The Living RoomThe Living Room
The parlor, which opened from the dining-room, was covered with many layers of dirty wall-paper. When these were removed, it was discovered that there was a very fine wainscoting. In one corner was a three-cornered cupboard with a paneled door underneath. The fireplace was opened up, and when the room was painted it developed into one of the most charming rooms in the house. The paneling was painted just off the white, and the walls were hung with soft, gray paper with tiny pink flowers, making the color scheme of the room gray and pink. This was carried out in all the furnishings,—the chintz used for cushions and the hangings harmonizing with these tones. Instead of having all the furniture of the Colonial period, comfortable willow chairs were introduced, in order to give the light, airy touch that makes a summer home distinctive. This is a large, livable room, well-lighted by many windows and looking out upon the lawn and the garden.
The hallway is of the plain, simple type which was so common in the oldest houses. The wallsare covered with a reproduction of an old-time landscape paper, and the passage forms the division line between the old sitting-room and the dining-room. This dining-room is now used as a chamber; it is large and sunny with a wide-open fireplace. It is furnished with an Empire bed and shows everything that would have been found in the early days in a chamber of this kind, even to the spirit lamp that stands on the high mantel, the warming-pan beside the generous fireplace, the oval mirror, and the wooden cradle with its hand-woven blanket, where now sleeps a twentieth-century baby.
Two of the ChambersTwo of the Chambers
On the second story the rooms have been remodeled and show the same good taste which prevails all through the house. The unfinished attic has been plastered, papered, and converted into two bedrooms which are equipped with the old-time furnishings and are used primarily as guest rooms. The gable windows make them light and airy and at the same time afford a charming glimpse of the garden, heavy with the fragrance of the sweet-smelling blossoms, much as it was two centuries ago.
Willowdale is one of the most comfortable and well appointed of the many remodeled housesthat are found in New England. It is the possession of such a quantity of fine old woodwork that has given the house its distinctive atmosphere, though this has been preserved and heightened by the good taste of the present residents, who have succeeded in making it a most livable dwelling. Every room is well lighted and well ventilated, yet the house maintains in its renovated state all the quaintness and charm of a seventeenth-century home. It is a fine example of how an old house can be remodeled with little trouble and expense, and how the old and new can be combined harmoniously.
In remodeling a farmhouse, one should plan to build wide verandas, overlooking pleasing views. These can be glass-enclosed, so that during inclement weather one need not stay indoors. Out-door life is a part of the essentials in planning a summer home, and it means so much to the house owner that every possible means should be devised to secure it. With this object in view, why not lay out around the house attractive flower beds? Just a plain lawn does not mean much, but planted with trees, effective shrubbery, and well-planned gardens, it furnishes an inducement to sit on the porch and watch the ever changing views.
In attempting this work, plan for vistas, well-selected spaces through which one can get glimpses of the world beyond. Have an objective point in view, so that the beauty of the setting sun and the clouds clothed in rainbow hues make it more attractive. Panorama effects are always interestingand are obtained through judicious planting, for one must remember that a plain level lawn in itself has few features that attract. Let the units be carefully spaced, and if there are walks or drives near the house, lay them out where they will not detract from the picturesque effect that you desire. An exception can be made with the English or flag treads, which make a charming adjunct to the grounds when grass grown.
In the early days, the first settlers had their flower beds close to the house, probably because they did not then interfere with garden space. The effect was pleasing, for it added to the simple attraction of the early building. It is a good plan, after remodeling a house, to carry out this scheme of our forebears and have a narrow bed following the line of the house. Trees also are always effective; they break the roof line and shut off objectionable views. If you have no trees, by all means plant some. Screens can be devised by planting shrubbery, which makes unnecessary a latticed enclosure and is all the more interesting if the shrubs bear flowers, adding a bright spot to the color scheme. They are very practical as well, since they serve many purposes besides shutting off objectionable portionsof the grounds. If rightly planted, they serve as windbreaks and can be arranged to frame a vista. While evergreen is often used for this scheme, yet shrubs such as the lilac, forsythia, bridal wreath, flowering almond, and many others are suitable. Plant these so that there will be a continuation in bloom, and also with reference to a definite color scheme.
