TYPES OF BEDROOMS THROUGH THE AGES

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6902, 7 May 1929, Page 2

TYPES OF BEDROOMS THROUGH THE AGES

Heal Homes Exhibition ELABORATE SHOW AT OLYMPIA

On February 27 last the Lord Mayor of London Sir Kynaslon Studdj officially opened the Ideal Homes Exhibition at Olympia, a show which was commenced some years ago by the “Daily Mail," a popular London newspaper, and has since been held year by year until last February, when a larger and more elaborate exhibition of idee! home building was opened before very large attendance of visitors. The exhibition was built in the form of a hospital village called Welcome In, where, on entry, ail was found to be light and cheerfulness, and the mere mention of winter was taboo. The whole “vilage” was a maze of avenues and galleries filled with alluring scenes of domestic comfort, with settings to fit every conception of nn ideal homo. It was possible to roam in gardens that seemed to have been plucked bodily from tho heart of summer, though in London at that, time it was the winter season, or to stand beneath a wonderful shimmering fountain that sent tendrils of multi-coloured light sixty feet high against, a golden dome. No journey could have been more fascinating or more soundly instructive of the modern peifccticn of homo planning and equipment. The village itself was a compact community, with only seven houses and a week-end cottage highly provocative of tho week-end habit, but every house had a character of its own. All of them paid due regard to the importance of that precious commodity —sunshine. None of the houses or cottages wero miniatures, but each was full-sized and fully equipped and ready to live in, and visitors passing through tho restful rooms seemed loth to leave them. Up-to-date Bungalows.

The roof of the Riviera Sunshino House was filled with the deceptive warmth of a roof sunbath, in order to demonstrate what eould be done whero the sunshine is of tho right kind, and there is plenty of it. There was also a Georgian House, as restful as it was practical; Lovell House, with a full battery of gas fires ready to meet any challenge of the thermometer; a timber bungalow, similar to those in New Zealand, sound in workmanship, and intelligently planned, but with more up-to-date gadgets than New Zealand has ever dreumt of; a house of pleasing Tudor design, but with the latest modern improvements in an old-world setting; and, finally, a two-fiat building calculated to appeal to the bachelor, whether male or female, but of moderate means. Bedroom comfort —and _ discomfort — through the ages was vividly illustrated by a number of period- rooms, two of which arc shown on this page, each of pleasing appearance, whose attire was in keeping with the surroundings of her day. ‘ ‘ One could not but feel sorry for the occupant of the ideal home of the Stone Age." wrote Sir Pcrcival Phillips in describing this portion of tne exhibition. “She sat in semi-darkness with the skulls of two animals as the impromptu living room, but no sympathy was required or expected bv the silk-pyjama-and-cigurotto girl -who” was seen negligently reading the latest novel in an cxotically modern bedroom." There were other no less intciesti»g fragments of history imparted by bedrooms. Tho elder generation paused with a wistful smile before the replica of the, Victorian era of domesticity, with its air of heavy comfort, and its matronly housewife calmly mending a family garment amid the wax flowers and solemn portraits of that far-off time. ! Where the World Has Slept. \

Then there was an Egyptian bedroom of the time of Tutankhamen. A spacious compartment representing the colour and decoration of the period, together with a dainty occupant clothed a.la Egyptian. An ancient Greek bedioom also caught tho eye, with its wonderful view over the wine-dark sea ami the Aegean shore, its furniture replete with appropriate decoration. A Florentine bedroom proved to be a chamber with a real sixteenth conturv atmosphere and w.th real Italian furniture, including a bed with hangings, fire "dogs,” and elaborate fireplace iron-work. Each of the bedrooms —and there wero eight of thenv—were typical of some outstanding periods or history, and were representative of sue!) distant countries as Japan and France, England and Italy, each allowing a comparison with the modern ideas of domestic comfort. Then into tho open air. The Gardens of the Sunny Hours were saturated with the spirit of summer. There were gardens to suit all tastes, from the Old Mill Garden, with its busy waterwheel and picturesque profusion of simple country flowers—a picture of the Constable country —to the more forma,l gardens—gardens of rock and gardens or roses, a garden from Japan and one from Holland, and delightful Peter Pan garden for the children, complete with a mystic lagoon, gnomes, and a waterfall It was only a short distance from the town to the country in this new world at Olympia. The model dairy farm was well worth visiting, even though the visitor knew nothing of the prize pier* cows, sheep, and poultry shown there in the most natural surroundings. Nor did this exhaust the wonders of the exhibition. When the visitor had seen all the features herq described there still remained tho vastest display of essentials that go to muko the local Homo of 1029.