Usually this has a floor of 2 in. white, unglazed hexagonal tile, with
a 4 × 6 in. white glazed tile for walls, with cap and sanitary base,
marble thresholds and plinth blocks. The height of the wainscot is
optional; but 4 ft. 6 in. is usual, with the walls and ceilings above
it oil painted. The room should not be smaller than 8 ft. × 10 ft. and
may open from the owner's chamber or dressing-room. Its equipment
usually comprises two lavatories of vitreous china, placed at least six
inches apart, unless a double lavatory is used in one slab, over which
may be a medicine closet built into the wall with mirror door set in;
the bathroom door should have a full-length mirror. In the illustration
that appears on page 95 is shown a silent syphon-jet closet with
low-down tank finished in mahogany. The "low-down combinations," as
they are called, are made in oak, cherry, mahogany, and white enamel.
The tub should be at least 5 ft. long, of enameled iron or porcelain,
finished on both sides if enameled, and supported on porcelain block
feet, with standing waste and mixing cocks. The tub must be set far
enough from the wall to permit cleaning.
[Illustration:
The great problem in planning a bathroom is not to sacrifice all
warmth and color to sanitation. At present there are washable and
sanitary papers made by the decorators that are very proper for
bathroom furnishings. The seagull design in blues and greens and the
kingfisher in a brilliant, cool green are both suitable and
attractive
]
[Illustration:
The upper left hand plan shows excellent spacing and good
arrangement combining all the desirable features and conveniences of
a bathroom. The upper right hand plan shows a desirable arrangement
for minimum space. The lower left hand plan shows a modern idea of
dividing the bathroom into two sections. In the lower right hand
plan there is a complete equipment, well arranged, but with few more
than the necessary conveniences
]
Every fitting or exposed pipe in the bathroom should be nickel-plated.
The shower may be installed over the tub, as in one of the
illustrations, or made a separate fixture with a floor receptor to
drain off the water. It may be inclosed with a cotton duck curtain,
which is more agreeable to the body than rubber or marble slabs. The
merits of each fixture and its equipment I shall leave to the reader,
because these things he can readily determine for himself; but the
arrangements and number of fixtures required must be considered--the
quality is a matter of price. The general bathroom of a house should
be similar to the owner's--in some cases it is divided into two
compartments, as shown in one plan, with the water-closet by
itself--permitting independent use.
[Illustration:
One especial convenience that should not be neglected is the shower
with the duck curtain arranged over the top. For bathroom floors the
hexagonal tile is very suitable and enduring
]
In homes costing from $15,000 up, the number of bathrooms is in
proportion to the number of occupants. Every room may have a connecting
bath with tile floor and wainscot, completely equipped--in such a case
the visit of a guest is not fraught with hasty skirmishes to the
nearest bath, perhaps only to retreat, and wait and listen for an
opportunity to use it.
Plumbing fixtures are made in many materials; the most popular of
these, on account of durability and cost, is cast iron with an enamel
glaze fused on the iron. This ware will stand hard usage, is not easily
fractured, does not craze, and therefore holds its color. The vitreous
china ware is, I think, more appropriate for bathrooms finished in
tile, because the materials, being similar, are in harmony, while the
enameled iron is not quite as heavy or substantial looking when used
with tile. Vitreous china is potter's clay, properly fired, with a
vitreous glaze baked on; porcelain is similar and their cost is about
the same, except that this increases rapidly with the larger pieces;
because fewer perfect fixtures are obtained. Fixtures cut from solid
marble block are the most expensive and their relative merit with their
relation to cost is a question for the owner to determine.
[Illustration:
A sunken bathtub is a form of luxury that is desirable but requires
low ceiling in the room below, or that the bathroom be built on the
ground floor. This is oftentimes an impossible arrangement
]
There is little difference between the enameled iron, vitreous china
and porcelain or marble as far as the retention of heat is concerned,
or the feeling from bodily contact. There are in every kiln some
fixtures that are not quite perfect; they are called "seconds," and
catalogued as "Class B" goods, with a lower price.
The weight of massive plumbing in a frame dwelling is considerable and
will cause a settlement of the floors unless carefully supported.
