e, 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.