For the dining-room and library, very much heavier curtains are to be
chosen than for the drawing-room, the solid character of the dining-
room and the grave one of the library demanding it ; but in the cham-
bers, the boudoir and sitting-rooms, lighter, airier, more easily cleaned,
and much less expensive ones are the wiser.
Dining-room curtains are preferably of serge, satin cloth, or plush,
finished with a fringe in alternate coils and tiny balls. The holders are
of silk, plain or embroidered, or are newer still if painted.
Heavy French cretonnes, imitating Oriental designs, and almost as
heavy as felt, are a satisfactory compromise between the more expen-
sive curtains and the commoner cretonnes. In fact the most fashion-
able curtains are those that have originality about them, whether of
silk,, woolen or cotton texture. Wealthy people indulge in antique bro-
cades, and in new brocades of Oriental, Chinese, Japanese and Indian
manufacture; people less wealthy invest in pretty woolen materials, with
curious patterns and subdued colors ; or in cretonnes or whole-colored
curtains of cotton material arranged with a contrasting border.
LAMBREQUINS AND CORNICES. 149
Portieres are curtains hung in open doorways leading from one
room to another, and are used in the place of folding doors. In select-
ing goods for these hanging masses a stiff material is to be avoided, as
they need to be soft and clinging. These have superseded the folding
doors between parlors, and between hall and parlors, and are made of
oriental tapestry, sateen, plush, raw silk, jutes, velvet or felt. Often
there are no doors on the parlor floor, graceful hangings of heaviest
tapestry being substituted. Portieres are hung on rods inside of the
parlor, about half a foot below the casing, in order to give a glimpse of
the next room, where, perhaps, may be caught a tantalizing glimpse of
shelves with rare china or bric-a-brac. The portiere should not repeat
the curtains of the room, but be in almost direct contrast with it, only
carrying out the same general idea. These are trimmed at top and
bottom, but not at the sides, with bands of wide plush embroidery, or
woven bands, finished with handsome fringe.
Turkey and eastern rugs, tapestries, stamped leather, and single
pieces of embroidery are often used to hang over a doorway. Fashion
drapery is an inexpensive material for door hangings, and may be
trimmed with two or three shades in contrasting colors, secured by
having bone and point russe stitches in silk or crewel. Jute and
momie cloth may be trimmed with bands in the same way, and finished
with fringe. An excellent and inexpensive portiere is made of dark
olive oatmeal cloth, faced with a deep border of garnet plush, or vel-
veteen outlined with feather stitch in garnet, old-gold and blue.
Curtain-bands may be made of blue or crimson cloth, or of satin,
embroidered with gold purse silk. The Greek " key " pattern is one
of the most effective of all.
Silken curtains with a light fringe, or edged with lace, looped with
cords, are used in archways and across bay windows, lace curtains
being next the window in the latter case.
Do not make the draperies too full or too long. If of thin material,
they should be quite full, so as to fall in graceful folds, but if of heavy
goods should be scant enough to show the full design. These hang-
ings may touch but not lay upon the floor.
Page 131
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
For the dining-room and library, very much heavier curtains are to be chosen than for the drawing-room, the solid character of the diningroom and the grave one of the library demanding it ; but in the chambers, the boudoir and sitting-rooms, lighter, airier, more easily cleaned, and much less expensive ones are the wiser.
Dining-room curtains are preferably of serge, satin cloth, or plush, finished with a fringe in alternate coils and tiny balls. The holders are of silk, plain or embroidered, or are newer still if painted.
Heavy French cretonnes, imitating Oriental designs, and almost as heavy as felt, are a satisfactory compromise between the more expensive curtains and the commoner cretonnes. In fact the most fashionable curtains are those that have originality about them, whether of silk, woolen or cotton texture. Wealthy people indulge in antique brocades, and in new brocades of Oriental, Chinese, Japanese and Indian manufacture; people less wealthy invest in pretty woolen materials, with curious patterns and subdued colors ; or in cretonnes or whole-colored curtains of cotton material arranged with a contrasting border.
LAMBREQUINS AND CORNICES. 149
Portieres are curtains hung in open doorways leading from one room to another, and are used in the place of folding doors. In selecting goods for these hanging masses a stiff material is to be avoided, as they need to be soft and clinging. These have superseded the folding doors between parlors, and between hall and parlors, and are made of oriental tapestry, sateen, plush, raw silk, jutes, velvet or felt. Often there are no doors on the parlor floor, graceful hangings of heaviest tapestry being substituted. Portieres are hung on rods inside of the parlor, about half a foot below the casing, in order to give a glimpse of the next room, where, perhaps, may be caught a tantalizing glimpse of shelves with rare china or bric-a-brac. The portiere should not repeat the curtains of the room, but be in almost direct contrast with it, only carrying out the same general idea. These are trimmed at top and bottom, but not at the sides, with bands of wide plush embroidery, or woven bands, finished with handsome fringe.
Turkey and eastern rugs, tapestries, stamped leather, and single pieces of embroidery are often used to hang over a doorway. Fashion drapery is an inexpensive material for door hangings, and may be trimmed with two or three shades in contrasting colors, secured by having bone and point russe stitches in silk or crewel. Jute and momie cloth may be trimmed with bands in the same way, and finished with fringe. An excellent and inexpensive portiere is made of dark olive oatmeal cloth, faced with a deep border of garnet plush, or velveteen outlined with feather stitch in garnet, old-gold and blue.
Curtain-bands may be made of blue or crimson cloth, or of satin, embroidered with gold purse silk. The Greek " key " pattern is one of the most effective of all.
Silken curtains with a light fringe, or edged with lace, looped with cords, are used in archways and across bay windows, lace curtains being next the window in the latter case.
Do not make the draperies too full or too long. If of thin material, they should be quite full, so as to fall in graceful folds, but if of heavy goods should be scant enough to show the full design. These hangings may touch but not lay upon the floor.