Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-16
Written for The Evening Star.

is always q task to be dreaded by every house.
keeper, that Of overseeing the putting-away
process which comes at this season. When all
the pretty, attractive articles Of furniture
went into brown linen coverings, bound almost
invariably with red worsted braid, the change
from the cheerful winter aspect Of rooms to
the monotonous. colorless one Of summer was
almost depressing. That linen covers looked
and were cool is true, but a. to attractiveness
they had no claim Whatever. Now, however,
with more attention paid to our interiors,
living rooms - well q rooms for receiving
visitors, there ID . charm about the summer
garb Of rooms ~ there is about summer gowns.
This airy, pretty effect can be attained much
moro easily and economically than an equally
good appearance in furnishings suitable for
cold weather, for the reason that cotton goods
cretonnes, satines and the like-are 90 cheap
now, and are in such lovely designs - we'll
SUMMER ATTIRE FOR SITTING Room.
The subject il before me just now, for have
been asked for suggestions for putting sitting
room into summer attire, without much outlay
Of money, but where the young mistress Of the
household has plenty Of time and energy to
as attractive as possible, it is also her deter
mination to spend most Of the warm weather
here in town, SO it will be we'll worth while to
be little more elaborate than az If her house
was to be closed and the coverings for furniture
only Tor protection from the dust Of solitude.
AZ the floor is rather dark in tone and so re-
quires good deal Of care to keep it free from
aust In the days when windows are open all the
time 1t has been decided to cover 1t entirely
with mating for summer use This makes less
work, looks fresh, IL complete change and
next winter its polished baroness will seem all
the better for its brief obscurity. when the
mating is laid aside and the dark rugs put in
their accustomed places once more. There is .
great variety of mattings to chose from and
those with blue, yellow and green predominant
Ing are very pretty, but the most refined look
ing Is that with plain ground and the irregular
dashes OF color through it, in black, dark blue,
dark green and brown. The room contains
a lounge, several chairs upholstered, a large
square polished table Of mahogany and has
open bookcases with heavy curtains and large
square ottoman.
SUBSTITUTES FOB HEAVY oulrAINs AND rol
THERE'S.
There are curtains at the windows and .
heavy portiers at the wide doorway into the
adjoining hall.
1t goes without saying that curtains and por-
there's are to be packed away, the place of tho
latter being supplied by one of the pretty cross
stripe curtains l mentioned some time ago.
These were only to be procured at certain
time, when q few odd ones were sold. With
cotton curtains was bought-white with deep
dado border Of old pink stripes. This will be
hung at the doorway on the same rod as the
winter portiere and Topped back to give easy
egress and ingress.
For furniture covering should get q Saline
which comes in cream ground, with extremely
pretty designs Of punches of flowers in several
colors, with old pink predominating, and roses
and tulips the prominent flowers. This is as
pretty as some Of the French cretonnes at IS
cents andonly costs 121x cents.
HOW TO COVER THE FURNITURE.
For the easy chairs should make slip covers
as smoothly fitting as possible, and with q mar
row box-plaited ruffle around the bottom For
the square ottoman q cover may be made BY
it will reach to the floor on the sides, and with
the corners rounded 81 as to Just reach to the
floor also. A ruffle like that on the chair cover
should finish the edge of this also. The box
plating may be three inches wide. and should
be stitched on with the right side of that and
the cover together. making the seam come on
the wrong side If this loose cover over the
ottoman slips about, a shield pin at each cor
ner, or better still, in the middle of each side,
can fasten it to the ottoman under the ruffle in
the seam for the ruffle is set on the edge of the
goods.
FOR THE LOUNGE.
For the lounge a similar cover IL made, in
effect like the Bagdad curtain. which was the
winter covering. For this q width of the Saline
can be taken long enough to reach well over
the slight rise at the head and to the floor at
the foot. The spread should likewise reach to
the floor on the sides, and in order to make it
do SO a width as long as the other should be
split in half lengthwise and sewed on to each
end Of the first length in order to avoid seam
down the middle Of the cover. All around the
four sides Of this cover the narrow box-plaited
ruffie should extend, and it then may be draped
over the couch exactly like the Bagdad cur
tain or similar loose covers. II one likes the
cover may be fastened at each corner, with the
fullness caught in q rosette, a. the heavier
draperies are arranged.
The lounge adorned in this way will be pretty
set we'll out into the room if possible, a posi-
ton near window being desirable. The silk
or other pillows may have over-covers of the
Saline, rutfied, and with one side open and tied
at the back with tapes, 30 they can be washed.
For the mahogany table which is q catchaIl
for books, papers and work, and whose polished
surface shows every grain Of dust which floats
pretty and useful to make a large cover of
satine-a square with the ruf1ed edge. This
will rather add to the prettiness of the room
than otherwise and save the table much wear
and possible scratches.
CURTAINS FOB THE BOOK CASES.
The book cases in the room are open shelves
each side Of the chimney, and here should
hang curtains Of the Saline, rufled on each
inner edge and across the bottom. This will
give very pretty finish to the cases, protect
the books and save considerable wear from light
and dust on the handsomest ones used in win.
ter. As much as possible the selvedge of the
goods should be used for ruff1es, thus economic
ing labor by avoiding the hemming, as for this
purpose the selvedge viii set quite e. well Is the
other way Of the goods.
On all the chairs tides should be put over
the satin covers on back and arms, thus keeping
them nice much longer than is possible with
out these. Plain buff linen will look well and
by having number clean ones can always be
in use: Hemstitched or featherstitched edges
look better than woven decorations would
when for everyday use and on goods with 90
much color in the pattern; for chairs when
draped chair back is most suitable the fine
buff batiste. featherstitched on the hens with
linen floss, will be found simple and effective
a. well as easily made.
In most localities wire screens at the win
dows are almost necessary to summer comfort,
but on the high ground in some parts Of the
city flies are not at all troublesome and screens
are not used. A stray fly comes in, however
once in . while and it is well to cover pictures
with carleton as well as gas fixtures Yellow
looks best with gold frames and in this room
with yellow Saline, that would suit also.
SUMNER HoCxINo CHAIRS.
One Of the little rocking chairs which can be
bought for 70 cents would be . good addition
to this room for summer, maybe taking the