NEW UNION LINER AWATEA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 306, 31 December 1935, Page 11

NEW UNION LINER AWATEA

DECOBATION OF PUBLIC BOOMS The interior decoration of the public rooms of the new 15,000-ton Union Company liner Awatea under construction for the service between New Zealand and Australia is being designed by Messrs. A. Mclnnes Gardner and Partners, of Glasgow. This firm has been employed in the decoration of Ships for many years, and a very good example of their work is to be seen in the design of the public rooms of the Aorangi. It is doubtful if there are apartments in any vessel of her size which compare with .the Aorangi’» in giving one such a sense of British* comfort, b.eauty and proportion, each being distinctive in treatment and suitable to the room in which it is used. Amongst Messrs. A. Mclnnes Gardner and Partners’ latest contracts has been the decoration of the P. and O. Company’s Strathmore, completed by Messrs. Vickers-Armstrong in September of this year. In this vessel, the style of decoration is vastly different from that used in the Aorangi. The ideas of the artistic world have undergone some radical changes, new ways being evolved of using the many and varied materials which are' now at the disposal of the decorative architect. For the present, the period reproduction era has given place to the skilful use of large surfaces covered with beautiful veneers polished in natural colours and relieved by rich bandings of contrasting woods. Glass, non-fer-rous metals and other materials of this fertile age are also used in happy relationship. This modern style of decoration will be used as a basis of design for the public rooms on the new liner, and coloured drawings of the various rooms have been prepared and have now reached New Zealand.

The walls of the first-class diningroom are shown panelled with bleached Nigerian cherrywood and sapeli mahogany bandings, the general effect of which gives the room an extremely comfortable appearance. The light reddish brown tone is further enhanced with moulded headings in vermillian enamel which divide the walls into long horizontal panels. Ornamental grilles to the windows and the metal front to the orchestral balcony are in a special aluminium alloy. In the first-class lounge, Straightgrained ash is used with black bean and contrasted with macassax ebony in narrow strips as a relief. The metal work and the balustrading to the gallery above will be in “Staybrite’’ steel This room, it might be added, is used as the cinema and a permanent screen is skilfully concealed at the aft end. Queensland walnut of strip figure and of cool brown colour is used for the panelling of the smoke room and a deep band of darker timber at the toil gives the necessary emphasis. Light sycamore will surround the windows which afe of special interest in having panels of sandblasted glass showing decorative subjects in the modern manner. The music room, being a comparatively small place, .the treatment has been kept very simple, the walls being panelled in vertical grained silky oak from Tasmania. Relief is obtained by the decorative French windows in “Staybrite” steels opening on to the observation deck. Gilt enrichments on natural coloured satinwood and fittings of refined and feminine charaqfcfij’ are obviously suitable as a scheme for the Women’s Club Room. The Men’s Club room, on the other hand, is carried out in that comfortable and perhaps slightly sombre manner dear to the masculine mind. English brown oik is us*d in contrasting squares relieved with long panels of rich red leather studded with “Staybrite’’ bosses. The doors are also carried out in this manner, and at each window shutter-like panels are arranged in white oak relieved with plaques of “Staybrite’’ metal. At the forward entrance, a library is arranged. Carried out in a modern manner in white and weathered sycamore with walnut as a contrast, .this room has convenient writing desks, and will carry a large supply of literature. The entrances and staircases adjacent are all decorated in Australian walnut with metal finishes of “Staybrite” steel.

A deck verandah at the aft end. of the first-class promenade deck provides space for dancing, and as such is decorated in a bright colour scheme, the chief feature being the lighting effects. These will be generally concealed, changes being arranged through three different colours the combinations of which should add considerably to the gaiety of functions held in this space.