The Homelike House
This very practical subject for club study is here arranged under ten topics, but they may be divided into as many more. Numbers one, seven, and ten may be used separately—a year's work made out of each one.
Good books for general reference are: The Family House, by C. F. Osborne; The House, Its Plan, Decoration, and Care, by Isabel Bevier; and The House Beautiful, by W. C. Gannett. The American School of Economics of Chicago has some very useful books on its list on the building and furnishing of homes, and there are hundreds of magazine articles on these and kindred subjects.
I—THE EVOLUTION OF THE MODERN HOUSE
Begin in the earliest times with the homes of the cave and lake dwellers, the reed and wattle huts of primitive man, and the tents of the nomads. Notice how, as wandering groups settled, civilization advanced and houses of wood and stone were erected.
Follow with a study of the permanent and beautiful homes of the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, and show plans of the simple and harmonious interiors. Then contrast these with the dwellings of the Norsemen, the Goths, and other ruder nations, and see how, after they had conquered Rome, they carried back some ideas of comfort and beauty. A good encyclopedia will furnish references on these subjects.
Study the architecture of the Middle Ages, the great castles of Italy, Spain, Germany, France, and England, with pictures from histories and encyclopedias. Mention carvings and ornaments in stone and wood, used in these castles. Unless this topic is to be expanded into a study of architecture, it is better at this point to take up English houses alone. Note the time when half-timbering prevailed, shown still in many houses in Warwickshire and elsewhere. Take up the Tudor period, when red brick was largely the material used and leaded casement windows are seen. Carved furniture, panelled halls, and elaborate furniture were also common. The Georgian and Victorian periods follow, and have a certain interest; and then we come to our own country.
II—THE AMERICAN HOUSE
Houses built in Colonial and Revolutionary times were suggested by English styles, and many were copies of existing houses. They were largely built of wood, and the lines were simple and artistic. The Old Manse at Concord, the Longfellow house at Cambridge, and well-known Southern mansions are suggestive of the general style. The Dutch houses of the day were often of stone, and were low, with deep roofs and porches and huge fireplaces.
Soon after 1800 the period of experimental architecture began, and has continued till of late, when we are slowly turning backward toward the reproduction of old styles again. Nondescript houses, constructed to please the passing fancy, have been the rule; mixed styles, inartistic lines, and scrollwork have disfigured them.
Show from magazines the new ideas; reproductions of old English homes, French chateaux, Tudor mansions; the combinations of brick, stone, and wood; the use of cement, stucco, and stone. We have adopted foreign ideas, and are making them individual and valuable.
Have each member of the club bring in pictures and plans of modern houses of all kinds, those of the city, the village, the farm, from the cheapest to the most costly, and point out the new ideas and the old. A good idea is to have a contest of plan-drawing on easy lines, to give some practical knowledge of desirable points.
III—BUILDING A HOME
How shall one decide on a site for a new house? Embody these ideas in a paper: See that the character of the neighborhood is desirable; that the property in the vicinity is appreciating rather than depreciating. Note the relation of the trolleys or the railroad. Are they accessible, yet not too near for comfort? Is the condition of the street on which the house will face attractive, well kept, and shaded?
Is the lot in good condition?—not too full of stones, not so low that it will require filling, nor so high that it will need grading? Is it drained? Are city water and gas at hand? Is there shade? Is the outlook good? If in a country district, how near are the schools, the church, the markets? What about the condition of the roads in winter?
Study of materials: Will stone, brick, wood, or cement be the best to use for this particular house, and will one alone or two materials combined be preferable? The use of local stone is often the best choice of all, and gives a beautiful and durable house. Cement must be fortified, or else have air-spaces. Cement or stucco combined with timbers is always artistic.
As to the plan of the house, a careful study is necessary. See the plans given in magazines and books, and make notes of what suits the family needs best. Discuss the question, Is an architect really necessary, or can a builder carry out a printed plan? Take up the placing of a house, and observe that if it does not stand four-square, but rather with the corners northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest, sunshine will come into every room at some hour of the day. Have a paper or talk on the sanitation of the country and village house especially, and of the necessity of overseering the plumbing intelligently. The heating and the conveniences of the house should be considered. Speak especially of the point that each house should not only be attractive and convenient, but suited to the needs of the individual family; and here, not the architect, but the housekeeper and mother should assert herself.
