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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 13, 1935)
PAGE THREE Many Old Homes Easily Restored Through Simple Modernizing MEDFOKD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFOKD, OREGON, THURSDAY. JUNE 13, 1935. Coat of Paint, Few Built-lns, Modern Plumbing Fix tures Among Suggestions for Home Transformation There are few houses that cannot be Improved through some altera tion or repair Job. The average house could be made much more livable by certain changes. In many cases, serious damage can be averted only by Immediate repairing. The mere removal of "gingerbread" often gives an entirely new appear -1 a nee to an old house. A slight al teration In the roof line, a new and more effective chimney, an old porch converted into & conservatory, or a , new wing to provide additional space, la often all that Is necessary to give the home a modernized appearance. Check Roof Metal When the roof covering, flashings, gutters or downspouts fail, serious damage to the interior results. Thay should be checked before winter weather makes arduous demands up on them. Insulation of side walls and roof might also be done at this time. Win dows and doors should be weather stripped for added comfort and fuel economy, and Inefficient windows and doors repaired or replaced. Case ment windows or French doors may add greatly to the aspect of bo'.h exterior and Interior. The outer walls may require only a new coat of paint to put them in tip-top condition. Any loose clap boards or shingles must be tightened or replaced first, and the painting should be done before cold weather. Bome walls may be greatly Improved with a new siding of clapboard, shingles or masonry. Repair Porrhes Repairs to porch floors, columns, railings, steps and supports will min !mtze the danger of personal injury and add to the exterior appearance. If the porch Is out-of-date. It may ba altered, converted into a room or removed. If Inadequate, It may be enlarged. Partitions, preferably of fireproof material, built around the furnace and coal bins, will render the rest of the basement more useful for laundry, food storage, work shop or recreation purposes. Brightly painted and well equipped with shelves and built-in tables, the basement will be come a more pleasant place In which to work. Additional windows will add to Its brightness and utility, and a new outside entrance- will contribute to its convenience. A ceiling will add to the appearance and help to keep dust from the upstairs rooms. If a basement Is lacking, one may be dug, concreted and finished according to the above suggestions. General improvements upstairs might include new floors and trim, a fireplace, book and knick-knack helves, window seats, wallpaper or paint, and an expansion of the elec trical system. New partitions or the removal of old ones often adds to the utility of a house. If additional closets are needed, they may be built In corners. A large, unused closet may be transformed into a bathroom, bedroom, sewing room, den or nurs ery. All space should be well utilized Examine plumbing Kitchens and bathrooms need par ticular attention, especially with re gard to plumbing and convenience. Obsolete fixtures should be replaced with modern sanitary ones. The floors and walls may be done over to harmonize with the new fixtures. The kitchen might offer greater con venience if arranged differently. A big kitchen, awkardly planned, may be made much more compact and satisfactory if part of the floor space were given over to a. breakfast nook and the remainder of the wall space eovered with shelves and cupboards Additional windows might ease j housekeeping tasks. , The attic thould not go to waste. It may be possible to transform It I .Into a room. Insulating material will make the attic livable and at the same time enhance the comfort of the rest of the house. A new garage, or Improvements to the old one, may also be advisable. New drives, walks, terraces and shrubbery would make a splendid finishing touch for the home mod ernisation project. NEW APPEARANCE MAY BE OBTAINED BY FEW REPAIRS Jackie Cooper's Bedroom Captures Youngster's Fancy X - V- - !fN This nautical bov' room Is a reproduction of the one occupied by Jacme Cooper In Trcki Bad Boj. Such rooms are inexpensive and dear to the heart of almost every youngster. The walls are finished with cane fiber plank to carry out the general effect of a ship's cabin. By JANET ALLEN A nautical bedroom, with bunks Mi one wall and furniture that has 1 tang of salt air and sailing ships, has absorbed the fancy of many a bov. Whether he is six or sixteen, this is the kind of room he is like ly to want. The cost of converting a bedroom into a ship's cabin is no greater than that of furnishing it in some manner far less appealing to the average youngster. Double-Decker Bunk The bunk, of course, Is th prin cipal item. Yet even a double decker is Inexpensive to build and has many advantages. If two boys are to occupy the room, each of them can have an ample bed with out using up all the floor space for sleeping equipment. If there is only one bov, he Is sure to have a friend in occasionally. Then the double decker will be doubly useful. Another essential item of furni ture is a sea chest. This can be both decorative and useful. A rope handle