THE HOUSEWIFE'S REST

Evening Star, Issue 19843, 17 April 1928, Page 2

THE HOUSEWIFE'S REST

So much has been written about husbands’ dens and bachelors’ rooms, including all sorts of decorative schemes for these dens, but little—if • anything—has been arranged for tired mothers and wives, who are often too weary to enjoy a holiday when the opportunity to take one does come along. A real rest room is wanted by the overworked mother —a hiding place, as it were, where nobody thinks to look for her. The existence of such a place should be kept secret- It is quite possible to arrange such an apartment even in small houses, for most or them possess a box room or attic "hand these are the kind of rooms that can be spared. The question of how to dispose of the rubbish and unused trunks is solved by the provision of cupuoard space, or by fitting a strong shelf on an upper landing, with a curtain arranged to cover them. This leaves the attic to fulfil a more useful purpose. A large room is unnecessary, and it does not matter if there is a sloping roof. It should be arranged to give as little work as possible, and should merely provide the equipment necessary for the purpose for which it is to be used —though without appearing bare. Walls can be made quite attractive if distempered a dull ivory futures are not really fashionable at the moment, but a few prints or etchings are delightful on this background. Casement curtains serve two purposes in the rest room, for they may be used as blinds if made to draw easily. Plain cloth of a good shade of purple won d be verv suitable, as this color would keep out the light when necessary, and these might have a stencilled border or not—it is a question of personal taste. Lighter shades of purple, ayenders, and mauves are rather restful tones to look at, and the design should be simple, and not of the ‘ harassed style j where all the lines are wrong and fighting one another. Above all, it must be a place where the mother may read, sleep, or rest undisturbed, away from all noise, ( tor just as long as she pleases, or time permits, or the mood dictates, and she will emerge all the fresher and happier tor the little break, ready to face further home problems. , The wise woman will look after herself a little more, and systematically shut horsef in her own room each day, if only for ah hour at a time, and when the next holiday comes round she will be only too ready to enjoy it.