Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-04
FOR COUNTRY HOUSES
LATEST SHAPES IN PIAZZA SEATS
AND TABLES.
Old-Time Favorites in Chintz or Gre
tonne Covers-Curtain
Fabrics.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
NEW YORK March 2S. 1903.
Spring seems to be forcing itself on every
ones attention rather earlier this season
than she does usually, and she is welcome
enough, as she ever is. Perhaps the dis
plays of summer articles Of furnishings
and attire, which are now made even In
midwinter by the caterers to fashions In
both lines bring the season itself at an
earlier date than of old. Fashions for
dress l leave to writers on that subject,
but fashions for houses possess never
ceasing charm, and this year the close
proximity to winter makes the light and
bright fabrics and furniture doubly at
tractive. Everywhere country house sug-
gestions and furnishings are given first
prominence, showing what an Importance
country life has attained during these past
few years From the small cottage to the
houses on the large estates everything for
the country is receiving consideration at
the hands of designers and manufacturers.
One large firm here is making quite a
speciality of wicker and kindred furniture,
and some novelties are shown with many
variations of familiar favorites bed of
woven reeds is something new, and stained
willow green is suitable for a summer
home anywhere. The head, rather higher
than the foot, is closely woven and has
large balls a finish at the corners, like a
four post bed.
Tete-a-Tete Pieces.
A seat, also in green wicker, is on the
order of the chair seen on steamboats,
and hotels which consists of two seats,
one facing the other A novelty has been
introduced by putting a small table be-
tween, with a shelf below, so that the
whole may be lifted together at will and
placed on a piazza or under tree on the
lawn affording a most attractive oppor-
tunity for a congenial tete-a-tete.
Garden chairs of green wicker, with
a wood like the SeaShOre chairs, and are
of soft shade of green, as is delightful
ly comfortable-looking long chair" which
is also green, but can be ordered stained
to suit a room If desired.
Yellow is a new shade for wicker fur
niture but it is shown in a large arm
chair, with seat cushion of striped cotton
covering in the same pleasing tint, which
is not in the least staring or harsh in
tone.
If one wishes this light style of furni
ture to match any particular room this
is the year it can be obtained. An easy
chair stained a dull blue Is effectively
cushioned with blue and white cretonne-
green is oftenest combined with pink in
the upholstering of the green wicker chairs
and settees while gay set of furniture
for piazza or summer library use is STAIN
ed red, with cushions of glazed English
chintz in which flowers, birds and foliage
are mingled in daring colors and design.
Covered in Chintz.
Some entire sets of furniture are COW
cred with chintZ or cretonne, even to the
rockers on the chairs, tables, legs and
all, and are very attractive, too, though
the light color of the fabrics do not prom
Use a long period of freshness, SO desirable
in washable coverings.
Dainty and Attractive.
Some new designs shown in the cotton
goods this season. intended for curtains
and furniture, and especially pretty
appears in pink and green to more advan-
tage than the other combinations. The
motif would seem to have been taken from
oriental embroidery, set design, repeated
closely, SO that horizontal stripes are
formed. This is twenty-eight inches wide
and 81 yard, and is quite new.
Some curtain stuffs at 80 cents a yard
are quite charming, and have tiny border
each side, with several different patterns
and colorinSS, so the choice is not as re-
stricted as in some fabrics.
In Striped Muslins.
The very newest cry in curtains for sum-
mer, however, is the striped musln-ver-
teal stripes of alternating thin and thick
appearance, and in the thin stripes vari-
ously grouped are small figures in tambour
work.
Other styles have sheer muslin grounds,
with large, spreading figures, slightly
raised. like the design in madras, a grace
full lily pattern being among the prettiest
A great convenience in getting such cur
tains is that the goods comes in three
widths, that windows of unequal size in
the same room can be treated alike with
out any trouble.
OF course, dotted null for curtains Is al
ways with us, and is ever attractive and
satisfactory, but stripes being the more
novel, buyers for this season will probably
give them the preference, though one is
really as desirable as the other