NEW LAMPSHADES

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

NEW LAMPSHADES

MADE OF COMPRESSED MILK Lampshades made of compressed milk or erinoid are the latest thing. They are as translucent as silk, with a slightly mottled appearance, which gives a soft effect, and are made up in different styles that can be used in any room in the house. In bathrooms, for which it has hitherto been difficult to find anything that was at the same time suitable and pretty, they are ideal as they are washing and very durable. For sitting rooms *hey look very well in large shapes for floor or pendant lamps in one colour edged with bands in a contrast, and they are very easy to dust. Charming little table standard lamfcs made of lightly-coloured erinoid to match the colour scheme of the room and fitted with a shade of the same, are delightful for bedside or dressing table in a bedroom, where the skin shades, which are also very popular, would be out of place. The compressed milk can be cut to any wire frame and made up just like silk, t The same may be said of pigskin and hide, wbich when first used for shades were very opaque and had to be laced on to the frame. Now by various secret processes which are used they can be reduced to any degree of transparency required, and are tinted either clear sunshiny yellow, or in wonderful shaded effects, and in the deeper colours which glow like jewels. Another novelty which is just out is a portable lamp fixed into a shade without fitting. Attached to the shades are two ribbons with weights at the end, so that the light can be carried about and hung anywhere—on the back of a chair or over a bedhead, at a convenient angle for reading or writing. For side lights and single drop lights the Cleopatra shade is a new shape out this season. Made of orange or fuchsia silk, with side wings like an Egyptian headdress weighted with gold bullion fringe, this is a very attractive shade, which is one of the exclusive designs of a clever woman designer. Another woman lampshade maker is specialising in shades made of pigskin, edged with skin fringe in various colours. For use in halls, the latter has just brought out a lampshade which is a reproduction of a street lamp, with the panes of glass replaced by very transparent orange pigskin. Another original hall lampshade represents a cottage with a thatched roof, also done in skin. Alabaster bowls are less fashionable. Their place is often taken by glass coloured to imitate sky and sunset effects.

Flowering plants are always charming for house and table decoration, but their pots provide a problem which some people find difficult of solution. Why not paint the red flower pot itself? If it is first of all scrubbed perfectly clean, it will take paint quite readily. Modern paints have great covering powers, and are made in a bewildering array of colours. Even prettier is to give the pot a coat of silver aluminium or gold paint, according to your room.