A remodeled farmhouse set back from the road without any surrounding decoration of garden or hedge cannot be picturesque, for merely a stretch of green lawn leaves it bare and uninviting, no matter how much you cover the house with vines. The composition of house and garden should be carefully planned, all the more if the estate is extensive, with plenty of land that can be used for this purpose. It is not much trouble to plant shrubs, and they need little cultivation. In the woods near at hand you can usually find plenty that will serve the purpose, if economy has to be considered.
In planting the garden there are many things to be regarded; one of the most important is the sequence of bloom. This should be arranged with a view to color effects, for nowhere will one's taste be more conspicuous than in the gardenplot which surrounds the house. There is no doubt that the harmony of color is a vital question, and complementary ones should be grouped together. Yellow should never be left out of the garden unless one wishes a very quiet effect; red is a favorite color and contrasts well with white. It must be remembered that quiet colors can be used in greater profusion than glaring ones; and if the exterior of the house is white, it permits one a much wider latitude in the choice of colors and in the arrangement of pleasing effects.
The combination of house and garden that is found on the George E. Barnard estate of Ipswich, Massachusetts, is ideal and the result of many years of careful thought. The house was originally a small and unattractive farmhouse which contained only four rooms; it was dilapidated and forlorn in appearance and situated in the midst of uncultivated grounds. It was the location which attracted the present owner, for he saw here great possibilities for development; so he purchased the estate with a view of surrounding the house with gardens.
Before RemodelingBefore Remodeling
The house has been added to, a little at a time, by throwing out here a room and there a veranda,instead of completing the whole work at once. Vine-covered verandas now surround three sides of the house; the shrubbery has been well planted.
From the time the garden was first started, it was the desire of the owner to paint in flowers what other people have painted on canvas. Steep hills that obstructed the view at the side of the house have been converted into gentle slopes; bare spots have been thickly planted, and colors have been combined so that there is no inharmonious note in the finished garden. Careful planning eliminated straight lines, but not even the slightest curve in a flower bed was made until after due consideration. The flowers were planted to fulfill, as near as possible, the scheme of a landscape picture, and each plant not in perfect harmony was removed. The effect as one sits on the veranda is like looking at an immense canvas, where the pictures change with every move, for the estate is a masterpiece of color and bloom, depicting a different phase of landscape on every side.
In remodeling the house, so many changes have been made that it is almost impossible to tell the manner in which the improvements were effected. There is not a room in the house but has been thoroughly changed, nor onethat has not been enlarged. The service quarters are all new; they have been placed in the rear, where they do not intrude on the scheme that has been carried out in remodeling—that of making an attractive house in keeping with the setting of the grounds. The main house is at the front and has been kept in practically the same general style as when purchased. The entire rear portion of the house has been added a little at a time, until now it is most complete in each and every detail.
The Front of the HouseThe Front of the House
The House from the TerraceThe House from the Terrace
Dormer windows have been let into the roof in order to give better lighting, and the wide verandas have been railed in, to provide an up-stairs living-room, from which one gets the best views of the garden. The lower veranda is furnished with well-chosen willow furniture, each piece being carefully selected so that there are no two alike. It has been given a setting of ornamental bay-trees in green tubs and huge pottery vases filled with masses of bloom. The most attractive part of the veranda is at one side of the house, where it is paved with brick and lined on the one side with evergreen trees and on the other with scarlet geraniums.
The Pergola-PorchThe Pergola-Porch
The HallThe Hall
The hall or morning-room was a part of theoriginal house. It is entered directly from the veranda and has been so treated as to present a different series of pictures from the time one enters the door until one leaves, each room which opens out of it being carefully designed for harmonious effects.
The Alcove in the Living RoomThe Alcove in the Living Room
At the left of the room is the staircase which leads to the second-story floor. The low mahogany risers and treads contrast with the white balusters which are topped with a highly polished mahogany rail. Doors have been removed so that the adjoining rooms are glimpsed as one enters from the veranda. This room is hung with a Colonial paper showing delicately tinted red flowers against a gray background, and its beauty is heightened by the leaded glass windows of the china closet at the right and the simple fireplace with its brass accessories. Every bit of furniture here is old Colonial and is upholstered in green to match the color of the hangings. A long French window opens on to the veranda and gives glimpses of the beautiful gardens. The upper portions of the old cupboards that were in the house have been glassed in. The floors have had to be re-laid.
