57. Tcvt о

59. Painted Floors

60. If you are lucky enough to inherit a house that has naturally beautiful weed en fleers, you may wish to do no more than add a decorative border. If the floor has been waxed or varnished it will be necessary to remove this layer first with a wood stripper or sander. Modern paints allow for a multitude of effects, but don't overlook wood stains, which can be used in combinations to produce subtle effects that are eminently suitable for a classic country home. Stenciling has a folksy image that people associate with country style, but in reality, it is one of the most versatile floor treatments and one of the simplest. Either buy one of the many stenciling kits available or, if you are feeling more adventurous, photocopy a favorite motif, stick the photocopy to a sheet of acetate and cut out the stencil. Bold, geometric motifs are the easiest for novices both to cut and paint. If you are more experienced, you might like to try designs derived from flower shapes or more elaborate patterns.

61. When using color, remember a few basic principles: neutral tones always work well together but can be boring; complementary colors (red and green, yellow and purple) are very dramatic but can be overbearing; different tones of the same color, possibly with sharp accents in a much lighter or darker tone, are restful. Black and white are always good together and are a classic combination for halls, kitchens and bathrooms. Always remember that no paint effect need be permanent. If you tire of the design, strip the floor down and start again.

62. Similarly, any signs of wear and tear that begin to show can be touched up. Varnishing is important. Once you have decided whether you want a matte or gloss finish, apply several coats of varnish to build up a really hard-wearing layer (make sure the room is well-vcntilatcd). Some varnishes are available that have been specially formulated for floors, and though these are more expensive than conventional varnishes, generally only two or three coats are needed. FLOATING WOODEN FLOORING

63. Wood-strip flooring is one of the best ways to create instant elegance. It comes in a huge variety of finishes and lengths, so you can combine different woods without any major laging and fitting difficulties. Once you have grasped the principles of how to lay wood-strip, you can work out many different ways of laying it. Choose just one wood and lay it in different patterns. Wood-srip flooring is available in various types; the ones used here have ingenious metal clips that hold adjacent strips together. A wide range of wood varieties is available, laminated types are generally prefinished, but others need to be sealed once they have been laid.

64. DECORATIVE BASEBOARDS

65. At the most mundane level, baseboards neaten up the area between the floor and the walls, and have the practical function of covering up any pipes and keeping out the cold air. They should not be neglected, as they supply the necessary visual tie between the two surfaces of the wall and floor.

66. In the past, most people were content to do no more than give their baseboards an occasional coating of gloss paint, but these days we are more creative. In a room decorated in soothing neutrals that is to be furnished perhaps with just a few very beautiful pieces of antique furniture, for instance, mimic the patina of the wood by coating the baseboards with matching wood stain. This can then be varnished to a gloss, matte or satin finish, whichever you think is most appropriate. If you don't mind the extra work, try sanding the last coat of varnish, then polishing with the same wax that you usually use on the furniture. A montage effect can also be fun, particularly if you can pick up a motif from the curtains, a cushion or some other item in the room. Cut out suitable pictures from a magazine or catalogue, or photocopy a favorite image several times. You can leave the images black and white or color them in with inks using an artist's brush. Stick them to the baseboard carefully with wallpaper paste, wipe off the excess anu vamisn several times.

67. TEXT 4 Tiles

68. Tiles are one of the most expensive forms of flooring, but they look beautiful and are very durable. Because of all these factors, be prepared to spend quite a lot of time before you actually lay the floor evaluating the many different tiles that are available. Don't be afraid to spend money if you bind tiles you could really die for. Choose a cheaper alternative, and you may live to regret it. The terra-cotta tiles that are imported from countries in the Mediterranean and South America look gorgeous with their sunburst colors. Hunting around

69. architectural salvage yards can often yield at entire Victorian floor, but if you have no luck, most hardware or home decorative stores sell a wide rangy of alternatives. If you have the patience, a mosaic floor can look stunning, particularly where there is an open space and not much furniture, such as in a hallway, for example.

