REOPENING THE WEEKEND COTTAGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 142, 6 September 1927, Page 5

REOPENING THE WEEKEND COTTAGE

ATTRACTIVE ECONOMIES FOR THE SUMMER HOME With the first breath of spring in the air, those happy folk who have tiny cottages somewhere in the country or at the sea will begin to make plans for brightening and refurbishing the little summer retreat. It is necessary that items for temporary homes should be cheerful but cheap. This description certainly applies to a bright idea I saw last year in the cottage of a. friend. She had produced a most charming effect on the stairs by “carpeting” them with a gaily striped deckchair canvas. Very strong, and having stripes of blue and orange, it gave a sense of light to the winding and rather break-neck stairs. BEDSPREADS FOR THE TABLE Economy in the laundering of table linen is to be desired, but we are all rather tired of check cloths. Instead, try the effect of an all-over printed Indian bedspread. These cotton quilts ai'e very cheap, and the small designs are pretty, and do not show soils. An ever-clean imitation damask mat should be used at the head of the table to save stains from carving and serving. Then small unbleached table napkins with coloured borders can be bought quite cheaply FOR SHABBY GARDEN FURNITURE Garden furniture is apt to look very shabby on emerging from its winter retirement. Wicker and rattan may be scrubbed, and finally polished with furniture cream, but with chairs and tables of willow perhaps the best plan is to paint them a bright colour. A two-colour “shot” scheme is attractive and novel, and not at all difficult to carry out. Choose two colours that harmonise well, and then paint the entire chair with one of them, taking care to get well into the crevices of the furniture. Then take an old clean rubber and wipe over the surface of the chair. This will remove the paint from the outstanding parts, whilst leaving it in the crevices. When this first coat is thoroughly dry, with the second colour paint the wiped portions. This second application needs a little care and a rather finer brush, but patience rather than skill is what is needed.