Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-14


HOW STEAMER CHAIR CAN BE UTILIZED
FIREPLACE CURTAINS AND CHRISTMAS TRIPLES
A person must be apathetic indeed who does
not become more or less absorbed in this Christ
mas whirl that is going on all about one.
There Is so much to tempt that only a very
firm grip on the purse strings will leave any,
thing TO supply the wants of the week after
Christmas time that is receiving no con-
sideration at present. Beautiful things, so
suited to tho comfort Of ones masculine
friends. or the taste of ones feminine friends
mark the contrast-are seen on every hand,
| and it is hard to resist any such appeal.
Articles of furniture are among the most pop
ular tor holiday gifts. Writing desks are both
ornamental and useful and until person
owns ono nothing will fill the particular gap
| that the lack of it occasions. This year the
newest touch in the establishment of old oak
desks is the sixteenth century finish, SO called
| Ii is somewhat notified in appearance, streaks
| Of almost black wood mixing in with the
lighter finish Of the ordinary old oak. Heavy
looking hinges overlapping the outside OF
| door or panel have an oxidized finish in con-
trast to the bright brass mountings used with
mahogany and cherry. Carving III low relief
| is much used, and shelf for books or an at
tractive little cabinet with door is often added
! for convenience and good looks.
Fancy chairs, rocking chairs, and all kinds of
| chairs indeed, are bought and presented on
| Christmas day. and for g moderate sum one
may get much of comfort and good looks now
| adays The shapes in wicker were never
prettler, and with the dainty coloring now put
on them, or with the substantial staining of old
| oak or mahogany, they are suited to different
| places and uses. The cushions and ribbons
| added to give them the necessary festal and
holiday appearance are of all styles and colors,
each one looking prettier than the last that
| met ones eye.
Cabinets, either hanging or for the foor are
| convenient and handsome things for gifts. A
| noVol mounting this season Is to have wooden
shelves supported by rods of wrought iron,
which IS used so much just now. Often such a
cabinet affords a good place to show off u
pretty bit of embroidery, Ill the shape of a
snail curtain to screen all or part of its
| shelves.
| PRETTY TABLES.
Small tables are even more varied than
chairs this season, if possible. Never have
| they come in such pretty and unique shapes,
| Sc suited TO all purposes. In the natural woods
the assortment is larger. A remarkably at
| tractive low table is in old oak. the top round
with curves making the edge little irregular.
a shelf underneath is tLree-cornered, the
curves, as on the top somewhat bunting the
| triangle. The three legs curved also. in
| a way to remind one of that old-fashioned
artlcle-serpentine braid. 1t is low not too
| small, and quite an ideal table for a bed room,
| Tor instance, where that wood suits the other
furnishings. Fortunately nowadays, however
! everything is used together, though harmonious
arrangements must be secured in adjusting
apparently lncOngruUus objects. Small tables
painted white are IN demand for all kinds OF
rooms and to be put to all kinds of uses. They
give striking, yet refined tone to any nook or
corner, and need not necessarily be
placed III whole room full of white furniture.
but are suitable with every wood or color
of furnishing. The rattan tables are, like the
chairs, to be found in white and light colors
anu make extremely pretty gifts. In this city,
where SO many people have sometimes but
single room IN a boarding house ill which to set
up their household gods, space required is an
important thing to be considered in bestowing
gifts upon friends thus situated A pretty and
convenient thing in such case was lately
| shown at womans exchange. An ordinary
cutting table with folding legs had been so
prettily treated as to be scarcely recognizable
The legs and supports had been painted white.
The top was covered with one of the lovely ere
tonnes In delicate coloring with tassel-tringe
of cotton in the colors OF the top, nailed on the
edge with brass tacks. 1t could be set in a cor
ner against the wall when not in use and on oc-
caslon brought out to be an ornament to the
room, while OF size sufficient to be OF much
use.
A STEAMER CHAIR.
Still another article which can be given
where room is limited is a steamer chair which
will give any amount of comfort to its pos
SCISSOR. chair Of light wood can be selected,
and a long narrow cushion reaching over back
and seat and tied on with ribbons will be the
comfortable decoration. Another little roll
cushion for the head is generally added, this,
too. made secure with ribbons When not in
use this chair can be folded to occupy no more
space than the table. When evening comes.
however, let the table be brought out into the
roOm with a shaded lamp ON it, and the
steamer chair stretched out beside it, and, with
the latest magazine or a good book, new or
old, the most luxurious library can give no
more of comfort.
All the world. however does not wish to give
furniture for Christmas presents, and indeed,
the attention cannot long be kept on one sub
Ject with so many attractions calling in other
directions. One wanders into the china shops,
and so many lovely things meet the eye that it
Is pleasure to look about and difficult to make
| a choice when it comes to buying, Certainly
the Havilands have outdone themselves this
season, and the decoration is fully up to the
| quality of porcelain, which does not always
| seem to be the case. The clouded effect of old
rose coloring, with bronze and gold flowers
| over this ground, appeared last year as a nov
city. Now 1t comes in larger quantities and on
all shaped articles. This same effect in other
coloring has appeared now, and is especially
handsome IN the rlch gray-green which is on
many pieces. A celery tray is one of the pref
| test things in this decoration. The center of
| the pieces OF this style was fine gold orna-
ment; then the clear white porcelain shows for
space; then an inner border of fine GOLD on
| the white appears, and outside of that the wide
| border OF clouded color reaching to the edge.
Over this is the flower decoration.
In the Copeland ware comes something new
| in the way of coloring. white ground-not
the cream color SO often seen in this make
has sprays and small clusters of flowers scat
| tered over it. The flowers are in several diff
ferent colors on the same piece, giving quite a
gay appearance. A small service for an in
valid's use, or for a solitary luncheon, has a
shell-shaped tray, with tiny teapot sugar bowl
and cream pitcher, as well as the dainty cup
| and saucer to which they minister.
Belleek porcelain makes an attractive show
ing at one of our shops, with its fragile beauty
OF creamy white set off by touches of pink and
yellow. A few cups and saucers appear with
design on them like other makes in china but
the pearly surface is prettier alone Various
odd little forms there are besides the usual
distinguishing shapes of Belleek, and all of
them well suited for bestowal as Christmas
gifts.
FIREPLACE CURTAINs.
To leave the shops and turn again to the
domestic sphere gives an opportunity to answer
question in regard to fireplace curtains.
Advice is wanted as to material and decoration
suitable for such an article, which is to be
presented at Christmas. A heavy, soft fabric
| -