70. RUGS

71. If you don't want to embark on a complete change of flooring or if you are still making up your mind about changing the floor, they can disguise faults, and new colorant textural interest, provide warmth and softeners for your feet and help to soften the acoustics of a room with a lot of hard surfaces. Rugs are available in as many sizes, shapes, textures, colors and styles as home-owners can imagine. Some of the most precious silk rugs and carpets from Persia, Turkey and the Orient are extremely valuable, but equal ethnic style can be found at inexpensive street-markets. Classic and traditional styles are available to suit interiors of every age and taste, but superb modern designs, which make focal points in the same way as a striking abstract painting hung over a mantelpiece, are equally easy to find. Making your own rugs opens up a limitless range of style options, provided you are not afraid to be bold.

1. Read texts 3, 4 and translate them.

2. Work in pairs, ask each other questions about the contents of the texts.

3. iviake up the plan for a summary of the texts.

4. Retell the texts.

5. Imagine you are to design and decorate a flat. What floors would you choose in every roum (a sitting-room, a bed-room, a kitchen, a bathroom)?

72. "• "^{a /m 5,!:;v}" text5 ' ™' '^[ •'

73. Wall Furnishing

74. Wall decoration is probably the easiest and most immediate way of

75. changing our homes. Whether we're in a new house, or simply desirous of a change, decorating walls allows us to express our personalities and moods, and make a reai impact on our surroundings. The colors, patterns and textures chosen for a wall all dramatically influence the atmosphere of a room and are often the first things we notice when we enter somebody's home for the first ti m e

76. When we think about wall decoration, the first thing that comes to mind is usually paint. Indeed, paint comes in every color imaginable, is relatively inexpensive, and nowadays is very easy to apply, so it is quite easy to overlook the wealth of other materials that can be used to enhance a painted wall this book looks at new and innovative ways of decorating wails, without relying on expert paint effects or home decorating skills. You may not feel confident about hanging wallpaper with an intricate pattern, but you can apply simple paper cut­outs for decorative effects, design your own stencils, or hang fabric, paper or filigree panels for visual appeal. The projects in this book provide a rich source oi ндеаь to neip you. uiciivc me шоы ui voiois, tcxtuics «дни pciiieiiis to ciecne cui impact in otherwise neutral areas. These can all be adapted to suit your space and your own tastes, so don't be afraid to use the practical instructions as starting points for your own ideas - once you start, you are certain to look at your walls in new ways.

77. Wall dressing is all about looking beyond mere paint and wallpaper, but you will, of course, find that conventional materials are necessary to get the job done. A good selection of brushes and rollers for applying paint is essential. Tacks, Bulldog clips and screw eyelets can all be used for fixing, hanging and tying, while a tape measure or ruler, pencil or chalk and masking tape will help you mark out the area so your design appears on the wall exactly as you imagined it. Whether the look is controlled regularity, or more free-form, be sure to plan and mark out the design carefully before you begin, to avoid any nasty surprises. String and a plumb line will help you get the vertical lines right,

78. and a carpenter's level will ensure the horizontals are exact. Decorating materials might include high-density foam, which can be cut or carved to the design you require to make a stamp for printing directly onto the wall. Keep your eyes open for materials to apply for decoration, from upholstery tacks to fabric wall hangings, filigree radiator panels to plaster shapes. Hardware stores and craft stores all stock interesting bits and pierces that serve a practical purpose, but can also be used to decorative effect. l.Read the text and translate it. 2. Answer the questions:

79. 1. Why do people decorate walls? 2. What things and materials can be used to decorate walls? 3. What instruments are essential for wall dressing? 4. What is the main idea of the text?

80. TEXT 6 Textures

81. Textures on the walls can open up a wonderful array of possibilities for new looks and styles we often get no farther than thinking of paint or wallpaper as wall choices, but there are many different materials that can be used to add extra warmth and interest and make a welcome change around the home.

82. The most obvious choice is plaster - from an ordinary plastered wall that has been left its natural color to a rough plaster effect that can give a Mediterranean feel. Kitchens and bathrooms look particularly good with rough plaster, and as there tend to be small rooms, it is less daunting to tackle a specialized effect. Plain white plaster looks wonderfully simple, but paint with translucent pastels or the deep ochres and terracottas of North Africa, and you create a whole new

84. Wood is also very versatile. Tongue - and -groove can be added to the wall, up to chair - rail height or beyond. Paint it seaside blue and white to carry out the theme, for a natural look, rub back the wood to give the effect of weathering.

