Blue And White Motif In City’s Royal Suite

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30056, 14 February 1963, Page 16

Blue And White Motif In City’s Royal Suite

Blue and white are the dominant colours in the Royal suite on the top floor of the United Service Hotel in Christchurch. The plain carpet is of a smoky blue colour with a curly pile. The Queen’s bedroom overlooks Colombo, High, and Hereford streets. The walls and ceilings of her bedroom, dressing-room, and bathroom are in white and blue.

The Duke of Edinburgh's bedroom, dressing-room and bathroom are in similar colours.

The telephones throughout the suite are ivory-coloured. The private dining-room is a small room leading off the hotel’s main dining-room on the first floor. It also is decorated in blue and white, but the carpet is red with a large fawn pattern. Mr E. F. Walser, manager of the hotel, said work had been going on in the Royal suites since the first week in January. There would be about 70 persons in the Royal party staying in the hotel, and the full staff would be on duty to attend them.

The hotel would be closed to the public from Saturday morning to 1 p.m. on Monday, said Mr Walser. Mahogany Veneer

The Queen’s bedroom suite is of specially-selected mahogany veneer, the design showing a French influence. It is a ll hand-carved. The ends of the bed are scrolled round the edges. There is a magnificent dressing-'table which has a large centre mirror flanked by adjustable cosmetic mirrors. It has six large drawers and three small ones fitted with antique brass drop handles. A chest of drawers, two bedside cabinets, a pretty matching stool with pin-cushion button top and a blue chair complete the furniture. There is a large

off-white rug on the .blue carpet.

The drapes and bedspread are glazed chintz in a dainty floral pattern. The Duke of Edinburgh’s bedroom is furnished in mahogany veneer of a Chippendale design. There is a large dressing-table, a chest of drawers with a serpentine front and two bedside cabinets also with serpentine fronts. There is rope carving on the ends of the bed. The drapes show a yachting or marine scene. The bedspread and the cover of the bedroom chair are in a blue Gainsborough fabric. The private sitting-room is furnished with a settee and two chairs of mahogany frame. A dropleaf dining table in mahogany is of Regency design, as are two dining chairs. A writing bureau, cocktail cabinet, and occasional tables are also in mahogany, as is a beautiful, carved lampstand. The main lounge is furnished with four mahogany suites in Bergere style. The furniture was supplied by A. J. White, Ltd., which also laid the carpet, made at the Riccarton carpet factory.