GAINING SPACE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 5 January 1931, Page 3

GAINING SPACE

A PLEASING ILLUSION MAKING LOOMS LOOK LARGER Rooms tliat. appeal 1 too small are a problem in a great many homes. In fact, nearly every home contains at least one of this kind. Fortunately, however, in most instances something can be done to provide at least a little more actual floor space. In almost every case a room can be made to look larger, since an appearance of space is never entirely dependent on roof dimensions, says a writer in an American exchange.

One’s home always should possess as much of comfort, beauty and harmony as lies within one’s power to give it, and every effort in that direction is well worth while.

Before taking up methods of producing a pleasing illusion of space, the first logical step is to secure as many more inches as possible of actual floor area. Objects not in regular use should be lemoved, and less noticeable places found for them.

For example, consider removing magazine racks, presumably to held ne-v magazines, but often used only for storage of old ones; stools not often used; a floor lamp that is seldom lighted; any chair rarely utilised; a fancy door-step, not really needed at all,

These may have a place in a large room, but should not be allowed in a small one. Wastepaper baskets should be kept under desks or writing tables; footstools, when not in use, placed close to chairs or davenport. CHOOSE SMALL, COMFORTABLE CHAIRS As much open space should be preserved in the middle of the small room as is cchnpatible with a harmonious arrangement. If necessary to have the furniture back against the walls, it will still look well if grouped suitably and turned at sociable angles. Utilisation of one or possibly two corners is desirable but a small room with something occupying each of its corners is sure to look stuffy. Straight but enticingly comfortable chairs should take .the place of rocking chairs, which in addition to being out of fashion, require much mire space. Pieces- of furniture that are comparatively small, or at most only medium in size and light in design are decidedly more desirable for the small room. These should be substituted for large, heavy appearing i lies, as far as possible. UTILISING THE NICHE An effectively structural way to make a small room actually a l.’rtle larger, and in its general appearance n uch more spacious, is to open up a part of some wall and make there a shallow, arched niche. This is a modern fashion and is suited to any room in the house! It can be utilised in countless ways. Most often it is filled with shelves for books or for ornaments, or one of the new and extremely narrow tables can set back in it. In a bedroom, ii. makes a charming place for a large mirror, under which is set a narrow dressingtable.

A similar amount of space is saved by setting directly into the wall a clotheswardrobe, or a kichen cupboard. It is not as difficult or as expensive as one might think to have this kind Of alteration made in most houses. SOME BEDROOM SUGGESTIONS In one small bedroom space has been saved by taking out of the room the bedside table, setting in its place the small, low chest of drawers which formerly made an opposite wall look crowded. Its top serves perfectly all the uses of a table.

A bedspread with ruffles hanging fluffingly down around the sides takes up many inches more space than does one that fits snugly. A plain but handsome bed covering seen recently is a good model for use in a tiny room. Around its sides, four or five inches below the fiat surface of the bed, a six-inch-wide shirred piece of the same material was sewed on, and below this shirring was a narrow plain hand, again of the same material, that came to the top edge of the wooden frame of the bedstead. There should be but few cushions about, whether in bedroom, living room, or elsewhere, if the rooms are small. A great amount of ruffles, frills, and (luffiness, which in a large room may impart daintiness and airiness, will lake up too much space in the smaller room and give it a crowded look. Instead of full, stand-out ruffles at the bottom of slip covers for chairs or divans, use flat, trim pleats. Although avoiding much frill and fluffiness, the small room may, however, have any amount of richness and elegance, and possess fully as much of real distinction as the larger one.