THE COMPLETE HOME Class _T)( n5 Bnok_ ■ L3 Coi]yri^lrtN°_ COPVRIGHT Dtposrr rhe COMPLETE HOME The COMPLETE HOME ^ * EDITED BY CLARA E. LAUGHLIN D. APPLETON AND COMPANY NEW YORK i9or LIBHARYo) CONGRESS Two Ceclt! Received NOV If) 1906 cuss A XXcf, No, ^ COPY B. ^' CopVRioHT, 1006, nv D. APPLETON AND COMPAjrT Publisltcd November, 1006 CONTENTS CHAPTER I CHOOSING A PLACE TO LIVE By Oliver R. Williamson PAGE Taste and expedience — ^Responsibilities — Renting, buying or building — Location — City or country — Renunciations — Schools and churches — Transportation — The butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker — The home acre — Comparative cost in renting — ^The location sense — Size of lot — Position — Outlook and inlook — ^Trees — Income and expenditure — Style — Size — Plans for building — Necessary rooms — ^The sick room — Room to entertain — ^The "living room" — ^The dining room and kitchen — The sleeping rooms — ^Thinking it out 1-28 CHAPTER II FLOORS, WALLS, AND WINDOWS By Oliver R. Williamson The necessity of good floors — Material and cost of laying — Ornamental flooring — ^Waxed, varnished, and oiled floors — Carpets, linoleum, and mats — ^The stairway — Rugs — Oriental rugs — Kitchen and upper floors — Matting and cardoman cloth — Uses of the decorator — Wood in decora- tion — ^Panels and plaster — The beamed ceiling — Paint, paper, and calcimine — Shades and curtains — Leaded panes and casements — Storm windows .... 29-51 V vi CON'll.NrS CHAlTi;!; Ill LlOnriNO AND HICATINO By OUVEIl U. WlIXIAMHON PAOB Necessity of sunliKht — Kcrosf-nc — Tttis and matches — Electric li^ht — PlcjusinR arrangement — Adaptability — Protection — HcKuIat- stantiality — Superfluity — Hall furniture — The family chairs — The tabic — The davenport — Bookcases — Sundries — Wil- low furniture — The dining table — Discrirmnation in choice 71-90 CHAPTER V HOUSEHOLD LIXEN By Sarab Cory Rippet Linen, past and present — Bleached and "half-bleached" — Damask — Quality — Design — Price and size — Necessary • supply — Plain, hemstitched, or drawn — Doilies and table dressing — Centerpieces — Monograms — Care of table linen — How to launder — Table pads — Ready-made bed linen — Price and quality — Real linen — Suggestions about towels 91-111 CHAPTER VI THE KITCHEN By Sarah Oory Rippey The plan — Location and finish — The floor — The windows — The sink — The pantry — Insects and their extermination — The CONTENTS vii PAGE refrigerator and its care — Furnishing the kitchen — ^The stove — The table and its care — The chairs — The kitchen cabinet — Kitchen utensils 112-136 CHAPTER VII THE LAUNDRY By Sarah Cory Rippey Laundry requisites — ^The stove and furnishings — ^Irons and holders — Preparing the "wash" — Removing stains — Soaking and washing — Washing powders and soap — Wash- ing woolens — Washing the white clothes — Starch — Colored clothes — Stockings — Dainty laundering — How to wash silk — Washing blankets — ^Washing curtains — Tidying up and sprinkling — Care of irons — How to iron . . 137-159 CHAPTER VIII TABLE FURNISHINGS By Sarah Cory Rippey Dining-room cheer — Stocking the china-cupboard — The groundwork — Course sets — Odd pieces — Silver and plate — • Glass — Arrangement — Duties of the waitress — The break- fast table — Luncheon — Dinner — The formal dinner — The formal luncheon — Washing glass — ^Washing and cleaning sil- ver — How to wash china — Care of knives . . . 160-182 CHAPTER IX THE BEDROOM By Sarah Cory Rippey Light and air — Carpets versus rugs — Mattings — Wall cover- ing — Bedroom woodwork — Bedroom draperies — Bedroom furnishing — Careful selection — ^Toilet and dressing tables — Further comforts — ^The bedstead — Spring, mattress, and pillows — Bed decoration — Simplicity — Care of bedroom and bed — Vermin and their extermination . . . 183-207 viii CON'ri-ATS (HAITKH X TlIK HATH UOOM Ity Ol.IVEIl It Wll.I.IAMHOM PAfiE PlumbinR — Hath room Inratioii :iii' — The cIos«'t — Hot water and how to (l^ci it — Hath room fittings . 20&-'223 cnArTF:R xi CELLAK, ATTIC, AND CLOSETS By Sarah Cory Rippet The cellar floor — Ventilation — The partitioned cellar — Order in the cellar — Shelves and closets — The attic — Order and care of attic — Closets — ^The linen closet — Clothes closets — The china closet — Closet tightness — Closet furnishings — Care of closets and contents 224-243 CHAPTER XII HANGINGS, BRIC-A-BRAC, BOOKS, AND PICTURES By Sarah Cory Rippey The charm of drapery — Curtains — Portieres — Bric-a-brac — The growth of good taste — Usefulness with beauty — Con- siderations in buying — Books — ^Their selection — Sets — Binding — Paper — Pictures — Art sense — ^The influence of pictures — (;)il paintings — Engravings and photographs — Suitability of subjects — Hanging of pictures . . 244-268 CHAPTER XIII THE NICE MACHINERY OF HOUSEKEEPING By Sajiab Cory Rippky Monday — Tuesday — Wednesday — Thursday — Friday — vSaturday — House cleaning — Preparation — Cleaning ilrap- eries, rugs, caipets — Cleaning mattings and woodwork — Cleaning beds 269-291 CONTENTS ix CHAPTER XIV HIRED HELP By Sarah Cory Rippkt PAGE The general housemaid — How to select a maid — Questions and answers — Agreements— The maid's leisure time — Dress and personal neatness — Carelessness — The maid's room — How to train a maid — The daily routine — Duties of cook and nurse — Servant's company 292-313 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGE A $3,400 House Frontispiece - A Unique Arrangement of the Porch 16 A Homelike Living Room 24 ^ An Attractive and Inexpensive Hall 32 An Artistic Staircase Hall 36 An Oriental Rug of Good Design : Shirvan .... 40 Good Examples of Chippendale and Old Walnut . , . 74 ' A Chippendale Secretary 78' The Dining Room 88 The Kitchen 114 " The Laundry 138 / Wedgwood Pottery, and Silver of Antique Design . . . 166 A Collection of Eighteenth-century Cut Glass . . . .170 The Bedroom 194 The Bathroom 212 - The Drawing-room 254 /• xi THE COMPLETE HOME CHAPTER I CHOOSING A PLACE TO LIVE BLESSED indeed are they who are free to choose where and how they shall live. Still more blessed are they who give abundant thought to their choice, for they may not wear the sackcloth of discomfort nor scatter the ashes of burned money. TASTE AND EXPEDIENCE Most of us have a theory of what the home should be, but it is stowed away with the wedding gifts of fine linen that are cherished for our perma- nent abode. We believe in harmony of surround- ings, but after living, within a period of ten years or so, in seven different apartments with seven different arrangements of rooms and seven differ- ent schemes of decoration, we lose interest in suit- ing one thing to another. Harmony comes to mean 1 8 'I'm: co.Mri.i/ri: iio.mi: simply ,i;()()(l terms witli tlic .j.'niit(»i\ ( )r if (])oincj beginners) we have some sueli prospect of nomadic living lacing us, and we are at all knowing, we realize the utter helplessness of demonstrating our good taste, ])urchase any bits of furniture that a vagrant fancy may fasten upon, and give space to wliatever gimcracks our friends may foist upon us, trusting tliat in tlie whirligig of removals the plush rocker, the mission table, and the brass parlor stand may each find itself in harmony with some- thing else at one time or another. Some day we shall l:>e freed from the tyranny of these conditions, and then ! RESPONSIBILITIES But when the time comes to declare our inde- pendence of landlord and janitor, or at least to exchange existence in a flat for life in a rented cottage, we find that freedom brings