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AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



April, 1 9 10 







Decorations and 

 Furnishings for the Home 







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By Alice M. Kellogg 



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The Window Curtains 





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HE treatment of the windows of the home 

 is closely allied in importance to the 

 decoration of the walls (the latter was 

 discussed last month in this department), 

 for, together, the wall coverings and the 

 window hangings impart, perhaps more 

 than any other of the furnishings, that 

 livable, homelike atmosphere that makes an attractive 

 interior. 



With the general advance in good taste that is notice- 

 able in our new century, there is less seen than formerly of 

 the over-crowding of a room with unnecessary furnishings. 

 Still, one sometimes sees a window burdened with one or 

 two sets of shades, a lace curtain next to the glass, an inside 

 drapery of thin material with an over-curtain of heavier 

 texture. 



A window shade is usually considered the indispenable 

 beginning for fitting up a window, but even this might be 

 exchanged (say in a summer cottage with no adjacent 

 houses), for a cretonne hanging put up on loose rings to 

 facilitate drawing. In selecting material for a window 

 shade it is unwise to use a cheap piece of goods, or to cur- 

 tail expense on the fixtures. A plain stuff is better than 

 something fancy, and the color should be carefully suited 



to both the outside sash and the interior woodwork. With 

 dark woodwork in a room, the window shades look best 

 made from ecru or buff linen. When there are no outside 

 blinds a dark green or dark blue shade is required. Some- 

 times a medium tone of dull green may be the choice. Side 

 hems are necessary to give body to the edges of the shade, 

 although in the cheaper grades they are omitted. A new 

 device for fastening the shade cord to the bottom of the 

 shade is a great improvement on the old method of tying 

 the cord to a screw eye. Windows that are set in low side 

 walls may have the cords left off entirely and a crochet ring 

 with short loops fastened to the bottom of the shade. 



A consideration of curtains for the bedroom is always 

 recurring to the home maker. In many of the dry goods 

 stores there are muslin curtains by the pair with ruffled 

 sides and bottoms at seemingly phenomenal prices, but a 

 better quality of material may be indulged in at the same 

 outlay if one is able to contribute the necessary stitching. 

 White cheesecloth, unbleached muslin, cotton crepe, Swiss 

 muslin or dimity, may be given a distinctive little touch by 

 edging the sides and bottoms with a narrow lace. When 

 this is done and there is no hem at the bottom there should 

 be enough turned down at the top to allow for shrinkage. 



The nainsook insertion that is sold for trimming white 



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Muslin trimmed with insertion 



Chantilly net 



Lace-edged muslin 



