Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-04-14
DaiIp Kfnnebs1 3nurnaI.
About Carpets and Draperies.

A few days ago The American Carpet
Reporters especial" entered--'s,
on Broadway, and remarked to the oblig-
ing head of the department When
called on you Just year ago in regard to
the styles, asking information as to what
was best and newest and most popular.
the answer was, 'All-over patters. unde-
cided figures. and soft and harmonious
colors, with tints, as it were. melting and
running into one another.
The answer came: ''Our information
this season must be entirely different from
that. for the demand for the hour is for
startling patterns and gorgeous and bril-
liantly contrasting colors."
| In proof OF this we were then shown
styles innumerable. in Brussels, in royal
| Wilton, in velyets and tapestries, but most
excellent of all. according to the dictate
OF Dame Fashion, were the beautiful
moquettes. which were but slightly in fa-
vor only year ago. Their flowers were
then too big and their styles of coloring
we're too pronounced. But 10, their day
has returned. and here they are in all the
bewitchmept Of the most brilliant chntZ
patters. and the universal fiat concerning
them is beautiful - And they really are
beautiful. There is one more sober than
its companions. 1t is of shaded olives. in
chintz pattern, Of course; all very quiet
so far: but behold the contrasting border,
two feet wide, gorgeous with crimson
roses, scarlet poppies and dahlias, and
greens. yellows and blues in prodigal ar
ray. This is voted per-elegant.
Another has bright, gambage yellow
ground. bearing an India pattern in pur-
pie. green, brown and shaded crimsons
and scarlets.
Another carpet shown has rich buff
field blossoming in pomegranates and all
the gay floral bravery that used to deck
our grandmothers' bed spreads and canopy
hangings.
Pretty patterns are shown on creamy hite
grounds, also on skv-blue. on Nile green,
and on almost every imaginable tint, in
fact.
II should be noted here also, that the
moresque effects in carpetiDg. so popular
for year past, have not lost one iota of
their favor, but are woven into moquette,
Brussels and every conceivable web where
it is possible to introduce them.
In the moquettes is noticeable one spec
ial pattern. showing an effect OF almost
golden brillancy. the carpet and border
both being in peacock blue.
The new Brussels patterns are glorious
in their branching bouquets, of the regular
old-fashiened kind, and the rural gentle
man who complained of the "sea-sick
colors" in carpeting year ago, may now
lay his quams at rest.
Curtains are arranged in every sort of
dis-arranged way, that is. irreguarly, and
in the extreme OF lnformality.
lace and plush, or colored curtain
of anv other kind, NAV now be draped on
the same window. one at each side.
One fancy is TO have one side of a pair of
curtains fall loose to the floor, while the
other is draped with chain or cut brass,
or other fastening
In some instances one window curtain
is draped high. the other low. and an ir-
regular scarf draping in place of a lam
brequn. whether this style is adopted with
the curtains or not. is in favor with many.
Madras hangings retain their popularity
and Justly. These fabrics are brought out
in the India and chntz designs so much
employed at the present, wherever they
can be used.
Hand-work is largely used in drapery
decoration, and elaborate bands of darn
ed-work" are being placed on white scrim
and grenadine curtains.
A set in cheese-cloth, intended for the
bed room of "A Newport cottage. is lined
with shell-pink silesia. the darned work
being set between insertion an inch wide,
of olive macrame.
Double disks. or two rings, linked one
within the other. form tavorite device
for hand decorated and other draperies