DECORATIVE NOVELTY

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 16, 13 October 1933, Page 4

DECORATIVE NOVELTY

Curtains Dipped in Concrete

The fame of Somerset Maugham, the English dramatist, somewhat overshadows but caunot eclipse that of his wife, who is London’s best-known woman home decorator. Mrs. Maugham’s art. has been described as that of a supreme individualist. She was the pioneer of the “offwhite” decorative scheme, and one of her outstanding successes has been the use of heavy damask curtains soaked in cement to give them a pillar-like appearance. This is said to be effective and economical in a large receptionroom, but expensive for a small one. for the walls would have to be tinted to match. Hostesses eager to produce just the right effect had even the woodwork of the rooms striped am) limed so that the whole expanse was of a “white, misty peacefulness.” Against tluls background zebrastriped covers were equally expressive of the stark simplclty at which modern art aimed.