PR EPARING DISTEMPER

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 129, 29 February 1928, Page 17

PR EPARING DISTEMPER

Writing in the "Illustrated Carpenter and Builder,” Mr. J. M. bile offers practical advice on the preparation of distemper consisting of whiting, size and a minimum quantity of water. “The correct way,” he says, “is first to fill the pail about bin. up with water, which prevents any whiting adhering to the bottom; then add whiting, crumbling up the knots, and mixing it with the water by the best tool, the hand, add water and powdered whiting simultaneously, mixing till the pail is three parts full, taking care on the way along that no more water has been "used than the whiting will absorb. Thus there should be no water to throw oil, the product of this process being a round and very stiff batter. If the stuff is Io be of a blue or cream white, add sufficient ultramarine blue or yellow ochre with the whiting. Then pour on the batter, dissolved unreduced treble X size, and thoroughly mix together the combination with the hand. The product should then be on the round side, but not sufficiently so to prevent it being passed through a coarse bit of canvas, or, better still, a fine perforated copper bottom strainer into another pail. The quantity will be about two gallons. Put the pail into a cool place or in a plugged sink surrounded with cold water, so that it may form itself into a fairly stiff jelly. ' If found too lumpy for proper working, put it through the strainer again, though this is rarely found necessary. If thinning out is absolutely imperative, do so with unreduced size, not water. “One tablespoonful of boiled oil mixed in simultaneously with the warm size will render the before-mentioned quantity of this ‘size colour’ waterproof for exterior use.”

THE MODERN BATH Even the bath has fallen a victim to the changes of fashion, and in Paris it has become in wealthy households a very elaborate feature of the establishments. In some cases it is of magnificent white porcelain, and stands on mosaic floors. The newest of all owns no relationship with the bath tub. It no longer stands on the floor, but is in tile floor. One does not climb into it, but steps down into it m the most approved Roman fashion, moreover, it is made in charming colours. Ihe bather may survey himself in tones of blue or turquoise’ or aquamarine. He may consider himself in a bath of white marble full of blue water. With the particular colouring of bath and bather the floor is made to tone. The stepdown bath has certain advantages tor older people. There is less danger of shipping, and it is easy to get out of it. For children it is less convenient, as the operator has to bend too much. From an aesthetic point of view, the new baths are all that could be desired, and with the gradual elaboration of the bathroom it bids fair to become a public rather than a private resort, in which bathing dresses will also add to the beauty of the colour-scheme . BLUE CEILINGS The advice given fo those about to marry by “Punch”—“Don’t”—is also applicable to experiments with ceilings. Bine ceilings have been the latest fancy, and they sound well in theory, comments an exchange. ’1 he argument that the sky is blue is certainly convincing, but somehow the blue always seems much darker than that chosen, and the effect is rather depressing. The blue ceiling is not a success in the hands of the average decorator, whatever it may be when done by a capable artist. So much depends upon the light, the walls, the carpet, and the furniture that to obtain a good effect all these must be considered, otherwise the ceiling will dominate them. Experiments in colomed ceilings are best conducted in bedrooms, where they are not so much in evidence. Primrose, pale pink, or skv bine sound fascinating, but when seen on a ceiling the result is disappointing. White or cream is the customary colour for ceilings, and, as is often the case, custom has commonsense behind it in this instance.