HOME DECORATION

Evening Star, Issue 21081, 19 April 1932, Page 2

HOME DECORATION

SELECTING SUITABLE SCHEMES SOME ENGLISH SUGGESTIONS Selecting and deciding on a scheme of decoration for the home is always a matter which engenders misgivings among clients who are consulting their decorator. They wonder whether, after all, it would not havo been better to have had the dining room cream and old gold, rather than beige and blue! The particular shade of blue they wish to use may be their pet colour, but it docs not follow that it is the right colour for their dining room, says an English trade journal. Most people have a bias towards some particular colour or other. The tendency sometimes is for clients to choose their colour schemes in rather a haphazard way, irrespective of the conditions and the advice which their decorator may gi-e them. A particular scheme which they havo admired when seen in' some room may look very well and they think they would like something similar themselves. When, however, they insist on having one of their own rooms decorated in similar colours, they often find the result very disappointing. There arc reasons for this. For example, the room may have been larger or smaller, or loftier, or lighter or darker than their own. It may have faced an entirely different point of the compass. All these things must be considered carefully when houses arc going to be decorated or redecorated. The fundamental basis on which all satisfying schemes of decoration are built;

When the decorator is suggesting colour schemes to his client, one of the most important things to take into account is the matter of siz£ The genaral principle to impress upon their clients is that in the majority of cases small rooms can be made to appear larger if light colours, such as light grays, light soft blues, greens, creams, and light buffs are used. Strong bright colours, or more neutral dark colours make a room appear smaller. Such colours then are only suitable to quite large rooms, and the tone and colour select.J for any size of room Should be chosen ca this principle, subject to other matters which follow. The next point to consider is the outlook, of a room. This is specially important, because colour can make a cold or sunless room appear warm, or a sunny room appear almost tropical. The general principles to 'work on are that rooms which face south, or which only get a little sun, should have colours which are warm, i.c., yellow, red, pink, tan, orange, deep cream, and buff. Booms facing south, or getting a good deal of sun may he decorated in grey, blue, or green. Red, orange, and similar rich warm colours are best avoided.

On these general principles can bo evolved with satisfactory results most of our decorative schemes. _ Let us then sec what can bo done with a house having, say, a hall and staircase, passages,' kitchen, scullery, bathrooms, dining room, drawing room, and four bedrooms.

We will consider a house which is facing south-west, and will start with the entrance hah and passages. The entrance kail of any home is where first impressions are obtained by those entering. The general feeling should be a welcoming one, so that as a rule warm colours, or those tending to warmth, should be used; at the same time the colours should be kept fairly light in tone. This is necessary because passages very often do not get as much light us they might, and in any case light colours are best. When there are grubby little fingers to consider, it will bo well to have a dado to the hall, passages, and staircase. This dado should be treated with an enamel paint, or if water paint is used, it should be varnished. The varnishing will give a fine glossy finish, and will only deepen the colour slightly, so that if the shade used for the walls is also used fbr the dado, a very pleasing result will be obtained. The following additional hints should also piovo useful; — (1) Tf the woodwork in a room is painted the same colour as the walls it will often add to the size and restfulness of the room.

(2) Although in the schemes which follow a definite colour has in many cases been suggested, ceilings in most rooms can with advantage be painted the same colour as the walls, but in a very much lighter shade, in rooms whcie more than one colour is used, picture rails should bo painted tho same colour as the walls. In high pitched rooms with a picture rail, the walls above the rail may be painted the same shade as the ceiling, but in low pitched rooms tho wall colour should he carried up to the ceiling and ovc: - the cornice, if there is one, to givo tho impression of height. (3) When considering paints always select a paint with characteristics suitable for the room on which it is to be used. It is true economy to select really good paints. They cost no more to apply than paints of an inferior qmlity/and the difference in the cost of material will be out of all proportion to the difference in decorative effect and durability.

A gloss paint is, for obvious reasons, alvays advisable for kitchens, bathroDnis, etc., and for a dado, and has therefore b-en selected in the colour scicmos which follow. If, however, a witer paint is used, the results will be equally satisfactory if a coat of clear varnish is applied when tho water paint is thoroughly dry.

Mexican handicrafts arc said to be repeating before tho advance of comnnreo (says a correspondent to ‘ The Christian Science Monitor’). Two reasons are suggested: Machine-made pnducts and cheap goods. Gaudy trinkets fashioned after European patterns and tin cans replacing the olt water gourds arc finding their way to'tho slices and the I ndian villages, dunging tho artistry of tho people. For the moment century-old crafts fact to the background.