IV—THE REMODELLED HOUSE
What can be done to make over a city house that is unattractive? A paper can easily be written on this up-to-date theme, showing how a narrow brown-stone house with high front steps, a basement dining-room, and small rooms can be made over. The outside can be covered with brick or stucco, and perhaps blinds added. The steps can be removed, and an English entrance constructed directly from the street. The stairs can be turned around, making the hall much larger; the dining-room can be put up-stairs, with a dumb-waiter. The small rooms, perhaps dark, can be thrown together into one large living-room, and the windows enlarged. Wood floors can be laid, dark wall-papers replaced with light, and the whole will have a modern effect. Architects are specializing on this point.
What can be done to make over a village house? All the ugly scrollwork can be removed from the porch and windows, and any little pinnacles, or perhaps a cupola from the roof. A wide, simple porch can replace the narrow one; the house can then be shingled all over, and stained, or painted in a quiet color. The small rooms may be thrown together, making large ones, and small doorways can be made wider. The floors may be laid in hard wood or Southern pine, or maybe painted or stained, and rugs may take the place of carpets. The hangings may be dyed, if they are too ornate; the old wall-paper may be replaced by something plain and quiet; the pictures may be rehung. A bathroom may be put in, if there is none. The kitchen may be made more convenient. The yard may be made attractive with trees and shrubs. Unsightly out-buildings may be removed; the fence may be improved. The porch may have vines and window-boxes, and be furnished for a living-room, with awnings, chairs, and a table.
What can be done to make over a farmhouse? First of all, the barns and out-buildings must be removed, or hidden behind screens of trees or evergreens, or at least painted or stained. The yard must be put in order, and shrubs and flowers set out. The house front door must be opened, and a porch, or attractive entrance built, with vines. Within, the front room should be arranged for daily use, with the doorway widened, probably, and the windows opened and screened. The floor can be stained, and a pretty rag rug laid down; ugly furniture can be replaced with some of the simple, old-fashioned sort that is in keeping with the character of the house. A fireplace may possibly be opened, and the pictures rehung on freshly papered walls. The kitchen and dining-room may have more modern conveniences, and water may be piped in from the windmill or spring. The bedrooms may be made more airy, and perhaps a bathroom added.
Show pictures of made-over houses of these and other kinds, and emphasize the fact that much may be done with little outlay of money. Speak of the new ideas in house-furnishing and the return to what is suitable rather than what is merely costly or modern. Make the papers practical, and have club-members tell what they have seen accomplished.
V—THE SUMMER COTTAGE
This is one of the most fascinating subjects of the year. Begin by noting the kinds of houses needed for the mountains, the seashore, the inland plain or valley, and the camp, and their delightful variety. The bungalow is the modern suggestion for any simple summer home, and it is capable of infinite change to suit its surroundings.
The forest camp is usually planned to have several plain bungalows rather than one, and they form a group, one for sleeping, one for dining, one for cooking. Note the need of fireplaces, of screened windows and doors, and provision for storing food. Show how bunks can take the place of beds, and the charm of an out-of-door dining-room.
Seashore cottages should be built so as to avoid dampness; for this reason stone or cement is not a good choice, but wood, with thin walls which dry quickly. Fireplaces are essential, and deep porches on the sheltered side of the house. There may be two stories to a bungalow of this kind, rather than one, and the inside may be ceiled with wood, and stained rather than plastered.
Inland cottages may be made of cobble or any native stone, or of wood, or cement, or a combination. There should be large, deep porches, to be used for living-rooms, and, if possible, out-of-door sleeping-porches. The house should be so placed as to command the best view, especially of the sunsets. There should be beautiful gardens all about the house.
Show pictures of all these styles of cottage, and of the famous California bungalows, which are in every possible style and at all prices.
