Craft furniture sets high standard

Press, 11 June 1987, Page 8

Craft furniture sets high standard

“Living Space”

by

PRUDENCE ROTHENBERG

At the very crowded opening of the Alternative Furniture Fair, it was gratifying to see just how many were interested in hand-crafted furniture. The 22 exhibitors came from Canterbury, Nelson, and the West Coast. The furniture — both modem and traditional — was well up to the high standard set by the craftsmen.

■ This is the fifth fair of the furniture , artisans. They have gone from strength to strength. Congratulations to them, r hope next year to see more of their furniture designs, or even blown-up photographs on their stands.

What a wonderful winter we are having so far. It is a joy not to have to pile on clothes, although I

do feel sorry for the garment retailers that have so much winter stock.

An enjoyable day was spent in North Canterbury recently with clients and friends. It is a break- to leave the city behind for the day. Striking a strong nor’wester, the cobwebs were really blown away.

I attended the play “Wild Honey," by Anton Chekhov — translated and adapted by Michael Frayn — at the Court Theatre. My friends and I met first at the Le Cafe Concert, in the Arts Centre and enjoyed a light, inexpensive meal. My. friends ordered lasagne and salad that they said was delicious. My savoury crepe and salad was also most enjoyable. Our delightful and obliging waitress added to our enjoyment.

How nice it was to be in the same building as the theatre and not to have to worry about last minute car parking. The play, produced by Elric Hooper, was excellent. The cast showed an enthusiasm and acting ability that deserved more than a half full theatre. Shame on us, Christchurch.

QMy daughter, who has spent the last 18 months overseas, is returning quite soon. She is in her early twenties and has a self-contained flat in our home. This is an excellent set-up, and we ail get on very well. It does enable us to be close to

each other and yet retain our independence. I have written to my daughter asking if she would like her flat decorated before her return. She is delighted with my suggestion and would like a pink and green scheme, with a smart sitting room and pretty bedroom. We must keen the carpet, which is a light fawn berber, but need wallpaper throughout, new coverings for the sleeper sofa and two chairs in the sitting room and curtains and cushions. The bedroom also requires curtains and bedspread. As you will see by the plan enclosed, the rooms get sun all day. There are floor to ceiling windows with french doors on to a deck. Curtaining is so

expensive for big windows. Everything I see is over s4s a metre. Can you suggest: something interesting and pretty for less? Your help, please. K. G., Blenheim.

AThank you for your letter and well drawn plan; Your daughter is fortunate to have such a really nice flat How pleasant for you to have her company. Furnishings can, as you say, be expensive, but I. doubt if they have gone up more than other commodities such as groceries and other necessities. One yard-stick I have is that a plain cloth I like to use has gone up nearly 100 per cent in six years. I am always on the lookout for well-designed and coloured furnishing fabrics. I can assure you that there is an excellent choice from approximately $22 a metre. As you can see through from the sitting room to the bedroom, the wallpaper and curtains should give continuity. I suggest for the wallpaper a fairly plain, green, Designer background, 3293. How the bathroom on the colder side in the same Designer background paper, but in pink, 3277. For your daughter’s bedspread, try a really interesting fabric with a green background, pink tulips, and green leaves — Wilsons Rheims, - C 2972. The valance, and the curtains in both the bedroom and sitting room could be in . a mix and match

fabric. This cloth has a small trellis design in the same colourway as the bedspread — Scarla, 2992. I suggest a Roman blind in the bedspread design for the bathroom. This cloth is 100 per cent cotton sateen and retails at about $26 a metre. For the sitting room I suggest the furniture be upholstered in 100 per cent wool — the bedsettee in a mid-to-dark green, Vyking Thor willow; the two armchairs in pink, Thor

shell. Cushions in pink; green, and bright turquoise — Wilson Empress, mint and rose, and Sekers Satin, teal. I hope that your daughter will enjoy her newly decorated flat If you '/'have any queries on home decorating for Prudence 7 Rothenberg, address them/ to “Living Space,” Home and People Page, “The Press,” Private Bag, Christchurch. ■ Queries can only be answered id this column. • ’ -