A pretty ceiling decoration may be made with brass chains, dried grasses, and well-formed glass lamp-chimneys.

For the side walls use chromo lithographs, without frames, tacking them on with a piece of yellow or red braid as a border.  Avoid side lights, but if they must be used, let the light be from lanterns.

The chain circles around the glass chimney once, but from this, three chains are fastened, meeting in one chain attached to a screw eye, by which the whole is fastened in the ceiling.  The dried grasses are tied at the ends in several knots, then the grass seeds hang down, and the ends fastened with brilliant colored cord are turned down outside of the glass and securely held together.  This plan is only suitable for high ceilings and low lights.  properly managed the shadows of the grasses flung on the ceiling by the lower lights form a novel and inexpensive decoration.

Hang rugs against any place in the barn where draughts of air may cause the dancers to take cold.

Arrange a divan as a resting place in some part of the barn – by filling some pillow cases with hay and covering the whole with rugs, or gray or brown blankets; it must not be too high and there should be pillows at the back of the seat.  Do not use canton flannel or cotton plush; they are too inflammable.

The dresses worn by the ladies for a barn party should not be silk or satin, but of wool, cotton, or linen.  They should be light and picturesque.  Black, brown, or dark blue detracts from the general effect.

Flowers, growing plants, green leaves, evergreen (without cemetery associations), add to the festive effect.  They should hang on the side walls.  Do not place them on a little table, which is easily knocked over.

The supper table should be arranged with scrupulous care.  It should please the eye as well as the palate.  On the other side of the card write a quotation from some poet who loved the country, or something complimentary to the individual.  This will save confusion and add to the pleasure of the evening by helping to start conversation.

Rakes, clean, or painted white, for the occasion, will furnish pegs in the dressing-room, for a part of the barn can be curtained off for this comfort.

The greatest luxury to city people is the sense of space, therefore a party gotten up in a new or clean barn with no fancy gim-cracks to stumble over, with softened lights, some pretty girls in bright dresses, some music, and a chance for conversation, may be made a pleasure never to be forgotten.

Alice Donlevy (1893, February). A barn party. The Ladies’ World Vol. XIV (No. 2), 17. Retrieved from http://victoriantimes.us/etiquette/a-barn-party

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