As the living room is the gathering place for family and friends, it may well be considered the most important room in the house. It should take its keynote for decoration from the hall. If there is a wide doorway connecting the living room with the hall, the color scheme should be the same. As the living room serves as library also, open bookshelves, painted the same as the woodwork, are essential if bookcases are not desired.

The first requisite of such a room is that it shall be restful. Avoid using rocking-chairs.1 Use little bric-a-brac. No unnecessary furniture or furnishings should be included.

For the background, tan or ivory is good in a room which is inclined to be dark, or gray and gray-green in a room inclined to be bright.

A Suggested List Of Furnishings For The Living Room

Floor Coverings

Carpets, rugs, or linoleum. The entire floor may be covered with carpet or linoleum in plain colors, or in an allover design. Rugs and carpets should be preferably the orientals, Wiltons, chenilles, or Axminsters. Linen fiber, wool fiber, grass fiber, wool braided, and hooked rugs are appropriate for country houses or summer furnishings. It is a matter of choice whether one large or several small rugs be used.

Table

In any of the hardwoods or painted softwoods; square or oblong, depending on the shape of the room, such as an oblong library table, refectory, a square drop-leaf, gate-leg or plain wood table, painted.

Sofa

Either entirely overstuffed, wood frame upholstered, or day-bed type.

Armchair

Either entirely overstuffed, upholstered seat and back only, or upholstered seat and wooden back, such as plain overstuffed velour chair, wing chair, Chippendale, or French tapestry and needlework. In any of the hardwoods; type such as Windsor or ladder-back, with wood or rush seats.

1 There are many other types of chairs that are more comfortable and much more beautiful, some of which can wisely be used in furnishing the demonstration home. A family furnishing a home for its own use will, of course, take into consideration the habitual comfort of its members.

Wicker Armchair

Natural color or painted, with or without cushions.

Fig. 55. - . (Trowbridge photographs, courtesy of House Beautiful magazine.)

Desk

In any of the hardwoods; type, Colonial secretary with bookcase, above, block front, spinet, or small flat-top desk.

Desk Chair

Straight chair with upholstered, wood, or rush seat, to correspond in wood and style with desk.

End Tables Or Stools

In any of the hardwoods or painted softwoods; low, round, square, oblong, or kidney-shaped.

Bookcase Or Bookshelves

Bookcase with or without doors; straight-line type, or built-in bookshelves, painted or stained to match woodwork.

Small Tilt Or Stationary-Top Table

Round or square in any of the hardwoods, lacquered or painted.

Lamps

Tall, wooden, or metal reading-lamp, with silk or paper shade; a table lamp of wood, metal, or pottery base, with silk, chintz, muslin or paper shade.

Clock

Simple design in wood, metal, or leather.

Wastepaper Basket

Wicker, wood, or fiber.

Decorative Accessories

Small footstool; pottery, brass, or copper vases; bowls, candlesticks; sofa cushions, table runners, or mats in duvetyn, velours, old brocade, heavy silks, or to correspond with materials used in over draperies.

Desk Appointments

Silver, brass, bronze, leather, or wood. Book-ends in wood or metal; ash-trays of enamel, glass, wood, brass, or other metal; library shears and smoking appointments.

Pictures

Gold-Leaf, antique gilt, or natural wood frames; subjects in oils, water-colors, engravings, etchings, or colored prints of interest to family and friends.

Piano

Small grand or upright in any of the dull, dark-finish hardwoods; quality of tone first and forever of importance.

Fireplace (If Any)

.... Andirons, fire-screen, stand containing pinchers, poker, and hearth brush, a woodbox or woodbasket.

Phonograph

In console cabinet or smaller case, in any of the hardwoods chosen to correspond with the other furniture in the room.

Radio

Cabinet or on small stand or table.....