Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-25
Taste in Home Interiors
There Are Definite Ways to Brighten Up Your
/. Rooms With New Curtains and Draperies

! valance and side draperias of cretonne,
taffeta, poplin or glazed chintZ Inter-
eSting variations are obtained by hang
ing two layers Of organdie or wolfe Of
different colorS over each other. A blue
organdie hung over a rose would make
the color effect mauve, and blue over
yellow would produce green effect.
Instead of using some of the material
for tie-backS, use big wooden beads
strung on colored cord, or plain colored
cord and tassels. Ruffled curtains hung
over window shades of glazed chintz are
attractive.
Sturdy, simple, decorative curtains
are best to use in the nursery. Avoid
vague patterns or light, fiimsy fabrics
here. English prints, gay checked
singhana, colored Japanese crepe or ap-
pliqued unhleached muslins are best.
A nursery needs plenty of sunlight and
air, SO choose fabrics with fast colors.
Kitchen curtains should be made OF
durable, easily laundered material II
a valance is used, it should be nothing
more than a mere narrow ruffae, so that
it will not interfere with sunlight and
ventilation. If you use sash curtains,
make them of thin material. band with
a bright color or applique few motifs
on the material, and do not use side
curtains When using sash curtains at
kitchen window, place a curtain only
on the lower sash.
Hanging Curtains.
To produce the right effect, the style
of the curtain, as well as that Of the
valance above them, must be In har-
mony with the type OF window, and
the material of which the curtains are
made must be we'll considered in re-
lation to the other fabrics used in the
room. Above everything else, the sue
cess of curtains and valance depends
upon their correct proportions.
Every window presents an individual
problem, so that it Is only by expert
menting the room itself that one can
Judge what width of pleated or plain
material will suit the style of any per-
ticular window. The general rule that
a valance should be one-sixth of the
height of the window opening is help
full in providing a guide for making.
It is we'll to cut a pattern in stout
brown paper, which is impervious to
daylight, and to fix it in position with
drawing pins, trying various depths
until the best effect is secured.
II Winter curtains Of cretonne are
to give protection from drafts, they
must be treated in the same way as
heavier fabrics-that is made up with
q lining and an mterlining. Generous
width is more necessary with cretonne
than with heavier materials. From a
width and half to double the width
Of the window Is a reasonable allow
ance for fullness The lighter the cur
tains the fuller they should be If they
are to look well when drawn. Linen
and cretonne and their Innings are OBJ
tainahle in double and single width.
When choosing curtain material. these
differences should be kept in mind, as
unnecessary seams can be avoided by
choosing the width Of fabric which
can be cut to the best advantage.
The heavier hand-printed linens and
cretonnes, as well as easement cloths,
usually come IN double width. Glazed
chintz is usually narrow.
II YOU are using velvet or other ma
terial with a pile, the material must be
cut so that the pile will always run in
the same direction. 1t does not matter
which way, but every breadth must run
the same way. Before beginning to cut
out patterned material make a note of
the pattern or you may find that figures
or trails OF roses will be standing on
their heads. Woven and printed fur
niShing stuffs have designs so arranged
that they join accurately at the sell
wedge. so that in curtain making the
seams can be practically invisible.
There are also small designs, such as
trellises, stripes, and checks, which can
be cut up and down.
The quantity of material needed for
curtains depends so much upon the
height style and width Of the window,
and on the width of the chosen ma
terial, that to suggest the number of
yards likely to be needed would be more
misleading than helpful. With the
window at hand, it is easy to calculate
the quantity of material required for a
pair OF curtains. The height Of the
windows from the top to just below the
sill will give the length. multiplied by
the number Of breadths of material
necessary for fullness. Then add to
this an allowance for hens. turnings.
and q heading if there is to be no
valance.
Although the number of yards re-
quired for making curtains with lining
and interlipg and trimmings may APP
pear to cost quite little, it must be
remembered that we'll made curtains
last long time and they are a great
comfort On the other hand. you can
make them cost what you wish, as you
have such great variety of materials
to choose from Windows provided with
attractively arranged curtains having
valance are Of decided decorative value.