The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-07-08

friends? Rooms should express per-
sonality-should express what TYNE of
people live in them. Let me show
you how easy it is to put your own per
sonallty into your parlor. First stem
Is to divide your room into three parts
Furniture, Windows, Accessories. Tn
tins way you can add to your room as
you have time and money. FURNT-
TURE: The. first important transfor-
nation IS slip covers for they work
miracles IN changing the appearance
OF a room. Select a unique pattern in
colorful print and use it as a decorat-
ing motif for your room. If YOU are
any seamstress at all, you can run up
your slip covers on the machine. OF
course they may also be bought ready
made quite inexpensively, but the adj
vantage in making your own slip covers
IS that you can select different pat
tern and color scheme-individuaIlv
yours. Let's pretend your living room
has peach colored walls and white
woodwork. For your color scheme
peach, turquoise and burgundy (wine)
would be very attractive. For YOUR
sofa slip cover, select a printed linen
with a burgundy background. Cover
one Of the chairs in a peach fabric out
lined with burgundy welting, and the
second chair in a turquoise quilted
chintz also welted with burgundy.
(Don't skimp on trimming for YOUR
slip covers as the right fringe and the
right welting will give them a profess
sional touch). Your rug will be in a
solid color burgundy and will cover
vour entire floor; this will give the
Illusion of greater space. WINDOWS ::
An attractive window treatment will do
much toward giving your living-room
charm. Draperies are nice for winter
months for they give a feeling of
warmth but during the summertime
curtains are cooler. Living room cur
tains must be handled correctly; thew
must have more dignity than the
ruffled curtains you hang in your bed
room. Here is an idea if you have a
double window in your living room.
Fill in the space between the windows
with mirror or salvage glass the
length of the windows. Have Vene-
tian blinds-either single ones at each
window or one blinds across both win
dows. Then have your carpenter Tor
husband) put up a wooden cornice at
the top of the window and cover it with
wall paper border; then have a mar
rover one at the bottom of the window.
With your color scheme in mind, beige
net curtains with a white cotton fringe
would be perfect. Hang them very
full and gracefully and let them reach
to the foor-not just awkwardly to the
window sills. ACCESSORIES F.:
Have one or two wall racks to hold
your object dart; a plant stand, per-
haps, with several tiny pots of growing
ivy, Here is an idea if you have an
old round table. Cut it in two and
place each half against the wall on
either side Of the sofa. Use these as
lamp tables. Have reading lamps here
fitted with reflector bowls and 100-watt
bulbs. Then have one or two floor
lamps at the opposite side of the room
to give balanced light. If your lamps
are old, fit them with gay new shades.
If your console radio has awkward high
legs, chop them off. Your radio should
be placed near an easy chair for con-
venience. Have your radio painted to
fit in with your color scheme; peach or
white would be appropriate with this
color scheme. Then have several atten-
tion-getting small touches"
Some interesting things that you
have picked up during your vacations,
or some attractive family antiques.
These little objects mean something to
you and will help to express individu-
atty. But don't overdo it; don't be
afraid to get rid of sentimental knick-
knacks that clutter up the room. Cps.
Keep your family portraits in your
bedroom). The point of this article
would be lost if you attempted to carry
out these suggestions to the letter but
I hope it will give you inspiration to
do over your living room; so that if
any of your friends were shown a pho
tograph Of it, they could instantly
recognize it as yours for your person
atty would be shining through!