85. Half bricks may not sound very fashionable, but these don't have to be left in their natural state - they will look completely different with a coat of paint, and their style will change depending on the colors you choose. You could also consider inserting shells or pebbles into plaster. You can create a pretty mosaic effect, which is ideal for a small wall area such as a panel or splash back.

86. Sheet metal is now much more readily available than in the past, and again can look effective in the kitchen or bathroom where there may already be iots of chrome and aluminum fillings and accessories.

87. If you use it in a larger area, it is a good idea to limit it to panels or an area oel ween the cxictu — and picture — rail to tram с trie mciai.

88. It is also worth taking a look at other interiors to get fresh ideas. Panels of filigree - effect board, usually used to conceal radiators, can be effectively placed directly onto a wall, and you can cut intricate designs out of them for borders and edgings. Plywood can be cut into shapes and then applied to the wall - anything from a jigsaw — type design to plain circles can be attached to the walls, and then varnished or painted. Corrugated plastic sheeting, trellis work, strips of wood - all these different materials will add an extra dimension to the wall.

1. Read the text and translate it.

2. Make up a list of materials (not less than 16) which can be used for wall dressing.

89. • TEXT7 Using Colour

90. Nothing will single-handedly make such an enormous difference to a wall than the use of color - and the bolder you are, the more dramatic the effect.

91. There are many things to consider when choosing a color scheme, and the most important is, of course, your own color preference. There is no point in following the latest design trends, or applying color rules, if you are not happy

92. with the final result. However, the following guidelines will help you reach a decision based on your own taste and style, and the requirements of the shape and size of your room.

93. Being bold with color can be fun. Mixing Brights together produces the most dramatic schemes, but as a basic rule, when mixing several colors, it is wise to keep to the same depth of tone. The tonal value of a color is determined by the amount of white mixed into the pure hue - for example, pale pink is a tone of red. Another option might be to create a color scheme based on tones of a single color. You could, for example, explore the tonal range of a jade green by using it from its most pale and watery hues through mid-tones to its deepest color. This will provide an interesting effect of layering color that will be pleasing to the eye because it is based on a single color.

94. Before choosing a color scheme, you should take into account the particulars of your room. A north-facing room has cold light, a south-facing room warm, and this may make a difference as to your choice of color. You may want to add warmth to a north-facing room with colors such as yellow or burnt-orange, or you may want to make the most of the cool light, by using a Scandinavian palette of cool blues and pale shades. South-facing rooms can take most colors, particularly the bright, bold shades we associate with Mediterranean climates.

95. You should also bear in mind the proportions of your room, as color will enable you to correct faults visually. Deep colors tend to bring walls inward, and light colors give the illusion of pushing them away from you. A light color will make a small area seem larger, while a deep color will do the opposite. If you have, for example, a room with a high ceiling, you can create the effect of more harmonious proportions by dividing the walls in half horizontally, and painting the top half and the ceiling in a darker color. This will make the ceiling appear lower, which will be more in keeping with the small dimensions of the room. Following the same principle, a low ceiling can be made to appear higher by

96. painting the top half of the walls in a light color.

97. Whatever colors you decide upon in the store, do take the time to look at your choice in the room itself, as the lighting conditions will be different. Look at the colors in artificial light as well, particularly if the room is used primarily at night. Remember that using color should be fun; it's a great way of expressing your taste and style, and paint is relatively inexpensive, so you can always change again for a whole new look.

1. Read the text and translate it.

2. Answer the questions:

98. l.What kind of color will you choose for a north-facing room and why? 2. What kind of color will you choose for a south-facing room and why? 3. What colors will make a room larger and what color will make a room smaller?