The fashions in tubs are many. The usual shape is square at the foot
and round at the head-at the foot are the waste and supply pipes which
are made in several combinations. The double bath cock, which gives hot
or cold water or a mixture of both, is advisable for tubs-the small cup
between the faucets is a ring tray and can be replaced with a soap dish
if desired. Most shower-baths have a shampoo attachment or body spray
that can be used instead of the overhead shower, so that the head and
hair are kept dry if desired, and if a shower is not to be installed
this can be provided in the tub.
[Illustration:
The bathroom to-day finds great need of such built-in conveniences
as wall chests and cupboards. These should be arranged for at the
time the house is built
]
A tub incased in tile is a perfectly sanitary treatment, and in some
cases the tub has been sunk into the floor a foot and then incased to
avoid the high step necessary to get into the tub. The plunge--sunk in
the floor--is an unusual treatment that permits more freedom of
movement than the tub; but the tile, when wet, is slippery, and I
should expect one might carelessly slip in with fatal results. Roman
tubs are alike at each end--with fixtures in the middle of one side of
the rim. Solid porcelain tubs rest on the floor, set into the tile. The
ideal position for the tub, if there is available room, is with the
foot against a wall and ample room on either side to get in or out of
it. Tubs are made in lengths ranging from 4 ft. to 6 feet, and about 30
inches in width over rims.
[Illustration:
This room contains the desirable articles and fixtures for the
modern bathroom in a very satisfactory arrangement. There is the
latest thing in nickel plumbing and modern equipment, but at the
same time there is an attractiveness that is so lacking in the cold,
hospital type of room
]
[Illustration:
The small hexagonal floor tiles permit sections to be taken up with
little difficulty and replaced at small expense. Wall tile, however,
should be made of the larger rectangular units with a cornice at the
top and a rounded surbase that obviates a sharp angle at the
junction with the floor
]
The lavatory is an important fixture that is made in a great many
varieties. The old-fashioned bowl is obsolete--the oval has taken its
place, though probably the best is the kidney-shaped bowl, as it
permits a free and natural movement of the arms in raising water to
lave the face. The bowl should be at least 14 × 17 inches, in a slab 22
× 32, with a space surrounding the bowl countersunk a little to form a
border that tends to confine the splashed water. All the fixtures
manufactured by responsible concerns are equipped with nickel-plated
faucets, wastes, traps, and supplies that are very satisfactory; but
quite often the plumber who installs the work buys the fixtures without
the selected trimmings and substitutes a cheaper pattern. Some tubs and
lavatories are sold in "A" and "B" qualities, and it will be to your
advantage to select the fixtures with your architect, who knows the
grades and fittings.
[Illustration:
All the wood that is in these bathrooms is heavily enameled in
white. Both rooms show a good use of colored tile worked in
attractive designs. The room on the left has a mosaic pattern in
several shades as a decoration, while in the right hand room there
is a bright border and vertical strips making panels. The tiles
between them are laid in herring-bone fashion. Both tubs are without
supports and rest flat on the floor
]
[Illustration:
This European treatment is particularly effective for the owner's
bath, which opens into his bedroom. The glass doors provide all the
lighting necessary and are very decorative with their curved
segments
]
A particularly pleasing treatment is the bath opening from the owner's
chamber, and separated from it by glass partition. This arrangement is
good where outside light cannot be afforded or obtained, and a curtain
effectively screens it.
[Illustration:
A simple bathroom where waterproof enameled paint was used in
several coats instead of a tiled wainscot, and above this an
attractive waterproof paper that suggests tiling. Such an
arrangement is a possibility where tiles may not be purchased
]
Bath-room accessories should be arranged with care and consist of the
following devices: Plate glass shelves supported on nickel-plated
brackets are the best; towel-racks; toothbrush holders; clothes-brush
hangers; clothes hooks; soap dishes; and soiled towel baskets. Hardware
is usually of nickel-plated tubing screwed into the tile. The
accompanying photographs and plans will illustrate the subject further
and are self-explanatory.
