HOUSEHOLD

FLORIDA. The ceilings in your rooms should be several tones lighter than the walls. Plain walls are considered much more artistic now than decorated walls, although a slight decoration in the way of a stencilled border, is permissible in self tones. It is not considered very desirable, however. I would suggest either light gray or soft écru walls with the pink hangings and white woodwork in your southwest parlor. In the sitting-room the walls may be either green or brown. In the dining-room, with the red hangings, have fawn-colored walls and a dark red rug. In the hall, with the walnut woodwork, yellow walls will be most harmonious and appropriate. Have either old-rose or light green walls in the northeast bedroom, with light woodwork and walnut furniture. In the library upstairs, with the mahogany woodwork and furniture, have green walls medium in tone; in the guest-room with the gray and rose rug, light gray walls, with possibly a very narrow rose border at the ceiling either of paper or in stencil. Carry out the rose coloring in the curtains. In the room with the blue rug and mahogany furniture have yellow - ochre walls, and combine the blue and yellow in the curtains and other furnishings. In the guest-room with the pink rug have pale pink walls. Have white ceilings in all the up-stairs rooms, either white or very light écru in the parlor, sitting-room, and diningroom, and white in the bedroom and hall downstairs.

ILLINOIS.-I can sympathize with your sorrow over not having one large living-room instead of two small rooms. Nevertheless, I think that your two rooms can be thrown so closely together that they will be almost the same as one. They may be called two living-rooms, and the irritating word "parlor " may be given up. There are times when it is convenient to have two rooms-one where the family may retire and sit in peace and comfort while callers are received in the other room. This convenience may prove of some comfort to you. I cannot say definitely, without seeing either the house itself or a more detailed plan, whether it would be awkward to tear down the partition between the two rooms; but at least the opening can be made much broader, and you can furnish the two rooms in exactly the same way, so that they will seem parts of one instead of two distinct units. If you do not like the fireplace where it is and the presence of a chimney makes it possible, could you not have a fireplace on the north side of the sitting-room next the kitchen? The fireplace and mantel itself should match the woodwork, and should be very simple in outline, with a facing of dull red brick. Possibly you would like one made entirely of the red brick; but with white woodwork I think that possibly one of the simple Colonial mantels would be more attract

ive.

Your suggested improvements in the hall will add very much to it, I am sure. Do away with

DECORATION

the vestibule, by all means, make the opening larger into the living-room, and, if possible, have the staircase in the back with a turning and landing half-way up so that it will not take up so much space. If this can be done, you can have a window in the hall, and that will make it lighter. It would not be a bad idea to use the same treatment for the hall as for the two living-rooms, in this way throwing the three together, creating perfect unity, and making the entire floor seem larger and more harmonious. Have a self-toned green paper of medium tone in the two living-rooms, the same in the hall-or a yellow paper, whichever you prefer-and dark green rugs in all three rooms. The rugs may be made from carpet and simply tacked down, leaving the hard-wood margins. It is possible to have a rug made from carpet with mitred corners and a border, but this is much more expensive than to simply have the required number of lengths sewed together and the whole tacked down as one would tack down a carpet. You may be able to find plain green Wilton or Axminster rugs in the required color, and for very little more money than the carpet. If you put in nice hard oak floors you will not, of course, want to tack down any carpeting. It will be necessary, undoubtedly, to have two rugs in the living-room, instead of one. Green Wilton filling makes very beautiful rugs. If that is too expensive, the green terry is very satisfactory.

Have simple écru fish-net curtains hanging straight to the sill of all your windows. In the dining-room have a self-toned old-blue paper. This will make the best possible background for your blue and white plates. Have either a plain dark blue rug, one in Persian colors-blue, copper, and tan-or the Chinese colors, blue and brown. Have white net curtains here. Upstairs, have hard pine floors throughout. In the east room have a light silvery gray-green paper, white muslin curtains, and dark green cotton rugs. In the south room have a light gray-blue paper, white swiss curtains, and blue and white wash rugs. In the southwest room an old-rose paper will be attractive; muslin curtains with a little pink figure and green rugs. Either white enamel or birch furniture will be appropriate in all these rooms. If you buy a mahogany library table, I think that I would place it in the middle of the back living-room. Possibly, if you do not have a fireplace on the wall next the kitchen, it will look well against that wall. Confine yourself to mahogany furniture in these rooms as much as possible. The oak will be perfectly harmonious in the dining-room.

