WORK COLUMN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXI, Issue V, 30 July 1898, Page 158

WORK COLUMN.

•A BRIEF IDEA.’ It is difficult for those who live the greater part of their lives in the country to realise the pressure of space necessarily surrounding those who take up their dwelling in cities or even small towns, for when people gather themselves closely together in street after street, time becomes more valuable to them, and the necessity of concentrating their energies on one spot makes the immediate surrounding locality of almost priceless worth. Consequently the demand of all kinds of ideas and inventions for house decoration, which will turn limited space to its utmost use, are for ever coining to the fore, and create a supply that appears to be practically limitless. These ideas do not always emanate from big firms but from quickwitted women, to whom difficulties are but a spur to invention. One of the prettiest rooms I have ever been in was a very tiny one, in which it appeared the inmate had made the most of every square inch. I will give the whole of its details, but a point that particularly struck me as new, and of which I have sketched, was the clever way in which she refused to do without that shrine of feminine worship the toilette table, yet, in despair at being able to place it, had re-

sorted to the dainty device shown in the illustration. On a laige sized bamboo easel was placed a square of looking-glass framed in with a broad green wooden border so much adopted by young painters nowadays ; a scarf of drapery was twisted round the top and fellgracefullydownon one side ; two small tables of the kind that are usually supplied in white wood shops for lamps, thus being somewhat higher than the ordinary ones, were placed on either side. On one of these were brushes and combs, a couple of scent bottles, and her manicure case ; on the other, all sorts of pins and various toilet accessories, together with a tiny jewel box. The tables were painted green, to match the frame-work of the glass ; indeed, green was the key note of the room, for a small, three-cornered hanging place was curtained with green, which when moved revealed a dainty pink lining matching the rosy tints of the walls. The bed hail a couvre pied of green serge, on which was embroidered a large initial in pale pink flax thread. Under the bed was a long, low box running easily on castors, papered on the inside with thick white paper, carefully pasted so as to let no dust through any splits of the wood. In this sanctum reposed comfortably the owner’s evening dresses. Green curtains made tent-wise crossed the bed from foot to head, and were also lined with pink, and a pink shaded lamp threw its light over the small floor, exquisitely carpeted in a thick dark green velvet pile carpet. It was not expensive, because it was so small, and it gave an (indefinable touch of luxury, and made the limitations of the room appear to be rather of choice than necessity.