99. ~^l • ^ь TEXT 8 ^{: :}

100. Decoration of Walls

101. 1. Borders

102. Borders will give a room a face-lift, and will add extra interest to a plain setting. The materials, colors, styles and patterns available are almost endless, so you can choose something unique that also blends in with the style of the room. Borders can be design features in themselves, or be the finishing touches to a coordinated theme. You might choose an impressive frieze, a simple pencil line of color or anything in between - all arc impressive in their own way. You might consider using a stencil design tor your border. There are many ready -made stencils on the market, from classical motifs to floral, and even nautical or seashore themes suitable for the bathroom. However, it is very easy to make your own stencils, and this will ensure the design is original and totally yours. Unusual materials also make fine borders and interesting edgings. Rope and string make wonderful curves, and can he fixed in wavy designs around the wall. Upholstery studs can be placed directly on the wall in a geometric design.

103. and metal shapes, shells, pebbles or plaster decorations can be attached to the wall.

104. ~. Collections

105. What could be more interesting and personal than a selection of objects that you have been collecting over the years? These make the most interesting additions to walls in any room of the house and are absolutely unique to you. Plates arc an obvious choice because there are so many wonderful old and new ceramics available. Plates can be attached to the wall with wire holders, or you could attach strips of wood with a lip onto the wall, to make a shelf. Another fun idea is to group together small framed pictures. You might want to frame and hang all your children's artwork, arrange a collection of black- and - white postcards, or hang a collection of maps. Almost any collection of objects can be used as wall treatment.

106. Lanterns mat can be lit at night would make a lovely addition to an entrance hall baskets could be hung i n rows in ha lis and kitchens to add warmth and texture to the walls, and have the added benefit oi combining storage with decoration. You could also consider cups hung on hooks, collections of clocks, toys or almost anything- let you imagination men wild. The key is to keep the collection to a defined area for maximum impact

1. Read the text and translate it in writing.

2. Retell the text.

3. Look through Texts 5, 6, 7, 8 again and make up a summary about wall furnishing.

107. _w' '_r '.„ .- Unitv v. , . ....,

108. Tradition and Styles of Landscape Design

109. . ..к , text i ,;'/-^:

110. Before reading the text tell your groupmates what you know about the ancient gardens.

111. Informal and Formal Characteristics of Landscape Design (part I)

112. Informal and formal characteristics of landscape design reach back to the beginnings of civilizations in China and Egypt. Gardens developed gradually with China beginning about 2000BC, with practice of the naturalistic and graceful principles that harmonized so well with the varied richness of its land. Botanists speculate that the north China plain at this time had trees, shrubs and herbaceous vegetation from almost every plant family. So, the initial gardens surrounding hunting lodges of the early Chinese emperors were nothing more than simple spontaneous enclosures around this lush fertility. As a result, what we now label "informal gardens" was created.

113. Meanwhile in Egypt, about 3000-2000BC, order and places of utility and beauty were being produced from the desert and the River Nile. Egyptian gardens were cool, shady havens of order. They were symmetrical and precisely planned around canals or square reservoirs filled with fish for eating and the sacred lotus. Fruit trees sensibly planted in straight rows that followed the lines of the canals also offered shade. While these gardens celebrated the harmonious and ordered lives ot the Egyptians, they also originated the axial patterns, the straight lines, and the formality of Mediterranean-inspired gardens.

114. Moving forward to more recent times, from the late 18th century and onwards, emphasis in design and gardening laid more on plants for their own sake than on the design itself. Exploration brought previously unknown plants into the lives of gardeners and designers while by the end of the 19th century technology advancement allowed designing and use of apparatus such as glasshouses and lawnmowers. The Victorian belief was that plants were made for man. Some commentators feel mat at this point the methods and craft'V gardening, as opposed to its design and passion, had reached a high point.

115. Despite the "chop and change" approach of the late 18th and then 19th centuries, the basic principles of formal landscape design are defined even today as:

1. Man dominating his landscape with perfect symmetry;

2. Geometry, balance and proportion are all part of this style;

3. And, the axial plan - everything along straight central line.

116. By tracing the evolution of several national styles it's simple to see how these principles have historically been applied and how we might use them in our own garden designs. Through careful consideration, it' the "chop and change" approach of the late 18th and then 19th centuries, the basic principles of formal landscape design s also easy to see where and how the principles have been misused to the detriment of garden design.

1. Practise reading the text aloud and translate it into Russian.

2. Explain how you understand the expression "the Mediterranean-inspired gardens".

3. Read the text and say whether the following statements are true or false: