WOMAN'S REALM.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 29, 4 February 1899, Page 3 (Supplement)

WOMAN'S REALM.

As far as furniture is concerned we show no sign of departing from the ■way of Orientalism which has penetrated into the inmost corners of our dwellings. I tise the term 'inmost' advisqdly, because there is nothing quite so suitable as Indian decorations for such parts of our houses as are perhaps not well lit from the outside. We are fast approaching that season of the year in which there is not that rush and crush of immediate employment and work which has been going on for the last three or four months, so that when we have spent a little time at the sea-side, or touring in one direction or another, we shall have a moment which cannot be better bestowed than in personal consideration of the decoration of one's house. An Oriental 'den' is within the reach of most people if they will only take a little trouble themselves, and also if they will sit down in the very beginning and make up their minds that they are not going to follow the conventional methods of Western furnishing. It is a great thing to get the room quite empty, and this includes roller blinds, gas fittings and mantelpiece. If the house not entirely complete it is a distinct advantage to let the floor of this little room be either raised eight inches above the hall level or eight inches below. The next thing to consider is the floor covering. This must consist of rugs, if possible, but whatever it be it must be Indian in pattern, and in tones of colour that will harmonise with the rest of the room. I will suppose that the wall be coloured a dull golden yellow, and its decorr.tion supplied by means of the exquisitely artistic stencils in colourings of deep blue with perhaps little touches of red and ■gold. Venetian red is also avery1 successful shade in which to work. The ceiling can be treated in like manner, and divided np by means of wooden mouldings if preferred. The doorWays are somewhat of a difficulty, so I have given one here in detail. It would, of course, be better to have simply an archway, or Oriental portierre, but this is not always conven- • ient nor a sufficient draught excluder, go a door can be treated in this fashlon. The scalloped archway can be made of three thicknesses of-pine, which will be most effective if gilded, and the edge can be finished off with a little fret-work, the door being further coloured to harmonise with the room. All lamps should hang from the ceiling, and these in Oriental designs are not difficult to procure. Such a room should not be filled with

bric-a-brac, and superfluous f urni- '; ture is quite opposed to Oriental ideas, and it is as well to get rid of all unnecessary drapery as much as possible. Where drapery is essential nothing can be better than the large printed cretonne to be obtained at almost every furniture' shop.

I have a friend who is particularly fond of working beautiful little pieces of Leek embroidery. This she does on Tussauo silk, making each bit into a ■perfect mass of exquisite stitchery, both the background and the pattern feeing closely covered. She does this Barely for the pleasure it affords her, -' mviph as an artist paints a picture, and ,] shei sometimes finds it difficult to devise ways in which to utilise [these 11 beautiful pieces of work to the best advantage. They are too good for the common uses oi'life, and really ought

to be framed and hung upon the walls. This method of disposing- of them she objects to, and she was quite enthusiastic tte other day when I brought -o<)ine a small bamboo revolving bookcase of the size and kind that one :^!W6uld place on one's writing table to favourite books. Here were little 'iplain places ' covered with Japanese i drawings; nice in their way, but after "all not very ornamental, and over •vttiese we proceeded to stretch the lovely ™ts of work to which I have referred. The resultwas simply charming. I give "ris idea-here because I am sure there We many of my readers in the same prodicament, dJr even if they are not, they may like to enamel little bookjcfiases of the kind to match the furniittoe in their drawing-room.