ARTISTIC HOMES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 663, 13 November 1909, Page 10

ARTISTIC HOMES.

Sir William Richmond, , the famous academician, has been denouncing tho "cheap, nasty, and vulgar" taste of house decorators of the present day. This is surprising, enys an English journal. One imagined on the contrary that taste in our houses had wonderfully improved, and as to tho painting of our rooms in white, why surely the shades of puro chalk, cream, grey, and blue, and othct subtle whites hftve been displayed almost ad nauseam on our walls More particularly in the last few years both hero and in America, honseuives have made a notable effovt to oarry out the dictum of William Morris, and to provido nothing for their rooms that was not boautifnl to the eye, as well as of practical nse. Rubbish hni been thrown away with a reckless hand, and a beautiful emptiness has bceu, and is, jio \ocuo Even at balls, many a hostesc, proud of the lines of her finely proportioned old rooms, has refused the services of the floral decorator, voting for "boauty unadorned, adorned the most." Not to every woman is it given to bo ablo to make a beautiful room for hcriolf. I have

often wondered that some lucldess wife', feeling herself, at .■ a; loss, did 'not hbnestiy; and slavishly copy a room ;that -'either- she had hereelt seen Sl or read about. Mm. ' Hiimphrv Ward, in her ; novels has'described rooms, of exquisite taste;: then : thero is one drawing room I.• remember, ever so: charming, of•:the. heroine "Mary." in Lucas Malet's ."The Wages ofSin," and pretty "aa possible the room ; of Mrs. Qilpm in "Kingemead," : anovel lately written by. Baroness von Hutton, and which is^. minutely described. ,The trails' are: of Sir William .Riohmond's: precious; rhite with a few perfect old English- etchings; • asalfo afine' reproduction of ",La Belle Simonotta." There are three tables brilliantly waxed, and arranged upon them' a few knick-knacks, deliboratoiy'chosen;for their appropriateness and' beauty. : The curious and slendw chairs havo tailor-made clothes " of pinsy; covered chintz. The. curtains are plain and straight, of soft mauze' 6atin. In: a word,' Mrs. Gilpin'a ■is a' lovely room. : : '■:>■ ■~::. ■■;.-■,. ;,■•-..■■„• ■:■■.." , Sir , WUliaia . votes -\ for -white "waehabW distemper''But; whynot, like, the Arabs, have our white walls .freshly renewed,-with the eprmg of _every ,year?.;: Th- Arabs amusingly' npg Qie changes :on white, though. One spring theyvhuve palest-pink walls; the next primrts*,'' the third, year, pure' white,; and so'- on. And whilst on the subject pf walls' I may say that m my humble opinion nothing is better than a plain,silvery, grey wall. •Water , 'colour drawings,: or ..photographs .are seen to greatest' ad-! .\antage upon Another- pleisin? decoration , •H:;a;-pale'.|peokled'.-br6W-; paper with cream, paint-.for-irieze. and- skirtingfthe v-panele of the in ■ shades of delicate M ° w n. C re p e brown curtains should be used and the floor covorod,:with..dark brown carpet

Mrs. AS. Atkinson, of Nelson, and Miss M&bel Atkinson are/staying with Miss Rich, mond.in Hobson Street. : ; . , :\-\'.:, . .-Miss e!";m. -Mkcklin 'is staying n t "Tho Hollies," Jphnsonvillq. .":'■[ •' ■■ ; ;■:':■ ';':' The' funeral, of the iate'-Mrs. : C. Cotter took■ Place at Otaki on. Wodilcsday, and was followed by a large 'number.-of."'relatives and friends. The many, floral .tributes 6poke.of the esteom in; which tho deceased lady, was hold. ■ ■,- ■•'.-. Mrs. Ellis, wife of Mr. J; Morgan' Ellis, "manager; o£ tho Coinpagnio ;' dos Phosphates do I'Ooeame,' arrived From Papeete ty tho Haurotp yesterday "hiorninpf.and' is going on to Napior W spend a few wesks'. holiday. . \ .'.;..; -Miss'' Partridge '.' rotnmed- : ycetorday. froin a few d a ys.visit to.Nplson... ; ... ■-..,,■ ■■,; ;.?■.