Where a very small vestibule is substituted for the reception hall a parquetry or tile flooring would be left uncovered.  Over a cheap floor a good quality of linoleum, costing about 50 cents per square yard, may he placed.  A small mat of neat design, if such can be found, will take care of those persons who have the foot-scraping habit, regardless of what they scrape upon, though the mat outside should do the important work.  Serviceable mats are seldom things of beauty.  As they come under the head of floor coverings, it may be well to note that the best quality leather mat, guaranteed to last twenty years, costs $1.25 a square foot.  A fair imitation may be had for less than half that figure, and has the same proportion of value.  The open-steel mat that serves best with tenacious mud costs 50 cents per square foot, and for rubber we must add a half or double the price, depending on whether we demand the made-to-order article or are content with stock.  The old reliable cocoa mat may be had from 35 cents per square foot up, and is quite as useful and scarcely uglier than the others.

THE STAIRWAY

For appearance’ sake, if our stairway is well constructed of good woods, we should forbear to hide it.  But there is no place in the house where little Willie can more effectively proclaim to all the household world his possession of double-nailed heels than on the unprotected rises of the stairway.  Even the tiny heels of the mistress of the home seem to clump like the boots of a giant in their numberless journeys up and down.  So the hall runner must have a place.  Perhaps the carpet will be of red or green, depending on the walls, but it need cost little more than $1 per yard for a fair quality.  It is put down with stair pads ($1 per dozen) and ordinary tacks, and the expenditure of 10 cents per yard for a professional layer will not be regretted.  The amateur who can do a really good job on a stair carpet is a rarity.

[Illustration:  An artistic staircase hall.]

RUGS

The Biglow Bagdad domestic rug in 27 by 54 and 36 by 63-inch sizes is inexpensive but looks and wears well in the hall.  The first size costs about $4 and the second $7.  A little better quality in Anglo-Indian or Anglo-Persian costs a dollar or so more per rug.  Where there is constant direct use in the hall we will do wisely to get either a moderate-priced article that may be renewed or something expensive that will wear indefinitely.  Sometimes the latter is the more economical plan.  Very often halls are so shaped that a rug must be made to order.  It is better to do this and have a good-sized rug that will lie well than to risk tripping and slipping with smaller ones.

For the living room a variety of choice in rugs is offered.  Attempts to utilize a number of small rugs are not usually joyous in their outcome; besides, the floor space is too badly broken up.  The large center rug holds its own, with some reenforcement in the alcove or perhaps before the hearth.