Social Moods.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 429, 4 August 1904, Page 2

Social Moods.

GOOD AND BAD •EFFBOTS.’ 3KN furnishing a room it is well to -tuvo d|b one special thing as a basis to work ■mr 1 from. Something showing a variety of colours, such as a rag, is most helpful. It may combine the tones of mulbery red, sapphire or bine, and old ivory, with flecks of vivid orange here and there Any one of these colours may be taken for the dominant oolonr-note in the room, and it should be made prominent by repetition in the wallcovering and draperies. An effort should be made when famishing to actually compare the intended wallpaper and curtains with the carpet or tag before decision is reached- It is unsafe to attempt to ‘carry colours in the eye,* for the memory of -them may be softened or heightened to' a degree that will throw them out of harmony with other shades of the same colour in the room. I

The Hops oc a Lijtbtxmb.

A woman once wrote, saying that allher life she had wanted a ' blue parlour,'and for years she had saved with that object in view. Some time before the room seemed possible, she bought some blue-and-white brocade curtains at a sale. They were carefully laid by, and when at last she was ready to buy her carpet, she took a good look at the curtains to be sure of their colour.

' Each piece of carpet I look at,' she said, * seemed exactly the shade of my curtains, and yet when I saw the pieces together they didn't look very pretty, or eet>m to chime in well. The assistant persuaded me that the fiisb piece I looked at before my eye became confused by so many diffarent Bhades of blue was the correct colour.

« I was miles away from my curtains, I had made the journey to the City to select and buy the carpet, and I wished to have it for a particular datej so, although I thought it seemed brightor than I liked I ordered it to be out off and made. A tracery of green leaves in the corner bothered me a bit, but I could find nothing better that was all blue. Colours Which 'Fight.'

' When it came home, but before it was laid down the paperhangers were putting on the first lengths of wallpaper I had chosen. I decided that, before matters progressed any further, I would try the three blues together. The carpet was brought into the room and unrolled a little way, and I fastened one of my beloved curtains to the window casing, and stepped back to view the result.

• Horror of horrors 1 My carpet, by contrast with the dull silver blue of the curtains, grew into a vivid peacock, and my wallpaper a blue that Bwore loudly at the other shades, and assumed a greenish, sickly hue.' Remedying a Bad Ejtjtkct.

She asked for aid, and was advised to have her curtains died a soft, dull green. This was found to bring out the blue in the wallpaper and soften the peacoek shade of the carpet, while the little green tracery in the border acted as a good connecting bit of colour. It was not a 'blue parlour' of her dreams, but it was an attractive room in tones of blue and dull green which harmonised perfectly. A frieze of wallpaper with an art design of sprawling green leaves and stem upon a blue ground was also used, and the result was an artistic room, better even than the 'blue {parlour* would have been. i

Tkyins Effects. The bast effects are often produc ed when the original scheme has been departed from. The most experienced hanse decorator feels the necessity ofj trying effects, and frequently allows a successful accidental combination to take tjhe place of hia well-oonsideied schemes. Never retain an unfortunate colour combination or inconsistent piece of furniture, j It will spoil the whole effect of the room; Study effects. Compromise, change-even remove if necessary.