Gay Colouring for Summer Homes

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 13, 12 October 1928, Page 12

Gay Colouring for Summer Homes

By Miss

Buccleuch

4YA

T this season when the summer place is to be made liveable, or an uninviting room in the town house needs to be transformed into a coal and homelike place for the warm days, the clever woman looks to new ideas for the use of gay colours to bring about this transformation. Much colour and charm can be brought into a room through the use of attractive fabries hung at the windows, and slipcovers for the chairs. The materials for them cost little, and they are simple to make, (GAILY-COLOURED cretonne draperies that can be drawn together at night serve the purpose of a windowshade, and when so used make a pleasant wall surface. These curtains are equipped with rings sewn to the top edges, which slip over a curtain-rod. Two cords with weighted ends constitute all necessary equipment to draw and open the curtains. The graceful valance with contrasting border forms a smart setting for these drapes. HP charm of slip-covers is not to be ignored in considering decorative schemes for the home _ to-day. Draperies and slip-covers may be made of the same material, or may contrast plain and figured fabrics to make a harmonious whole. Consider the wali of your room when making plans. for covers. If it is a plain colour, have your covers gaily figured, but if a figured paper adorns your walis, the wisest choice for slip-covers or drapery is a plain colour, or subdued stripes in soft tones. HAIR covers may be finished in three ways-hanging — straight just to clear floor line, or finishing with a deep or narrow ruffle, or in sedate box pleats. The seams may vary too. They may be made flat, or French seamed on the right side, bound with a contrasting eolour, or welted, which %:;m: the most tailored look of all, but it Is somewhat more dificult to manage. The varied array of materials for this purpose is_ bewildering indeed, but the points to remember in selecting one for slip-covers are these :- 1, 30-inch wide material when figured cuts to better advantage than the wider 50-inch. 2 A elosely woven material will give more protection from dust than a loosely woven one. { EASURE the chair very accurately before buying material. The average armchair takes about 6 to 8 yards of 380in. material, and two yards more with separate cushion. Always measure your chair beginning from _ the floor up to the top of back, and down

to the seat. Allow a generous tuck-in, about 6in. generally, and continue across seat and down to floor in front. Be careful to measure accurately, for owing to the great variety of chairs no very definite measurements can be given. It is far better to err on the generous side than to fall short of material. GLIP covers carelessly and inaccurately made will always look baggy and mar rather than enhance the beauty of the room, therefore take time, and make your covers fit snugly to give a trim tailored look. They should be made along the same structural lines on which the chair is built, the seams coming where seams are visible on the upholstery, and to ensure snugness of fit, be sure to allow for tucking in at backandsides of seat. This will hold the corners in place and keep cover from slipping and becoming wrinkled and mussy. Making a per-fect-fitting slip cover is not easy for the amateur, but by taking pains to have the measurements accurate, and the pins in the right places before cutting, this can be done with success. (CUSHION S capture all the charm of spring in designs and colours, and may bring. brilliance and interest to the most dull and sombre corners, HE kitchen too must have its share of attention,. and at spring-clean-ing time the introduction of new curtains, cushions, and table cover make attractive surroundings which are conducive to good work. To get away from that untidy and often dusty broom corner which every kitchen seems to be afflicted with, the following simple little scheme is worth consideration :-Bore holes. about an ineh from the top of the handles of the brooms and mops, file the heads off quite large sturdy nails, drive them on a slant into the wall in a_ nice orderly row, and presto! gone is the untidy and dust-accumulating corner, They all hang each in their own place as neat as can be. ‘THE home-maker should pay particular attention to her environment. She should study the room in which she spends most of her working hours, and make it as cosy and cheerful as possible.