some perplex- ing responsibilities as well as its blessings. Even if our hopes do not soar higher than the rented house, there is at least the desire for a reasonable permanency, and we have no longer the excuse of custom-bred transitoriness to plead for our lack of plan. Where the home is to be purchased for our very own the test of our individuality becomes CHOOSING A PLACE TO LIVE 3 more exacting. A house has character, and some of the standards that apply to companionship ap- ply to it. In fact, we live with it, as well as in it. And if we have a saving conscience as to the im- measurability of home by money standards we are not to be tempted by the veriest bargain of a house that does not nearly represent our ideals. To blunder here is to topple over our whole Castle of Hope. RENTING, BUYING OR BUILDING But the test is most severe of all when good fortune permits us to choose locality, site, and building plans, and to finish and furnish the house to suit our tastes, even though less in accordance with our full desires than with our modest means. Now we may bring out our theory of living from its snug resting place. It will need some furbish- ing up, maybe, to meet modern conditions, but never mind! Whether we mean to rent, to buy, or to build, the problem of where and what and how is before us. As folk of wholesome desires, we insist first of all upon good taste, comfort, and healthfulness in our habitats ; and since we may agree upon the best way to attain these essentials without ignor- 4 nil. I D.Mi'i.i.i 1. iiD.Mi: inp onr porsonal itrofon-nfofi In dotiiils, we may ItroliUiMy take counsel together as to what the Dew borne should Ik?. LOCATION Tliouplit of a location sliould lx»pin with the liirth of the home idea, even if the purchase-money l)e not immediately avaihihh', "We should not only take suflicient time to study conditions and scheme carefully for tlie home, but must sagaciously bear in mind that where real estate is in active demand anxiety to purchase stiffens jirices. T >-H w o CHOOSING A PLACE TO LIVE 25 schemes later on will be misapplied. Families dif- fer as to their dispositions toward rooms. Most of us would not think of calling for an old-fash- ioned parlor in a small house nowadays, but merely to change the name from " parlor " to " living room " doesn't change our habits. The living room is meant to take the place of parlor, library, recep- tion hall, and sitting room. If the family adjust themselves to it a great saving of space is effected, and the home life is given added enjoyment. Not all of us, however, can fit ourselves to new ideas, and it is better to suit ourselves than to be uncom- fortable and feel out of place in the home. The living-room plan in a small house reduces the reception hall to something little more than a vestibule, but where six rooms are exceeded the reception hall may be enlarged and made service- able. The first impression counts for much, not only with our guests but with ourselves, and if the hall be appropriately finished and fitted it seems fairly to envelop one with its welcome. One thing that must be insured, whatever form the entrance may take, is that it shall not be necessary to pass through the living room to reach other parts of the house. ^w '11 II-: co.Mi'Li/n: iio.mi: THE DINING ROOM AND KITCHEN Vastness is not essential to tlie dining room. Under usual conditions we are not likely to seat more than a dozen jjersons at our table, and a din- ner j)arty exceeding that number is too large for common enjoyment. Connection with the kitchen should be convenient without having the proximity too obvious. City kitchens are now usually made just large enough to accommodate required para- ])hernalia and to afford sufficient freeway for the cook. Many families do no home baking, and where fruit and vegetables are preserved the base- ment is utilized. Compactness in the kitchen saves hundreds of steps in the course of a day, and though it is difficult for us to forget the spacious room thought necessary by our parents, we may well learn, for our own comfort, to profit by the modern reasoning that opposes waste space. Still, it is better to defy modern tendencies and even to l)ain the architect than that the faithful house- keei)er who clings tenaciously to the old idea should be made miserable. Some persons feel per- petually cramped in a small room, whereas others only note the snugness of it. CHOOSING A PLACE TO LIVE 27 THE SLEEPING ROOMS The general well-being of the family is more directly affected by the character of the bed cham- bers than by any other department of the house. However we may permit ourselves to be skimped in the living rooms, it is imperative that the sleep- ing apartments should be large — not bamlike, of course — well lighted, dry, and airy. Three large rooms are in every way preferable to four small ones. It is, to be sure, sometimes difficult to put the windows where they will let in the sunlight, the registers where they will heat, and the wall space where it will permit the sleeper to have fresh air without a draught. But marvels in the way of ingenious planning have been evolved where neces- sity, the mother of invention, has ruled; and as- suredly there is no greater necessity than a health- ful bedroom. The children's bedroom in the house of six to eight rooms is likely to be utilized as a nursery or playroom on rainy days or in winter. It should have an abundance of sunlight. The largest and best room of all should be used by the heads of the household. To reserve the choicest apartment for the chance guest is an absurdity that sensible .'^H 'I'll!': (OMiM.iyi'i: momk jK'ojilc lia\'(' .MltamloiKMl. If we iimsl, wo may sur- T-ciidcr our room t('mp()raiily (o the visitor, l)iit tlio persons who live in a house twelve mouths of the year are entitled to the best it afTords. Flat living has taught us to make use of all our rooms, and i)erhaps its influence is against hospitality ; Init we need not neglect that verv' important feature of a liapjDy home in doing ourselves simple justice. THINKING IT OUT If we would be quite sure of it — to use a Hiber- nianism — we should live in our house at least a year before it is built. We need an imagination that will not only perceive our castle in all its stages of construction but will picture us in pos- session. Advice is not to be disdained, and a good architect we shall find to be a blessing; but the happiness of our home will be in double measure if we can feel that something of ourselves has gone into its creation. And this something we should not expect to manifest genius, or even originality, but tasteful discrimination. CHAPTER II FLOOKS, WALLS, AND WINDOWS TRADITION has established the condition of her floors as the prime test of a good house- keeper, and the amount of effort that faith- ful homemakers have had to waste upon splintery, carelessly laid cheap boards would, if it could be represented in money, buy marble footing for all of us. But we don't want marble floors. We are not building a palace or a showplace, but a house to live in. We are not seeking magnificence, but comfort and durability (which are almost always allied), as well as sightliness (which is not always in the combination). THE NECESSITY OF GOOD FLOORS Happily, when we come to floors we find that those which may be depended upon to endure and to give their share of home comfort are also the best to look u^Don. It would be agreeable to say, 29 30 Tin: co.MPiJ/ri: iio.mi: t'urllior, that tliey cost least, but that would be