A. RAYMOND ELLIS
[Illustration]
The Proper Treatment for the Nursery
Furnishings for the modern child's room, like everything else that
belongs to that important personage, are as complete in the smallest
detail as skill and ingenuity can make them, and every feature of a
well-appointed bedroom may be duplicated in miniature for the
youngsters.
The wall-papers and draperies especially designed for nurseries and
children's rooms are in a way more distinctively juvenile than the
actual pieces of furniture, and are a most important consideration in
fitting out such apartments. If one does not care to go to the expense
of furnishing a nursery completely, paper and curtains that will leave
no doubt as to the identity of the room may be had at small cost, and
from this simple touch the scheme of decorations and the furniture, to
say nothing of the cost, may be indefinitely extended.
Strictly hygienic parents who scout the idea of wall-paper as being
unhealthy and will have nothing but painted walls in a bedroom are
confronted by a bare expanse that may be sanitary, but is neither
attractive nor interesting for the child. With walls treated in this
way a decorative frieze may be used with good effect. The friezes,
which come in panels varying in depth from fourteen to nineteen and
one-half inches, are printed in gay colors on backgrounds of blue-gray,
ivory-white, drab, and other neutral tones that can be matched exactly
in the color of the walls. The designs include processions of Noah's
ark inhabitants, farmyard animals, chickens and ducks, Normandy
peasants going to market, toy villages with stiff little soldiers and
prim-looking trees, hunting scenes, and a row of Dutch kiddies
indulging in a mad race across the paper.
If wall-paper is used it also matches the background of the frieze, the
paper being either in a solid color or with a figure so inconspicuous
that it gives the impression of a single tone.
One of the new papers for children's rooms is a reproduction of the
quaint Kate Greenaway figures that are quite as fascinating to little
people in these days as they were years ago. The background is a pale
yellow and the figures are printed in rather delicate colors, each
group representing one of the calendar months. The effect is
particularly dainty and the designs are diverting for the children
without becoming tiresome from too great contrast in color. Another
paper that shows groups quite as charming is printed from designs by
Boutet de Monvel, the famous French illustrator of child life.
A new idea, and one that is proving popular, is a decided departure
from the conventional wall-paper, with its figures at regularly
repeated intervals. This consists in first putting on the walls a paper
of solid color to be used as a background for single figures or groups
that are cut from friezes and pasted on to suit one's individual taste.
The figures, of course, must be quite large, in order to be effective,
and in some favorite groups cut from a frieze showing little Dutch
girls and yellow chicks the latter are even larger than life. For
nurseries, when the children are very small, the figures are often
arranged in a frieze just above the foot-board, so that they come on a
line with the child's eye, and are therefore vastly more entertaining
than when placed at the infinite distance of the top of the wall.
Blue and white seems to be the favorite combination of colors for
nursery draperies, and among the all-over patterns are a lot of
roly-poly children picking gigantic daisies on a pale blue ground, and
also a Delft design on a white ground covered with black cross lines
that are far enough apart to give a tiled effect. A number of other
colors and patterns may be had as well as the gay printed borders that
come two strips to a width of the material. When figured wallpaper is
used, draperies of solid color with the printed border are rather more
satisfactory, as one set of children or animals tumbling over the
walls, and another set chasing across the draperies, create a
bewildering impression that is anything but restful and quieting for
the small occupant. The borders are particularly attractive for
curtains made of plain scrim or some soft white material, and are
stitched on in strips or cut out and put on in silhouette.
[Illustration:
The playroom in this house was to be made use of by the grown folks
occasionally for their handicraft work. Special attention was paid
to built-in closets convenient for toys and tools
]
Floor coverings especially suitable for children's rooms are to be
found in the more or less recently revived rag carpet rugs, either
plain or with figured borders. Almost any of these rugs with their
decorative strips showing queerly constructed landscapes are suitable,
but most appropriate is one that has a solemn procession of geese
across either end, or another that is ornamented with a family of black
and white bunnies lined up against a red brick wall. They come in
various sizes, from the small hearthrug up to the one that is large
enough for the center of an average size room.
