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Correct Exterior Decorations Make…

April 26, 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 Scranton house.
The Same Interior Shown in Former Plan
Change in Arrangement and Appearance Is Occasioned by Moving Chimney and Fireplace from Front to Side
Dignified appearance created through well-proportioned lines, ideal window arrangement, correctly selected and assembled material and just the right touch of exterior decoration, is an attribute of this home which makes it far more pleasing in its setting than the average house of this style and size. There is a symmetrical relationship throughout the entire structure which lends a balance that seems to be almost if it quite, esthetically perfect.

This home has exactly the same layout as the Detroit News Plan No. 339 which was published in October 1929. The floor plans published today show the location of the fireplace, chimney and windows as they appeared in that house. An analysis of the house and plans presented here with readily disclose how the changes can be made which will produce a house with an entirely different exterior but practically no altered interior, as all the rooms are the same size and proportions.

The essential change in appearance and arrangement is occasioned by moving the fireplace and chimney from the front to the side which realigns the windows in these places and permit changed roof lines with a wide cornice.

This home Building Service is conducted for the express purpose of showing Detroit News readers as many different styles of exteriors as possible. Inasmuch as there is a limited number of practical small home floor plans it necessarily holds true that wherever practical a modified or changed exterior will produce an apparently different house. Especially is the desirable when the interior arrangement is as ideal as the one shown today.

The various rooms may be carried out along various lines, but here are suggestions which will make the home an attractive background for rich but conservative furnishings.

Hall: The woodwork in the hall is a light walnut shade, and the walls to be finished in a light shade of caf' au laut.
The floor covering may be an Oriental rug in dark rich shades of wine red, old blue and a touch of dull gold, and the glass curtains of silk and wool casement cloth.

Living Room: Woodwork and walls to be like those in the hall, floor covering beige Wilton or Chenille, glass curtains, ecru silk and wool casement cloth made to draw over draperies, natural colored linen with Jacobean design embroidered in will in blue green copper, yellow, rose and black, these to be made long enough to reach tot eh floor, lined, interlined, and trimmed with wool fringe and hung from a wrought iron pole.

Dining Room: Woodwork and walls to be like those in the living room, glass curtains also the same, and the over draperies of blue green ground printed linen in a conventional design. The floor covering may be of plain blue green Wilton or Chenille.
Sun Reading Room: This room has built in book shelves and has grounds of casement windows to harmonize with those in the rest of the house. The walls may be finished in a parchment color, the glass curtains of material to match those in the dining room and the over draperies of copper ground glazed chintz.

Kitchen and Breakfast Room: Woodwork, light green, tile walls white and black base, walls, ivory, curtains, light orange, trimmed with green binding or rick rack braid floor covering, black and cream checked linoleum, furniture, light orange trimmed with black.

Second Floor- Room over hall: This room has two unique features: one being that of a built in dressing table with triple mirror and the other a door leading to a small space into which a sewing machine may be rolled when not desired, thus offering the opportunity for the creating of a delightful dressing room. The woodwork may be light walnut or Ivory and the walls treated with an ivory ground paper with a rose polka dot; floor covering, soft rose Wilton, glass curtains, cream French marquisette, over draperies, light rose and gold changeable taffeta, dressing table being draped with a skirt of this same material.

Master Bedroom: walls, peach floor covering turquoise blue Wilton, Glass curtains, cream French marquisette, over draperies, peach ground glazed chintz with basket, wreath and ribbon design in turquoise blue, rose, mauve, and light green; these to be trimmed with pleated ruffles of turquoise blue taffeta.

Bath Room: Peach tile, walls, peach to match the tile, curtains and accessories to be turquoise blue. The two rear rooms and bath are arranged in a suite and may be used as a separate part of the house.

Bedroom (rear): Walls to be treated with a canary yellow ground paper with quaint bouquet design in lavender, rose, blue, green and a touch of black, glass curtains, like those in the other bedrooms, over draperies, lavender silk broadcloth, floor covering, lavender Wilton rugs in smaller sizes.

Bedroom over kitchen: Walls, painted in a light shade of green, floor covering fawn Wilton, glass curtains like those in the other bedrooms, over draperies, light green ground flowered chintz bound with lavender Stateen.

Rear Bath Room: Tile, black. walls, canary yellow; curtains and accessories yellow trimmed with lavender.

Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.

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