mis- Icadiiiir. Tin's l)ook fails to say not a few things that would be interesting Imt whicli wouldn't be of much real use to the liomemaker, because they aren't so. Leaving the everlastingly pestiferous question of cost aside, what is the best all-around flooring? Well, so far no one has been able to suggest any- thing that seems so a]ipro]^riate as a good quality of hard wood — wliich means oak or maple, or both — properly treated and, above all, laid down as it should be. The flooring is a permanent part of the house, or, if it isn't, we'll certainly wish it had been. As it is subject to harder and more constant usage than any other part of the structure, it must be strong, and it must have a surface that will re- sist wear, or we shall simply store up trouble for the future. It is also a part of the decorative scheme, and as such must help to furnish the key- note of our i)lans. All these requirements are met by hard wood. It is possible, we maj' admit, to have a happy and comfortable home with cheaper flooring; but the price that is not ])ni(l in money will be after- wards collected with interest in effort and sacrifice of satisfaction. Doubtless it is not wise, as some FLOORS, WALLS, AND WINDOWS 31 one suggests, to put so much money into our floors that we cannot afford to buy anything to put on them ; but in many instances the appearance of our house interiors would be much more pleasing if fewer pieces of superfluous furniture were brought in to cover the floors. At any rate, the longed-for furniture may be " saved up for " and bought later ; a mistake in floors to start with is hard to rectify. MATERIAL AND COST OF LAYING Oak flooring comes in narrow, thin strips of plain- or quarter-sawed. At this writing the plain- sawed costs, laid, usually 16 cents per square foot. It will never be cheaper. Where quarter-sawed is desired, a cent per foot must be added. Borders, which are by no means essential, cost from 20 to 45 cents per lineal foot (laid). In a country house, where local artisans do the laying, the expense may be somewhat less for labor. But it must be remem- bered that fine floor laying is a trade of itself, and that the time to make sure of the work being prop- erly done is when the wood is put in. If the build- ing is properly constructed, a bulging or cracked floor is unnecessary. At all events, if we are in doubt as to the village carpenter's skill, we would do well to pay the few dollars extra for the expert 32 TTTi: f oMi'i.iyn: iun\K froiii llic city. ( 'arct'iil inoasuroiiicnts arc also iiii- jjortaiit. csju'cially with lionlcrs aixl jianjUL'try. ORNAMENTAL FLOORING The liall, if lar^c, will permit of rallior more elaborate treatment than tlie rooms which are to be constantly occui)ied. Xo part of the house that is in use for hours at a time should be at all over- elaborated, i:)articularly in its unchangeable fea- tures. Care must be taken even in the hall to avoid any freakish combination that will either stand out conspicuously or demand a like treatment of the walls. Some folk like tiling in the hall, and if we have little more than a vestibule, tiling is quite satisfac- tory. It is durable and can be easily cleaned. But if the hall be of the medium or generous size, par- (juetry will be found more approvable if the ex- pense can be alTorded. The designs are richer without being so glaring as many of the tile effects, and the wood seems to have less harshness. Rub- })er tiling, however, has been found useful in jilaces where there is frequent jiassing in and outdoors, and has been developed in some pleasing designs. The additional cost for parquetry is not for- midable in a moderate-sized hall. Prices range FLOORS, WALLS, AND WINDOWS 33 from 20 to 40 cents per square foot, according to design. We sliall be wisely guided in choosing a simple square arrangement that will not protest against any passable decoration of the walls. Un- less the hall is spacious borders would better be omitted. They need to have the effect of running into hearths and stairways, and in a narrow pas- sage the center will be too crowded. Dining room and living room suggest the quar- ter-sawed flooring, the former admitting perhaps the stronger border, unless the two rooms are in such direct connection that they require continuous treatment. Upstairs, plain-sawed will do nicely for the hall and chambers, and also for the bath- room if it is not tiled. Borders, of course, may be dispensed with here, as there should be no sug- gestion of overornamentation in the permanent features of a sleeping room. For the kitchen hard maple is found to serve well. One may not find it amiss to inquire into the merits and costs of composition and rubber tiling, but they are not essential to comfort and cleanliness. Here we are concerned with essen- tials ; it is fully understood that we have our own permission to go farther afield in pursuit of more costly things if we choose. 34 THE coMri.i:'! i: iio.mi: WAXED, VARNISHED. AND OILHD FLOORS Unless there aio small cliildren, expert opinion and llic (Icmaiids ol' licaiity favor waxed Moors. Ordinarily the floor must be rewaxed aoout every three months, Init a pound of wax, that will cover two ordinary sized rooms, costs only 50 cents, and it may be applied by anyone. To keep the floors in best condition the wax brush should be passed over them every fortnight. Varnish floors scratch but are not affected by water, and on the whole are rather more popular than oil or wax. They cost something less to maintain, and are less conducive to embarrassing gja^atics on the part of dignified persons wearing slippery shoes. If we may not demand oak or maple floors, well- laid Georgia pine, carefully oiled or varnished, would be our next choice. There is a large saving in initial expense, and perhaps some one else will be using them five years from now ! Though we cannot expect to get anything like e(|ual satisfac- tion from the cheaper wood as compared with oak, if we do feel bound to adopt it we shall have less cause for complaint later if we view very carefully the material and the operations of laying and fin- FLOORS, WALLS, AND WINDOWS 35 ishing. Poor workmanship can spoil the best of materials ; what it can do with cheaper stuff is ab- solutely unmentionable. Paint may be used on the upper floors and even limited to a border in the bedrooms. CARPETS The floors would not be quite so important if we were planning to entirely cover up their beau- ties or their uglinesses with another kind of beauty or ugliness in the form of carpets. But experience has long since made it clear to all of us that rugs are not only more healthful and in better taste, but, taken by and large, give less trouble to the housekeeper than carpets. Owing to the fixed posi- tion of the latter they are, too, quality for quality, less durable. It is true that in some parts of the house a rug or carpet fastened down may be de- sirable, but with good floors no such thing will suggest itself in the living rooms at least. LINOLEUM AND MATS Where a very small vestibule is substituted for the reception hall a parquetry or tile flooring would be left uncovered. Over a cheap floor a good quality of linoleum, costing about 50 cents M) Tin; ( oMi'i.i/ri: iioMi: I)or S(|U.'in' yjird, iii;iy lie iiliiced, A smnll mat of Ticat (l('sijj:ii, it' such <;iii lie fouiu], will take care of lliose jKTSons who iiave tlie i'oot-scrapin^ liabit, i"(',i,Mi(ll('ss of wliat tliey sfTaj)0 ii])on, tliou*?li the mat outside should do llic important woi'k. Serv- iceable