THE COMMON-SENSE WAY WITH UPHOLSTERY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 182, 22 October 1927, Page 19 (Supplement)

THE COMMON-SENSE WAY WITH UPHOLSTERY

A WOMAN ARTIST’S PRACTICAL DESIGNS FOR FURNISHING FABRICS No sane man or woman would expect to fit a 6 x 9 canvas into a 4 x 8 frame with any hope of success—and yet we attempt a similar feat every time we set out to cover the uncompromising forms of an armchair with a textile bought by the yard and designed for some different dimension. A subconscious sense of irritation every time we fold some vital portion of the design round he back or under the arms is a common and recurrent experience. Figures cut stupidly in half—flowers without their stems or stems without their flowers—set forth for our daily inspection a sight which is irritating and unsatisfactory. A Newer Method It is for this reason—and because we all instinctively enjoy perfection—that the work of one young English designer is peculiarly satisfactory to anyone interested in the problems of house decoration. And who is not? This artist designs every textile she produces to fit not only in proportion but in character the space for which it is intended. Decoration for an Arm-Chair In designing for the decoration of an arm-chair the cover would first be cut, and that section of the decoration suitable to each portion subsequently applied by the dyeing process. Thus, should the solid back of the chair feature, for instance, an elaborate scene of conventionalised fish interspersed with marine fauna and flora, it is probable that no fish would appear on the arms or seat, but rather a lighter rendering of some of the less definite “motifs” to be found in the centre of the design. No Repeats There are no “repeats,” which is particularly restful to the eye and boredom is obviated. Both the character and the colour scheme of the room in which her designs are to be used are considered—also the psychology of her patrons. The colours are generally subdued, she tends toward floral or architectural form in design—her earlier work showed many effectively conventionalised animal forms. Her work includes curtains, chair covers, bed-spreads and bed-heads, shawls, tea-gowns, negligees and scarves the latter either for house decoration, to be hung on the wall instead of pictures, or for personal adornment. Uncommon Curtains Curtains have been done which occupy the entire length of the wall of a room—some of architectural proportions so impressive as almost to furnish the room alone. Interesting schemes of decoration have been done for Lord La thorn, Mr. Noel Coward, Air. Malcolm Milne, Mrs. Somerset Maugham and many other well-known people.