We are very glad to answer all questions of this kind, and if you wish to know more later on I shall be glad to write again.

MRS. W. D. W.-A letter has been written to you and samples attached to your plan showing the color scheme as you desired. No address was given, however, so that the letter must wait until you send for it.

T

HE autumn fashions show, as usual, two distinct styles of street suit-the plain, severe tailored coat and skirt costume, and the more elaborate gown for receptions and calling. As a rule, the short utility skirt is to be pleated, both side pleats and box pleats being frequently seen among the fashionable models for autumn and winter. Plain side-pleated skirts, groups of pleats, and skirts with odd yoke tops are seen. The coats are in the cutaway or long single-breasted fitted shape, or in the box-coat shape for very thin women.

One of the novel features of the coming season's fashions is the combining of two materials. Velvet will be used on cloth and silk more generally than for many years past. The heavy tweeds with plaid back are to be very popular for utility suits. For winter, for walking suits, skating, golf, or hockey the heavy cloth is particularly serviceable. It is made up in various designs which show both sides of the cloth, plain and plaid, in combination.

The suit illustrated on this page is one of these combinations. It may be made of the double- face tweed, or, instead, the design is especially good for remodelling a last-year's gown. A cloth or cheviot gown which has become oldfashioned is possible to make over by this pattern into an up-to-date suit. The gores of one of the scant skirts of some time back may be used for the plain panels, and the plaid parts may be of any effective Scotch plaid which tones with it in color. A blue cloth with a dull blue and green plaid, and with trim

mings of the same on the coat, will be extreme

ly smart and becoming. ly smart and becoming. Broadcloth which has been used till the surface is getting a worn look may be turned the other side out to combine with plaid, and look better than the owner would ever have imagined it could be made to look.

When the suit is made of the double face cloth it needs no lining if preferred to have it so. A lining, however, is usually a comfort in the coat, as it is so much easier to slip the coat on and off with one than without it.

For the utility skirts of less heavy material another good skirt pattern is our seven-gore skirt No. 615, which has a little group of three pleats beginning just below the hips at each one of the six side seams. This skirt pattern requires, for the smallest size, six and three-quarter yards of cloth forty-eight inches wide, with one-eighth yard added for each size larger. Skirt pattern No. 549 is another very good model for walking skirts. It has a wide box pleat at the front, and side pleats from there all around. The little jacket with it is a good pattern for short, slight women, having the high belt and pleats over the hips. The skirt takes six yards of material fiftyfour inches wide, and the coat two yards, allowing one-quarter yard extra on each measurement for each size larger.

Two more good pleated skirt models are No. 544, which has five gores with groups of pleats at each seam, and No. 542, which has broad box pleats. These take four yards fifty-two inches wide for No. 544, and four and onehalf yards for No. 542.

F

OR the reception gown, and for all street gowns of the more elaborate models, the circular form of skirt seems to predominate. These skirts are trimmed and made very full around the foot, so the plain appearance of the circle is entirely lost in the rich folds of cloth or velvet. Velvet and braiding promise most popularity as trimmings. Some gowns have the whole lower part-from seven to ten inches of the skirt of velvet or satin in contrast to the cloth above, while others have bands of velvet or satin.

The suit illustrated here as No. 629 is a model of broadcloth, with bias satin folds and silk soutache braid, in a pattern so simple that any amateur can put it on without a pattern. The coat has a seam at the back, and the skirt

AFTERNOON OR EVENING GOWN.

Cut Paper Pattern No. 630.

Sizes, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, and 42 inches bust measure.

Price, 50 cents each.

has one also. Quantity of material required: For coat, three yards fifty-two inches, and for skirt, four yards.

The other gown, No. 630, is a design which is suitable for afternoon or evening wear, or for a gown which may be used for both. The yoke and standing collar are separate from the rest of the gown, and it may be used as a pretty dinner gown décolleté. The skirt and bodice parts are separate in cut, being joined under the belt; but the gown is to be made in one, with the panel at the front and the silk or ribbon bands at each side giving a tall effect to the figure. This is a good model for short women or those of medium height. Quantity of material required: Seven and one-half yards forty-eight inches wide without sleeves and fichu.