Close this subject with a brief talk or paper on Furnishing the Summer Home, mentioning that it should be done appropriately, not with left-over city furniture, but with the plainer kinds which suit the house. Speak of simple and attractive curtains and hangings, of the use of chintzes and cretonnes, of white-painted beds and chairs, of porch furniture. Notice also the labor-saving contrivances for summer kitchens. Have members tell of what they have seen and done in summer; close with a talk on the names of summer houses.
VI—THE APARTMENT
The remarkable multiplication of apartments in the last few years is noteworthy. Have their advantages and disadvantages presented, and question: What are the essentials of a good, livable apartment?
Suggest that the street should be accessible and as quiet as possible; the rooms not too small nor too crowded; that there should be light and air in the sleeping-rooms; that a few good closets, a sanitary bathroom, a convenient kitchen, are all necessary, and a private hall is desirable.
Discuss the question: How does the furnishing of an apartment differ from that of a house? Present the suggestion that as the rooms are apt to be small there must not be too much furniture, and that what there is should be plain, and simply upholstered. The wall-paper should be rather light in color, and plain or self-figured; to have it all of one kind makes the apartment look larger than if several kinds were used. There should be few hangings, and light curtains. Note also these questions: How can spaces be saved in sleeping and other rooms? What about heating and ventilation? Is living in an apartment hygienic? Does it tend to foster or discourage neighborliness? Does one form the habit of moving, and is the sense of continuity of a permanent family home destroyed? Have a discussion arranged in advance on these and similar points.
VII—FURNISHING THE HOME
This very practical subject may be expanded into several meetings, since it is distinctly educational.
Floors—Carpets versus bare floors and rugs. What is the cost of hard wood, of Southern pine, of painted or stained floors? In the long run, are such floors and the necessary rugs more or less expensive than carpets? What sort of rugs are desirable beyond the Oriental? What are artistic, durable, harmonious in color and pattern? What can be done with old carpets?
Walls—The necessity of proper proportion should be emphasized; they should be neither too high nor too low for the size of the room. If they are wrong, what can be done? Show how papering can help the difficulty; too low ceilings call for a narrow striped paper without a frieze; a too high ceiling needs the calcimined ceiling carried down to a foot or more on the wall, with a narrow molding where it meets the paper.
Study the subject of wall-paper, and show illustrations. The dark paper absorbs the light. The gilt-medallioned paper is inartistic; hard, bright colors are tiring to live with. Chintz papers are suitable for bedrooms. Notice the value of self-toned papers, and of shades of tans and pale browns.
Hangings—Have a paper or talk here. Describe the ugliness of highly colored, fringed, two-toned, draped portières, and of imitation lace curtains, such as Nottingham, and contrast with the beauty of simple, plain hangings and curtains of net or muslin of good styles. Show pictures from catalogues of good and bad hangings. Do not overlook the fact that if windows are too large or too small, too high or too low, their outline can be altered by their treatment. Present the possibilities of stenciling.
Furniture—This topic gives opportunity for a whole meeting. Get catalogues from dealers, and illustrate papers on different styles of furniture, English of several periods, French, German, Colonial, and the modern varieties of no period at all. Read from Furniture of Olden Times, by Alice C. Morse. Show how the plain lines of old mahogany are forever beautiful. Contrast such furniture with the showy, ornate, over-elaborate things we too often see to-day.
Make a point of the necessity of having few and simple chairs and tables in small rooms; of the advantage of low bookcases over high ones; the beauty of shaded lights over glaring white ones; of side lights and lamps as better than a central chandelier or hanging lamp.
Pictures should be of good subjects; copies of great masters, and of beautiful scenery or cathedrals, can be had in photographs; they should be plainly framed, hung flat on the wall, and opposite the eye. Bric-à-brac should be quiet in color and line, rather than complex and pretentious; speak of the value of pottery, and, if possible, study a little of what is being done in arts and crafts in all lines.
A practical discussion may follow on, What shall we do with our ugly belongings? Let someone show how carpets can be dyed or made into rugs, furniture simplified by removing the cheap ornamentation and staining the whole, bookcases cut down, hangings made over.