The DenThe Den
Particularly noticeable is the den which is at the left of the hallway. Here the color schemeis green, the walls being covered with textile; the wainscot is painted white, and the hangings at the window brighten the plain effect of the wall treatment. There is no crowding of furniture, but a dignified atmosphere pervades the entire room. It is an apartment such as one loves to find—quiet and restful. These two rooms occupy the entire front of the house.
Opening from the hall is a long reception-room which was originally a part of the old house and which shows two rooms thrown into one, with an addition at the end nearest the avenue. This is done in old blue velour and is furnished in mahogany. The plain tint of the wall gives an admirable background to the fine old pictures which hang here and there. Every piece of furniture in this room is Colonial. Ionic columns outline the wide double windows. Light and air have been carefully considered in the remodeling of the entire house and have particularly been sought in designing this room, as is shown by the many windows on either side. At the farther end, to one side, a French window leads to a glassed-in veranda which is used for a breakfast-room.
This room is a feature of the house, for it has been set in the middle of the terraced groundsthat lie at the side of the house, so that one can get the full benefit of the picture garden with the slope of the hill beyond rising to meet the blue of the horizon.
In the reception-room, as in every room in the house, wooden doors have been removed and replaced by glass ones which act as windows to reveal the room beyond. It is a most unusual treatment,—this picture idea carried out inside as well as outside of the house,—for there is no spot in the whole interior where you do not get a vista of some kind.
The Dining RoomThe Dining Room
Beyond the reception-room is the dining-room. This, too, is a long, narrow room and has been added, since the house was purchased, but so fitted in that it is seemingly a part of the old house. This room is divided into a dining and a breakfast-room and is used during inclement weather. Heavy draperies make it possible to shut the rooms off from each other if desired. The entire end of the breakfast-room has been given up to groups of long French windows which are repeated on either side, making a wide bay window. Here again has the picture effect been carried out, for the windows act as a frame to the mass of harmonious blossoms beyond, with their setting of green.The dining-room proper has a paneled Colonial landscape paper; the furniture is of the Empire period, while at the farther end of the room have been let in on either side of the long windows an attractive china closet. Here, as in every room in the house, we find wainscot and the same use of white paint.
At the rear of this dining-room are the service quarters which consist of a large, sanitary, and well-equipped kitchen, butlers' pantries, servants' dining-room and sitting-room. The chambers in the second story are entirely separate from the rest of the house.
The second floor shows at the right of the staircase a most delightful morning-room which is large and square with an open fireplace. This is a particularly attractive room, for it commands magnificent views. The rest of the house is given over to chambers which are laid out in suites and furnished with old-time furniture.
There is an atmosphere about this remodeled farmhouse that is refreshing and most unusual. It has taken years to satisfactorily develop the owner's idea of combining house and garden in one harmonious color scheme. In the exterior this is changed each year, the favorite combinationbeing lavender and white. This is attained by the use of heliotrope and sweet alyssum which outline the terraced wall and which show a carpet of green for central effect.
The veranda is a harmony of green and white which is carried out in the awnings, the foliage, the willow furniture, and the white of the exterior and the balustrade. In the interior there is not a jumble of different colorings, and the rooms have been so arranged that they present a series of pictures brought about by the use of plain colors that perfectly blend. This has not been the work of a day or a year, but of ten years of careful study and is one of the most instructive lessons for those who are planning to remodel an old farmhouse and to introduce into its interior finish harmonious, restful, color schemes.
Many of the old houses still contain some fine specimens of old hardware that were used when they were built, more especially the H and L hinges and the old latches which have not been removed. The knockers have often disappeared, being more conspicuous and therefore eagerly sought, not only by collectors but by builders of new houses into which Colonial ideas have been introduced.
If you are looking for this particular feature in the farmhouse, you will probably find it widely varied, as the different owners of the house each had his own special ideas and changed the hardware to suit his tastes. Many did not realize the importance of these fixtures in retaining the sixteenth and seventeenth-century interiors.
