If old furniture must be used, try the magic of paint. It is wonderful
what may be accomplished with some cans of paint and brushes. Then cover
the old seating pieces with some gay cretonne slip covers, use the same
fabrics at the windows, and a cheerful, colorful result is obtained.
When refinishing old furniture try remodeling it to fit its new
surroundings. Chest and chairs and such, dating from the early days of
the century, are likely to have a lot of gingerbread decoration. By
removing as much of this as possible and getting down to the simple
basic lines of the piece much improvement may be made.
[Illustration: These bunks, attractively curtained with cretonne,
fit into the atmosphere of the cabin living room without detracting
from its appearance. If the curtains are made to slide closed,
Pullman fashion, they provide privacy for an early retirer.]
[Illustration: Folding or sliding doors from the living room or
bedroom to the sleeping porch help make the beds more accessible to
the center of things in the cabin. If you have double-deck bunks on
the porch, provide a second door and ladder to it. From an
arrangement in the Walter Doty home, Los Altos, Calif.]
Before painting any piece previously coated with shellac or varnish go
over it with varnish remover or use a hook scraper and steel wool,
cleaning down to the bare wood. Apply a coat of flat white and, when
dry, at least two coats of one of the quick-drying enamels. Go over each
coat with very fine sandpaper or steel wool and brush off the resulting
dust before applying the next coat.
If you are working with maple, walnut or cherry, the natural color of
the wood is often more pleasing than a paint or stain. Remove all traces
of enamel, stain or varnish and sand the surfaces smooth. Then apply a
thin coat of clear shellac—orange if you prefer—and after sanding this
once more polish with ordinary prepared wax.
[Illustration: Steamer style bunks are particularly effective in the
beach house. The ladder provides safe and easy access to the upper
one. Don’t overlook the possibility of providing drawers for storage
space beneath the lower bunks. From the Seton I. Miller residence,
Van Nuys, Calif.]
[Illustration: A unique arrangement of fireside seats made from
automobile seats, which may be bought at any wrecking yard. Special
framework has been constructed to hold the seats at the correct
height and angle. The upholstery may be covered with material to
match the decorative scheme of the room.]