VIII—SPECIAL ROOMS
Have illustrated papers or talks on these topics:
The Living-Room—How can it best be made beautiful and comfortable? What colors are best? what furniture? what pictures and ornaments? Where shall the writing-desk, the large table, the piano, stand? What of the floor, the curtains, the cushions? What is essential, and what can we do without?
The Dining-Room—Which side of the house is best to choose? What colors are suitable for the walls? What wood for the furniture? What about a sideboard, glass-closet, pantry? How can we make over what we have?
The Bedrooms—Shall we use wood or metal beds? What of the floor? Are wall-papers desirable? What of the use of chintz and white paint? What curtains and hangings are best? What furniture can be home-made for the bedroom?
The Boy's Room—How can it be at once sensible and attractive? What sort of furniture will he like best, and what colors? Shall there be a place for "collections"?
The Girl's Room—How shall this be at once dainty and practical? What colors are suitable? If the room is small, how can the space be best utilized? Does a pretty bedroom tend to make a girl orderly?
From this point have brief papers on other rooms: the mother's room; the guest-room; the nursery; the playroom; the grandmother's room; the out-of-door sleeping-room; the hospital room; the sewing-room; the linen-closet; the attic; the cellar.
Close with a practical paper on that important room in the home, the kitchen. Show that it is a workroom, to be furnished and used as such. Speak of the floor, the walls, and their finishing; the tables and chairs; the pantries; the sink; the range; suggest labor-saving utensils and contrivances, and use illustrations; notice that the kitchen must be attractive as well as practical. Have members give ideas on all the topics.
IX—THE CARE OF THE HOUSE
Prepare in advance a discussion on these subjects: How much care shall we put on our houses? Shall women give up all their time to keeping them clean and orderly? What can they do to save steps? How much can the children help? Shall boys be taught housework? What can be eliminated from the daily routine?
If desired, there might be a practical talk on the necessity of keeping paint in good condition, to protect the wood underneath; of the care of glass, silver, marble, brass, hard wood; of how to prevent moths and mice, and of how often carpets must come up. It is better, however, to take up the larger aspects of the question, using such suggestions for talks or papers as these: Has housekeeping lost some of its difficulties to-day? What about modern appliances to avoid sweeping, and the like? Has house-cleaning lost its terrors? Can the average woman consider housekeeping as a profession? and if so, how and where can she best be trained? Compare the modern housekeeper with the one of half a century ago. Show how the trained housekeeper is a practical domestic economist. Discuss, Business-like Housekeeping; How shall we best train our daughters in it? If there is time, take up the servant question. Are our ideas changing on this subject? Present the new plans for specialists, with set hours, and the like.
X—GARDENS
This is one of the subjects which can be indefinitely expanded; indeed, a whole year's study might easily be put on it.
Begin with a study of historic gardens from the earliest times, and read Bacon's well-known essay. Then turn to the gardens of to-day, and begin with the description of what can be done in an apartment when one can have only window-boxes; take up the tiny plots behind city houses, and show what can be done there, with vines over the fences, climbing roses over a little arbor, narrow beds by the edge of the grass; show pictures of what has been done, if possible.
The lawn and small yard of a suburban house can next be studied, and here a little ingenuity can be shown to accomplish a great deal. Speak of the use of bulbs; of little cold-frames; of raising grapes under glass in a small way, and of annuals, shrubs, vines, and roses.
The large gardens of our modern country houses deserve especial mention. Have as many pictures as possible of these. Notice the formal gardens, the Italian gardens, the sunken gardens, the rose gardens, the massed shrubs, the walls of brick and stone, covered with vines. The adjuncts of the gardens are often most beautiful also, the pergolas, the marble and terra-cotta vases and seats, the sun-dials, the fountains, the lily-ponds, and the vistas cut through the trees.
Old-fashioned and herb gardens, kitchen and market gardens, growing violets and roses to sell, and the raising of unusual seeds and plants are all topics of interest both theoretical and practical.