Picture Show (Nov 1919-Apr 1920)

15 Originality and Ingenuity in the Home — Effective Colour Schemes— Windows and Curtains — The Shaded Light. DOESN'T it sometimes fill you with envy when you see flashed upon the screen pictures of beautiful rooms and interiors that display wonderful taste and originality in their appointments ? And doesn't it make you long to be the happy possessor of such apartments that have undoubtedly had much money lavishod upon them for the interpretation of the decorators' ideas. You, too, have individual ideas and original schemes, but 3'ou do not have at the back of you a large enough banking account to carry these schemes into motion. And for this reason alone you allow your ideas to go unexpressed, and put up with unoriginal and conventional furnishings. But there is really no need for you to stifle your ideas on furnishing as long as you are prepared to put both time ami thought into the matter. There are ways by which oven the woman in moderate circumstances can make concrete her notions about decorations in the home. She can be as individual in her surroundings as the film actress with her silk curtains, woodwork decorations, and wonderful furniture. Only, of course, she must bo ingenious in finding ways of self expression, and her taste must of necessity run on less elaborate lines. Yet she must bear in mind that the room which has an enormous amount of money lavished upon it does not always look the best. The simplest furnishings — that show originality and ingenuity — always look more effective than expensive over -elaboration. Select a Colour Scheme. NOTHING is so important in the matter of making one's surroundings individual than colour, and colour is something that can be easily regulated. Although a bizarre colour may appeal to you, you will do well not to make the choice for your own home, unless you have the means to alter it when you find it monotonous. And just because a friend happens to have cream walls, white enamelled woodwork and mahogany furniture and rose rugs, an you like the effect, do not follow her lead and choose a like scheme. Strike out for yourself and think out an original scheme. The first idea is to devise a colour scheme, keeping in mind the furniture that will have to go with it, and the renovations that can be applied to it. Then decide upon the walls, and if you cannot obtain just the colour you want in wall-paper, get a decorator to mix distempers until you have the desired tone. With a little care you can quite easily manage to paper the walls yourself, and paint the woodwork. White woodwork is always effective and appeals to the eye of the majority of most women, yet if you are a busy woman with little time to spare, you will do well to choose a darker shade that will not show up overy finger-mark. • There is no reason why you should have conventional furniture, for oven if thf which you possess is now old-fashionei it can he covered and camouflaged ino> successfully with loose covers of cretonne. And I ain suro that a design to fit in with your schemo can bo found m t he wonderful range of cretonnes that aro being sold just now. It is more economical to choose one with a dark background and thus avoid any signs of grubbiness.' Large cushions, pouffees, and table centres can all bo manoeuvred out of tho same fabric, and tho result will bo effective and charming. Windows and Curtains. WHAT a difference the curtaining of tho windows mukes to a room. The whole schemo can be thrown out of harmony by the choice of curtains that don't " go.'' If your room is to be cretonne adorned, then bring the same material into play as curtains. Not as entire window coverings — it is too heavy to be lavishly usod at the windows. But first of all place light net curtains, and then finish off at either side by cretonne hangings, that repeat themselves in a frill along the top. A quaint finish is always given to a room by such an arrangement. Much can be done to improve a room by the addition of window seats, and theso aro easily constructed at home with tho aid of a few ordinary tools and w ood. . In fact, strong wooden boxes can be placed along by the window to form a seat, the roughness of their foundation being completely hidden by a covering of cretonne. Pad the top of the " seat " with thick brown paper, newspaper and old pieces of cloth, and then cover tightly with cretonne, tacking a frill of the latter all along tho sides. Brass-headed nails can bo brought into play to finish off all joins, etc. A splendid pouffee seat for the side of the fireplace can be made in the same manner, a, square 'wooden box being used for the foundation. The Shaded Light. LIGHTING facilities must be a part of the decoration scheme of a room if its true value is to be achieved. How many times have we seen an otherwise good-looking room spoilt by an incongruous lamp or bare uncovored mantle. This is specially true in rented houses where the fittings have been chosen by the landlord or previous tenant and that are in absolute variance with your own furnishing scheme. But even the ugliest fittings can be beautified by suitable shades. Quite recently I saw a very ugly hanging gas bracket that boasted of three plain mantelled jets fitted up quite prettily and effectively. A large wire shape had Seen bought that covered Miss BESSIE LOVE is most particular about the daily manicure of her nails, however busy she may be. the three burners, and this had been covered -or lather edged with a frill of po\\ dcr blue silk edged with silver laco. Tho top had boon 'eft uncovered to allow the three jets to project, but oven then tho shade had softened tho ugliness of the fitting considerably, and cast a soft light into tho room. Old-fashioned circular globes can bo prettily covered with small bags ofsjlk, that draw up with with silken cords.