THE STAIRCASE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 309, 21 March 1928, Page 6

THE STAIRCASE

INTERESTING FEATURES VARIETIES OF TREATMENT “In small houses,” writes Mr. Herbert Jeans in “Town and Country Homes,” “the tendency is to tuck the staircase away in a corner out of sight, and to utilise the space that it would occupy for some other purpose, generally to give additional floor area to a hall or lounge. The tendency, indeed, is to simplify the staircase in every way, and to reduce it to a mere adjunct of utility. “Nevertheless, with correct treatment, the staircase in even the most unpretentious of cottages can be made an interesting feature; and this, I think, should always be aimed at. It is, of course, a matter of planning and design. Just lately I visited a house that is quite charming in its elevation and arrangement of rooms, and particularly in the vistas that are to be obtained at different points from bQth doors and windows. But the staircase, which is of quite ordinary form, is brought down into the hall in full view of the front door in such a manner that the stairs almost * seem to be a continuation of the doorstep. This treatment gives an impression of crudity at the very entrance which rather tends to detract from an otherwise delightfully-planned house. “The staircase with a solid balustrade formed of concrete, surmounted by a wooden hand rail, is one of the latest developments in the building of the labour-saving house. In such a staircase there are no interstices in which dust can collect, and the constant rubbing of the hand rail by those passing up and down the stairs is, in itself, almost sufficient to dispense with the housemaid’s attentions in this respect. “In a hall with a staircase of this kind which I saw recently, the walls are distempered in a cream colour, and the woodwork, including the stairs, skirting and doors are painted stone colour, the whole effect being bright and cheerful. “In its variety of material, methods of construction and decorative treatment, the modern staircase shows unfailing interest and often considerable beauty. At no time has the range of types been greater than it is to-day, for in addition to the period styles of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, there are almost inexhaustible possibilities in the evolution of a new style of domestic architecture suggested through the inherent qualities of modern materials, and the conditions imposed by modern methods of construction. “This does not mean, however, that the old-world style of house, with halftimbered walls and ceiling and Jacobean oak staircase, is ever likely to lose its charm. Indeed, some of the new staircases in the Tudor style which I have seen recently have been among the most delightful in all my experience. The other day, for example, I saw an oak staircase which, in common with the oaken beams in the ceiling and other details in various rooms, had been brought down to a pleasing silver grey tone by liming. To harmonise with this silver grey background, a blue stair carpet was used. This staircase had been placed in an inner hall so as. to be out of sight of the front door—an arrangement always to be secured where possible. “The bungalow has eliminated the staircase altogether; but it is gratifying to reflect that although much of the glory of the stairway has departed"! careful thought is still being given to its treatment in the better class houses of two or more storeys, and that there are still among us designers who are not unmindful of the traditions of pas* centuries.”

CRAZE FOR SHINE DECORATION OF HOUSES The vogue for shiny material began with the mretals because that seemed the only way of introducing the glittering element, unless beads were to bo" called in. Innumerable materials are now being used in dress and in the decoration of houses, which are neither gold nor silver, but which have some of the brightness produced by their shine. Cire materials are a conspicuous instance of this desire for shininess, and whereas only ribbon used to be treated in this way, there are now cire lace, cire chiffon, cire crepe de chine, to say nothing of the various satins. Virtually the only silk which is not cire now is velvet, but no doubt that will be effected without destroying the quality of the velvet. In decoration. American cloth has come in again with a rush. It is used instead of leather for the tops of stools, and sometimes even for chairs. It is not chosen for its cheapness or other qualities, but simply for its shine, which goes well with the furniture frameworks of metal. Curtains are actually made of it for the more workaday kind of room, they are excellent as draught protectors. American cloth is now being stamped with gold and silver, or with colours. In this form, no doubt, its use for curtains will be extended* as the metal upon the shiny surface is distinctly striking. It is said to wear well for the seats of chairs and stools, but this is perhaps open to question. The change from the very dull and soft to the most gleaming possible material is one more instance of the search for some new thing.