DECORATING SHADES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 326, 11 April 1928, Page 6

DECORATING SHADES

HELPFUL METHODS A FEW ILLUSTRATIONS ‘Some people are attracted by the vogue for hand-decorated electric light shades, but their artistic ability is not up to the creation of original designs, for themselves. For such a difficulty, the methods illustrated in this article should provide an efficient soluticn. The shades themselves are obtainable in a great variety of plain colours, at practically any furnishing draper's, and for those who wish to apply their own designs there are two excellent methods available. The first is stencilling. This offers an endless range of design, both in English and Japanese plates. For the square and the triangular shades, frames were made to required measurements. These' frames are of galvanised wire, which is rustless, so

that the shades, when dirty, may be washed by simply immersing them in hot soapy water. The colours used for the stencilling are washable and fadeless, and there is no need to iron the panels, as the silk is so tightly stretched that it dries quite flat. The stencils are applied before the silk is attached to the frame. The silk and stencil plate must be tightly stretched over blotting paper and fixed with drawing pins. The design is then applied by light, quick movements of an almost dry brush. Care must be taken to have the brush just wet, so that the design comes off clearly, without blurring. When the whole design is covered, remove the pins and lift the plate smartly. When the design is dry the silk is firmly stitched on the frame, the edges being finished either with coarse embroidery stitches, or with a fancy galon or ribbon.

The paper shades are stencilled by holding the plate firmly with one hand over the shade and rubbing the design in lightly and quickly with a large brush, and then going over the design without the plate with a fine watercolour brush. These are then lacquered by applying three or more coats of white shellac varnish, which must be applied very quickly and smoothly, with a soft brush. Each coat must be allowed to dry thoroughly before applying the next. When the shade is well lacquered by this process, it may be wiped over with soap and water again and again without damage to the design. For the other shades, transfers are used and filled in with stencil paint.

They are ironed on the plain parchment shade, and care must be taken not to have the iron too hot, or it will blister the parchment. It is best to try a small piece of the transfer on a piece of paper first. The shade should be firmly held in the left hand with a tightly-rolled pad of cloth inside it, the thumb being kept over the edge of the transfer paper. If a border, and not motifs, is desired, the transfer must be darted, and fixed into the required curve with small pieces of stamp paper before ironing it on. DECORATING FIREPLACES A FEW IDEAS There is something very stark and bare about a fireplace in summer no matter How well po!j ished it may be, but no one will lament the passing of the “fire screen,” nor of those harbourers of dust and germs so beloved by our grandmothers, paper shavings. Nevertheless the problem of how to make a grate presentable once the fire has departed is one which invariably confronts the housewife. Needless to say the first thing to do is to have the chimney cleaned even if the fire has not been a constant one. During the warmer and drier days of summer soot dries and dislodges, and a sudden deluge of soot will destroy any decoration scheme. A delightful idea for a large grate is a decoration compose od moss and logs. A thick bedding of moss should be laid at the bottom of the 75 rate, and upon this are laid several logs or blocks of wood, the suggestion being that of tree trunks ; lying in a wood. The disadvantage of this decortaion , ing, of course, that the moss soon withers and browns, and if the decoration is to remain effective it must be renewed frequently. A couple of sods of turf, broken and crumbled, may be substituted for the moss, and although this does not look quite so pretty it is more lasting. For a smaller grate it is often possible to arrange a little ‘bank” of moss or turf in which have been embedded one or more pots containing ferae.

The pots should be placed in the bank in such a manner as to give | the impression that the ferns are aci tually growing. For those who do | not care for the idea of plants, the ! idea which a certain woman artist uses in her small grate may be car- ; ried out. This woman has cut a stout 1 piece of cardboard to the size of the • grate; she has coloured this a vivid j red and has painted over it the lifesize picture of a biac-k cat. The cardi board it fitted into the grate so as to j seem as though pussy is looking out i from behind bars. For another grate | this woman has painted red flames on ; a dark background, and fixed the cardj board in the same manner. Those of ! us who live in older houses have somei times to deal with very ugly fireplaces, and in many cases all that can j be done is to banish the fireplace altoI g-ether, at least, for the period during ; which it is not required.

A piece of match-boarding capered or distempered in a colouring similar to that of the walls, and fitted exact?;/ into the square of the grate, will serve to get rid of the fireplace.

Artificial silk curtains may also be used for this purpose. These will be all the better if they match those on the windows, or they may be of the chintz or cretonne which covers the furniture. In a small room where space is very precious it is a good plan to place a desk or cupboard against the fireplace, and if the top of this reaches the level of the top cf shelf it is all the better, as the arrangement is less obvious.