Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-06-10
Decorative Screens.

To the artistic motives which have
brought screens into prominence We
owe one Of the most convenient attrac-
fions of our rooms. Their services are
80 varied and now so indispensable,
that it is strange their iced did not
before assert itself If there is cor
ner which needs to be hidden, as that
which enclOses the washstand in rooms
otherwise occupied, the screen kindly
presents its folding vail and shuts it
from view. If it is desirable to have
door open and yet conceal the interior
which it discloses, as in dining room
opening into pantry or kitchen, the
screen stands ready to hide it. If there
is an offending draught, the screen pro-
tects one from it, and sensitive person
need not demand closed doors, to the
discomfort of every one else who hap
pens to be occupying the same room.
There is nothing which offers more
elaborate and more simple opportuni-
ties for decoration. Some of the screens
recently produced here have been very
costly and very handsome. One-a
feur-leaved screen in an ebony frame
Wd6 cubCIOly 0CNOIdtCh ny q L ACANh
artist, Millenle, on one side with bril-
liant arrangements of tropical flowers
and birds, and on the other with sea.
weeds, coral, shells and aquatic animals
For screens covered with canvas the
favorite designs are hollyhocks, cacti,
sunAowers, wisteria, and all those flow
ers and vines that can De executed at
once boldly and effectively.
One of the most beautiful screens
recently seen was set in bamboo frame,
itself very artistic. The ground was q
straw mating, such as comes with tea.
This was covered with q gilded wash,
and then decorated broadly with holly.
hooks, and their stocks and leaves
These bamboo screens can probably be
procured at shops dealing in Oriental
goods. but very pretty substitute
might be made by any ingenious work.
man in rustic style.
The ordinary Japanese frame is OF
wood, and simply covered with the
decorative paper produced by those
wonderful people, whose work i'll q
decorative wav is worth our faithful
study. A clothes horse will answer
every purpose for two-leaved screen.
which should be tightly covered on
both sides with muslin. Among the
various wall papers initiating Oriental
.stuffs now found everywhere charming
screens can be made. They Can be put
on in panels corresponding 90 the nat.
ural divisions of the clothes horse. and
bordered, or the border may cat the
panels diagonally, a favorite fashion
nowadays. Many of the papers which
come for dados have solid panels which
can be adapted very handsomely.
Ladies who paint in oils will find, of
course, more pleasure in using the
screen a. q canvas, and decorating il
themselves. This is the easier now, as
. simple artistic design is much more
effective, and if one mas not facility in
drawing, such designs can be easily
procured. Such painting does not de-
Inand anything like an exact imitation,
q the judicious laying of Aat-tints sim.
ply and boldly; and as was above said,
for such work we can find no better
guide than sheet of japanese paper,
or even the study of some of the cheap
Japanese fans.
The embroidered screens are equally
desirable. There is no intention OF
psrticulsrizing here some of the elab-
crate embroideries which require 40
much patience and skill, but only such
% can be easily done by those who also
have other duties. The wide-meshed
canvas in use for tides and rugs is very
effective. It is embroidered in Berlin
woods in cross-stitch in Persian and
Indian designs, in which as many col
0rs are used Is the pattern will admit.
Fer finer work pongee silk is embroi-
dered in crewels in the stem-stitch, and
is especially suitable for small screens.
For those who neither paint nor en-
broider there is applique. The screen
is tightly covered with linen, and the
figure. vines and flowers, or whatever
design is preferred, is out ont of ere
tonne. which now comes in the most
artistic patterns. These are carefully
pasted on to the linen, and tho edges
caught dewn in coarse button-hole
stitches in yellow or black silk. There
is no limit TO tho beautiful effects which
can be produced in this way.
A fsvorite English fashion is what lie
called scrap screens, and can be com.
mended to the younger members of the
family. The screen is tightly covered
with muslin. All the Christmas cards,
valentines and Easter cards having been
carefully saved. certainly those with
flowers, the flowers are cut ont and
arranged as border all about the
screen. In the center of the screen,
or Of the panels. are pasted the colored
Autographs which are now everywhere
received with different periodicals
These are surrounded by band of gilt
paper an inch and Q half wide. Then
all the pictures of any and every kind
which the combined household Can
produce are arranged at discretion.
The beauty Of the screen will of course
depend on the taste displayed, but al
any rate it will afford q useful and in.
teresting occupation. I'M. G. H.. in n.
Y. Examiper.