Evening star., 1941-02-15
Unpainted Furniture
Finds Ready Place for
Wifely Handiwork
Finish Con Be Applied
To Suit Tuste; Many
Advantages Presented


Not only the young home
planner" of whom we read so often,
but almost every housewife is in
terested in unpainted furniture. And
the interest is worthily placed, for
unpainted furniture has many ad-
vantageS. To begin with, it is mex
pensive enough to come within the
scope of the most limited budget,
and secondly, it may be painted to
harmonic with any room scheme.
Furthermore, it is an excellent in
veStment for those just starting to
keep house. 1t serves to pinch hit"
until the budget allows for the covet-
ed mahogany or walnut on which
the bride has set her heart. After
It has served its time as the nucleus
of the home furnishings it may find
It's way to the upper floor, repainted
for the Childrens room or even
sold at comparatively little loss.
More and better designs are con-
etantlv finding their way into the
unpainted furniture field. A great
deal of 1t is Windsor in type, but
pieces Of modern design appear more
and more. Kitchen, bedroom, living
room and study furniture may be
purchased in unpainted stock. The
woods include pine. Douglas fir and
white maple. Not long ago an Ohio
store sold. retail. at a special sale,
more than $4,000 worth of un-
painted maple furniture in about
three DAYS This gives some idea
of how much in vogue painted furni-
ture has become.
Color Supplies Accent.
It is fortunate for the budgeteers
who are able to collect really fine
furniture piecemeal that there is no
caste system in room furnishing
now. In fact, colorfully painted
pieces are often chosen purposely
to give accent to rooms furnished
mainly in plain polished woods OF
course, the choice in color selection
will be governed by the type of
room to be furnished and the char
aCter of pieces already assembled.
Paints and enamelS come in a wide
color range. and special tints can be
easily mixed.
Light, dainty shades are often
chosen for sleeping rooms: pieces
done strlkingly in black, lined with
gold. for regency rooms. The Co
lonlal decorators often used solid
color apprOXimating mahogany,
cherry or walnut. When this treat
ment is desired, the coating should
be Of a high or Semi-gloSs paint or
enamel A traditional brick red,
such as was often found on old fur
niture. was selected to blend with
the simple pine, oak or maple fur
niture of early days.
Patterns Still Good.
StenClled patterns OF flowers ana
fruit have always persisted since the
Boston rocker and Hitchcock CHAIR
came into being. Though these par
tiCular types of chairs are prooaoly
not available in the current line OF
unpainted furniture. many modern
bedroom sets furnish the cue for
decorations of flowers, medallions
or designs applied by stencil or
decalComanias easily transferred to
the wood Such decorations are
particularly popular for children's
furniture.
While the professional painter Is
able to do a finer job of finishing
unDainted furniture than an anna
teur, the practical housewife with
fare for handiWOrk will find it in
teresting to try her hand with the
paint brush. The main thing TO
strive for is a perfectly smooth fin
ish when the Job is complete. The
furniture. as a rule, comes Sandod f.
and ready for painting, but there /
are often roughened places that !
need smoothing over with bit OF /.
sandpPper before painting is begun /
A coat of shellaC is suggested as a
prefinishing medium before the
enamel is applied. Work should be
done in a room with good ventila- .
ti0n but where there is no dust to
settle and mar the wet finish.
One of the most helpful hints to
he followed in furniture painting is
to turn tho chair bottom side up and
paint the legs first. then reverse and
paint the seat and back The same
practice applies TO small tables. One
Of the best things about the decora-
tion Of unpainted furniture is the
fact that 1t may be redeCorated on .
occasion to match the redeCOratiOn .
of the room or that of any other
tn which II IS transferred