November 27, 1928

Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Susan Salser

Detroit, Michigan, United States

A Beauty in the Home column describing a house in the country.

By Edith B. Crumb
The living room with an alcove is sometimes difficult to arrange but if these two sections are considered as one large room there is less trouble created.

In the accompanying illustration is shown a portion of a living room off from which opens a spacious alcove, and the fact that the latter has been considered an important part of the room in general is the touch which lends the real charm to the entire setting. The furnishings are very informal each being chased with a view to giving a home like atmosphere. The sofa finds an excellent background in a group of windows of the bay and the small table and mirror are for the space between the window and opening to the alcove.

A rich cream shade is the finish of the walls and woodwork, the hinges and latches being dull black.
Because this is a country home no glass curtains have been used for these would mar a view of the beautiful countryside. However, if this room had been in an apartment it would have been necessary to have glass curtains. And these might bee of ruffled marquisette or a fine quality of voile.

The glass curtains are of chintz with a dull blue background and floral design in shades which tone in with the colorings of the Oriental rugs.
If you would like to know of other...

...Wilton of some harmonizing color. There is a desk to paint and lamp shades to cover.
Mrs. L.B.K
Finish your furniture in your daughters room in ivory to match the ground of the paper with a fins blue line trimming it. This line may cover the bevels outlining the panels of the doors and small grooves in the moldings of the baseboard, window casing and door casings. Plain French blue rugs in small sizes may be used for the floor coverings.

For the curtains use cream French marquisette with tiny frilled trimming, putting these up in criss cross fashion as you suggest. The over draperies may be of French blue flowered chintz. This will not interfere with the flowered wall paper for the contrast in the background will take care of any awkward effect which is sometimes created when flowered wall paper and flowered draperies are used together.

The dressing table skirt may be of rose organdie over Stateen of the same shade trimmed with frills of French blue taffeta. The bedspread may be of plain rose linen of heavy quality trimmed at the sides with flounces of the blue ground drapery ,material. These flounces may be scalloped across the bottom and trimmed with frills of rose Stateen.

The large shades may be of rose organdie over taffeta of the same colored trimmed top and bottom with a French blue moire ribbon. A small cluster of French ribbon flowers will give these shades a dainty finishing touch. Finish the desk and chair to match the rest of the furniture.

Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.