Tips On Making Curtains Harmonise With Rooms In Which They Hang

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 83, 18 August 1948, Page 3

Tips On Making Curtains Harmonise With Rooms In Which They Hang

Before you make your selection for new curtains there are many points to be considered, the most important being the type of home for which they are wanted and the general style of furnishing in the room where the curtains are to be hung. Good sense requires that you do not have fussy curtains in an otherwise simple or tailored room; or hangings Of rich and expensive materials in an unpretentious cottage or small bungalow. Then, too, your choice must be made with due regard to the shape, size and height the room, its aspect and the abundance or otherwise of light, the type of windows and finally the colour of the walls and the other soft furnishings. For the living rooms of ' more simply furnished homes where questions of expense, durability and practicability have to be considered furnishing linens in floral or other designs offer a good choice. Bedrooms and small living rooms especially those which are inclined

to be dark are often better with glass curtains only or if draperies are used to outline the windows they should be light in colour and texture. Printed lawns and cambrics and cotton materials in tiny designs are both dainty-and impressive for bedroom curtains especially in rooms with plain printed furniture. Kitchen curtains are gay and attractive if made of gingham which can be bought in plaid designs and a variety of colours. Even such materials as good quality butter muslin tinted a pastel shade and finished with narrow frills and unbleached calico likewise tinted a pastel shade or deep cream and banded with sfrips of plain or striped cotton in a gay contrasting colour make attractive and inexpensive curtains for a kitchen. Several factors should be taken into consideration to determine the choice of colour for curtains in any particular room. If the room has a cold southern aspect, the curtains should be of a colour to reflect light and warmth such as yellow, deep cream, pale rose or apricot. On the other hand a warm room needs curtains in cooler colours. In a fairly large room which has plain walls but a patterned carpetfigured draperies at the windows repeating the colours of the carpet fit in well. Also if everything else in the room is in plain colour patterned draperies help to tie the colour scheme together. But avoid bold patterns for short curtains—use them for full length curtains. Vertical stripes add height to the room si also do horizontal stripes add width to a room. Drapery or other tailored curtains need not be particularly full but are usually best made full length to the floor. If not they should reach either , right to the sill or to the bottom of the window apron—never half way to the floor. The rods should be put up so that either all the wooden frame or none of it is exposed at the top. If the windows are too narrow, widen them by extending the rod beyond the width of the window frame and hanging the curtains so that only a little goes over the glass on each side, the rest usually hanging against the wall. Unless of very heavy material'this type of curtain looks and hangs better if it is lined. Lining also helps to protect the fabric from perishing or fading. It is best to use a cream colour for lining as it reflects the light, does not fade and gives a uniform appearance outside to all the windows of a house. Be lining is the same width as the curtains; catch-stitch it to the sides but do not attach it at all at the bottom. Tie-back curtains are better suited to smaller rooms. They should be fairly full" and it is important i hat they should be tied back in the tight way. Tie them high or low but never exactly in the middle.