It is absolutely necessary that the hardware should correspond in material to period. Too little thought has been given to this subject and has led to an incongruous use of hardware, leaving an impression of lack of information concerningthe correct architectural details of the house. There is a decided difference between the hardware that was used in the latter part of the sixteenth century and the early seventeenth and that we employ to-day. The twentieth-century "builders' hardware" covers a great variety of objects included in every part of the house. In Colonial times the term was applied to few, such as latches, locks, knockers, and hinges, some of which were very ornamental in design, for they ranged from small pieces to large ones.
The evolution of this special feature of the house is of interest to the house builder; it originated in the Dark Ages, at which period we find used Romanesque, Renaissance, and Gothic types in so many different forms that it is little wonder the architect turns to them for copy. The best examples are seen in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth-century houses, when the decoration of the entrance door was a very serious subject and received great attention, especially during the Colonial period. Then the knockers were of the most importance and were either of cast-iron or brass. The former were often very beautiful in design and were used on the earlier houses, for brass did not come into favor untillater. Unfortunately the waning vogue of this piece of hardware led to many rare pieces being destroyed or thrown into the melting pot. It is fortunate that some house owners realized their worth and that collectors felt they would become a fad later on and so stored them away, which accounts for many old knockers found on the market to-day.
The latch, lock, knob, and hinge are also interesting. The former is made from either iron or brass but rarely of any other metal. Before the appearance of the latch, the door-ring was used, but this it would be most difficult to locate. The thumb-latch is occasionally fanciful in design but is generally very plain and is rarely seen even in old-time houses, having been replaced by the door-knob. The most common feature, and one which we are quite apt to discover, is the long strap-hinge which was designed for a special purpose, for we must remember that in the early days wooden pins were used to fasten the door; and while they kept it compact, yet it demanded the strap-hinge also for protection. This hinge will be found in many different patterns and makes, sometimes running almost the entire width of the door, and often constructed in three sections,—theupper, lower, and central, although frequently only two were used. The ornamental ones are rarely if ever seen in farmhouses, being confined to the wealthier class. The plain iron ones were more often found, and these are of two types,—the one known as the H hinge and the other as the H and L.
Closet doors often are equipped with the H hinge which takes its name from its formation. Because of the fact that the home builders of to-day are turning their attention more and more to the use of decorative hardware, one should be very careful to retain this feature as an effective detail in the interior finish of a remodeled farmhouse.
In the town of Reading, Massachusetts, is a most attractive remodeled farmhouse that has been carefully worked out by W. P. Adden with such a regard for the preservation of old-time atmosphere that it can be considered as a fine type to copy. Not only has the exterior been carefully planned, but the owner has gone farther and made a special study of the hardware, so that the house to-day contains many wonderful examples that are correct in their treatment and add much to the atmosphere of the home.
The W. P. Adden HouseThe W. P. Adden House
This old farmhouse was originally a gambrel-roofed cottage built about 1760 and was probably a four-roomed house, as is indicated by the partitions filled with brick that were found in the center of the present house, and also by an old brick oven and fireplace which were buried up and covered over by the portion of an old brick chimney evidently added later. The additions to this dwelling, even when purchased by the present owner, had been carefully planned, so that there were no awkward joinings or incongruous jogs discernible in the outline. There is no doubt that here, as in other old farmhouses, the early builders had displayed an inherent sense of proper proportion, and the additions which were made from time to time might be said to be after-expressions of first thoughts.
When this house was first purchased, it was in an excellent state of preservation, with the exception of the ell which was past repairing. It faced directly south and had evidently been set by a compass regardless of street boundary, though the location was only a short distance from the main road. The design of the house contained all the characteristics of early construction,—the small-paned windows, closely cropped eaves,and long, unrelieved, roof line. At the time of the purchase of the estate, which had originally included hundreds of acres, it was surrounded by a low wall of field stone which had evidently been taken from the grounds to make tillage possible. The house stood on a slope and was surrounded by grass land; the same idea is carried out to-day, in that little attempt has been made at garden culture, the owner preferring to keep the estate as near as possible to the farm lands of centuries ago.
