Add some sentiment to your decor

Press, 19 February 1987, Page 14

Add some sentiment to your decor

“Living Space”

PRUDENCE ROTHENBERG

This week I received a telephone call from a stranger telling me that their home had been planned with every detail in mind. The finished effect was cold and completely lacking in character. What did I suggest?

It made me think of the importance of sentiment — a sentimental feeling towards something that has been in the family. It may be a bowl, an ornament, or your son’s silver pusher spoon with his teeth marks on it. Or a loved painting bought with a friend overseas, and so one could go on. Every piece in my home has a story attached, and means so much to me.

I am not advocating for one minute that you fill your rooms with bric-a-brac, but a little sentiment is rather nice. It adds warmth and personality to your home.

Q We have a small cottage with which I am quite delighted. It is quite old, well preserved, and surrounded with trees and greenery. We intend to take out walls in the inside and redecorate, but that will have to wait The outside must be painted before the winter. The roof is grey and the paint in quite good condition, so we will not be changing that I know the body of the house should be white (as it is now) but we would like a change. A soft pastel colour, but not yellow please.— M.D m Blenheim.

A Thank you for the photographs of your delightful cottage. Is the wrought iron the original? It appears so from the photographs. If you require a change from white I suggest British Paints, Aloha. This is beige with a touch of pink. Keep the wrought iron and window frames white, window sashes and door in British Paipts, Evensong, a deep, greyed blue. This is quite an unusual colour scheme, and yet it is in character with your pretty cottage.

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Q I would appreciate your ideas for a new colour scheme for our 5.7 m x 2.8 m kitchen/dining room. We want to achieve a warm, modern look in our 16-year-old house. Our dining suite is natural pine with claret squabs. The doors are varnished. I have enclosed a wallpaper sample, and would like paint to match. We intend to paint the cupboards, windows, and skirtings, etc. What would you suggest for tiles around the bench, and for blinds? I am fond of bamboo, or Slimline Venetian.— South Brighton.

A Thank you for the wallpaper sample, which has a natural background with small claret coloured tulips and green leaves. I wish you had sent me a cupboard plan and the colour of bench top. I would be inclined to paint the cupboards to match the background of your paper, Resene, Dutch White. This would give a smart effect If you require more colour any top cupboards could be Dutch White with cupboards under the sink, etc, Resene, Claret; All trims, windows, door architraves and skirtings white. Keep the tiles around the bench in a natural colour. You wilkno doubt be changing youircolour scheme some

day, and will not want to change the tiles. For the blinds, have, whatever you enjoy the most — either bamboo or Slimline. The Slimline may be more functional. Enjoy your room.

Q Long-term I am providing house room for a dark stained chest (stain to remain). The height is Im, width y 2 m, length Im. The only space available for it is in a smallish, white and pink bedroom. I would be grateful for any camouflage suggestions.—J.B., Christchurch.

A Thank you for your letter. I wish you had sent me a plan of your bedroom and some details. Quite honestly I find it hard to imagine the room. Is there space for the chest in the comer; or maybe on the wall behind the door? There are numerous questions I would like to ask you to be able to help you with your problem. Obviously you do not like the chest or you would not be trying to camouflage it. How about collecting nice photograph frames and having a collection of family and holiday photographs on it? According to the height of your ceiling, drop a blind of your curtain fabric or wallpaper to match the walls. Perhaps you could obtain a screen, as there are some particularly nice ones on the market at the moment. Alternatively, find an attractive old screen that requires repair and cover it with your fabric. According to the length of the wall, build the chest in with shelves above and either side. That would be ideal for books etc. I hope all this will be of some help to you as you have really given me very little to go by.

Q Help please with the decor of our sunroom which we are planning. The room was originally a bedroom. The sliding door faces the northwest, so receives the afternoon sun. wA will

retain the present carpet (sample enclosed) and drapes. The drapes are cream sunfilter with a brown and rust pattern (embroidery or similar). They are backed with cream thermal lining. I wish to have a sofa bed in this room, and would

welcome suggestions for wallpaper and upholstery for the sofa. Would cane or upholstered furniture be best? Could you also suggest a wallpaper for our hallway which is 86cm wide and 4.5 m long? Both these rooms are to have a stippled ceiling. Would you suggest we have a very small stipple? All paintwork is white, cupboard door a light mahogany

and architraves white. The proposed sunroom leads on to a back terrace and faces the vegetable garden, clothes line area. You helped my sister and her rooms look very nice. P.S. My husband does not fancy cane.—J.B. Belfast

A What a good idea to turn the sunny bedroom into a sittingroom/sunroom. Thank you for the samples and plan. I agree with you that a small stipple would be better than a heavy one. With a heavy tweed carpet and patterned curtains I would keep the wallpaper and upholstery plain. Try wallpaper, Nimbus 3273. Let us please your husband and have an upholstered

bed/settee and furniture covered in Vyking, Woden Henna. This is a brick colour. Cushions and accents are most important because they will bring out the colour of your carpet Sekers satin, Poplar, Teal, and Bark. I would be inclined to take the same paper into the hall. If, however, you would like a stripe, I suggest Tiffany, Regency 1857. Happiness in your new room.

Questions, which may only be answered in this column, should be addressed to Prudence Rothenberg, “Living Space,” “The Press,” Private Bag,. Christchurch.