mats are seldom things of beauty. As they come under the liead of flooi- covei-ings, it may be well to note that the best quality leather mat, guar- anteed to last twenty years, costs $1.25 a square foot. A fair imitation may be had for less than half that figure, and has the same proportion of value. The open-steel mat that serves best with tenacious mud costs 50 cents j^er square foot, and for rubber we must add a half or double the price, depending on whether we demand the made-to- order article or are content with stock. The old reliable cocoa mat may be had from 35 cents per square foot up, and is quite as useful and scarcely uglier than the others. THE STAIRWAY For appearance' sake, if our stairway is well constructed of good woods, we should forbear to hide it. But there is no place in the house where little AVillie can more effectively proclaim to all the household world his possession of double-nailed AN AETISTIC STAIRCASE HALL. FLOORS, WALLS, AND WINDOWS 37 heels tlian on the unprotected rises of the stairway. Even the tiny heels of the mistress of the home seem to clump like the boots of a giant in their numberless journeys up and down. So the hall runner must have a place. Perhaps the carpet will be of red or green, depending on the walls, but it need cost little more than $1 per yard for a fair quality. It is put down with stair pads ($1 per dozen) and ordinary tacks, and the expendi- ture of 10 cents per yard for a professional layer will not be regretted. The amateur who can do a really good job on a stair carpet is a rarity. RUGS The Biglow Bagdad domestic rug in 27 by 54 and 36 by 63-inch sizes is inexpensive but looks and wears well in the hall. The first size costs about $4 and the second $7. A little better qual- ity in Anglo-Indian or Anglo-Persian costs a dol- lar or so more per rug. Where there is constant direct use in the hall we will do wisely to get either a moderate-priced article that may be renewed or something expensive that will wear indefinitely. Sometimes the latter is the more economical plan. Very often halls are so shaped that a rug must be made to order. It is better to do this and have a 4 38 Tin: (o.MiM.i/n: tiomi: good-siz('(l rui; lliat will lie well than to risk trip- ])iiii^ and slipi)in^ wilh smaller ones. l^\)r tlic living room a variety of choice in rugs is offered. Attempts to utilize a number of small rugs are not usually joyous in their outcome; besides, the floor space is too badly broken ii]». The large center rug holds its own, with some reenforce- ment in tlie alcove or perhaps before the hearth. \\niat quality the rug shall be depends largely u])on the length of our purse; yet sagacity and a modest fund will sometimes do more than plethora and no thought. Design selection is a task to vex the most patient, but we must not be drawn into a hurried decision. If we are near enougli to tlie business house with which we are dealing, it is advisable to have a selection of rugs sent out for inspection on the floors. Seen in the salesroom and in our house they may present different aspects. Generally si:>eaking, the showiest designs are in the cheaper goods, and the showier a cheap article is the quicker its shoddy qualities will be made manifest. Therefore, if we must count the pennies on our living-room rug, let us select a simple de- sign with a good body — something that will be unobtrusive even when it begins to aj[)peal for replacement. FLOORS, WALLS, AND WINDOWS 39 There is a considerable range of Wiltons, from the so-called Wilton velvet to the " Royal " Wil- ton. They are by no means the cheapest, though one may go fabulously beyond them in price; but their popularity shows them to be a good average quality, suited to the home planned on a modest scale. Body Brussels, although not affording such rich effects, also has many friends, and tapestry Brussels may be considered. There are names in- numerable for rugs and carpets, some of which have little real significance. If one knows a good design when it is seen, a little common-sense obser- vation of weights and weave and a thoughtful comparison of prices will help to secure the best selections. Here are some specimen sizes and prices quoted by one establishment: Size. Body Brussels. Biglow Bagdad. Anglo-Indian. 6.0 X 9.0 118.00 22.50 25.00 32.50 35.00 42.50 $25.00 30.00 35.00 45.00 52.50 60.00 $30.00 8.3 X 10.6 45.00 9.0 X 10.6 50.00 10 6 X 12.0 65.00 10.6 X 13.6 75.00 11.3 X 15.0 80.00 Saxony Axminster, 9 by 12, is priced at $45, and is considered to be more serviceable than most grades of Wilton. 40 Till-: co.Mi'i.i/ri: iio.mi: For the (lining room tlie })roblc'ni is a])oiit the same as for tlie jjrincipal apartment. Tlie rug need not be so expensive as the one in tlie living room, but it must assuredly l^e of the enduring sort. Tlie Scotch Caledon rugs sometimes solve the diftieiilty here. Indeed, they are not out of place in a really "homey" living room or elsewhere in the house. They are made of wool, woven like an ingrain, with no nap, and are especially pleasing for their artistic soft colorings, mostly in green or blue two-tone effects. They are, strictly speak- ing, not reversible, but some designs will permit use on both sides. AATiile they do not wear quite so well as a Wilton, they come at least a fifth cheajier. Prices range from $9 for a -i.G by 7.G to $45 for a 12 by 15. The sizes we have mentioned are standard. If our rooms have been j^lanned in such wise as to require rugs to order we shall have to add ten per cent to our expenditures. ORIENTAL RUGS The sul),ieet of oriental rugs, to be intelligently discussed, would require an entire book, and there are books that may be and should be studied by those who can afford orientals. Most of us can- AN OEIENTAL EUG OF GOOD DESIGN: SHIEVAN, FLOORS, WALLS, AND WINDOWS 41 not. There are, indeed, good reasons for the high cost of the genuine oriental, in its superior color- ing, wide range of design, and wonderful dura- bility. The right sort grows richer with age. But our plans are not so much for posterity as for present uses, and we can get along very well with- out testing our wits in the oriental rug market. It is a test of wits, for there are no standards of size or price, and spurious goods sometimes get into the best of hands. Small Daghestans and Baloo- chistans may be had even lower than $20, but any- thing we would care to have in living room or dining room would take $150 to $200 from our bank account. KITCHEN AND UPPER FLOORS In the kitchen, and perhaps in a rear vestibule, unless the floor is of a sort to be easily wiped up, linoleum may be demanded. The upper hall will require a continuation of the stair runner, with perhaps a rug if it broadens out at the landing. For the bed chambers the question of individual use must be thought of. Brussels rugs will do in most cases. A large rug means considerable shift- ing to get at the floor, but is the more comfortable. Smaller rugs will permit sweeping under the bed 42 THE COMPLETi: HOME witlioul moving it I'nr, and slumld he jilarcd under llic casters, wliicli will injure the liard-wood fJoors if allowed to rest directly thereupon. MATTING AND CORDOMAN CLOTH Next in choice would be to s])end 25 or 30 cents a yard for matting and cover the entire floor, add- ing one or two rugs to head off the sliivery feeling that arises from a contact of hare feet with cold matting on a winter morning. The casters will cut the matting, too; we must look out for that. A border of flooring, painted or not, may be left; but