After the remodeling was commenced, many interesting facts of construction were brought to light. The north side of the house, which was originally the rear, was changed by the present owner into the main front, with entrance and staircase hall. The hall was necessarily small, and in order to make it practical, five feet of the large central chimney had to be removed, including three fireplaces and two brick ovens. It was then found that this portion had evidently been added to the house after the original chimney had been built, as an old fireplace and brick oven were found on the line of a partition on the south side of the hall. It was also discovered that in all probability the original house had a lean-toat the north which was used for a kitchen, and that this fireplace and brick oven were a part of the old room. The original chimney was found by actual measurement to be sixteen feet by seven and a half feet, and the stone foundation was the largest ever seen, being ample enough to accommodate the wide hearths as well as the chimney. In fact, to-day it takes all the central portion of the basement, leaving two small spaces on either side. In the remodeling, it was found that the original work was laid up with clay, meadow clay being taken as a binder.
The exterior required little alteration, save on the north side, where it was necessary to remove a portion of the wall in order to run the hall out under the roof of the house so that it might be two stories in height. The front of the house, which faced directly south, was left unaltered, with the exception that on the opposite side from the ell a glass-enclosed piazza was built of like width, length, and height. This afforded a ballast, as it were, to the main building and made a comfortable playroom for the children.
A new porch, arched with Colonial pillars, was built at the front of the house in keeping with the type. In the ell a second one of less formal proportionswas designed which was reached by a flagging of rough stones. A third porch of entirely different character was a finish to the rear of the house and shows lattice work, being quite ornamental in design.
The angle formed by the main building and the new ell gave space for a flower plot, and here is located a small rose garden. This is outlined by broad paths of stone; surrounding the whole are wide borders of old-fashioned flowers which lend a touch of color that is very attractive.
The StairwayThe Stairway
Entering through the front porch, one comes to a new hall, and with the exception of this, there has been little change in interior. This hall is most interesting; here are found the H and L hinges, a yellow and white Colonial wall-paper, and a staircase that divides at the landing and by easy treads leads on either side to chambers above. An old grandfather's clock is an appropriate furnishing for this part of the house. All through the lower story the old woodwork has been carefully preserved, and where it was destroyed it has been replaced.
The living-room is practically as it was when purchased. Here we find the H hinges and the old-time latches, while through the center of theroom runs a beam which had to be cased in and which has been painted white to match the trim. At one side a built-in bookcase has followed the architectural lines so perfectly that it seems as if it had been there ever since the house was built. The simple Colonial fireplace shows more ornamentation than is generally found in old farmhouses, which indicates that it was of a better type dwelling. With its new wall hangings and white trim, this room is most attractive. It connects with the sun-parlor at one end and is well-lighted and most homelike in atmosphere.
The dining-room, facing east, has had a new group of windows added and contains the largest fireplace in the house. The china closet above the fireplace was discovered when the plaster was removed for the purpose of building in a similar one. This room is fitted with H and L hinges and the old-time iron latch. It was originally a portion of the old kitchen, the remainder of it being taken for a lavatory and passageway.
All through the house we find that careful attention has been paid not only to hardware but to furnishings. No new-fashioned pieces have been used in any room in the house, and this careful attention to details has been carried out evenin the lighting fixtures, which are all of the Colonial type.
The second-story floor has undergone changes to meet the requirements of the present owner. One half of this story is devoted to the nursery; it is equipped with a large fireplace, deep closets, bath, and nurse's room, while the remainder provides a large bedroom, bath, and dressing-room. It has been so arranged that each part is distinct by itself, and convenience has been looked after in every particular.
The original attic was entirely unfinished, and when new stairs were erected in the second-story hall, there was great difficulty in finding room enough to enter the attic by the side of the large chimney.
In the remodeling of this house, comfort, a careful following of Colonial details, and an especial attention to the hardware are the salient features.
There is one thing that should be carefully considered in buying an old farmhouse,—that is, character. In order to obtain this, distinct points should be sought after and brought out. These can be accentuated not only in the house but also in its surroundings,—the garden, the trees, and the shrubbery; even the defining wall or fence does its part in making a good or bad impression on the casual passer-by.
