FABRICS AND STYLES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 128, 26 November 1938, Page 19

FABRICS AND STYLES

CUSHIONS OF CHARACTER

Cushions are assuming a highly decorative importance in the modern housing scheme. The new designs, losing nothing of the soft luxuriance in texture and filling incidental to good cushions, are indicative of the splendour of the Baroque period that is influencing the general trend of furnishing fashions. Fabrics f: used for cases range from glazed cloque satins in black or ivory, sparkling with designs in jewel-like hues outlined with soft gold or silver, delicately-tinted silk poplins, and the richest of embroideries, to patterned sheepskin, soft as velvet, in artistic pastel colourings. More practical but very effective are the British woven productions of striped Indian weaving. This material is used for curtains and covers for the settee or divan also, and with cushions to match gives a very, complete note to a room. The colour range is achieved to harmonise with modern backgrounds. APPLIQUE AND RUCHING. Cushions show much diversity as to shape and size. A long, narrow bolster with squared ends is one of the new ideas. It is a cosy "wrap around" cushion that fills up all corners, and is also decorative with its gleaming satiny surface and bright Moorish colouring and design. The colourful square handkerchief case in printed silk is another attractive design. "Picture" cushions show a good deaJ of applique work. This may be done in coloured linens, silks, or velvets, and the designs, mainly floral, are usually bold and full of colour. Cases of hand-tinted brocades ruched wi -i poplin round the edges, and the quilted chintz cover with a large flower motif or a garden scene raised and padded in the centre, are among favourite types of the picture cushion. Ruchings are narrow, or simply silk cording is used as a finish. The modern cushion is extremely neat id compact. Circular cushions made entirely of velvet or silk cloqut. are finished with a narrow self-coloured ruche. . THE ART OF GROUPING. There is an art in grouping cushions in a deep-seated settee or armchair. Colour and shape must be in harmony, not only with the scheme of interior decoration, but with each other. In repose, squares, circles, oblongs, or ovals should be posted to achieve beauty of form as well as of colour. With the prevailing light-toned backgrounds, dominating colours in a room are often accented by the cushion cover colour scheme. In this new phase of decoration cushion covers are almost as carefully selected as a frock.