generally, if anything is to be fastened down, it should cover the entire space, avoiding the ugly accumulation of dust that othei'wise gathers under the edges. More expensive than matting, but likely to be quite satisfactory, is cordoman cloth, a floor cover- ing that comes in plain colors and may be easily swept and wii)ed up. It costs from 45 to 55 cents per yard, and the wadded cotton lining that goes with it is very cheap. Considering its greater durability than matting, cordoman is really the more economical, and the homemaker will do well to investigate its merits. FLOORS, WALLS, AND WINDOWS 43 CHILDREN'S ROOM AND "DEN" For the children's room linoleum will probably stand the wear and tear, prove more hygienic, and do as much toward deadening noise as anything short of an impossible padding could do. On the porch a crex-fiber rug or two — the sort that stand rain and resist moths — may be desired, but they can wait until we are settled and have found our bearings. The " den," if there is to be one, or the separate library, may in the one instance be left to individual caprice, in the other to good judg- ment in suiting it to the prevailing thought. USES OF THE DECORATOR If we have not done so before, when we take up consideration of the walls we will, if we can afford it, call in a professional decorator. First, of course, we will make sure that he really may be of service to us, for his duty is to give practical and artistic development to the more or less vague ideas of which we have become possessed, and if he seems, from examples of previous work, to be wedded to a " style " of his own that would not jibe with our aspirations, we would better try to struggle along without him. 4i 'I'm: coMiM.i/i'i: iiomi: r>ii1 it is ])Ossil)lo to secure the sei'\iees of a decorative artist for a siiiii not necessarily tremen- dous, and if we get bold of a sensi])le fellow liis advice will be, in the end, worth much more than the extra outlay. If he is a sincere artist, he will l)lan just as carefully for a modest six-room cot- tage as for a mansion, and lie will be able to take the good points of our own schemes and adapt them to expert a])plication without making us feel too insignificant. Explicit advice as to decoration, where there are thousands of us, each in different circumstances and with variant tastes, would be rather an absurd- ity. We may emphasize to ourselves, however, a few phases of the decorative problem in which lack of thought would lose to us some of the joys of a house perfected. If we are not to employ a decorator we must study out the problem for ourselves. To leave it for the painter and paperhanger to settle would be a fatal error. Much knowledge may be gained by the study of books and magazine articles, pro- vided they are very recent. It will be advisable to weigh this knowledge in the scales of practical ob- servation, however, in houses of late date. This is not so much because of changes in fashion as for FLOORS, WALLS, AND WINDOWS 45 the reason that improvements in process are always being made, and even the omnipresent folk who write books sometimes overlook a point. Concern- ing fashion, which of course has its sway in deco- ration, we will remember that the simplest treat- ment survives longest. WOOD IN DECORATION It seems that with the steady increase in cost of lumber we have grown more and more to appre- ciate the beauty of our woods. At any rate, wood is being used more extensively than ever in inte- rior finishing. This is in some ways a healthy tendency, as it makes for simplicity and admits of artistic treatment at a reasonable cost. Hall, living room, and dining room, for in- stance, may be treated with a high or low wood wainscoting and wooden panels extending to a wooden cornice at the ceiling. The wood may be a weathered oak, and between the panels is a rough plaster in gray or tinted to suit the house scheme. Friezes and plastic cornices are somewhat on the wane, in smaller houses at least ; though, of course, they will never go out of use altogether. 4() 'I'm: coMi'i.i/ri: momi: PANIiLS AND PLASTIiR Tills ]tlastcr cfTcct is less ex])OTisivo than 40- c'L'iit burlaj) or ordinary white calciniiuc or paper. The ])icture molding may be at the bottom of the cornico. Sometimes the coraiee is droj)ped to a k'vcl with the tops of the doors and windows (usu- ally about seven feet), leaving a frieze of two or three feet, the molding then going to the top of the cornice. Ceilings and friezes of ivory or light yellow are usually in good taste. The living room may carry out the panel and 2:)laster eifect, but is more likely to demand a sim- ple paper of good quality with no border. Here, as in the hall, the wooden (or plastic) cornice with no frieze is suggested. Grilles are discarded, and portieres are avoided where possible. THE BEAMED CEILING In the dining room the beamed ceiling has been found so appropriate that it continues popular. It is simple, easily maintained, and has the broad, deep lines that put one at ease. Here it is advisable to carry a wooden wainscoting up to about Sh feet, the panels continuing to the ceiling. Tapestry, burlaj), or i)laster may show above. Plate shelves FLOORS, WALLS, AND WINDOWS 47 are somewhat in disfavor, partly because of abuse and partly because the tendency is to eliminate all dust-catchers that are not necessities. Where doors and windows are built on a line (as they should be), shelves are sometimes placed over them. But there should not be too many broken lines if we would preserve the comfortable suggestion of the beamed ceiling. PAINT, PAPER, AND CALCIMINE For the kitchen, painted walls, which can be easily wiped off, and resist steam, are preferable to calcimine. Tiling halfway up will be found still better, but tiling paper, which costs more than painting, is scarcely to be chosen. For the bed- rooms the professional decorators are disposed to overelaboration. A simple paper, costing 15 to 35 cents per roll, is best, or even plain calcimine, which many persons consider more healthful. The latter costs only $3 or $4 a room and may be renewed every year or two. Very nice effects are had in a Georgia-pine panel trimming running to a wood cornice, and in natural wood or painted white. With this the ceiling should be plain white, and if bright-flowered paper is used, pictures should be discarded. Lively colors, if not too glaring, give IS Tin: coMri.i'/ri: homi: a cliccrful ,"is|i<'ct to tlic rnoiii, but tlic safer plan is to stick to siiiiplicity. In the cliildren's room a tlirce-foot wood wains- coting is desirable. Part of this may bo a })laok- Ijoard without costing more, and at the top a shelf can be placed for toys. Figured nurserj- papers cost, per roll, fiom 35 to 75 cents, and will be a never-ceasing source of delight. If tlie walls are not papered they should be ])ainted, for reasons that need not be suggested. Isn't it wonderful how far a three-foot boy or girl can reach? SHADES AND CURTAINS We have not advanced much in the production of window shades that will let in light and air, shut out the gaze of strangers, hold no shadows, match interior and exterior, fit properly, work with ease, cost little, and last forever. The ordinary opaque roller shade still has no serious rival, and usually the best we can do is to see to it that we get a good quality which is not always reliable, rather than a l)Oor quality, which never is. The good old lace curtains that were the pride of the housekeeper's heart and the jest of the mas- culine members of the household