The New Bedroom

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 261, 25 January 1928, Page 7

The New Bedroom

A DAYTIME CHANGE 0 Modern Movements EVERY room in the home is undergoing a change. During the last two years the modem movement in furniture design has had a remarkable effect, not only upon each individual piece, but upon the whole appearance and tone of every room.

The bedroom shows this transformation more than any other apartment. The new tendency is to make this room look as little like a bedroom as possible during - the daytime. The impossibility in small houses of having a separate boudoir has women determined to have the two rooms in one, and the bedroom-boudoir has been the result—a bedroom by night and a boudoir by day, the change being effected with the greatest ease and without the addition of very expensive furnishings. The transformation is made in this manner. A richly coloured bedspread is placed over the bed, harmonising or contrasting effectively With the rest of the scheme. The pillows are first of all removed and the bolster is encased in a rigid cover which can be bought for quite a small sum. This bolster alone gives a gentle curve to the lieadend of the bed, and over it are flung five or six silk-covered cushions in various modern shapes—fan-shape, bolster-shape, square, round, and oblong, with rich tassels of gold or silver. Silk, satin and taffeta, or artificial silk taffeta or satin are used for these cushions according to the amount of money that can be spared for the transformation. The bed thus gains the appearance of a luxurious divan or daybed. In addition, other distinctive touches are given to the room which have the effect of entirely changing its character. Low fender seats, covered in taffeta or shot rep and standing on two low cabriole legs, are placed in front of the fireplace. These are distinctly effective and serve a, practical purpose. Pouffes are also used to as great an extent as can be afforded. When the fashionable low dressing-tables are used, the pouffe comes into its own as a prac-

tical dressing-table stool, and the effect of a boudoir is more completely achieved. At least two easy chairs are used. They have no fixed cushions, but upon them are flung the bed cushions when the bed is in use during the night. In many instances a writing-table is placed in the room. With regard to the general decoration, the colourings of the wall are delicate, simple and restful. A plaint self-colour pile carpet can be used to cover the entire floor, with the addition of two or three, oval rugs placed by th€> side of the bed and in the centre of the room. One important point should be mentioned in connection with the transformation of the bed. The ordinary double bedstead takes an eiderdown six feet long and five fet| in breadth. When the bed is being transformed into a day-divan, it will be found that such an eiderdown gives the bed an uneven appearance, since it rides up over the rigid bolster case and stands out at the edge of the bed. A down quilt should be ordered which is made in the other way; that is, six < feet wide and five feet long. It will then reach just to the bottom of the bolster case, and will not give a lumpy appearance, while it will hang down six inches over the sides of the bed and thus allow the bedspread to fall gracefully down to the floor without any visible ridge. The transformation described above not only provides another room during the day, but also improves the appearance of the room when it serves its original purpose during the night. The illustration on this page shows one end only of a room similar to that referred to, although in this instance a special day-bolster of French design takes the place of the rigid bolster case and the silk cushions.