CRETONNE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 741, 14 August 1929, Page 14

CRETONNE

New Uses for Pleasmg blaterial , IN PLACE OF BLIRDS The new Cretonnes and tapestries are so attractive with their dower of t cottage flowers and their reprodne-I tions of traditional designs that theyv seem to beg for admittance to everyj home. and modern designers are offering so many suggestions for eretonne' L‘oyers and hangings that it is easy to find new ways of using these delight-, t'ul t'abrit-s. The modern housewife is} being encouraged to diseard window“ blinds in all her rooms. so as to admit plenty of sunshine and fresh air.‘ In place of blinds she has eurtains‘ to the window-sill or printed linen. floral cretonne. or a thick curtain silk. and these can be lined'with a‘ suuproot easement Cloth or linen in some hartnonising tone. By menus of ‘a. curtain rod and large rings, these. curtains can be easily drawn across lthe Window at any time. and there is 1110119 of the "stufliness" of the old!time blind; and, better still, no blind {cords to get out of order. The. old—fashioned Venetian blind. with its overlapping slats of varnished wood, was a wonderful protection in a really hot summer, but What a source of irritation it was to the hapless house.wite. who never seemed tree of broken {blind tapes or bad~tempcred cords. iThen, What dust and dirt gathiered each week on the varnished slats '—dust that in most instances refused to move until wiped off by hand. The eretonne curtains, on the other hand, can be shaken free of dust eat-h morning. and an occasional visit to the twashtub or the cleaners will restore ‘their pristine beauty. Fk‘t very many private houses in Na Zealand are fitted with central heating, but everyone familiar with the ugly appearance of hot-water pipes will be delighted with a cretonne‘covered shelf for books. The obtrusive metal tubes are completely veiled {by the ehintz flounces, and by fitting a. thick board above the pipes. a useful :.and decorative ledge is available for ‘bOOkS and china. ' ' Cretonne can be put to another use tin a. cover for one of the comfortable ldivan beds, which can perform the iservices of both couch and bed. If tpreferred a deep flounce can replace ‘the narrow one, but there is a certain ‘neatness and charm about the tiny frill which endears it to many people. In England such emphasis isbeing placed on the curative value of sun—shine that the magazines are full of; advertisements for garden furniture or garden tea sets. Cretonne tablecloths for rustic garden tables have also come into fashion, and another use for a. tapestry cretonne or printed linen is as a decorative “runner" on a polished table. The designs in some of the hand-blocked linens are so lovely that they look like hand embroidery it properly lined and bordered with. a. band of dull gold galon or dullfaced ribbon.