advise is a modern make of the good old-fashioned kind which was used before the fancy ones came in; it is known for its wonderful burner, and its lack of ostentation, since it is made in plain nickel, shiny or dull brass. And I like , best of all, the plain white or yellow ribbed shade. These lamps cost, including the shade, about two dollars. Where a bit of color is very much desired, a perfectly plain silk shade could be considered for a lamp of this kind, but it must be sufficiently large to avoid the danger of fire, and yet not so large that it will make the lamp look top-heavy. THE MAKING HAVE you ever thought of making a shade for your lamp? For it really is not as difficult as you would imagine. The wire frame can be bought ready made, if you do not care to undertake this part of the matter, and its bedecking is just pure fun. .. Perhaps the easiest kind Is the plain

smoky dirt, while smudgy, is not the

most painful variety. And if you live In a smoky town you know that everyone else is contending with the same difficulty. So why not hang at your windows draperies of black grounded cretonne, that colorful and gorgeous material which does not show the dirt? And then at the windows proper you can hang sure-enough washable glass curtains of white voile. If you make two sets for each window, you may square with fate by having one set washed every week if you wish away from those charmingly serious tots, I looked with interest at the nur sery, and I did not wonder at their wishing to stay there. I found I did myself! It was a bright and sunny room, and the walls were papered in a soft tone of grayish rose. . On the floor there was a large rag rug in rose, gray and blue, and there were some sensibly plain white voile curtains at the windows, pushed back to the side just as far as possible. The furniture was real child furniture, not made-over grown-up stuff, and was painted a deep ivory almost a sand, and decorated with the cleverest animals that walk and birds that fly. There were plenty of little straight chairs in fact, one for each child, and two over; there was a bench, with a stowaway place underneath, a place for toys, and a desk, and a couple of tables, and a little push-cart for the baby. I looked at the furniture animals they were all the kind that children love; none that they could be afraid of; but dogs and ducks and bluebirds, and an owl to show them how wise they would be by and by I found, as I sat there, that I had stopped wondering at the amount of time their mother seemed to have, and I know I wouldn't, have begun again ever even if the teacher of eleven had not just then rung a bell, and school had not let out with a whoop and a bang, which, I am sure, even the tea kettle could hear. But what I did wonder was this: that more mothers do not consider a well furnished nursery an excellent investment, returning a compound interest of happiness and time! OWN Gad lighting also presents artistic difficulties, since the gas lamps are so often quite hideous. Nobody really wants one of those brass and art glass affairs, but what are they to do when that is the only gas lamp they can find in their shop? But even this has a solution when you are told that there is a certain wooden candlestick-base lamp which comes fitted for gas. It is encouraging even to know that such a thing is to be had, for if your dealer does not carry them, you may either seek elsewhere, or semi away for a lamp of this kind. It is fitted with mantle, tube, and glass chimney, and it calls for a large silk shade, like that shown on the mahogany-base lamp in the picture. The other lamps shown here are of wood also, but these are electric lamps. A very modern note is sound ed in their gilded bases, which is a beautiful finish. The lamp silhouette. ha3 changed materially since the old days of oil, and I think a lamp has as much to do with the appearance of a room as a hat has to do with a fetching costume! OF A SHADE round shade frame, to be covered with slightly fulled silk or cretonne. Material, cut the necessary width for the frame, together with allowance for turn-ins. is cut in length once and a third, or once and a half the circumference of the frame to allow for the fulness. This outer material may be sewed first on the lower rim, with the

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SOME LIVING ROOM ESSENTIALS seam turned under on to the wrong side, and then may be carefully stretched up and sewed also along the upper circle, turning in in the same manner, the fulness, which may have first been distributed on a gathering thread, being fastened in with regularity and precision. This, of course, applies to the frame which has the same circumference at top and bottom. For the fulled covering of the frame which is smaller at the top than at the bottom, an allowance for fulness is not necessary. The material is sewed on to the lower circle as described above, and enough fulness will be created when the material is stretched up on to the smaller circle. The next step in the progress of either shade Is to put in the lining. This may be of self-colored silk, if the outer material is of this, or, in the case of cretonne, a white or colored silk lining may be used. White silk linings are much used in the plain silk shades also. The lining may be put in slightly fulled or perfectly plain. It is sewed in by turning the raw edge over on to the right side of the shade, the sewing being done from the right side. The raw edge, both at top and bottom, is then covered with a tarnished gold or silver braid. If a bottom fringe is desired it should be fastened on just before the lower band of braid is sewed on. I remember once seeing and admiring a large hexagonal lamp-shade made of cretonne. It was priced at $25. And yet the materials themselves THE EXTENSION GATE

MEANS

WHICH HAVE GREAT POPULARITY had cost but little; the price was evidently for the taste and workmanship which were clearly responsible for it! charm. The cretonne was a delightfu one, made up of dull toned grape and autumnal leaves. The entire shad was bound with dull gold braid, th braid also covering the joining of th-; hexagonal pieces. There was no lin ing, and the wires were carefull. wound with narrow strips of muf-lin To make a shade of this kind, it wouk be necessary to first take a paper pat tern of one of . the hexagonal section?, adding an allowance of at least : quarter of an inch all around foi seams. The six sections should the be adjusted to the frame inside ou and basted, finally removing the whol set and sewing the sections togethe on the machine along the basted lines In the case of this lamp-shade thseams were turned on to the righ side, since without a lining it was noc essary for the wrong side to be quit neat. After stitching, the seam should be opened and pressed flat then readjusted to th wire frame ant sewed to it top and bottom, afte which the braid is sewed on. Th seams, you see, will be hidden on th right side by this braid trimming. In furnishing a room, place ever; piece of furniture where it will givt the most convenience, and by st doing, you will have, from an artistii standpoint, also gained the best effec in the room. - LEO TABLE IS A FIND