Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-15
Written for TIE EVENING srAa
ATTRACTIVE HOMES.
How to Make Ornamental House Fur
nishings Out of Odds and Ends.

ATTRACTIVE HOMES.
How to Make Ornamental House Fur
nishings Out of Odds and Ends.
| TRANSFORMING THE SAW HORSE INTO A PICTURE
| RAcK-aRACEFUL DRAPERIEs FOR UNsIaHTLY
| oBJEcTs-How SPACE CAN BE EcoNoMIzED-A
| COMBINATION CUPBOARD AND sroRERooM.
1t would seem that the skill Of fairy god
mother must be necessary to effect the great
transformations which take place in certain
articles. What less could transform for instance,
the useful but homely saw horse into the polite
| regions of the drawing room. This has been
accomplished, however. though possibly the
library is the more suitable destination after
all The plebeian object is somewhat refined
| in appearance by being stained a wood brown
| before it is SO rash to venture out OF its
| sphere. 1t is also used upside down from its
ordinary position when it becomes an aspirant
! for cultivated liberation. The elevated saw
horse now takes the name of portfolio rack
and steadfastly supports the portfolio, which
is itself something of an upstart. for two sheets
of stiff pasteboard covered with brown denim
are the ingredients of this affair. The paste
boards are simply covered both sides with the
| denim, glue being used for the work, as it
takes less time than sewing and is more easily
! managed. Brown ribbons fasten it in two
| places at the back. while one set Of ribbons to
tie and unite is sufficient for the front to hold
in the pictures or whatever is placed in the
portfolio.
| USEFUL FOR MUSIC.
1t might be used for music as we'll as pic
| lures. More dainty treatment is to paint the
| saw horse white and cover the portfolio with
an embroidered cover of chrysanthemums in
| shades of old rose. having ribbons OF the same
hue. Bolton sheeting cream linen would be
the most suitable foundation for the embroid-
cry. Such a picture holder is very useful
while the rack would have at least substantial
worth TO recommend 1t.
AN ANTIQUE SPREAD.
Speaking of denim recalls the fact that
among some ancient Spanish work was lately
found blue bed spread closely resembling III
texture the denim of which 30 much use is
made here as a groundwork for embroidery
This antique spread was most deliberately worked
in colored silks and with the greatest skill. In
this same collection was a table cover of tur-
quoise blue velvet, worked in gold colored
silks and finished with fringe of Spanish
coins.
MODERN BED SPREAD
which looks ywell with brass beds.ead is one
of yellow Saline over which is plain white net
This is finished with border lace. under
which the Saline is cut out to fit the scalloped
edge Such a spread is very good also for the
painted iron bedsteads. white with brass knobs
now SO popular. Spreads, like the hangings of
room, are much affected at present. For
instance, the spread and curtains well as
three-fold screen in one room may be all of
a lovely figured silk the bed spread finished
with sewing silk fringe and nearly touching
the floor all around.
USE OF slLKoLINE.
The silkoline-thin cotton stuff stamped
with china silk designs-is 80 pretty, artistic
and inexpensive that great use is made of it.
Sets of curtains and coverlets of this are eff
fective and can be easily replaced, though by
taking off and folding such a spread at night
it will be much more durable than would be
imagined. To add a dressing table, screen.
mantel drapery and small table cover. all of
the silkoline would make room attractive and
dainty at the slightest possible expense.
CORNER FURNISHINGS.
Everything imaginable is being devised for
the utilizing of corners. Divans for these
angles are numerous and pretty. A novel ad-
dition to the seat is sometimes made by having
latticed archway from the seat to the ceiling
with fairy lamp hanging from the center.
The lattice work can be made by a carpenter
and cOlored with cherry stain. Another pretty
variation would be to have across the corner
band of Japanese fret work about foot deep and
hanging from this curtains of thin material drawn
off and looped high so as not to interfere with
the purpose of the seat. This inclosing of the
corner Is an improvement only i'll a large ROOM
as it takes a good deal off the appar-
ent size. Other corner effects are secured
of sitting room may be made
Of great use by putting three-cornered shelf
across about the height of an ordinary work
table. shirred curtain of silkoine or art
muslin. as 1t Is also called, hangs to the floor,
and. like charity. NAV cover a multitude of sins
Above the shelf is another about Is inches
higher, and the wall space between them may
be covered with mating or shirring of mus
lin like the curtain.
CORNER CABINET
can be made by mailing strips Of wood to the
two sides of the angle of the walls and resting
corner shelves on these. The shelves may be
covered with plush or canton flannel. stained or
have the edges finished with lincrusta walton,
which looks like carving, or with pinked leather.
A strip of wood is fastened an inch from the
back of the shelves to keep plates from slipping
when they are set up on edge, and brass hooks
are screwed into the front edge of the shelves
on the under side on which to hang cups.
With the addition OF a slender brass rod and
curtains half pushed back pretty little china
cabinet is achieved
Still another good corner arrangement for a
small drawing room is to have a sofa set across
the corner. and in the space back of it set a
spreading palm on a table. or. better yet, a
pedestal, which gives a pretter effect.
SEWING MACHINE COVER.
Small houses though so dainty and attractive
to look at, have their drawbacks as abiding
places. There are certain necessary but ugly
articles pertaining to household which III a
little house cannot be tucked out of sight but
must forever be prominent features to halt
spoil an otherwise pretty room. Sewing ma
chimes must ever be offending objects when not
in actual use. and yet in a small establishment
generally have to stand in the family sitting
room or a bed room. To conceal their identity
some ingenious woman has made an adjustable
domino, as it were, which is an improvement
to their appearance. board is made as large
us the floor space taken up by the machine.