seem to have had their day. It has been a long one, and any article FLOORS, WALLS, AND WINDOWS 49 that holds sway for so lengthy a period must have had some merit. But the soft chintz, linen, madras, or muslin is now the vogue, and there is much good sense in the innovation. No lace cur- tain ever made could be both artistic and service- able; some persons go so far as to say that they never were either, but we have too much reverence for tradition to be so iconoclastic. However, they certainly were expensive if they were good enough to have, were difficult to wash, and usually caused a dead line to be drawn about the very choicest part of the room. Linen curtains, costing from 50 cents to $1.25 a yard, may be had in a set or conventional design or plain applique. Chintz and muslin cost less, and some remarkably pretty effects in madras are obtainable. Curtains now sensibly stop at the bottom of the window instead of dragging upon the floor. Besides shades and curtains the window ques- tion involves not only light, ventilation, and artistic relations, but such details as screens and storm windows. These latter matters come under the jurisdiction of the architect and should not be care- lessly settled upon. Each room has its uses, to which the window must conform as nearly as may be, and then the outward appearance of the house 50 Tin: coMiMj/n: iio.Mi: must not 1)(' ror^othn. It. is often made or marred l)y tlic cliaiactcr niid i»lacin^ of tlie windows. LEADED PANES AND CASEMENTS Leaded or art glass is attractive if not over- done. Small panes are difficult to keep clean, of course; but we can probably endure that if all else be equal. In living rooms the upper sash should be made smaller than the lower, so as to get the median rail above the level of the eye. In some parts of the house a horizontal window gives a fine effect, besides affording light and air without affecting privacy. Casement windows have their l^oints of excellence, and are additionally expen- sive chiefly in hardware. The frames are really cheaper, but they must be very accurately fitted to avoid leaks. Casement windows seriously complicate the screen and storm-window problem, and expert ])lanning is necessary. The durability of screens depends mostly ujDon their care or abuse, but if it can be afforded, copper wire will usually last suffi- ciently longer to repay its additional cost. Metal frames are not so essential. The best form is that which covers the entire window and per- mits both sashes to be freely opened; but this costs FLOORS, WALLS, AND WINDOWS 51 practically twice as much as the half-window screen. STORM WINDOWS Storm windows should be carefully fitted or they will come far from serving their purpose. If they are of the right sort they will soon repay their cost in easing up the furnace. Preferably they should be swung from the top, both for ventilation and washing and to avoid a check upon egress in case of fire. Some persons object to storm win- dows on account of the supposed stoppage of ven- tilation, but that rests entirely with the occupants of the house. They can get plenty of fresh air without letting the gales of winter have their own sweet will. With floors, walls, and windows determined upon, we have a good start on the interior of our house. But we may only pause to take breath, for we now have to give most careful consideration to two decidedly important factors in our comfort — lighting and heating. CHAPTER TTT LIGHTING AND HEATING IF coninion sense has governed our jiroceedings to date, the new house we are building, or the ready-built one we have chosen, will have full advantage of the one perfect light — that af- forded by the sun. NECESSITY OF SUNLIGHT The health-giving proi)erties of sunlight are so well known to all of us that we wonder why so many otherwise sensible folk seem to shun it, with trees and vines, awnings and blinds denying access to that which would make the house wholesome. When possible, every room in the house should have its daily ray bath, and our apartments should utilize the light of the sun as early and as late as may be. Perhaps nature intended all creatures to sleep through the hours of darkness. If wo had followed that custom we might be a race of ]\[ethuselahs ; who knows? Why some one has not established 52 LIGHTING AND HEATING 53 a cult of sleepers from sunset to dawn is really in- explicable. But mankind in general has persisted in holding to a different notion, and since the sun declines to shine upon us during all the hours of the twenty-four, and we insist upon cutting the night short at one end, we have had to devise sub- stitutes for the sunlight. Of course the sunlight does not always leave us in unbroken darkness. Few of us are so far departed from the days of mellow youth as to for- get certain summer evenings, linked in memory with verandas or bowered walks, when moonlight — and even that in a modified form — ^was the ideal illumination. But even if we could employ the good fairies to dip them up for us, we should find the soft moongleams of the summer evening a rather doubtful aid in searching for the cat in the dark corners of the basement. Omitting pine knots, which are rather out of vogue, modern home lighting includes four forms — candles, oil lamps, gas, and electricity. The first- named are not, it is true, used to any extent for what may be called the practical purposes of light- ing ; but in many ways their light is most beautiful of all. Some charming candelabra suited to the dining table are found in the better shops, and an 54 Tin: ("oMiM.i/ri: iiomi: investment in a clioice design is a very justifiaijle extravagance. Candle illmninatiou is ol' all varie- ties the one least tr}'ing to the eyes and to the com- plexion, though its effect upon the temi)er of the ]ierson tending tlie candles is not so sure to be hai)py. However, the sort with a hollow center, called Helion candles, require little attention, and the patented candle holders, which work automati- cally, give no trouble at all. KEROSENE Notwithstanding there are some points in favor of the old reliable kerosene lamp, even when jjut in the scale with other illuminants, few people of the younger generation regard it as other than something to be endured. In view of the facts that an oil lamp requires a great deal of attention, usu- ally leaves its trail of oil and smoke, is ill-smelling, disagreeably hot in summer, and always somewhat dangerous, it is strange that those who cling to it as to a fetich ai'e usually the ones who have long- est struggled with its imperfections. The pretext for this conservatism, whether it be sjDoken or reserved, is economy. If we are of this class, we may be shocked to discover that, after all, kero- sene lighting is really no cheaper than gas or elec- LIGHTING AND HEATING 55 trie light, if sufficient illumination is afforded, and insufficient lighting is surely ill-judged economy. GAS AND MATCHES Few communities of respectable size are now without gas or electricity, and even in the country the latter is almost everywhere obtainable. If not, an individual gas plant, of which there are several makes, may be installed at a moderate cost. Prop- erly placed, such a plant is safe and easily regu- lated and will furnish light for somewhat less than the usual charge of the gas companies. Gas has never fully supplanted kerosene, even where it is readily obtained. Why this is true we need not pause to discuss; perhaps a fairly well- founded suspicion of the meter has had something to do with