Floors will here be considered in their various kinds and from the decorative point of view: if any reader wishes to finish his own he will find full instructions in the booklets sent to applicants by the manufacturers of the necessary preparations, which will be mentioned below.

Stone, Tile, Cement, And Brick

These floorings, very desirable in their proper places, are not often found in small premises unless specially provided. A marble floor is seen in the hall illustrated in Plate 9, tiles in the apartment Plates 120-123 and in the enclosed porch Plate 59A. Flag-stone appears appropriately in the breakfast-room of the remodelled farm-house Plate 4. Brick, with a brick fireplace, would also be in keeping in such a room, or on a porch.

Hardwood Floors

These are usually provided in new properties and they are excellent. As they possess no great apparent weight - as do those in the previous division - their colour should be darker than the walls, so as to lie in place as the foundation. They are commonly of light tone and cannot be changed without much labour, so this is another argument in favour of light walls. The dark floor has a richer effect and staining will produce this if it is desired. The Colonial flooring was of wide boards and this should be remembered by those desiring exactly to reproduce such an interior.

Finishes

Floors may be waxed, shellaced, or varnished. Wax, the most beautiful of all, is in the writer's opinion immediately disposed of by its dangerous slipperiness. This surface also requires constant care.

Shellac is often regarded as a poorly-wearing finish, but it is very common, especially in apartments. The writer has found it quite permanent in his own, and unless there is heavy wear considers it very satisfactory. Its rapid-drying quality is a great advantage. Shellac should not be applied over an oil-varnish or over wax without removing them.

A good floor-varnish undoubtedly affords the best surface for all purposes and heavy wear. Its appearance is almost as fine as that of wax and it is not slippery. If a floor previously waxed is to be varnished, all the wax must be removed.

Following are the five preparations necessary under various conditions in the treatment of old and new floors. There are a number of standard makes, all extensively advertised in the journals devoted to household furnishing. Each manufacturer of floor varnish usually makes also his own brand of all or nearly all the other materials required.

Paint and Varnish Remover.

Paste Wood-Filler.

Crack-Filler.

Oil, Penetrating, and Acid Stains.

Floor-Varnish.

As has been mentioned, instructions for their use are furnished in the "literature" supplied by the manufacturers.

Stains

Stains are provided in many shades. Unless there is much yellow throughout the property a toffee-colour should be avoided. A light brown, coolish rather than yellowish, is good. Walnut, dark-oak, and mahogany are excellent, according with the wood of the furniture employed. A polished floor of dead black is one of the best of all colourings, being both rich and smart. Nigrosine, a black aniline-dye, permeates the wood deeply so that the effect is durable. All stains should be protected by at least two coats of floor-varnish.

The Painted Floor

This treatment is decoratively admirable in itself and is especially valuable also where the floor is greatly worn. In the latter case it must be properly prepared by removing previous applications, filling and sand-papering, three coats of paint being then given, protected by two or three of floor-varnish.

Plate 2 shows a grey floor - one of the generally useful tones with light grey, white, or oyster white walls. In the house illustrated in Plate 150 the living-room floor is black, while coloured floors are used in the bed-rooms, beneath uniform grey rugs in all these rooms. In one of them the floor is green with a flowered striped paper in grey, rose, and green, with painted furniture. In another the floor is grey, of a different tone than the rug, while in the dining-room a perfectly plain blue rug almost covers a floor of yellow. Here there are white panelled walls, white under-curtains with over-curtains of flowered chintz, and American Empire furniture with a banjo clock. The furnishing in this home was all planned by Mrs. Sabin, and for the illustration and details the writer is indebted to "House and Garden".

A grey-blue or dark blue floor is also good upon occasion.

Linoleum

This flooring offers the advantages of strictly sanatory character, attractiveness, and durability. Naturally only a heavy quality with the colouring extending all the way through should be used. It is better that it should be cemented down over a felt paper and full instructions are given in "literature" sent by the various makers. After being upon the floor for about six months it may further be protected by "Valspar" or "Linoleum Shield". Some makers recommend the use of liquid wax, and state that if but a moderate amount is applied and that well rubbed in the surface is not slippery.

The Jaspé pattern is excellent for general use, as it resembles the hardwood floor without the cracks of the flooring boards. The tile-effects are desirable, especially for halls and sun-porches. All are made in various colourings. See Plates 37, 93, and 153. The plain colourings in black, grey, blue, green, etc. when varnished with the mentioned preparations give the effect of painted floors. Plain colours and simple tile patterns are excellent for the kitchen.

Ocular demonstration is superior to any amount of description; here and with the following subjects the plan will be adopted, therefore, of referring the reader to good examples of each kind illustrated in this volume. Each is good in its own environment, so this method will also indicate what is suitable to each character of interior.

Floors And Rugs

See Plates I, 2, 4, (lower), 5, 6 (an especially good simple rug), 7, 8, 9, 10, 29, 37 (linoleum), 42, 59A, 63, 66, 68, 69, 77, 93, 97, 113, 116, 120, 127, 139, 145, 150, 151.

Mantels And Overmantels

See Plates 5, 8, 10, 11, 29, 75, 98, 100, 114, 122, 123, 124 (of the period), 129, 139, 143.

Arrangements

See Plates 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12 (beds), 78 (piano and wall decoration), 123 (alcove), 150 (settee, chair, and stand).

Window- And Other Hangings

See Plates 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 (according to period, but over-curtains better when pulled back undraped), 35, 37, 42, 68, 71, 78 (Batik), 79, 80, 100, 114, 116, 126, 138, 151.

Accessories Of Various Kinds

See Plates 1, 2, 4 (lower), 5, 7 (beds), 10, 11, 29, 42, 43, 63, 70, 75, 89, 95 (beds), 97, 98, 100, 114, 115, 120, 121, 122, 126, 128 (right), 129, 138, 139, 140, 143, 144, 145, 150, 151.

Pictures, Frames, And Arrangement

See Plates 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 (especially good in kind and arrangement), 10, 11, 29, 30, 66 (good mats and rightly hung), 89, 97, 128 (left), 129, 138, 139, 145, 150.

Screens

See Plates 37, 126, 139.