Show WOMAN'S WORLD Defeat Heat and Enhance Dining With Table Decor By Ertta Haley LOVELY TABLE settings can give as much pleasure to dining during hot weather as foods Soft colors which In themselves are in direct contrast to the frosted glasses and flowers or fruit can contribute to a feeling of tranquility that makes mealtime more Just as hot rooms can be cooled with the use of certain so can tables achieve the same every dining room should be equipped with napkins and dishes which suggest warmth or each to be used In appropriate Shades of blue and as well as some of the light pastels Keep table uncluttered are all correct to use when the weather is blistering These colors may be used advantageously in linens as well as in china or If you eat In the dining then your coolest shades of these colors should be If eating slightly warmer colors and more rustic effects are Neatness Is of prime importance In giving the table a cool look because It suggests Anything wrinkled or even slightly soiled should be tossed aside because It suggests confusion and and accents the effects of the Some smart homemakers use only their sheerest cottons and linens during warm and they starch these lightly so they are smooth and cool looking and give an appearance during hot Add to these their lightweight dishes and frosted and you have some idea of how cool looking tables can really It's important not to overload the but to keep it as orderly as A single blossom in dainty bowl of clear water can be more effective than a whole massed arrangement of Plain Cotton Remnants Make Attractive After you've checked your supply of table linens and decide that you need some first aid in that check your supply of old cotton Old towels and pillowcases can often be made into a set of doilies and White may be used successfully to achieve a cool but you may want to renew the finish to some extent If the material is old and somewhat Launder it carefully and let It dry In the sun to bleach it For any stubborn use a bleaching rinse carefully and let If the cottons are you'll want to starch them rather but this may be done after you've finished sewing or decorating When textured fabrics are you can dispense for pleasant summer with most of the trimming since these materials have enough interest in Other sources of material may include starched voile or sheer linen See what you have in the way of leftover materials from previous If the search yields you might check remnant counters as a Should you decide on white cottons as well as other fabrics might be tinted or dyed to go with dishes you It's easy to tint pastels in a wash basin with just warm For deeper shades of maroon or all cooling you'll probably want to use hotter These should be rinsed out carefully after dyeing so there is no running of the colors in subsequent especially if the edging has a contrasting The simplest edging to apply Is a fringe which Is done easily by unravelling the Keep Edgings Neat for Cool Look Any edgings which ore even though they might fit the will detract from the cool look you want to Stay with the very simple be they lace already made or crocheted by you on the material at Contrasting bindings are very neat and especially when chosen in the cool colors already Any of the colors would be appropriate with and should be chosen to highlight one of the colors used on your set of For porch or garden when you may have chosen plaids or use a white edging or at least one of the basic colors in the materials If have it In blue or green since these are most If you do not want separate doilies for each plate you may decide on Use one of these down the center of the and one on each These are especially easy to make with simple hand or machine hemming when you are using toweling since the 17 or 18 inch widths fit tables Those who want to save on laundry will undoubtedly dispense with matching napkins and will use the paper Here white would be the best choice as it goes with any color or a combination of Crocheted doilies lend a cool and frosty look to particularly when they are of a simple White is the most popular and when they will give you as neat and attractive a table as It's possible to Napkins to match crocheted doilies may be of cotton or linen with a very narrow edge to match the crocheted doily Keep Table Centerpiece Informal and Cool formal fruit and other arrangements for the centerpiece are out of place when you are trying to keep the table a serene and cool as You'll be amazed at how much easier it is to achieve the desired effect with easy Branches or flowers with small blossoms may be used with more profusion than large and It's an excellent idea to include of the foliage with them because the green coloring lends cool enchantment to the summer Use the simplest containers you A neatly woven basket fitted with a water container at the bottom can be a very effective setting for many blossoming It might also be used for an edible centerpiece of vegetable or Glass containers are very cool especially when you can see the clear If you use these containers for some of the larger use only a few blossoms so the effect of the water can be appreciated |