at either end is all that is needed to give a nautical twist to anv plain but sturdy chest. It is an ideal receptacle for toys, particu larly if the young man occupying the room is being trained to pick up and put away his belongings. Planked Walls A chest of drawers, a desk and a comfortable chair for reading com plete the list of major items need ed. These can be purchased ready made or specially built at modest expense. To carry out the nautical effect, the walls of the room should be planked, although this is not abso lutely essential. One of the least expensive ways to achieve the proper effect is to use Celotex in terior finish plank. Being a cane fiber insulating board, this has the added advantage of affording a certain amount of sound insulation which will prevent the boy's bois terous friends from filling the en tire house with their din. This plank also has the advan ' tage of requiring no finishing treatment. It is available in several colors, including a soft, natural tan and two shades of brown, and In either smooth, textured or rip pled surface. Edges of the planks are beveled and beaded. The same material in the form of tile may be used for finishing the celling. refrigerator, sink and range so arranged with work space, that steps are reduced to a minimum. Entering the kitchen from the out side, the refrigerator should be first, then a work space with the sink and drip board next in line. Another work space should separate this from the range, and It might be a good plan to have still another work space be tween the range and the dining-room door. If the outside door and dining room door are close together, going through the kitchen will not Inter fere with work. This however is not always possible and when it Is neces sary to separate the "line of equip ment with a door, create a work space by the Isolated piece if this is possible. Separate the range and sink rather than the sink and the refrig erator. Work spaces can be built-in cabi nets with shelves above of they can be small work tables. The placement of similar equip ment in logical plnres will also save steps. Staple supplies and used ut?n slls should be at the refrigerator work space. Tea. coffee, mesurlng spoon, pots, pans and coffee pot should be in the, range work space. Dishes, etc., at the sink. This kitchen arrangement can eas ily be placed In a room of ten feet by twelve or nine by fourteen, leav ing ample space for a desk and chair where receipt and menu books can be kept and meals planned. Use Mall Tribune want ada. STAIRCASE GIVES FIRST IMPRESSION TO VISITOR A staircase generally serves as a. sort of architectural hostesF to a home. It 1:j one of the firat things seen upon entering a house and should, therefore, look Its best. Frequently when a house is redeoo rated from top to bottlm. such a basic thing as a staircase is left un touched, and Is the one discordant note In the picture. This important feature can be made to conform to the general decorating scheme, be it modern, colonial, French provincial or classical. Housing Question Box Landscaping Gives Charm Q. Do Federal Housing Adminis tration regulations permit loans for work to Improve the grounds about a dwelling? A. Yes. All kinds of betterments to grounds are authorized provided the lending agency considers them worth while and the borrower able to make the regular payments. One may put In driveways, tanks, suitable drain ege, and generally beautify the grounds. Ask a member of the local housing campaign committee, your banker, or contractor. Q la It possible to obtain a loan to enable to build a new and secure foundation under my home? A. Ask your contractor about the cost and your banker about the loan. A stout foundation of concrete or masonry may replace the old one and prevent sagging, cracked walls and ceilings and bulging floors. This is considered an improvement and la eligible for a modernization loan. Q. How may I arrange the neces sary financing for the construction of a new home under the Federal Housing Administration act? A. The regulations for this have not been completed. Experts are now drawing up the detailed plans for mutual mortgage Insurance and these will be announced as early as possible and the plan probably will be in op eration shortly. Q. Does the Federal Housing Ad ministration authorize loana for the construction of Illy ponds, bathing ponds, tennis courts, etc. A. These are considered "modern izing" and are eligible if approved by the agency making the loan. Q. What Is meant by "acid-resisting enamel in speaking of kitchen sinks? A. There are two kinds of enamel used In making plumbing fixtures. One Is called "regular" and the oth er "acid-resisting." The acid-resisting finish is extremely hard and im pervious and cannot be harmed by any of the acids such as those from fruit Juices ordinarily used in the home, in fact, the only acid which can attack it Is hydrochloric acid, a glass solvent. In Installing new plumbing equipment under the Fed eral Housing Administration vou should consider buying fixtures with an acid-resisting finish. 