it. But certainly no one building a house in these days would fail to pipe it for gas if the supply were at hand, even if it were to be used only for kitchen fuel. Gas has its virtues as an illu- minant also, and is favored by many on account of the softness of the light. But while gas is preferable to kerosene, elec- tricity is with equal certainty preferable to gas. It is more adaptable, is in many places quite as reasonable in cost, and is cleaner and safer. In 56 Tiir: co.Mii.i.'ri: iio.mi: iiuiiiorous country comnninitios where gas is not to 1)0 liad eloc'tricily Is av;iil;ililt', as l"rc'(iuently a large region cnil tracing several towns is suitplied from a single generating i)lant. Gas is subject to fluctuations in quality, some- times becoming quite dangerous in its effect ujjon the atmosi^here. Water gas, which is very gener- ally manufactured, is said to carry four or five times as much carbon monoxide per unit of bulk as retort gas. It has for the hemoglobin of the blood four hundred times the affinity of oxygen, and a proportion of only two tenths of one per cent may produce heart derangement. "While we are wondering that we are alive in the face of such dreadful facts, we may note further that gas is rather variable in its qualities as an illuminant. We have mentioned the suspicious gas meter, whose vagaries doubtless have caused more virtuous in- dignation with less impression upon its object than anything ever devised. An open flame is always a menace ; and then there is the burnt match. Most housekeepers, I am sure, w^ould testify to their be- lief that matches were not made in heaven. Is there anything that so persistently defies the effort for tidiness as the charred remains of a match, invari- ably ignited elsewhere than on the sandpaper con- LIGHTING AND HEATING 57 spicuously provided, and more likely to be tossed upon the floor or laid upon the mahogany table than to find its way into the receptacles that yearn for it? For cooking, however, gas must still be a main dependence, and for this reason, as well as to pro- vide for remote emergencies, the house should be piped for gas. At least it should be brought into the house, even if the piping is not continued farther than the kitchen. ELECTRIC LIGHT In seeking to secure sufficient light we often go to the extreme of providing a glare that is trying to the eyes and would test the beauty of the loveliest complexion that ever charmed in the revealing light of day. We go further, mayhap, and con- centrate the glare upon the center of the room, with a shade of bright green which gives an unearthly but not a heavenly cast to all the unfortunate humans who come under its belying influence. Objection is sometimes made to electric light that it is too powerful, and that it is difficult to modify and control. This impression is due to the tendency of which we have spoken — the work- ing out of the thought that proper lighting is a 58 'ni\] coMi'i.i/ri: iiomi: question ol" (ni;iiili!\. l-'ur soiiie- persons the ideal arran^eiiieiit would set-ui to he a searehlight at eaeli eoiiier ol' the room, with a few arc lights sus- pended from a mirrored eeiling. Ellectrie light, to furnish the most agreeable effects, must be softened and ])roi)erly diffused. If the light units that so perfectly illumine a room during the day were concentrated they would make a blinding glare, but diffused they are properly tempered to the eye. The common thought seems to be to put all the hghts of the living room in the center, and to make them so powerful that they will penetrate every corner of the room and make it " light as day." In consequence the center is overlighted, and instead of a similitude of daylight we have unreality. PLEASING ARRANGEMENT For the dining-room and library table some form of drop light is essential. There are arrange- ments that will transform the banquet or student lamp into an electric drop light, or the special outfits for this use may be had in some very artis- tic designs. For general lighting, wall sconces, lanterns, or brackets are preferable. Some of these are very beautiful, though there is a tendency to LIGHTING AND HEATING 59 overelaboration. Design, of course, should be in keeping with the general decoration and outfitting of the room. Instead of four sixteen-candle-power lights in a center chandelier, eight of eight-candle power will " spread " the illumination better and add little to the expense, except for fixtures. In beamed ceilings which are not too high, the effect of lights placed upon the beams is pleasing, though the effect upon the monthly bill may not have the same aspect. Electric lamps at the sides should be at a fair height and throw their light downward, instead of wasting it upon the ceiling. The pretty lanterns of antique design are ex- pensive, the simplest sort costing $4 or $5 apiece. There are numerous artistic brackets, however, that may be had for smaller amounts. Bulbs are made in all sorts of shapes to fit recesses or for special purposes, and the designs in shades and candelabra are legion. ADAPTABILITY Electricity's strong card is its adaptability. It can go wherever a wire may be carried, and into many places where gas or oil lights would not be safe or practical. The only thing lacking is to make it wireless, and perhaps invention sooner or later will lie (Miual Id lliat (Icniaiid. Maily iiislalla- tions were rather carelessly made, hul niuiiicipal and underwriters' rules are now so strict tliat j)rac- tieally all dan,c:er of fire has l)een eliminated. The householder in the country should make sure that the underwriters' prescriptions are fully observed, as his insurance may be affected. In the city, official inspection usually guarantees correct wiring. Probably only in the hall, dining room, and liv- ing room will we be greatly concerned with the decorative phase of lighting. Elsewhere the ques- tion is largely one of practical use, though consid- erations of taste are not to be neglected. Careful study should be given to the adaptation of lighting to the future uses of the rooms. This will perhaps avoid the use later of unsightly extension cord, though this avoidance can scarcely be made com- plete. PROTECTION A very useful light may be provided for the veranda, just outside the door, illuminating the front steps and path to the sidewalk. This light may be turned off and on by a switch key inside the door. It is particularly comforting when some stranger rings the doorbell late at night and one LIGHTING AND HEATING 61 does not feel overpleased to be called upon to open the door to an invisible person. Other switch ar- rangements make it possible to turn on the upper hall lights from below, or the lower hall lights from above, and the lights in each room from the hall. When there are unseemly noises downstairs in the wee sma' hours it is much more agreeable to gaze over the balustrade into a bright hall than to go prowling about in the darkness for the bulb or gas jet, with the chance of grasping a burglar instead. Some burglars are very sensitive about familiarities on the part of strangers, and it is al- ways better to permit them to depart in a good humor. The basement lighting, too, should be regu- lated from above, and the dark comers should be well looked after. At best, the basement is a breeder of trouble. If the light is in the center, and must be turned off at the bulb, the return to the stairway from the nocturnal visit to the furnace is likely to be productive of bruised shins and ob- jurgative English ; if the