Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-07-09
BEDROOM DECORATION.
SOME VALUABLE HINTS FOR HOME
UPHOLSTERY.
How to Make Dainty Draperies-Pretty
Conveniences for the Toilet Table
Fashion Jottings.

No doubt, could perpetual freshness and
cleanliness be insured, nothing would be
prettier than white dimity and muslin for
bedroom windows, beds and dressing-ta-
bles; but, unluckily, in large towns espe.
cially, these materials soon lose their crisp
ness and purity, and once these are gone,
farewell to their beauty. Besides, in these
days, when one has to look pretty closely
after expenditure, even the washing bill
cannot escape and necessary, unavoidable
outlay already swallows SO much that the
expense entailed by these easily. soiled
draperies is often grudged, even in the
country, where from the absence of smoke,
and the pure air, they last clean longer.
These light draperies are only in keeping
during hot weather Still bedroom may
look very fresh, cozy and dainty without
scrap of muslin Or glazed lining beyond
the morsels required for the pretty pin
cushion. In the first place try and realize
that hangings of any sort are unnecessary,
however pretty, and in case of illness have
almost always to be got rid of. The lum.
bering old four poster, with damask or
moreen hangings, and its soft, smothery
| feather bed, has all but universally been
replaced by the light modern bedstead
with its spring mattress, while the hang
| ings have either dwindled to small tester
or vanished entirely. For curtains
NOTHING LOOKS PRETTIER.
Than the coarse striped wooden Algerian
material to be procured at any depot for
Moorish and Eastern goods it looks bright
and fresh, will bear thorough dusting, and,
if really soiled, washes as well as any stuff
known. The counterpane may be of two
or three widths, as required, of this same
material, edged with ball fringe, and suf.
| ticiently long at sides and ends to hang be-
low the frame of the bedstead an inch or
two. If you prefer it your counterpane
may be embroidered on strips of plain and
colored sheetings, and finished off with
coarse furniture lace instead of fringe. For
your mantel valance you can have row
of vandykes of the Algerine stuff, finishing
each point with bushy woolen tassel or
again, you may have straight stripe OF
crewel work, or vandyked border of al
ternate plain and colored sheeting, with a
small spray of flowers on each plain van
dyke. Whatever you choose, don't let your
border be very deep, and by all means
eschew fireplace curtains. The down
draught of the chimney in any room should
never be prevented, but more especially
not in bedroom. The same objections
apply to dressing table hangings as to bed
valances, though, naturally, on smaller
scale. Fortunately one meets more and
more frequently now with the dressing.
table made to match the rest of the furni.
ture and requiring nothing beyond plain
white cover. Of course this may vary from
| 1o,,, 1lox TO friuno fr
the linen cloth edged with more or less
costly lace and embroidery. If by chance
you have table of the old type positively
requiring drapery, choose some material
that, though evidently capable of reno.
vation at the hands of the laundress OIL
professional cleaner, will require the pro
cess as seldom as possible. Velvet and
stuff are as out of place in an ordinary
bedroom as muslin and lace, for at any
rate the latter will wash should they be
soiled. Nothing looks better for this pur.
pose than
THE OLD FASHIONED WHITE DIMITY,
With bands of color (such as red Turkey
twill, for example, which is as serviceable
as the dimity). Still the pure white Of
this soon soils, and though easy enough to
~,
the cost of it outweighs its daintiness.
Workhouse sheeting, of the unbleached,
creamy tint, mixed with colored sheetine
to match the rest of the room, and either
with or without embroidery, both looks
and wears well; SO do plain. colored sheet.
ings or Turkey twill, trimmed with coarse,
creamy furniture lace. Ii tastefully ar.
ranged, any of these will make pretty and
lasting drapery for the dressing table and
with pretty pin-cushion of muslin and
lace, with bows to match, and small,
fine, white diaper toilet cover, will be as
effective and attractive as the most fastidi.
GUS can wish Where the time and money
can be afforded, it is good plan to have a
set of draperies, etc., for winter and an
other for summer. For example, in winter
have the striped Algerine material for cur.
tains, quilt, mantel valance, and, where
necessary, for the dressing table. Then in
summer change these for similar ones
of unbleached sheeting embroidered
and mixed with colored sheeting.
For the embroidery, choose some
good conventional pattern, and as much
as possible have all your odds and ends,
night. satchel, etc., to correspond.
Peacock feathers, honeysuckle, chry-
santhemums, marguerites, convention
allied and worked in outline in
several shades of one color, all look
well, and do not weary as colored flowers
are apt to do, unless colored and drawn to
perfection, which, alas all crewel work
most certainly is not. Remember, your
bedroom is not only the place in which you
spend your nights and the time required
for dressing you may have to pass
long, weary hours of sickness there so,
although you need not in anticipation of
this reduce it to the baroness and sim
plicity necessary In hospital ward, while
making it
AS FRESH AND PRETTY
As you can, try to have all things useful
and in thoroughly good taste, that when
your nerves are unstrung by illness and
pain you may not be fretted by queer
shapes and still queerer combinations of
color, which in health you passed by un-
needed or admired as "the fashion. Now
for few details. Hair brushes keep best
and cleanest in the drawer of your toilet
table (the clean paper lining of which
should be constantly renewed; but when
there is no drawer, have a box either of
Japanese lacquer (which a damp cloth
cleans thoroughly, or plain deal one,
covered to match your nightdress case.
This box should be large enough to allow
OF two divisions, one side for your hair
brushes, the other for your cloth and hat
brush and shoe horn whilst strong, broad,
elastic straps will keep your combs, hand
glass, nail-scissors, button. hook, etc., firmly
attached to the lid. Line this box with
glazed twill lining-gray is the best
slightly wadded and fixed to the cardboard,
made to fit the box exactly, so that it may
be easily taken out, and the covering
renewed In the hair. brush division
keep a small, fine towel ian old,
soft towel, cut in four, is capital
for this purpose) to rub your brushes
on after using them. This keeps them
clean and saves the incessant washing they
otherwise require, and which always tends
to spoil them, no matter how carefully
| done. This box is useful on journey, if