0 ' Q. I plan to build an addition to my house which will cast about i3, 000. Can I get an FHA Insured loan of $2,000 to help finance the work? A. Tou may apply for a $2,000 loan to help finance a $3,000 building project. Q. As I sell a seasonal product, my Income la much greater during one part of the year than during the oth er months. Would I be permitted to make seasonal payments on a mod ernisation loan under the terms of the National Housing Act? A. The National Housing Act pro vides that only farmers may make seasonal payments. All others must pay monthly. Q. How can I prevent the drawers in my closets from sticking? A. Drawers In bullt-ln closets, cabi nets, and furniture often stick during damp weather or when the relative humidity la high. Before planning or cutting down the size of the draw ers, which may make them too loose, try applying hot paraffin to the drawer runners. Unless the drawers ave oversize, the paraffin will make them work easier and keep them from sticking. SHOWER BATH BRINGS MAXIMUM ENJOYMENT Probably nothing rejuvenates the tired business man or worker or af fords more pleasure and enjoyment to the children on a hot, sultry day than a good shower bath. Showers may be Installed under the Moderni sation Credit Plan of the Fedeial Housing Administration. -Ft I wiA -yKj&4 UsV CTl v- r Landscaping of grounds about tha home ia eligible for modernization credit as provided by the National Housing Act. Tha two photographs shown here give an idea of possi bllllles of beauti fying the modern yard and lawn. W alks, shrubbery, lily ponds, new trees add much to the beauty of the homo. 3Mt W"' 33 'A e-oTH " "TIW-r -t T V , -c-- j Phone 542. We'll haul away youi refuse. City Sanitary Service. E STEPS IN KITCHEN BY BETTER PLANS Science has entered the kitchen. In the planning and arrangement of that Pt ot the home In which the housewife spends so much of her time, architects and home econo mists have accomplished much In re cent years, with the saving of time and steps as their objective. The poorly located sink or refrig- , trator may add two or three steps for the housewife each time she uses them, or the lack of cupboard and work space at certain points In the kitchen might eally double the labor entailed in the preparation of a single meal. In one year this would be com parable to preparing and clearing some 2 000 meals lntad of the aver age 1.0M. The best planned kv.chens have tfce three major piece of eqxpxent v LET UNCLE SAM HELP HOME OWNERS MODERNIZE Through the UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT Federal Housing Act are now able to offer r33KSZT , WESTINGHOUSE REFRIGERATION NO DOWN PAYMENT Let us explain this attractive plan to you. THREE YEARS TO PAY Begin now to enjoy Electric Refrigeration. NO PROPERTY LIEN NO RED TAPE This is entirely a character loan, e WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC REFRIGERATION will pay for itself. Let us help you to take advantage of this very attractive offer. Why not call the store at once for full details. Peoples Electric Store 212 West Main. Phone 12 Observe Better Housing Day! -BY PLANNING A MODERNIZATION PROGRAM FOR YOUR HOME . . . Here Is an opportuni ty to make your own home more attractive and liveable . . . the necessary money la now I mm e d I a t e I y available through the convenient Federal Housing Art loans . . This bank Is cooper ating with the Gov ernment In Its efforts to Improve homes and assisting the builders, craftsmen and tradesmen of this community In handling the details of these loans for home owners . . . We sugcet that you contact your con tractor, painter lumber and hardmire dealer, cabinet maker and electric store . . all are capable of providing the ncretsary cost flgurea. The rest of the details will be quickly and satisfactorily taken cere of at this bank . . . It Is an Easy Matter To Finance Your Home Modernization Blip; isfer;.. PS- rt, :r " I m u fci, rt v i air Ku 9 9 lm1t:rfrnr Here are the answers to a few of your questions regarding Federal Housing Act Loans : 1. Who may apply? Any Individual property owner over 21 years of age, or any partnership or cor poration with a regular income from sal. ary, commission, business or other assured source. It is not necepsary to be a deposi tor in this bank. 2. What assurance need I give7 (a) That you own the property. (b) That the income of the signer of the note is at least five times the amount to be deposited within a year. (c) That your mortgage, if any, is in good standing, your taxes up to date or in good standing, and that there are no other past due incumbrances or liens against your property. 3. How much will the bank loan? From $100 to $2,000, depending upon your income, for improvements on any one property, and in connection with each of not more than five properties unless approved by the Federal Housing Admin istration, Washington, D. 0. 4. What security is required? That you have steady employment or other regular income and that you have a good oredit record for poying bills promptly. 6. How do I apply? Your lumber dealer, painter, hardware store, electrical firm, plumber, cabinet work concern, architect or this bank will gladly assist you in arranging for a loan. 6. What signatures are required on the note? Only the signatures of the applicant and if the applicant is married, the wife (or husband). 7. How much will I be charged? An amount equal to discount of $5.00 per year for each $100 borrowed is charg ed when the loan is made. We Will Gladly Arrange YOUR Federal Housing Loan Come in! Medford National Bank MEDFORD OREGON