One must remember, in dealing with subjects of this sort, that the term "farmhouses" is a varying one. These range from small, insignificant little dwellings to the more elaborate houses that were built primarily for comfort as well as shelter. There are many large, substantial dwellings, not of the earlier type, for they were erected much later, but which illustrate the progression of the farmhouse design. One looks in houses such as these for larger rooms, higher stud, and more up-to-date ideas.
The fireplaces are smaller and more ornate, for it must be remembered that as time passed on, money circulated more freely through the colonies, allowing for more extensive work and better finished details. While it is not necessary to copy the Colonial wall hangings, yet in the older houses it is much more satisfactory; still one can depart from this custom in a more elaborate house and use his own taste in selecting an attractive modern paper. Many people consider that houses restored, no matter of what period, should invariably have carefully consistent interior finish, without realization that it is sometimes better to look for character than type.
The old-time wall-papers, more especially the picturesque ones, were generally used in more expensive houses, although we find them here and there in the more simple ones. Often this feature of the interior decoration is not well carried out, the wall hangings being chosen for cheapness rather than merit.
To-day there is on the market such a great variety of papers that it is a very easy matter to get one suitable for any certain room and suggesting good taste. Many of them are reproductions of old motives, while others are plain and simplein character, giving to the room a quiet effect and providing a good background for pictures and hangings. There is nothing more restful in character than the soft grays; they are effective as a setting for stronger colors that can be used in the curtains, for this part of a room finish is as important as the wall hangings themselves. There is an indescribable charm to a room that has been carefully planned and shows good taste and restful surroundings.
In many houses, some decorative scheme has been introduced which necessitates a particular kind of wall hanging, and even though it may be most unusual in type, it illustrates a motive that has been in the mind of the owner. Houses would lack character if the same line of interior decoration were carried out in all of them. With a high wainscot and cornice painted ivory white, comparatively little paper is needed, which reduces the cost and permits a better paper than if the room had a simple mopboard and a tiny molding.
Papers that are garish and discordant in themselves, if skilfully handled, can produce harmonious effects, for it is often the unusual wall hangings that attract most. In curtaining these rooms let the same main tone be reproduced;this need not apply to every detail but to the general tone. Many people are timid in the use of odd wall-papers or curtains; they are afraid that they may look bizarre, but they should remember that color is in reality a very powerful agent in making an artistic home.
It is sometimes effective to treat a house as a whole, and then again it is better that each room should have its own individuality. Very few houses but have at least one corner that offers interesting opportunities, and it is the artistic treatment of this that helps out the harmony of the room.
There is a charming atmosphere surrounding "Quillcote," the home of Kate Douglas Wiggin, at Hollis, Maine, where Mrs. Riggs spends three months of the year. It may be that the quietness of the place lends to it additional charm, and then again it may possibly be the result of its environment.
Mrs. Kate Douglas Wiggin's Summer HouseMrs. Kate Douglas Wiggin's Summer House
The house itself is typical of the better class of New England farmhouses, and since it has come into Mrs. Riggs' possession, many alterations have been made, until to-day it is one of the most attractive farmhouses to be found anywhere. Two stories and a half in height, with a slantto the roof, it stands back from the road on a slight elevation, with a surrounding of lawns and overshadowed by century-old elms. To-day its weather-beaten sides have been renovated by a coat of white paint, while the blinds have been painted green. A touch of picturesqueness has been secured through the introduction of a window-box over the porch, bright all through the season with blossoming flowers. There is no attempt at floriculture, the owner preferring to maintain the rural simplicity of a farmhouse devoid of flowers and only relieved by the shrubbery planted around the building.
When the house was first purchased, it was not in a dilapidated condition, having been lived in by townspeople and kept in good repair. The work of remodeling has been done by the people of the village, and it has been superintended by the owner of the house, in order that her own ideas, not only in remodeling, but in decorating, should be exactly carried out. The old shed is now used as the service department, a wide veranda having been built at one side for a servants' outdoor sitting-room. At the rear of the house is the old barn, which to-day is used for a study and for entertainment purposes.
