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AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



September, 1907 



For summer homes and cottages cretonnes and colored 

 prints are greatly in vogue. The flowered cretonnes are de- 

 sirable for the bedrooms, but the geometrical and more con- 

 ventionalized figures are better for the rooms below. 



Raw Silk Portiere for Living-room 



Great care should be given to the selection of portieres; 

 velours, brocades, and monks' cloth are appropriate in elab- 

 orate homes, but silks and heavy madras are a wiser selection 

 for apartments. 



It is to be remembered that the hangings between rooms 

 have a more substantial use than the mere adding a patch of 

 color or softening hard lines. Where there are no doors the 

 portieres take their place, though not as much as the wooden 

 door. It follows, therefore, that these curtains must cut off 

 one room from another and shut off the view and sounds if 

 necessary. Very sheer materials are too flimsy for portieres 

 and are not to be used. Foreign houses are seldom as open 

 as are American homes and are less subject to drafts, but the 

 point to be made for the open rooms is that they appear much 

 larger than they are and are valuable for purposes of enter- 

 taining. The variety of materials which may be used are 

 large. The decorations used upon these materials include 

 embroideries, galloons in woven or dyed designs, stencil or 

 painted decorations. 



The hanging of the curtain is as important as the material. 

 Where raw silk is used the net and silk may be sewed together 

 and hung on one rod. 



If the living-room has casement windows the shade can 

 not take the place of a rod; the rod is necessary. 



As a decorative feature the valance may be used 

 eflectively, this is especially true when cretonnes and prints 



are the materials. The valance should be made very full 

 and the side hangings finished with ruffles. Another effec- 

 tive hanging is a plain material with a border used as an 

 outer hanging. Next to the glass is a figured madras. 



Curtains should always 

 be hung on rods, so that 

 they may be swung open or 

 closed easily; the pole is 

 preferable for portieres, 

 and it should match the 

 woodwork of the room. 



Draperies that are fes- 

 tooned and looped are in 

 exceeding bad taste. They 

 are bad from the standpoint 

 of decoration, and are 

 ruined for all practical pur- 

 poses. The more simply 

 curtains and portieres are 

 draped the better. 



Color is also an impor- 

 tant point in the selection of 

 curtains. White curtains 

 are always in good taste in 

 bedrooms, and their beauty 

 is enhanced by flowered cre- 

 tonnes that harmonize with 

 the paper. White or yel- 

 low curtains are desirable 

 for the living-rooms, and 

 the draperies and portieres 

 may either blend or offer a 

 pleasant contrast to the wall 

 paper and carpet. In the 

 materials used and the colors adopted there is surely a range 

 of choice suflicient to meet the needs of any one with the 

 most fastidious taste. 



One pretty summer house has a large living-room that 

 opens on a veranda. It may be shut off by glass doors 

 inlaid with small panes. Before it hangs a handsome China- 

 silk portiere that may be drawn across when the doors are left 

 open. The windows have sash curtains made of the same 

 material, and a handsome embroidered lambrequin is draped 

 above the mantel. 



An artistic hall is paneled in light oak. The door between 

 the hall and living-room is draped with velvet curtains the 

 same shade as the woodwork. Panels of velvet are placed 

 about the rooms. A velvet curtain is hung at the casement 

 window, and the seat is cushioned with velvet. 



A spacious living-room has its chairs covered with cre- 

 tonnes. The windows are trimmed with dotted net curtains, 

 while a scarf of cretonne is draped between the living-room 

 and den. 



A dainty bedroom is covered with cretonne wall paper. 

 The sash-window has a curtain of dotted Swiss, and the long 

 window has a curtain of plain cretonne that offers a pleasing 

 contrast with the wall paper. Another bedroom is paneled 

 with a rich cretonne, while a portiere of cretonne separates 

 bathroom and living-room. Good taste is the basis of all 

 good curtaining, applied with a keen sense of the end sought. 



