THE DULL ROOM

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 81, 27 June 1927, Page 5

THE DULL ROOM

SOME BRIGHTENING HINTS Some rooms, like some people, are appallingly dull. Possibly the architect was in a dull mood when he planned these rooms, or it may be that dull owners have impressed their dull individuality upon’ them, and left them so. But gloomy they are?, and gloomy they will remain unless the housewife takes matters into her own hands. Here are some ideas. There are now to be obtained wonderful glass globes, some of them coloured, others just silvered, which are a revival of an old fashion. Suspended from the ceiling, these globes form not only a point of light In the room, but also a feature of great interest. They mirror, just after the manner of a convex glass, a fascinating series of pictorial compositions, reflecting the life around in miniature. It is a simple matter, also, to shut out a dull view by means of an amusing window treatment. This may take the form of a muslin to which has been applied designs cut from a cretonne. Chinese junks and pagodas, storks and mandarins, a covey of birds, or a flight of butterflies—any one of these subjects will prove effective. Or you may paste thin tissue paper over the window pane, and in water colours draft out you own design, say of poplar trees, or of a terrace with a vista of far-away hills at the back. Railway posters are marvellous in helping to turn a dull room into a gay one. A great expanse of wall-space can be transformed with just two or three of them, and they whisk the beholder away to the countryside or to foreign climes in the twinkling of an eye. Best of all if you feel incurably dull, you can get variety by frequent change, for they cost so little to renew. THE USE OF ORANGES Apart from marmalade, oranges may be employed in countless ways in the kitchen. No other known fruit, except perhaps bananas, will lend itself so efficiently to so great variety of dishes. Oranges, for instance, form the basis of various puddings and creams. Orange fool may be. made in much the same way as gooseberry fool. First make about a pint of boiled custard, and. when cool, add the strained juice of three oranges, one well-beaten egg, and sugar to taste. The surface may afterwards be decorated with ratifia biscuits. Oranges divided into sections, with as much as possible of the white pith removed, and then dipped in a light frying batter, make delicious fritters. _ A delightful sweet for children s parties is jellied oranges. These are made by removing the inside pulp from whole oranges—very carefully, so as to leave the whole of the rind unbroken except for the small incision at the upper end from which the pulp has been removed. -The empty orange cases are then filled up with liquid jelly made from the juice of oranges and lemons stiffened with gelatine, or, if time is important, a packet of lemon jelly can be bought and remelted. When the jelly is firmly set, cut the oranges into neat quarters, and serve on fancy papers.