The HallThe Hall
Entrance to the house is through a Colonial door with a fanlight on either side. The owner has preferred to keep this in its original state, rather than add a porch of the Colonial type. The only porch that has been added to the house is a latticed, circular one at the side door. The entrance hall is long and narrow, the staircase also being narrow and built at one side in order to save space. The Colonial idea has been carried out here in the wainscot, and the ornamentation of hand-carving on the stairs shows it was done by a stair-builder and not by an ordinary mechanic. The lighting is from a lantern which carries out the general effect. The wall-hanging is in Colonial colors,—yellow and white,—while the rugs are the old, woven rag carpets which are repeated for stair covering. The balusters are very simple in design, while the balustrade has been painted white, thus showing it is not of mahogany.
The Dining RoomThe Dining Room
At the right is the dining-room, a bright, sunny room that has been uniquely planned to occupy the front of the house instead of the rear, as is more usual. It is a large, square room, in which little or no alteration has been made and which has been treated so as to make an effective settingto the rare old Colonial furniture. The size of the dining-room has been considered in reference to the furniture, this being one reason why Mrs. Riggs has chosen this large, square room—in order to correctly place her old mahogany pieces. The decorations are very simple and follow out the idea of Colonial days, there being no pieces that are not in actual use. The walls are hung in shades of yellow and brown, and she has been most successful in carrying out her color scheme.
The DenThe Den
The home study, or den, leads from the dining-room and has been carefully planned with an idea of restfulness. A chamber at one end has been converted into an alcove, and additional light is obtained by cutting a group of casement windows over the writing-table. The room is very simply furnished and shows marked originality. The walls are papered with woodland scenes, for it was a fad of the occupant to bring into the house by wall hangings suggestions of the outside world. While it is unique, it has a distinctly restful influence and is in tone with the fireplace, which has been decorated with unusual features and which bears the name "Quillcote." The draperies in this room are original in treatment, being decorated to order by a noted artist who has introducedhis signature in some part of the work. They are ornamented with original designs suggestive of farm life, with such subjects as wheat, apples, or corn and are covered with delicate traceries of rushes or climbing vines. The fireplace has for andirons black owls, and on either side stand altar candles. In the furnishing of the room everything has been chosen with an eye to restful effects; the owner has done away with the pure Colonial idea, using the mission type and considering comfort more than conventionality.
Two Views of the Living RoomTwo Views of the Living Room
Opposite the dining-room at the front of the house is the living-room, where further originality is found in furnishings and in scenes from nature introduced in the unique wall hangings. This room is in blue and white, the wall-paper being delft blue with a rush design over which hover gulls. Singularly enough, the idea is very pleasing. The hangings are of white muslin with blue over-curtains, while the furniture is a mixture of Colonial and modern pieces. An inglenook has been obtained through the introduction of a built-in window-seat which is covered with blue to match the tone of the paper. The furniture is all painted white, and the white fur rugs laidupon the blue floor covering give a charming effect. The decoration and furnishing of this room is quiet and restful, for those two ideas form the basis of the owner's scheme which she had in mind long before she took this house and while she lived in the old family mansion that stands just across the way. It is a comfortable, livable room and not used for state occasions alone, but for everyday needs.
Just beyond is the sitting-room in which an entirely different idea is presented. Here the china fad is evidenced in the ornamentation of priceless old plates that have been collected by the owner's sister, Miss Nora Smith, and arranged according to her taste. This room is a typical Colonial room, and the furniture shown is all of that period, even to a spinning-wheel which gives an old-time effect. From this room one passes through a door on to the rear porch, from which fine views are obtained of the little, old-fashioned garden, the pine grove opposite the house, and the winding road.
Two of the ChambersTwo of the Chambers
The second story shows large, square chambers which have been carefully planned, each following out a distinct color scheme. In one of these rooms there is a combination of lavender, white,and green, shown in wall hangings, curtains, and furnishings. The canopied Field bed, with its lavender and white spread, has been painted white. Over it has been draped a white muslin canopy. The walls are in light green and show no pictures save that of a Madonna and Child, suggestive of the author's love of children. On the mantel are several very rare pieces of Staffordshire, many of which can not be duplicated. The furniture has been painted white, with the exception of two chairs which have been treated to a coat of green.