A new rug for nurseries that is rather more practical than pretty is
woven in the same way as the rag rugs, but instead of cotton materials,
strips of oilcloth are used, rolled so that the glossy side is
uppermost. The idea was first employed in making small rugs for
bathrooms, as they are waterproof and easy to keep clean, but they are
quite as serviceable and sanitary for children's rooms, and are cleaned
by wiping off with a damp cloth. They are made in different sizes, and
in a mixed design, like the ordinary rag rug, or with white centers and
borders of solid color.
In the way of furniture, chairs and beds are to be had in a much
greater variety than the other pieces, and the miniature Morris chair
is no doubt the most attractive piece of furniture that is made for the
little folks. It comes in almost as many different styles and prices as
the grown-up variety, and may be had in light or dark wood, with
cushions of velour or leather or figured cotton material, and is a
perfect reproduction of the large chair. Little sets consisting of
table and two chairs, one straight, the other with arms, are decorated
with juvenile figures in color, and may be had for prices that are
quite reasonable. They are especially useful when no attempt can be
made at arranging a regulation nursery. One of the most serviceable of
these sets is of dark wood with leather seat chairs and a table of good
size, the top of which is hinged and may be raised disclosing a
receptacle for toys or books.
Small willow and wicker tables and chairs are made in attractive
shapes, many of them copies of the larger pieces, and are used either
in the natural color or stained to harmonize with the color scheme of
the room. Less substantial than the pieces made of solid wood, they are
rather more practical for older children than for small ones who are no
respecters of furniture, and, while designed for use all the year
round, they are particularly suitable for summer rooms or to be carried
outdoors.
In spite of the fact that the little white bed is always associated
with the child's room in story and song, to say nothing of the popular
imagination, there are various kinds of brass and wooden beds made in
small sizes that are thoroughly in keeping with one's idea of a typical
nursery. The white enamel beds, which may be had as plain or as
elaborate as one desires, are always dainty, and have the advantage of
harmonizing perfectly with furniture and hangings of almost every
description. Brass beds have the same characteristic, but they are much
more expensive than those of iron, and seem to require rather more
elaborate surroundings. The newest brass beds for children are quite
low, only about half as high as the ordinary bed, which is a distinct
advantage, as it is much easier for the child to climb into, and less
dangerous in case he falls out.
[Illustration:
The sense of possession that the child has in its own room produces
much satisfaction. Substantial furniture may be purchased in small
sizes and a variety of wall treatments are suggested with
interesting friezes
]
A recently designed wooden bed of attractive appearance shows severely
plain lines in the head and foot boards, and in the sides long narrow
panels are cut out, through which the covering of the box spring is
seen. This bed is made only to order, and is intended for elaborately
decorated rooms in which a definite color scheme is carried out. It may
be had in any desired width and stained any color to match the other
furniture, while the box spring and little pillow and mattress are
covered with the same material as the draperies of the room.
[Illustration:
Japanese prints are being received with increasing favor and
thousands of beautiful designs are particularly appropriate for the
children's room. The subjects are chiefly natural history figures
and they serve as an inspiration to have stories woven about them
]
Furniture of a special size for children's rooms is made in a design
that is substantial and handsome, by the manufacturer of a well-known
and widely used type. There is a wardrobe just five feet high, with
compartments for hats, clothing, and shoes; a bureau twenty-nine inches
high, with a twenty-inch mirror on it; a bed with high sides, the
simple decorations of which match those of the bureau; rocking chairs
and straight chairs with leather seats, a settle, and tables of
different sizes and shapes. Nothing could be more attractive or
complete than a room furnished in this way for a child of six or seven
years who has outgrown the daintier surroundings of the nursery. It has
all of the dignity of a well-appointed grown-up room, but with
everything in proportion to the size of its owner.
Even washstand sets, suitable as to shape and decoration, may be had
for the child's room in which no detail is to be omitted. They are
little if any smaller than the usual sets, but the decorations are in
keeping with those of the other appointments, and the pitchers are
designed with a view to their being handled easily by small hands.
They are not unlike milk jugs in shape, with a substantial handle over
the top and another at the back, so that there is small chance of their
slipping while in transit, and the mouth is a definitely formed one
that will not fail to pour in the direction intended.
