FoodNetArchive

The household (of the Detroit free press)

1886

Page 127

Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
The body Brussels for good wear, handsome appearance and reason- able price, commends itself to all. Wilton, which is both elegant and serviceable, has a rich velvet pile face and body Brussels back. Usually the patterns are the same as the body Brussels. Tapestries are used for parlors, halls, sitting-rooms and bed-rooms. Velvet is soft, pretty and curious in tapestry patterns. These carpets have mostly flower and leaf designs, one of the prettiest designs being begonia leaves on a light canary ground, and another equally beautiful has rustic twigs with the strawberry vine and its red berries interlaced through it, with green ferns, on a mossy green ground. This last design is a beautiful one for either parlor or hall. Many inexpensive carpets are now made in the fashion of rugs, with plain center and border, while a space of two feet of bare floor is left around the outside. The common ones are sometimes used as crumb carpets over others, but when they are in good quality, and occupy the floor alone, it requires a polished wood floor to lay them upon, or a breadth of carpet in neutral tints, laid around the outei edge of the room so that the fringe of the rug, when laid in the center, will rest upon it. Those who do not like the cold effect of the floor outside of the rug, or who do not like the trouble of keeping it waxed and oiled, can use India matting of dark red outside of the rug with as good effect as if the floor were stained and polished. WINDO W DRAPERIES. 145 A rug may seem expensive, but they last years longer than a carpet will, with the same wear, besides giving an air of luxury and comfort to a room. For the large parlor light colors prevail, as ecru, pale olive, or a faint, cold blue, while in the smaller room warm maroons, deep red or old blue make an effective contrast. All parlor and hall carpets have borders. Dark crimson carpets are popular for halls, and those with tiny black figures are very pretty. For libraries and sitting-rooms, dark maroon carpets, strewn with arabesques in black and gold, and other designs in olives and browns, are equally suitable. Carpets with pearl white grounds, with pale rose or blue morning-glories strewn upon them, are for chambers, and with chintz, cretonne or Swiss hangings are fresh and beautiful. For economy and endurance, the English brussels carpeting holds pre-eminent sway. It comes in ecru, pale rose, olive, pearl, and in faint blue grounds, which are charming for small parlors and for chambers, while for library and dining-rooms there are maroon and deep olive grounds on which are Oriental designs. The American ingrain is always a safe investment. The imported ingrain has the Morris designs and reveals lovely blend- ings of bronze green and pale blue ; of rose-pink, with strawberry reds and porcelain blue, or olive with old gold, India red and black. WINDOW DRAPERIES.