Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-07
Apartment Tenant
Redecorates Ancient
Radiator Herself
Forced to Accept Ugly
Steom Pipes, She
Arronees CumoufIoee

Disheartened by ill-placed pipes
and radiator, a Washington woman
nearly rejected an otherwise attrac-
tive apartment. The handicapped
living room, however, served as a
challenge TO her ingenuity. Her
interest was kindled, she took the
apartment, and, as a result, she has
achieved a room that is not only
beautiful but decidedly unusual.
1t was the window wall of the
room that was the trouble maker
Between the two windows a pair of
dark and ugly steam pipes reared
from the floor to the ceiling, jutting
into the room for nearly a foot.
Beneath the right-hand window
was an old-style radiator, painted a
dark bronze, that was unquestion-
ably hindrance to any unusual ar
rangement of furniture The result
seemed to be a four-Star decorating
problem. The pipes, of course, would
have to be concealed in some way,
while the unlovely effect of the ra-
diator would have to be minimized.
Mrs. WIS plans for her camouf1age
campaign proceeded in this wise.
First of all, plain wooden valance,
extending across the entire width
of the window wall, was installed.
This valance. about 10 inches in
width, covers the area from the CELL
ing to the top of the window panes.
1t was placed nearly foot from the
WALTON the room side of the steam
pipes, in other words. Three panels
of sill-length curtains were hung so
that they conceal the wall areas
between the windows and at each
side OF them. In this way a second
part of the pipes was covered. A
sectional sofa, placed against the
window wall and covering the area
from the radiator to the corner,
completes the concealment of the
pipes. A low bookcase-about 6 feet
In length-built along the wall at
right angles to the sofa enhances
the modern feeling of the room.
Makes Most of Color.
Most of this, of course, was done
after the room was painted. Care
full planning entered this prehm-
mary phase of the rooms decora-
ton, too Keeping in mind the pre-
cepts of paint Styling-to make the
most Of things with color-Mrs. w.
considered the natural lighting of
the room and the coloring of the
living room furniture she already
possessed.
The room had a southeast ex-
posture and was flooded with after
noon sunshine. Venetian blinds at
the windows would make it possible
to dim the glare, but would also
darken the room to a degree. A
large, deep blue rug that would
completely cover the floor was a
light absorber as we'll. These fac
tors counseled the selection of a
light tint for the larger areas. AS a
consequence, light ivory was selected
for walls, woodwork and ceiling.
The Venetian blinds and tapes were
also of the light-ref1ecting tint. And
so was a deep leather chair and
hassock.
The sectional sofa with its up
holstery of soft, grayed rose struck
the keynote for the next color in
troduced. The bookshelves were
painted to match the sofa and so
was the wooden valance across the
top of the window wall. A strip
the same width as the valance was
painted at the top of the other
three walls, carrying the rose color
around the entire room.
To make the radiator less obiec-
tionable, it was camoufaged by
painting 1t ivory so that it matched
the wall and blended with its back
ground. A shelf placed on top of
it was also painted ivory and aided
further in concealment.
Thunderbird Is Motif.
OF unusual interest was the dec
orative motif that lent pattern to
the room-the Inca symbol for the
thunderbird. This amusing and
modern looking bird supplied the
design for the draperieS. done in
dark blue on ivory. The same fab
TIC was uSeQ 10 upnOlSJer the OUTSIDE
Of a deep and comfortable chair.
Front surfaces of the chair were
covered in soft chartreuse green.
The same chartreuse tint appeared
In an interesting stencil design ap-
piled in two vertical stripes above
the modern bookcase. First of all,
two blue stripes, about 8 inches
wide, were painted on the wall above
the ends of the bookcase. These
stripes, which matched with rug
in tone, extended from the bookcase
to the rose-color band at the ceiling
line. Then, making stencil from
the thunderbird pattern on the
draperies, Mrs. W. applied a line
OF birds on the blue stripe. These
were done in the chartreuse tint.
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