New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-09
HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE.

TIE fall In the season when the majority 81 house
holders mako changes in their household furniture
/ and carpeting The family has probably spent the
summer A. some mountain or seaside cottage. The
town house has thus been closed Tho furniture
carpetings and rugs have been packed away or
covered from moths during tho long summer
months when The house has be~n standing Idle.
II would be only poor manager who under
such circumstances would add 70 her household
furniture The furniture hanengs and rugs OF
the cottage homes which are furnished IN the spring
Rr. light and inexpensive. Summer upholstery and
hangings IN the majority Of cases chiefly note
worthy by their absence. To purchase hanglngs or
carpetng IN the spring for n town house would bs
furnish more food FOR moths n the house I, shut
w FOR several months A wise woman defers all
such purchases untn her return in autumn. New
designs FOR house-furnlshing and new notion, in
drapery therefore. appear in the fall.
Tho present season shows yet few novelties
IN arrangements for bedrooms. The brass b-lstead
remains the most popular choice. II ls now gem
orally furnished with old fashioned valance ns
T. is In England. and drapcry AZ the head In the
form of II half-tester. Sometimes tho bed drapcry
is attached n frame which IL a part OF the bed
stead but more often It is suspended from n
hook tuftcf board hung from the ceiling
directly the head 81 the bed. There are
several advantages IN the latter method as II does
not adi 10 the weight % the bedstead and may be
more easily taken down and shaken free from dnst
when f. is swung from the ceiling than when Il Is
"A part Of the bcdstead
II is not desirable that all the trimmings ~ n
brass belstead match. They should harmonlzc
however. As IA rule the valance matches tho
drapery OF the tester and Is OF sheer
n heavier foundation. while the counterpart and
round bolster should he OF heavier material like
tapestry. figured silk plain. Sometimes the
drapcry ani entire bed Of pure white. but II Is
now the exception rather than the rule when pure
white Is chosen for brass bcdstead furnished
a valance and drapcry.
4 tasteful and Inexpensive way TO ht out brass
bedstcad II the work bee done at home IL with
dotted muslin draperies and picturesque figured
silk Counterpart ana bolster. The silk for these
Is imported In the patterns OF antique embrOidcrcs
and other designs suitable for the purpose. silks
with a white ground and pattern OF conventional
FOR beds. and there are also silks in monotone pat
OF pale mistetoc green, delicate blue yellow
on pure white or cream grounds
The drapery o! the tester and the valance In all
cases should match the groundwork OF tho counter
ivory cream tint on beds With II SILK bolster
and counterpart In medley OF coors on pure
some small design ike tiny neur-de-s. little
cents or similar designs is used TO drape the tester
The fancy for large English washstands OF
enamclled metal continues. One OF these wash
remaining furniture OF the room consists OF n chair
ana few other sundries. including dainty little
Shest NJ dra~crs in Either enamcic% wood brd F
eye maple or some other deiicae wood Upholstered
dressing tables matching the valance and the
drapery Of The bed tester are stil popular under
their old name Of duchesse tables Transparencies
OF lace or muslin over color much used
about beds as they were formerly. Pure color Is
effective and daintier than any transparent
effect.
The bedroom silks described easily cleaned.
and are not expensive. bat French chlntZ. which
is also washable and less expensive IL sometimes
used In preference The counterpane OF a brass
bedStead should have square Of the material
taken out at the four corners TO allow II TO
accommodate the bedposts and hanE down evenly
and smoothly and fall, II should. Just over the
top OF the valance. The counterpane should be
lined II often has a ruffie around II.