Morning journal and courier., 1882-10-24
Gossip About Home Decoration. lFrom the New York Timss.]

A novel and costly carpet is made entirely of Eastern rugs three of equal length form ing the centre, while the border is composed of rugs of slightly different design and with deeper combinations of color.
 In England window curtains of stained glass; for the lower half of tho window are becoming usual, and are very great i'm provement upon the ugly structures of woven wire and wicker which have done service for SO long time. ''Those who know" assert that these particularly pretty additions to the window will soon be equally usual in New York residences.
 Arrasepe now figures conspicuously in art needle work. It is particularly effective in the working of such flowers as the golden rod, mignonette, &c., or in representing her aldic devices, which are to be worked in re- lief.
 Excellent scrsp-baskets are now made of Japanese umbrellas. The na0dus operandi is simple. Rows of chenille are looped from spoke to spoke, and the point of the opened umbrella fixed in a stand. The addition of @ bright bow and ends of satin ribbon make a pretty finish.
 There is in fact no limit to decorative possibilities with Japanese productions. Two fans, for example, joined together at the edges with narrow satin ribbon, make an ex- cellent wall pocket for a small parlor or bed E room.
 A pretty hall corner is easily made by the ! help of a carpenter. Corner shelves may be | fitted into either side opposite the entrance, and serve to hold an ornamental pot with ! creeping plant bowl with gold fish. Such \ a niche, if prettily draped, could be very great help in brightening up the hallway, ! which is apt in small houses, to be gloomy and depressing in effect.
 The Germans cultivate ivy in their rooms ! with great success. Placing root in lar ge pot by one side of a window, they will train fit as it grows until it forms pretty frame for the entire window. At Fordhan there is
 a drug store in which ivy has been trained \ completely across the ceiling, passing both ! windows. The root from which it originated
 was brought from Westminster Abbey to this l country several years ago
 The open fireplace, which is now univer | sal in new houses, has become the subject o1 ! much attention In the latest styles the ! facings are of exquisitely worked brass and
 enamel, while centre pieces of porcelain and ! ornamental flower in the same material add ! to the decorative effect. Tiles representing g series of incidents or landscapes form the ! hearth, while fender of curious brass worh corresponds with the facing of tho grats ! Extra housemaids will soon be needed tc | keep the grates in order befitting their mag nlficenoe.
 Home decorators are achieving great things ! with the aid of common pottery paint ! which, applied to white wood, gives it an eb ! onized appearance. Carved figures ant
 bracket supports can be bought very oheaply in common wood, and with their aid mantels
 and cabinets can be made at homo which vii prove highly decorative.
 Plaster casts take gliding or bronze pain
 well, and if framed in black or plush lool
 extremely well upon 8 light wall paper. Th' little images sold in th- streets for @ trift can be converted by the use of bronze pow
 der into really effective ornaments.
 ! Common fishing cord Is used now fo
 coarse crotchet instead of Maorame lace
 It is less clumsy to work with and equall,
 effective. Crocheted with large needles ant left with heavy fringe, 1t serves admirabl.
 as bordering for little tables covered witt
 cloth or plush. Hand bags are also mad
 of it.
 I novel decoration for the mantel con | sists of a curtain about half yard long | suspended from rings upon small bras l pole, and separated in the center. A smal l piece of mirror fastened against the wall Ii
 the center shows when the curtains thu
 formed are drawn aside, and is at once move ] and attractive.
 l new departure' in mantel lambrequin
 consists in embroidering scattered desig
 upon the material which covers the board il
 self, as well as upon the hanging. Such | design in raised work in flowers has a natu
 ral appearance, as if the blossoms had bee
 scattered loosely and left there by accident The small squares which replace the olt
 fashioned tidy can be prettily made in alte
 nate stripes or squares of ribbon and lac' ) neatly sewn together, or little Japanes | squares can be fringed out and knotted in , fanciful design.
 , Very inexpensive screens can be made home by covering an ordinary clothes hori 3 or common wooden frame with dark felt { I | plush, upon which Chinese crape picture can be mounted. If the cloth is fastent within the margin of the work the latter cs
 be ebonized, and a nice finish given to u ? screen by beading of chenille where u } cloth Is nailed on.