SUNSHINE FOR SUSAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23221, 19 June 1937, Page 25

SUNSHINE FOR SUSAN

With sunny walls and bright new paint you can make a room that says “welcome” for your young daughter who has just said good-bye to school days—as Susan’s mother did (says an English exchange). My little daughter is nearly grownup now—she was 17 last birthday, and will soon be thinking about leaving school. Susan has never been a brainy child, I’m afraid, so /When she failed to pass her general schools examination we let her take a year’s course in domestic science, and it really is surprising what she has learned in so short a time. She is quite qualified now to help me to run the home, and I shall love to have her with me. Both her father and I are in business, and it has been very difficult at times to be a successful business woman and see that the wheels of the home run smoothly at the same time. I do want Susan to be happy. 1 feel she has no real aptitude for earning her living except by domestic work, and I don’t want her to regret her choice. No doubt she is already hearing other girls talking of the gay times they will have at college or Continental finishing schools, and for that reason I want her to feel that she is needed here. There must be a warm welcome for Susan when she comes home. “What can 1 do to show her how pleased we are to have her with us? ” I

wondered. And then I remembered a chance remark of Susan’s about her latest work of art—a green embroidered bed auilt—and this gave me a clue. “ Mummy, may 1 have a room to myself when I come home? Then I can use my lovely bed quilt,” she had said as she kissed me good-bye. She had always shared a room as we have only one spare room, and this must be kept for our many week-end visitors. The only other unused room we have is a small boxroom, and as I looked at it—cold and rather cheerless with its north aspect—there didn't seem very much I could do. But I determined I would do my very best with it and now, after two or three weeks’ work, it has been transformed into a lovely “ sunshine room ” all ready for Susan when she comes home in the summer. All those unnecessary boxes which somehow accumulate in every odd room have been burnt, and the travelling trunks and cases stored in the cupboard on the landing. I have had the walls covered with pretty primrose-yellow paper with a dainty frieze of primroses skirting the picture rail. The ceiling, too, has been papered to hide the ugly cracks and coloured a shade paler than the walls. . Next 1 turned my attention to the floor. I thought it would be too dark if it were stained, so I bought some light buff linoleum for a few shillings and in my. leisure hours made two green and buff rugs to finish the floor. Curtains can, perhaps, give the impression of sunshine more than anything else in a dull room, and I soon found what I wanted at the local drapery store —an artificial silk fabric in a lovely shade of gold. When they were made I embroidered a row of nodding daffodils along the lower edges. 1 had to make the best of what furniture we had as there was no money available with which to buy new. Susan’s own divan bed was brought out of her old room and the woodwork was thoroughly washed and sandpapered. Then I lacquered it a cheerful applegreen colour and, when the lacquer was dry. I copied the primrose design from the frieze on to the head of the bed. When it was finished it really made a charming piece of furniture. And now for the dressing table. 1 found I had an old forgotten bookcase stored away. I brought it out and had the legs sawn off to the right height and made a “skirt” and cover to match the curtains. A hanging glass over it reflects the light from the window, and there is just room on the narrow top for Susan s green-backed brush and comb The shelves under the “ skirt ” will provide shoe rests and a place for hiding untidy oddments. I lacquered an old chest of drawers in the apple-green shade and the builtin cupboard is to serve as wardrobe. Next. I lacquered an old kitchen table and chair—the table now stands in the window with a writing pad and inkstand on its top. And so Susan’s sunshine room is complete.