small narrow windows looked out upon a beautiful view of a bay. Above the wainscoting, what would have been a frieze rail, was a shelf which held jugs, platters, and all sorts of curious pieces, Chair Designed by Dora Wheeler Keith. the flotsam and and jetsam of travel, and also of visits to auction-rooms and art sales. The curtains were of blue velours hanging from oak poles. The floor was of hard wood, partly covered with a larger Eastern rug in tints of blue and brown prevailing. for large pictures, but here and there were small works, for the most part Dutch pictures of eating and drinking, fitting into the panes of the wainscoting. There were other sorts of deco ration, however, in the ornamental copper hinges of the doors, in the copper sconces which served for the gas, and the hanging lamp over the round oak table with its cover of blue velours. The tall chairs were of oak with brown leather seats, and there were besides two bronzetinted, low wicker chairs. The windowseat had cushions of blue velours and blue and white velveteen. Nor must be forgotten the Delft windowpots with flowers on the window-shelf. As to color it should be added that green and gold can be worked. into oak which, with one of the new methods of treatment, has a distinctly green tint. A room which, instead of being wainscoted, has a dado of oak can be carried out in green and gold in the same manner as was the red and gold room first described. Again a yellow and brown room may be carried out in walnut and gold. It should be remembered, however, that gold may be translated into yellow cartridge paper, yellow flock papers with a design in brown, for it is the combination of colors we are speaking of, and mate The oak wainscoting did not allow rials are only the necessary media. A Study in Green and Blue. A suitable frieze for such a room is ivory-tinted ornament on a gold or yellow ground with the ornament outlined in brown. The rooms spoken of are all dark rather than light, even though they are above the color key of the oldfashioned dining rooms with their heavy furniture and heavy overhanging gold cornices, oppressive chandeliers, and involved lambrequins. But let us suggest something still lighter, more cheerful, a room that shall hint at a nearness to trees putting forth their leafage, the tender budding of rosebushes, and the thrusting forth of green trees from the brown earth. Such a dining room is only possible in the country or in those gracious towns which permit of surrounding grounds. The room is wainscoted in plain pine. This is covered with several coats of enamel paint, highly polished and of that peculiar tint of green which mingles well with blue. All of the woodwork should be of the same tint. If there is a dado instead of a wainscoting, the wall above is painted a paler tint of green up to the cornice, and the ceiling lightly ornamented in cream and traversed by cross mouldings of pale green dividing it into square panels. Instead of painting the field it is papered in pale green cartridge paper, or a flock paper in a blue and green design. Above the doors and the mantel-breast are shelves for china, blue and white, and celadon or pale. Moorish iridescent plaques. The floor is painted a deeper tinted green, with a large square rug in which tints of green and blue predominate. The draperies are both blue and green, preserving the proper balance of color. The dining-room chairs are of oak or with wooden frames painted green with rush-plaited seats. Let it be here said that unless dining room chairs have leather seats, there is nothing more VOL. IL-9 129 is not incompatible with an air of solidity and comfort, as the spindles of our Colonial furniture still show. same time decorative object is the screen which hides the pantry door. This must be considered with reference To speak still further of the furnish- to the general tone of the room. On A Pretty Side-light. ing of the dining-room. Sideboards, dressers, and buffets, of common woods painted in flat tints of red and green, when not of woods of beautiful grain, are preferable to the structures which are prepared in cheap forms and with cheap ornamentation. To such sideboards-even of the costlier sort-far preferable is the buffet or dresser with its necessary drawers for table linen, cutlery and silver, its cellaret and flanking cupboards for glass and china, its flat top for silver and glass, and two shelves for ornamental pieces. In any case a serving-table, with its trim lower shelf, is a valuable additional piece of furniture. An essential and at the general principles screens covered with. old Spanish leather are preferred. We have spoken only of the furniture that pertains to the dining room proper. But we are not always in haste to tear ourselves from the dining-room. There should be at least two easy chairs. For these there is nothing more desirable than low wicker arm-chairs with separate cushions. There should be a shelf for books. Frequently the dining-room panelling is varied to make these shelves and closed drawers for papers, engravings, and sewing or knitting. At the end of the book-shelves there should be a bracket for a lamp or on which to swing a bulb of electric light. For it must be borne in mind how simplified life becomes when the thing we want is at hand. It is for this reason there should always be conveniences for writing in order that a note requiring an answer or to be handed to the outgoing member of the family to post may be written then and there. A place for this purpose may be introduced into the panelling with a lid that lets down to make a writing-table; or, a small table may be arranged for this service. There remains to speak of the lighting. The electric light has introduced many possibilities in the way of lighting. One is from ornamental bosses in a panelled ceiling or concealed in the ornamentation of the cornice. What are now known as banquet lamps are used on all state occasions, as when of silver or Dresden china they contribute to the table ornamentation. Candles are of course in great demand. And at the outset, in their pretty sticks and bordered with flower-shades and other devices, are certainly attractive. It is a fortunate guest or hostess, however, who has escaped some contretemps. The shades with their patent fastenings are expected to follow the fortunes of the candle. It is rarely that they do not topple over, set fire to the shades, or by some mischance do not interrupt the conversation and the progress of the dinner. The low hanging centre lamp is the most convenient form of lighting. This should be low enough and discreetly veiled so as not to cast the light directly on the faces of those at table, yet not so low as to hide the faces from one another of those on the opposite sides of the tables. The interference of a lamp, a tall épergne or floral structure, reared in the middle of the table, may interfere with the success of an otherwise perfectly ordered dinner. Something must be said of the small city dining-rooms in which every inch of space must be utilized. Two delightful instances are in mind. Both of these rooms were in city houses built out as extensions. Each was surrounded by brick and mortar and the neighbors' windows. The light from heaven was deemed more desirable. Neither had any side windows, but each had a skylight. One skylight was oblong and filled with amber glass and blue. At night the electric light was above the glass and the shower of tints was delightful. The illustration of this dining-room does not give the vista which it concludes. This is found in another illustration by a happy conjunction of mirrors and plate-glass, giving a sense of air and space as well as of beauty to a cramped city house. The mantel-piece fronts the door, which is the transformed bay-window of the |