April 19, 1931

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

Detroit, Michigan, United States

A column from the Interior Decoration Department home series describing the Ralston house.

Living Room One Side, Dining, Kitchen Other
Windows on Second Floor So Placed That Large Pieces of Furniture Will Not Appear Crowded
To those seeking the formal rather than the informal style of house, the design here within show, with its prominent windows, steep roof and massive chimney should have a strong appeal. The arched windows are additional details to bring out the characteristics of the house, and yet with all these exterior features the interior is so laid out that it can be treated in a manner which will make it reminiscent of our early American architecture.

The center hall with the living room on one side and the dining room on the other makes an ideal first floor arrangement. The three bedrooms and bath on the second floor are so laid out that each room has cross ventilation. The windows are so placed that larger pieces of furniture can be used without having the rooms appear crowded.

Either paint or paper would be appropriate for the interior of this house, and while the latter has been suggested for all but the kitchen and bathroom, if painted walls are preferred these may be treated in a color to match the one which predominates in the suggested paper.

Before the paint is applied however, the walls might be paneled with simple wood moldings and walls, woodwork, and moldings painted in the same shade, no distinction being made as to the moldings, their mission being to relieve the monotony of large areas of wall space rather than to bring color into the scheme.

For those who would like a plain for the decorating and furnishing of this house the following suggestions are given:

Hall: Woodwork, cream, walls, scenic paper in soft shades of fawn and sand, floor covering. Oriental rug in soft rich shades of rose, blue, green, and beige.

Living Room: Woodwork, cream walls, treated with an armure pattern paper in shades of sand and beige, floor covering, beige and very dark rich rose small repeat pattern, glass curtains, very coarse ecru filet glass curtains, over draperies, beige ground cretonne with large floral design in rich shades of rose, blue, violet, yellow, and green, long enough to reach to the floor and put with a flat shaped valance, Furniture, pair of love seats in very dark rose, blue, violet, yellow and green, long enough to reach to the floor and put up with a flat shaped valance, furniture pair of love seats in very dark rose mohair or velour, easy chair, in striped linen frieze, blue predominating armchair with needlepoint seat and back, secretary octagon table, approximately 30 inches across top, blue pottery lamp with accordion pleated glazed chintz shade, single Queen Anne chair for secretary, extra pillows for love seats to be covered in blue and gold changeable taffeta, over mantel ornament to be a picture (ship scene) in very dull gold frame, mantel ornaments, brass candelabra (electrified) equipped with shields of ecru chiffon over amber taffeta, trimmed with ecru braid, center of mantel shield to be occupied by a low amethyst bow, bridge lamp of wrought iron and equipped with simple parchment shade, electric fixtures to be equipped with shades to match the candelabra shields.

Dining Room: Woodwork, cream walls, treated with beige ground paper containing will design in light, medium and dark blue, floor covering plain bleu Wilton, glass curtains, like those in the living room over draperies, blue and gold antique rep, furniture, large drop leaf extension table, six single Hitchcock chairs, low boy, over mirror for this, pewter candlesticks. Sheraton table, banjo clock, electric fixtures to be equipped with shades like those in living room.

Kitchen: Floor covering blue and white large sized checked linoleum woodwork and walls, light sand, inside of cupboards and drawers, pale yellow, curtains, yellow organdie bound with blue.
From bedroom over living room: Woodwork, light ivory walls treated with cream ground paper containing floral basket design in delicate shades of rose, blue, lavender, yellow, and green, glass curtains, cream striped French voile; over draperies rose armure, in lattice design, floor covering fawn Wilton, furniture, mahogany and to consist of four poster twin beds, night table, glass lamp with rose chintz shade, high boys, dressing...

... spool bed, tall chest of drawers, skirted dressing table (skirt to be of apple green ground chintz with quaint bouquet design in rose, lavender and yellow) over mirror to be finished apple green and hung with apricot silk cord rocker with loose pad of apricot linen, bedspread, patchwork quilt in apricot and apple green gingham, pillow shames finished with tiny cot chiffon over apricot taffeta trimmed with green braid, dresser covers, apricot taffeta.

Rear Bedroom: Woodwork, ivory walls, treated with pale yellow and silver small repeat pattern paper, glass curtains, like those in other bedrooms; over draperies, soft old blue ground cretonne with floral design in rose, lavender, yellow, orange and green, floor covering soft old blue Wilton, furniture ivory and to consist of single bed, dresser, small table desk, single chair and upholstered chair with slip cover of the drapery material bedspread blue linen trimmed with flounces and bands of the drapery material, dresser covers, blue linen finished with cream ruffled footing edged with yellow chiffon over yellow taffeta trimmed with blue braid.

Bathroom: Woodwork, cream walls, light coral, curtains, coral organdie edged with jade green.

Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.