Another room, showing wainscot and a quiet yellow and white Colonial paper, has a Field bed with white spread and white muslin canopy. Here the Colonial idea in furnishing has been strictly carried out.
An original and yet artistic room has its walls entirely covered with a dainty cretonne, the bed-covering and hangings being of the same material.
The most interesting idea in remodeling is presented by the old barn, which has been converted into a large music-room or hall, with a rustic platform at one end. Here a new floor has been laid, many windows inserted, and a few old-time settles placed, constructed of weathered wood toned by time to an almost silvery hue.Nothing else has been changed; the ancient rafters and walls remain as they were a century ago. The hall is lighted by many lanterns hanging from ceiling and harness pegs, also by curious Japanese lanterns painted especially for Mrs. Wiggin and bearing the name of the artist. The lanterns, hung from overhead, greatly relieve the somber effect of the heavy beams. At the rear of the hall a broad door space makes a frame for a pretty picture,—a field of buttercups and daisies, a distant house, and two arching elms. A large closet, once the harness-room, is fitted up with shelves and contains all the necessary china for a "spread" such as is given to the village folk several times a year, when dances are held in the old barn.
Floors are an important detail in the remodeled house. Sometimes the original building has many that are in fairly good condition so that they can be saved. There is a great advantage in keeping these old floors if possible, for they were made with plain edge, of strong timber and laid close together. The earliest floors were not double in treatment, therefore the edges had to be either lapped or rabbited.
These wide boards that were used in the early construction stand the test of furnaces and modern heating a great deal better than do modern ones of the same width. The latter are much more apt to shrink and open joints. It will be found that the better floors are in the second story in almost every house.
It is probable, however, that if you are remodeling your house, you will have to lay at least one or more floors, and in such cases, matched hemlock is the most advisable for the under floor;but the boards should be laid diagonally and close together. The usual method is to lay them matching the upper floor. It is a great mistake, even if advised to do so by an architect, to lay only one floor, for with shrinkage come cracks through which cold air and dust can rise; even a carpet does not remedy the trouble.
Hardwood boards make the most popular floors and come in varying thicknesses, the oak being generally three eighths of an inch thick and the North Carolina pine averaging seven eighths of an inch. Both are employed for new floors and for re-covering old, soft-wood ones. The narrow width of oak is more satisfactory, as the narrower the stock the smaller the space between the strips and the less danger of unsightly appearance. They may be a little more expensive than the wider ones, but they make a much better showing. Then, too, the shading and figure blend more harmoniously than when the broader strips are employed.
Narrow widths also obviate any danger of the flooring strips cupping, as they are laid and stay absolutely flat. One should be careful not to lay oak flooring while the walls and plaster are damp; in fact, if you have to do much remodeling,the floor should be the last thing attended to, as it is a better plan to get everything else done and thoroughly dried—even to painting, wall hangings, and decorating.
Hard pine is best for the kitchen, as it does not splinter, is more reasonable in price, and has fine wearing qualities. It must be taken into consideration that oak flooring is cheaper in the end than carpet. A yard of carpet is twenty-seven inches wide by three feet in length and contains six and three quarters square feet. Clear quartered-oak flooring can be bought, laid, and polished for one dollar per carpet yard, and when you consider the lasting qualities of the wood and the beauty of a polished floor, you will make no mistake to put in one of the better quality, more sanitary, and the best background for rugs, instead of laying a floor of cheap wood.
Carpets, with the exception of straw matting, are inadvisable for a home like this. They are unsanitary, hold the dust, and are not nearly as attractive as rugs. These may vary in price with the purse of the owner, and can range from Oriental rugs, costing hundreds of dollars, to the simple rag rug which is always appropriate and in good taste.
The absolute carrying out of the Colonial idea is not necessary, for it would not be appropriate to have old-fashioned rag mats in every room of the house. They can be used, however, in the dining-room or in the chambers, and to-day the woven rag carpets and mats are so attractive in their weave and so lasting that they are satisfactory adjuncts to the house furnishings. In the parlor and living-room, while they can be used if desired, there are so many attractive low-priced rugs, both Oriental and domestic, that it is an easy matter to get something both suitable and in good taste.