EXPERT GIVES ADVICE ON TV FURNISHINGS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29388, 15 December 1960, Page 2

EXPERT GIVES ADVICE ON TV FURNISHINGS

‘‘Don’t let television dominate your life or your livingroom.” This 1; the advice of Miss Florence Byerly, home furnishings editor of “Better Homes and Gardens,” an American home - makers’ magazine. Miss Byerly is on vacation in New Zealand, and visited Christchurch yesterday. When television first came to America, everyone had to have the set right in their living-room. “But we soon found somewhere else for it —we needed somewhere to relax in peace. The television set went into a study or a spare bedroom, where various members of the family could watch- if they wanted to,” she said.

“Don’t have an elaborate built-in arrangement for your television set,” said Miss Byerly. “You will probably want to shift

it round.” A set of shelves on adjustable metal supports made an attractive and easily-moved arrangement for the set. Lighting Additional light in the room was essential when viewing television, said Miss Byerly. “When you are at a movie, the light comes from behind and is reflected off the screen to your eyes. But in a television set the beam of light comes from the screen itself. It is better for your eyes to have another source of light near the screen, so that there is less contrast between light and dark.” Lighting was greatly emphasised in modern American home furnishing, said Miss Byerly. “Washing” a wall with light was a trick which also had a functional value—the light was reflected from the wider area of the wall. Interesting textures and important pictures could be made to stand out by this technique with pleasing results.

Colour schemes showed a trend towards the starkly simple. “A few years ago we were painting walls different colours. Now they are all alike and usually white. The colours used tend to be closely related—for, example, white walls and; ceilings, with yellow and melon accents in the furnishings, but with plenty of neutral tones.”

Blue and green might be used with white and beige. No more than one patterned fabric (or wall-paper) was used. “The result is very stylised and dramatic, but also very restful,” said Miss Byerly. Sea Chests

Furniture styles showed a revived interest in old colonial styles. “I was fascinated to see the period rooms in your Canterbury Museum,” said Miss Byerly. “It is a wonderful record for women who are seriously interested in home decorating.” The ship’s cabin had a special interest for Miss Byerly. Sea chests were very fashionable at present in the United States. “They are very similar to the one in the cabin, made of polished wood, with metal corners and inset handles. They are used in homes as ordinary chests, or placed end to end under a windo’w,” she said. Although colonial furniture was very popular, most pieces were made to suit small modern homes. Furniture with metal parts, popular a few years ago, was now supplanted by warmer wooden furniture which showed a Scandinavian influence.