Woman's Own February 20 1960 Page 16/17

Once I was a Nun
continued on page 18

Take Your Pick! Exciting accessories gathered from all over the world will give a distinctive look to you home buy Ann Lennox

RICH brilliance in Italian glass, sun-drenched warmth in Continental pottery, cool crispness in Scandinavian fabrics, amusing gaiety in Oriental knick-knacks - their names alone spell magic!' 

British shops are full of exciting things from abroad to buy for your home - and new international trade agreements mean that prices are now reasonable. Then there are the lovely things you're tempted to buy on those wonderful holidays abroad. 

Our picture shows you some of the exciting pieces we found on -a tour of the shops. Which do you like best of the three groups we chose? The classic simplicity of Scandinavian design, with its muted colours and slender shapes? The Far Eastern look--on which the London musical, The World of Suzie Wong, has now set so firm a seal-with its exotic colours and rich brocades? Or perhaps you really like the elegant Italian look- with its dramatic black furniture and rich Venetian glass?

You can take your pick from our finds -but it's more fun to go on a 'world tour' of your own, Don't be scared because they might not fit in with your workaday pieces at home. 

Good design has no frontiers - colour, shape and craftsmanship have so much in common that it doesn't matter whether your piece of glass or pottery comes from Tintagel or Timbuctoo so long as it's good of its kind and you use it in the right way.

Choose distinctive pieces which will not only give you a reminder of the country of origin but which you can make a focal point in your your home. A tall, unusually shaped glass jug holding one or two leafless branches, set on a hall table or on a low stool in the comer of the living room, is sufficiently striking on its own. 

Try to keep the effect uncluttered- don't put too many pieces together. Even your china cabinet should be a place to display your treasures and not just a storage unit! 

Ring the changes on your practical buys, too-that lovely coloured casserole from Scandinavia will look as pretty on a shelf as it is useful the oven.

If you are already an enthusiastic collector then you will be putting special shelves into alcoves to take your pieces! But don't line them up like soldiers on parade-group them artistically.

If you've chosen beautiful colours and distinctive designs, then white-painted walls or plain pastel textured wallpapers will help create a dramatic effect. You can even make use of the colouring of a particular favourite as a base for your whole decorating scheme. 

From Spanish pottery to Hong Kong cane furniture, there's plenty of choice for you. And don't forget goods marked 'Made in Britain' too ! 

ANN LENNOX 

Do you like Scandinavian style?

1. and 2. Elegant coffee pot contrasts with the fragile yet capacious cup and saucer-from Sweden. 3 and 4. Scandinavian simplicity in the classic lines of a slender martini jug and a rich ruby red vase. 5; From a set of six in harlequin colours - two tall glasses delicately shaded in blue and amber. 6. Tough for the oven, pretty for the table-a Swedish heat-proof casserole with a perky lid. 7. Finnish oil and vinegar set has an amusing shape-- like a child's humming top. 8. Simple in shape but delicate in design, a charming casserole from Finland. 9. A graceful bowl which combines the coolness of metal with the radiance of a Finnish sunset. 

. . . do you yearn - for the Far East look? 

10. Once upon a time almond eyes fluttered shyly behind the oldest fascinator of all-an Oriental paper fan painted with exotic flowers. 11. To hang low over dining or coffee table, a lampshade with all the magic of the East- but it's actually made in Britain! 12. A haughty cockerel in vibrant blues and purples-he needs a shelf of his own! 13. Already a favourite knick-knack in this country- collapsible waste-paper basket decorated with Oriental figures.· 14. The Far. Eastern influence seen in a round striped pottery jar in grey and white-though it comes from Germany. 

. . . or Italian elegance? 

15. The brilliance of an Italian summer in the sleek grace of a burnt orange vase lined in white. 16. A magnificent focal point for either a traditional or a contemporary room -an amber glass decanter. 17. In perfect taste- a simple but distinctive ashtray from a set of six designed by Fornasetti.