THE HOME BEAUTIFUL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22247, 23 October 1935, Page 6

THE HOME BEAUTIFUL

touches that transform CURTAINS AND - CUSHIONS Judicious adding rather than wholesale redecoration is the noto for furnishings just now. A new cushion here and there, a new pair of curtains or new covering* for your chairs and sofa are the little touches that make the rooms pleasant and cheerful for thenoccupants. For example, you cannot go tar wrong with a touch of gold in the accessories. It heightens tho tone of the "cold" colours like blues and greens (keep this in mind if you have a lot of blue in a rather sunless room) and goes well with all the browns from fawn to nigger, and a glint of gold looks particularly well with tho rich rod and ruby shades that are so popular just now. You can even have gold curtains for the bathroom, for oil silk is being made in a dull metallic gold which sponges clean. Curtains are an important subject. Whatever the shape of the window, curtains which touch the floor and are full enough to draw without looking skimpv, are best. It is a false economy to economise on width. Materials of all kinds are utilised and are made in the gayest checks and stripes; but tho smartest newcomer to the curtain world is tweed, which one usually associates with winter coats, while softly draped velvets are replacing chenille. If used for curtains, these tweeds must be made in "tailored" fashion with no hint of fussiness in any form. Shepherd's plaid and striped effects are most striking in these tweeds, and they are made in the lightest of weights. Stripes, in particular, can be used with great success for curtains when a ceiling is on the low side. Running from ceiling to floor, they give a narrow window a lofty, dignified appearance. Blue is a good curtain colour if you have a room furnished in warm tones which need a little relief. You can link up the curtains with the rest of the scheme by one or two pieces of blue pottery and blue cushions. Cushions you can be Just a little extravagant about, especially as regards material. Tweeds are going to be as much a favourite for cushions as they are for curtains. If you are going in for gay, brightly-hued curtains, in striped and futuristic materials, it is aa well to have a neutral background for them. Fawn, for instance, is a good foundation colour. A fawn carpet makes a good setting for any furniture. Amusing little harlequin cushions made up of contrasting strips of material, of either velvet, tweed, cretonne, or chintz, are a good way of using up small remnants. It is newer to have the stripe running from end to end of a bolster cushion rather than round it. Tapestry cushions, finely worked in soft, deep colours, make a dainty addition to any room, and with the present vogue for needlework are being hand-made by many women. Tweeds and plain repp are coming in again for pouffes and stools. A particularly charming one seen the other day was a square.pouffe in an oatmeal tweed with orange pipings and the owner's monogram embroidered in orange wool. Choose your material for chair covers in a black and white zebra design if you want to be smart and unusual this summer. However, a warning must be issued that these zebra stripes are difficult to live with and will want frequent cleaning. They are very effective with emerald greens and scarlets, with everything else in the room plain and clear cut. [ | !