“Practical instructions for the building of homes, interior decoration, wood carving, scroll sawing, house painting, window hangings, screens curtains, window gardening, incidental decorations, decorative art needle-work, and economic landscape gardening; to which is added a household compendium of new, practical and valuable recipes, the whole being designed to make happy homes for happy people.”
– from the title page.

“Besides being an authority on gracious living in late 19th century Detroit, Varney was a prolific architect. His creations, which included apartment buildings, factories and offices, hotels and private residences, popped up all over the city as well as in towns and cities across the state [Michigan].”
– Martha Peterson, “Mr. Varney’s Neighborhood” post on the “El Moore” website.