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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-05-10, Page 57The benefits of an interior decorator A home is never really completed until it's had the final touches that interior decorating adds, sags Tim St Louis of The Raintree of Clinton. A few extra dollars spent now and the advice of an expert will leave a more satisfying and longer lasting job.(staff photo) Oriental styles are new western favorites Whether attributable to po- 1itical.trends or other factors, oriental decorative motifs and shapes, always among the most enduring and fa- vored styles for furniture and accessories, are attaining new heights of popularity. Either adapted as the theme• for furnishing --a full • room or as an accent, the de- signs are pleasing to live with, blending with almost every period and type of fur- nishings. The Far Eastern love of nature, attention to detail- ing and classic form have inspired the unusual ele- gance and variety of forms exemplified by this multitude of home furnishings from ex-• hibitors at the New York Merchandise Mart. Evident in them is the manner in which designers through the ,ages have reinterpreted pic- turesque oriental studies of flora and fauna to suit west- ern tastes. The gentle shapes and softly curving silhouettes of ginger jars, ceremonial tea cups and bamboo styling re- flect these cultures. •Colors are clear, with deep jewel tones providing depth and pastels impartingt{ranquility. Manufacturers focusing on these forms now offer an enormous selection of Eastern -influenced mer- chandise that can add their refined nature and decorative character to the home. Any of the pieces shown here would make a pleasing addi- tion to the mood of a room. These latest definitions of this trend can be seen in stores everywhere. • Turn your garage into beautiful living space To expand living space, it is possible to convert a ga- rage or car port into a com- fortable, easy -care farrfily room, using materials readily available at any home or building supply center. ' indON Nall Plasterboard will conceal concrete walls, and can he covered with a handsome wallcovering-for example, a patent -finish vinyl in a bright geranium color—to complement a white ceiling. Where once was a garage door, or no wall at a11, there can be a window wall. For storage, install plasterboard cabinets and top them with pine shelf board, leaving the finish natural to match pine studs between windows. The whole room can be a do-it-yourself project, with wall-to-wall carpeting for color and warmth, except for one element. Treat yourself to Levolor , Riviera blinds at the win- dows, custom made to your exact measurements and striped in whatever colors you choose from a palette of • nearly 200. These, too,. are available through home and building supply centers where samples of slat colors (andphotographs). will sup- ply you with ideas. Colorful hidea say With geranium walls, you might have blinds striped in alabaster and space blue, and decorate with pillows striped in all three of these colors. Besides color, of course, Rivieras provide privacy and, with their .slender alu- minum slats, complete light control. Using the services of a. decorative consultant is a valuable investment, ac- cording to Tim St. Louis owner of The Raintree in Clinton. "Without a consultant you could make a mistake," Tim explained. Using faddish and inex- pensive wall coverings and furniture could lead to this problem. "If you buy good furniture .and maintain it, it will last a lifetime. If, in ten years you get tired of it, then reupholster," he suggested. Tim prefers a combination of classic and contemporary looks, with lamps and art- work as the most outstanding accessories. The Raintree offers a selection of reproduction furniture in practically any style and covering,. Since most of the furniture available in the store " is custom-made almost any look can be achieved, according to Tim. Special imported wall coverings and hand painted materials are also offered at the Albert Street shop. "You could bring me 11 yards of material and we could find a sofa to cover," he said. While Tim has decorated model suites in London apartment complexes, his services in this area usually involve helping people•choose a special piece of furniture or advising on a particular wallpaper. "I'm not here to badger my clients." he stressed. Tim explained that he doesn't go into a home and completely destroy the room then redecorate in the style he prefers. "The client has to be in charge. He knows what he wants and knows what he can afford." - "My detachment is that they're going to live with it, not the ".. - .. .. He added, "Their per- sonality should be reflected in the room. I couldn't go into a lady's livingroom and tell her to loosen up her act." "I don'trip the drapes off the windows or throw the furniture out, but we try to create little environments with what they have and what we can add." A few little things can make a big difference in a room," he explained. Although The Raintree's prices may not be rock bot- tom cheap, Tim said they're not overly expensive. "The name of our game is Page 7 to be practical. If you have a family, there's no point having a glass and chrome table if there'll be kids around." "I have to feel that I can honestly deal with my clients. "Their nice home is my best advertisment, " Tim said. Is the laundry room a wash-out? Give these bright ideas a tumble A well-planned laundry area provides a central loca- tion for many activities and adds a great deal of conven- ience to homemaking. In a new home, the first question is location. Start- ing with the basics, water and drainage are needed. Access to an outside wall for exhausting the dryer also should be considered. al- though, some new dryers can 'use a long exhaust. In an existing home, the • washer and dryer are in place, so the following may serve as a decorating guide. Storage is a must, both for laundry products and for dirty clothes. Regular kitchen cabinets will adapt for storing supplies. and a ventilated closet with several slide -out baskets provides an ideal place to store and sort dirty laundry. Also needed are a sink for pre -treating small items and a space to hang newly dried permanent press clothes. However, there are other related activities that logi- cally can be located nearby. Since mending is often done before washing a garment, the sewing machine is a prac- tical addition. Adjacent cabi- nets foF sewing supplies, patterns and yet -to -be -sewn material help form a creative. center. Also. at home here is the ironing board with a nearby rod on which to hang com- pleted clothing. • A table or countertop area provides a handy place for folding and sorting. Separat- ing each family member's clothing as it comes from the dryer cuts down the number - of times it has to be handled. If space permits, it's handy to have an area for potting plants or arranging flowers. Again, cabinets to hold vases, pots and potting soil make this activity more invit- ing. A closet for tall items such as brooms and a vac- uum is also useful. Such a multi-purpose laundry area also can be a rainy -day playroom, a homework room, the family office or planning center. Keep.. these. activities and hobby interests in mind when designing the room. If your laundry area doesn't measure up. refur- bishing it might make a good project for the entire family. Warm Up a Room .-"An unittvitigg room can /he made to look wa with any number of decorati tricks. Begin with warm colors such as yellows, oranges and reds on the walls.and floors. Add pattern with uphol- stery, rugs and curtains. A little clutter helps, as well. Pictures and knick- knacks grouped on a table all contribute to the cozy look you want. • Stop Splinters!' Nothing's worse than fur- niture with splinters;. avoid torn stockings and splinters - in -the -hand by smoothing down any rough edges with transparent tape.