CUPBOARD LOVE

Evening Star, Issue 20134, 26 March 1929, Page 2

CUPBOARD LOVE

PLACES FOR EVERYTHING The love of the modern housQwife for the homo which contains an abnnance of stores, cupboards, pantries, recesses, and built-in cabinets of all kinds is well known. So important has this part of homo designing become that no bouse is regarded (by a woman at least) as being complete unless there is practical evidence before her eyes' that serious thought has been given to the inclusion and correct placing of these essential features. The science of cupboard designing may be said to have become a fine art with some architects, and it has been estimated that the some should contain not less than forty cubic feet of store space for each person living in the house. Tho housewife should cooperate with the architect when the plans are in the pencil stage. It is interesting to note that tho builders of houses for .sale are awake to the demand for cupboards, and give some thought to meeting the need. Cupboards and store, arc necessary to the smooth working of the modern home. In the best bedroom a good built-in wardrobe does away with the old-fashioned, cumbersome, and awkward chest of drawers. Jt may have an attractive finish, and have a bevelled glass oval mirror, or as the proprietor may select. In tho larder space lias to be .provided for jams, canned fruits, relishes, sauces, and preserves. The provision of adequate space for all this needs to be looked into before, the bouse is built. And do not overlook the provision of storage space for brooms, brushes, and cleaning materials, to say nothing of pots and pans. The golden rule as to all cupboards and stores is tiiat each shall be right to hand—that is to say, the wardrobe should be just where you may stretch out your hand and open the door when required ; while the linen store needs to be conveniently placed in the centre of the house, not in any one apartment, but in some place common to all. A favourite method nowadays is to make a nest of three cupboards, stores, or •wardrobes, each about 2ft deep. These may be either in a row or grouped at the end of a passage. Coming down to details, a linen store should not have the shelves too deep; but if roomy enough for a wide shelf, leave a recess to stand in, and place the shelves around on three sides. This is much, easier for practical working than the deep shelves. The lowest shelf, about 3ft above the floor, may with advantage be a little wider than the others, for hero one will automatically rest an armful of clean linen while sorting. Each shell above should bo placed at an interval of about 18in, On the top of the shelves blankets and other articles that are stored could be placed; while travelling bags and suit cases may well go below. In one of the minor bedrooms a good roomy cupboard is bandy. This is quite distinct from the wardrobe mentioned above for the best bedroom. This one might be appropriately named a, “bold, all.” At about 7ft high provide a shell, with a second about 18in below for hats, etc. Boots arc placed on an inclined rack below. The most modern type is; of course, complete with an expanding rack for coat hangers, and is large enough to have its own point of electric light, switciied on and off automatically by the opening and shutting of the door. The external finish of cupboards in the home has undergone great changes in present-day designing. There are cupboards that are in themselves very ornamental. They reveal their contents in an attractive manner rather than concealing them. Of such order are the bookcases and china cupboards in the modern dining and sitting rooms. These have lead light glass. Sometimes one sees a pair in a- room—one on either side of the fine in the chimney breast—and these contain the curios of the household.

Others again are in attractive threeply woods, finished in oak, walnut, or aiiy other stain that may be fancied. Some, too, present opaque glass to the visitor, and betray no hint as to their contents. » Among other fittings the, wellequipped home should be provided with its shaving cabinet in tho bathroom (this is being renamed_ the medicine chest one notices), and its double facing bread and milk receivers. The latter does away with the possibility of accidents to the food winch may be left whether anyone is home or not. A box for fuel or wood, with openings both inside the house (this a flap) and also outside for filling, is very handy. If a chip bath heater is to be installed, provide a. similar built-in box near it. And a soiled linen bin, placed in the washhouse, but with an opening in some passage or near the hall, will be found to be a great convenience. The provision of a collarette, if only 18in square, may save the expense of "an ice chest for a small family.

“Blessing upon the man who invented cupboards but the writer has a shrewd suspicion that it was a woman.—‘ Australian Home Beautiful.’