Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-28
DRAPERIES.


AeuSDs Il ans una CIeIOnneSS
III can't have any other furniture said
woman OF artistic tastes the other day, .gtve
me draperfes can, at pinch, sit on the floor,
on the window seat or on a packing box: can
out of the can, and range my books on pine
shelves; but can't stand seeing the square,
sharp outlines OF windows and doors unsoftened
by single fold OF curtain. II had my way
would paint my ceilings blue and fasten mats
under them and try to think that an Egyptian
sky was over nae; but that would not be con-
siSteDt with placing curtains at all the doors In
POmpeian fashion, and draping all the book.
cases and brackets and every conceivable thing
to which bit of woven stuff can be attached
and so, upon the whole, perhaps I'm just as well
off,"
"AId you ought to be- contented, at any
rate" said the visitor to whom she was talking;
new stamped plush window curtains. own up,
now, how much did they cost? Plain plush Is
good enough for me, but you always want
things unlike what one sees anywhere else"
And where would be the use of having
things If other persons had them too?" de-
manded the votary Of drapery, opening wide
her eyes. However. my stamped plush cost
stuff, and that's mere triie as l told my hus-
band when l told him the price. He said it
added ten per cent to the bill. but what do
that pattern OF curving stems and nodding
flowers and think OF per cents must be Goth
or Hun. You know you can select any tint
of plush you please, and have it stamped either
all over the surface or along the edge, for there
are designs appropriate for either purpose.
Plush Is twenty -four inches wide, and so seams
are necessary in making 1t up into curtains but
,ooks as well as the wide stuffs that make whole
curtains with single breadth"
Where did you get your shades? inquired
the other. g have hunted through every dry
goods shop and every Diapers, without seeing
anything like that tint"
"And1," said the other, with gentle superlor-
~, Ibid not hunt at ALL but simply had some
curtains painted the color that wanted There's
nothing like knowing how to buy things" Then
she points out the beauties OF her new hall-door
curtains, made from Turkish rugs and expati-
ating on the rich wine color of some stripes.
and the deep, fadeless green of others, she be.
comes contemptuouS OF anything occidental,
and even OF stamped plush; but there is much
to be said In favor OF the stufs that She despises
Turkish rugs are picturesque and sumptuous,
but some persons prefer plain colors to their
many-hued surface, and to them the plain Tur-
comans commend themselves. These are wide,
heavy stuffs that look something like plush, but
are far less lustrous; they are doublefaced, like
all the stuffs properly used for door curtains,
figured, but the most beautiful are plain. 1t
would be hard to say what color is most in favor
for when everybody Is striving. to be original
newest hue employed. and it appears both In
solid masses and in parts of figures.
The tapestries are even more elegant than
they were last year, more golden threads being
OF colors being seen in their patterns. The
most beautiful OF these goods have cross-bar
patterns, but in some the ground is nearly
covered by running design. The ground Of
the stripes is antique blue, Of olive or crimson
with here and there creamy bar nearly COW
cred by figures. Coral Is seen in many of these
patterns, and is especially admired because it
locks so much like faded red that it gives the
goods an ancient air, which Is extremely de-
sirable. The frtnges and cords which accom-
pany the curtains usually repeat all the colors
OF the material, and when gold is used this also
appears in the trimmings. Cross bands of
color are still used by Boston upholsterers, not
wthstand1ng Mr.. Norris edict against them
America does assert her independence little
now and then, In spite of Mr.. James
Bedroom hang1ngS show very little variations
this season either in price or in pattern. The
former ranges from so cents to SIPS; the latter
are either Japanese, English or French. The
japanese patterns represent the fan, the plaque
and branches OF conventtonalized flowers COM
in bright colors on strongly contrasting
grounds. The French style reproduces the
tapestry patterns Of the time of Louis XVI, and
uses light pinks and blues on grounds of soft
pink or blue, or pale gray and cream. English
designs are in two shades of coral, as well as in
all the old colorS, and cost less by 25 or 80 cents
yard than the French. Grape and repped sur
faces are both used. In light curtains, the
antique laces and Swiss are still in favor. and
also the silk and the cotton Madras, which have
designs In faded pink and olive or blue and gold
on white ground. These cost from 500 to $50
pair, and are much liked for rooms In which
soft colors prevail. An Of these does the ad-
mfrer Of draperteS coyet, and concerning them
She will discourse by the hour to whoever will
listen to her, and each new fold In her curtains
will give her new CHARACTERIZATION TJHDScrjrf