light operates from above, one either forgets to turn it off and leaves it to burn all night, or becomes uncertain about it just as he is beginning to doze off, necessitating a scramble downstairs to make sure. Perhaps it would be well to have a choice of systems. Gti Tin-: coMiM.iyri: ho.mk Some houses lunc been so wIkmI that one can illuiiiiji.'ite ('\ei'y room from tlic liall or fVoin tlio master's l)edioom. This necessitates comi)hcated wii'in^ and will not be found necessary by most oi" us. Xeitliei' will we desire to spend our hardly won cash in wiring our four-poster bed for reading lights, or to ])ut lights iiiidci- tlic dining table for use in searching for the lost articles that always by some instinct seek the darkest spots in the room. If there be a barn or shed on the lot, an extension carried there will be found convenient and com- paratively inexpensive. In the kitchen and pan- tries the lights should be considered in detail so that all the various operations may be served. Shadowed sinks and ranges and dark pantries are not necessary where there is electric light. REGULATED LIGHT In halls, closets, and bathroom lower-power lamjos, or the " hylo," which may be alternated from one- to six teen-candle power, will prove an economy. The " hylo " is also useful in bedrooms where children are put to sleep, affording sufficient light to daunt the hobgoblins without discouraging the approach of the sandman. Some persons can- not sleep without a light; for them, and for the LIGHTING AND HEATING 63 sick room, the low-power light is eminently prefer- able to the best of oil lamps. There are numerous conveniences to be oper- ated by electricity, such as chafing dishes ($13.50), flat irons ($3.75 up), curling-iron heaters ($2.25 up), electric combs for drying hair ($4), heating pads, in lieu of hot-water bags ($5), and many articles for the kitchen. These are operated from flush receptacles in baseboards or under rugs, or from the ordinary light sockets. THE TWO SURE WAYS OF HEATING There is only one efficient and healthful method of heating a house, and that is with a hot-air fur- nace. I have that on the authority of a man who sells hot-air furnaces, and he ought to know. Substitute " steam or hot water " for " hot-air furnace," and we have the assurance of the man across the way who sells boilers and radiators. The beauty of it is that each proves his case to one's entire satisfaction — not only that his own system is a marvel of perfection, but that the other systems are dangerous to health and breeders of unhappiness and really ought (though he wouldn't like to say so) to be prohibited by law. So we shall have to decide the question for our- nt Tin: coMri.i'/ri: home selves. ]r we ci'i-, we can still aliusc the dealer, or the arcliitet't, or the eoiitiact(jr, for letting us make a mistake. THE HOT-AIR FURNACE The hot-air furnace costs least to install. (We leave stoves out of consideration.) It is also sup- posed to be easiest to manage. That, in a sense, is true. A good furnace will act pretty well even under indifferent direction; a bad one cannot be made much worse by the greatest of stupidity. However, the average person can run the aver- age furnace with a fair degree of satisfaction to the household, if not to himself. For a house of six to eight rooms the furnace may be considered an effi- cient means of heating. It requires more fuel than some other apparatus, but there are compensations. Since ventilation and heating are inevitably associated, the argument that the furnace provides for ventilation is a strong one. Tf the air is taken from outdoors, passed over the radiating surface into the rooms, and then sent on its way, something like perfect ventilation is assured. If the air is simply taken from the basement — a poor place to go for air — heated, passed through the rooms, re- turned, and heated over again, we may well pray LIGHTING AND HEATING 65 to be delivered from such " ventilation." The suc- cess of the furnace depends not upon ability to keep up a rousing fire but upon a proper regulation of air currents. Many a first-class furnace, prop- erly installed, fails to work satisfactorily because the principle of heating is not understood. Even with the best of knowledge, the air is hard to regulate, and the very principle that gives the fur- nace its standing as a ventilator must prevent it from being a perfect heater. Unless some artificial moisture is provided, not only will the air be too dry for comfort and health, but an excessive degree of heat must be attained in order to warm the rooms, thus increasing the consumption of coal. A water pan is usually pro- vided in the furnace, but too often it is neglected. DIRECTION OF HEAT If any mistake in selection of size is to be made, it should be in favor of excess. Most authorities urge the choice of at least a size above that indi- cated by the heating area. A chimney with suitable draught is imperative. The furnace should be placed in a central location and should be set suffi- ciently low to permit the essential rise of the heat ducts. If the basement is low the furnace should m THE COMPLETE HOME 1)1' (leprossod. While llic heat coiix-eyors should not ascend directly licm the J'uiiiacc, tiiey should not be earned any farther than necessary in a hori- zontal position. The velocity of heat is diminished in carrying it horizontally, increased vertically. Crooks and turns add to the friction and decrease heating power. Therefore the pipes sliould be as short and direct as possible. It is not necessary to carry the register to a window on the farther side of the room, say some authorities, as the warm air rises to the ceiling anyway, and the greater length of carry involves a loss in warmth. Pipes for the first floor should be large. Those for the upper rooms, having a longer vertical range, may be smaller. All the pipes should be double, with an inch air space between, as a protection against fire. Asbestos paper on a single i)ipe is not regarded as a sufficient precaution, as it is easily torn and quickly wears out. REGISTERS There are arguments in favor of side-wall reg- isters. They save floor space and obviate some dust. On the other hand, they are not quite so effective in heating as the other sort, since the pipes for floor registers may be of larger diameter and LIGHTING AND HEATING 67 as a rule require fewer bends. Each register should have a separate pipe from the furnace. Where direct heat is not desired, a register opening in the ceiling of a downstairs room will sometimes carry enough heat to the upper chamber to make it comfortable for sleeping purposes. Since furnace efficiency is largely dependent upon air control, a strong wind sometimes makes it difficult to heat portions of the house. To meet this emergency there is a combination hot-air and hot-water heater which supplies radiators on the upper floors, or elsewhere if desired. The addi- tional cost is practically all in the installation, as the same fire furnishes both forms of heat. For an eight-room house or smaller, a first-class steel-plate furnace, securely sealed against the escape of gas and smoke, costs free on board about $150. Each two rooms additional raises the price about $25. Other furnaces may be had as low as $50. Cost of tin work, brick setting, etc., depends upon locality. HOT WATER AND STEAM HEAT Hot water and steam heat cost more for instal- lation, but have many advantages over the furnace. Their chief drawbacks are the space usurped by ()'S Till-: ("o.MiM.iyri: iiomi: i';i