For a comparatively small amount a room may be fitted up with enough
distinctive juvenile furnishings to impart individuality and to give
the child a sense of possession that it will never have in grown-up
surroundings. Even though circumstances are such that it has not had an
elaborate nursery, as soon as a child is old enough to have a room of
its own there is no reason why the furnishings should not be in
keeping, and with the expenditure of a little money a dainty and
attractive room may be arranged. High-priced beds and other pieces of
furniture are by no means necessary, and, as is often the case, the
most reasonably furnished room may be the most satisfactory if a little
ingenuity and good taste are brought into service.
[Illustration:
There are various ways that Japanese prints may be used in the
child's room. This and the opposite illustration show prints put on
the wall and held by a molding at top and bottom. This also may
contain a glass to protect each picture
]
[Illustration:
There are decorations such as this that have an educational value
and that take the place of toys. These little figures on the left
are really companions, while the plaster plaque illustrates
Stevenson's Verses
]
[Illustration:
These bas-reliefs make interesting decorations and at the same time
serve as object lessons in illustrating good poetry
]
Thirty to thirty-two dollars can be made to cover the cost of
wall-paper, curtains, bed and mattress, a rug and a bureau, all in
sizes and designs suitable for children. The wall-papers in juvenile
patterns are not expensive, and the cost of papering a room of average
size would be about five dollars. A little white iron bed may be had
for as low as five dollars, with seven dollars additional for the
mattress, and a rug 3 × 6 feet in size with a decorative border is
$3.50. A bureau of small size, such as comes in an inexpensive grade of
the so-called antique oak, costs about $8.00. For the very reason that
the furnishings of the room are only temporary, and soon to be outgrown
and discarded, it is quite satisfactory to buy a cheap grade of
furniture whenever possible, if price is a consideration. A small
bureau is less expensive than one made especially in a child's size,
and is equally practical if not so substantially made. Such a bureau
can be done over in white enamel to match the bed, or in any dark color
that may be preferred in place of the shiny oak finish.
For curtains that hang straight from the top of the window to the lower
edge of the sash, scrim at twenty-five cents a yard would cost two
dollars. Allowing four yards for each of two windows, and enough
printed cretonne to make a decorative border, it would cost a dollar
and a half additional.
These figures are of the very lowest for which a child's room can be
fitted up, but even with everything of the most inexpensive grade it
will give more real pleasure than one on which a much greater amount
has been spent if the room is nondescript in its furnishings and fails
to impress the child with a sense of ownership.
SARAH LEYBURN COE
[Illustration]
Characteristic Staircase Types and Hall Treatments
[Illustration:
In the right place half-timber work on plaster has many
possibilities for hall decoration
]
[Illustration:
Japanese grass cloth in golden color is an excellent combination for
chestnut stained light brown. Wood strips are used instead of
paneling
]
[Illustration:
In certain old Colonial halls the entrance is fashioned in a
semicircular recess up which the stairs curve in a spiral. The
effect is exceedingly beautiful but requires much space
]
[Illustration:
The front door in this house opens directly into the living-room,
into which stairs come down at one side. The wood has natural
treatment and part of the banister forms the wainscot of the room
]
[Illustration:
Some of the best Colonial detail is to be found in newel posts where
careful craftsmen worked a variety of spirals
]
[Illustration:
One method of securing pleasing decorative effects was the use of
balusters in three different designs
]
[Illustration:
In the old farmhouses for the sake of warmth the main stairway was
made with the smallest possible well and often closed with a door at
the main hall
]
[Illustration:
This is a modern example by Wilson Eyre of the stair well inclosed
for the greater part of its length. Such arrangement is only
possible under certain lighting conditions
]
[Illustration:
The stairs that rise from this living-room are designed to take up
as little room as possible. In this they are very successful and
little of the banister rail and stair woodwork can be seen
]
[Illustration:
Where there is a large room made dignified by architectural
decoration the twin stairways curving either side of a main flight
are decidedly impressive; but one should not plan to make use of
this effect in any but a pretentious house
]
[Illustration: