Designs classic and modern

Press, 10 March 1988, Page 9

Designs classic and modern

‘Living Space”

by

PRUDENCE ROTHENBERG

From today’s pastels to tomorrow’s strong colours

Since I was a small child I had always wanted to own a dog, so it was an added bonus when I came back to Christchurch eight years ago to run'my own business to be able to buy a dog.; My Cavalier King Charles, named G.D., accompanies me ! both at work and play. ; My enjoyment; of dogs is such that I !was de!lighted to be asked to judge the breed:stall displays at the recent Championship Southern Classic Dog Show in Christchurch. With my co-judges, Vana Leeming, district arts and crafts adviser : for the Education Board, and George Mills, | director

general of the New Zealand Kennel Club, we set about j our work; Twentyfive stalls to judge meant a busy day.

There were three categories to be judged. The best educational stall, the most attractive, and the best over all. All the clubs had worked so hard their stalls were a credit to them. The Airedale Club well deserved the ribbon for the best educational stall..

The St Bernard Club followed the story of the first:known St; Bernards. The backdrop of the stall was of St Bernard's Pass in Switzerland. ! On either side one read: the story and fables of the St Bernard dogs. White chips on the floor represented show, and club members were dressed ias monks. Last, but not least, there was a beautiful St Bernard dog with : his barrel water container sitting on the (floor. For .its display, the St Bernard club won the most attractive ribbon. It took Eileen Reid, the president, and members of the Dominion Samoyed Club seven ; weeks to

organise and make the components for their stall. There was a corner of Siberia with Polar bears modelled in .plaster of paris. One member was spinning the dogs’ hair into beautiful, soft garments. A plaster of paris Samoyed dog was dressed as a cosmonaut representing “Laika” (meaning the white dog) that the Russians took with them into space.

There were models of a family group of Yenetsi, with a member of the club demonstrating how bones were carved with a flint tool. To cap it all off, Eileen Reid and members were dressed in Ukrainian costume and offered Russian fudge to passers by — Russian fudge. The Samoyed Club won the prize for the best over-all stall.

It was a busy, yet fun day. So many beautiful dogs — big, small, long and short-haired. Some were breeds I have never seen before. They looked so intelligent I found myself smiling at the dogs rather than their owners.

I always welcome new samples of fabrics. The Ballan group has just brought me their new designs. The base cloths are mainly 100 per cent cotton and some of them are Scotchguarded.

Designs and colourways are good. Prices range from approximately $2O to $4O. “Dakar,” designed by Pierre Petit for Kenmill, Canada, is a very smart design of broken stripes in four colourways of black, burguandy, grey, sunbeam, rose and navy. “Stardust” is a particularly soft subtle design of small checks. There are five colourways, from pastels to strong colours. "Indiana," a mosaic design, is suitable for both curtains and upholstery. The design is classical, being suitable for both traditional and modern interiors. One colourway in blue, the new blueberry, rose, hazel and spruce I could picture in a modern home with curtains and two seaters in..the pattern, and extra chairs in either blueberry, navy, or both. The remaining colours could be brought out in accents. Walls in either sparkling white or hazel would set it all off.

It was interesting that so many colours in these samples were those predicted by the International Wool Secretariat for 1989.

QlYou were kind enough to help me with my lounge plans. Could you please also help me with a loft bedroom about 8 metres by 4 metres. It is a lovely sunny room. The windows are tinted, the outlook is nor’west and there is an ensuite in harvest gold and green. The carpet is morrocca

anniseed, the ceiling white, with one large stained beam. My daughter chose the paper, but has now left home. I feel I would like to brighten the scheme up and not follow the Laura Ashley decor. The lamp shades are white rice-paper with a fringe. Can you advise me on drapes and bedspread please. It is not easy to adapt a colour to the paper. — G. J. Christchurch.

AlWhat a lovely room. There is no reason at all why you should carry on the Laura Ashley decor. The off-white background paper with green lattice is plain enough to take a pattern, although I would keep the curtains plain. For the bedspread I suggest a lovely modern floral in tones of gold, green, and tan, with a white background. This will feature the paper, and lamp shades: Sekers chintz, Pleiade primrose. Have the curtains in Sekers, plain chintz Wheat. Cushions, Wheat, Maurice Kain’s Sungleam Cedar, Sungleam Clay, and why not a touch of blue as an accent? Try Sungleam, Federal Blue. If there is a chair to be covered I suggest the fabric of your bedspred. Enjoy your room.

Q:We have a large lounge and dining room where the gold-patterned

I I carpet and green wallpaper (samples {enclosed) are in the. very good condition. The carpet goes right through the house. Both rooms only receive the morning sun and the dining room is overshadowed by a large evergreen tree. We would like to| brighten both these rooms by changing the heavy gold curtains and tan lounge suite. A widej nor’west facing picture {window in the lounge facing has a window , seat with cushions of .the curtain fabric. The lounge has a white cathedral ceiling with exposed Yearns. The rest of the i house has white ceilings with a Dutch barn effect. The wallpapers bhly reach the top of the doors. I (wondered if curtains in-' tonings of pale turquoise , could be introduced? (The ' dining table has a heavy, gold-fringed velvet cover on it which I could change if necessary. Off the dining room is a rectangular kitchen facing south, separated with shoji doors. The bench is white formica, and there is a large, patterned gold and white wallpaper. The cupboards are rimu louvres, there is a central, white bbnch which has a bright orange vinyl front facing into the dining room. Aj change of colour would; be appreciated. A planlof the three

rooms is enclosed. We look forward to your comments. M. M. T., Christchurch. A: Thank you for your clear, type-written letter, plan, and samples. As your carpet is patterned and the wallpaper a lovely, heavy, broken striped grass cloth I would be inclined to have both your suite and curtains in plain fabrics. For your' suite I have chosen a Vyking 100 per cent wool worsted cloth, range Thor, colour Tansey. Curtains in a lighter weight fabric than the velvet would make a change — Wilsons, Texterato C 1244, Slate with both the suite and curtains in the turquoise colours. Cushions on the suite — Texterato Cl 233,.... .Rust, Baroness C 2515- Willow, and Baroness C 2503 Gold. Rust is your accent colour. The other two colours repeat the green of your wallpaper and" gold in the carpet. Change the bright orange vinyl in the kitchen to a green to match the dining room paper. Good luck with your decorating. If you have any queries on home decorating for Prudence Rothenberg, address them to “Living Space,” Home and People Page, “The ■ Press,” Private Bag, Christchurch. Queries can only be answered in this column. -