St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-04-11
HOME DECORATIONS.
Useful Hints TO Young Housekeep-
ers--POrticres and Curtains.

''What kind of portieres shall we have
for our new parlOr, and in what color shall
we furnshit?" is the anguished cry uttered
by hundreds of newlY-married ladies NOV
ing into a new house or refurnishing their
old homes.
Most of these housekeepers have been in
elegantly furnished parlors and roamed
through furnishing stores where every
known material is to be seen and could tell
how Mrs. Ii. could furnish her parlOr. but
when it comes TO their own home and
pocketbOOk ,hey are at sea.
Some few Limits on the subject may be OF
value.
Carpets are the great bugbear in furnish
ing new house, and deplete ones purse
more than anything else. a good CARPET
for a moderately-siZed room costs from $50
upwards; il never fits another room. it gets
dusty and soiled and is besides extremely
questionable. Still many people cannot
be content unless they have carpet.
Those who are willing to try something
more healthful than carpets and save their
money for pretty chairs and sofas should
buy Turkish or Persian rug. If the floor
is too uneven TO place rug directly over it
it should be covered first with mating.
which may be purchased for Is or 90 cents
a yard, or the floor may be stained, the
cracks and holes being first filled up with
putty. This is much less expensive.
As for the rug, il will suit any furniture
or hangings, and its price will. of course,
depend on its size. One ten feet square
will cost from $40 to $50, and is large
enough for the center of a room fifteen or
twenty feet square. 1t may be taken up
every day and no dust will accumulate on
it. There will be no spring house-cleaning
of carpets, and. besides. it will do for any
other room or house. which should be a
great consideration TO all housekeepers.
Portieres and curtains are the next thing
to be considered. The former are shown
in so many different materials and colors
and at every price that il seems as though
one could be easily suited. but a variety
makes choice the more perplexing.
Blue rooms and red rooms and green
rooms are out of date. One color meeting
the eye at every turn becomes exceedingly
tiresome. As the poet says:
What beauty was there in a sky
Where nauRht hut azure met the eye.
and so, to be artistic, we must have MANY
harmoniZing tints in our parlOr or sitting
room. GauZe or lace curtains are the most
suitable unless one can have soft silken or
plush ones. and these latter are apt TO make
the room dark and gloomy.
Mexican gauZeS come in all the light
tints. pale pink, blue and crimson on
fawn ground and other combinations. and
let in the light in sOftened tints. White
gauZe with lace edging are also in favor.
and give that dainty look TO a room so de-
siTable.
For portieres mixed colors are to be pre-
ferred. The satin velour comes in many
artistic Powered patterns, but is somewhat
high-priced for moderate purses. A new
material called Persian cloth isquite reason
able in price. A pretty pattern has ground
in soft Italian yellow covered with flowers
and scroll work i'm deep blue, gold, pale
pink and Olive-green.
Sets of furniture are out Of favor. and an
old set should have its chairs and sofas
covered in different colored pushes. satins