[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
Any family fortunate enough to live near the ocean will find this house,
although primarily a vacation home, is well suited to a year-round
residence. Along the southern coast especially there are many such beach
houses whose owners wouldn’t think of living in town.
A number of very pleasing ideas have been included here by the designer.
Although this appears to be just a two-room house, there are features
which make it as commodious as a four-room one at practically no
additional cost. For example, the living room and bedroom are the
principal parts of the house, but the terrace provides an ideal outdoor
dining room, and the sun deck is just the place for sleeping out when
the weather is clear.
Stucco on a wood frame sheathed with insulating board forms the outer
walls, and plywood is used inside. These interior walls could be
plastered, but this would cost slightly more. All windows, as well as
the sliding and folding doors, have steel frames. Floors are of colored
and polished concrete.
A good color combination would be white for the exterior, with all
exposed woodwork, such as garage doors, stained tobacco brown. The
terrace rail and the spiral stair should be tile red. Inside, the most
restful finish would be flat paint in a pastel blue or green, which is
easy on the eyes in a location where there is so much bright sunlight.
The owner’s bedroom, with dressing room and closet, and the bath
adjoining, make a very convenient unit away from the rest of the house.
A wide closet in the living room will hold one or more roll-away beds
for extra guests. Also, note the spacious woodbox which can be stocked
from the garage.
The dining terrace, with its decorative tree, is protected from the
wind. From here the spiral staircase leads to the sun deck over the
bedroom.
The fireplace is a rather necessary feature even in warm climates. It is
of stucco over concrete blocks. The designer has suggested a novel idea
in this connection: to insure a cool air space between the ceiling and
roof in summer, a ventilator is run from the ceiling up the chimney
stack.
a CABAÑA—MEXICAN TYPE
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
The inspiration for this charming little house has come down through the
years from designs used so well by the early Californians, many of whom
brought with them the traditions of their Mexican and Spanish ancestry.
While the architect, Arthur L. Herberger, of Los Angeles, specified this
as a stucco dwelling, a favorite medium for this type of house, it would
be an ideal design to work out in adobe, such as the builders of other
days would have used. As in so many of these old houses, the front
entrance has an air of welcome, but the patio for private gatherings is
placed at the rear, away from general view.
Adobe clay can be found in many parts of the West, and if your property
happens to have a bed of this earth, the house can be built for very
little if you do all the work. When all labor is hired, however, adobe
is frequently more expensive than some other types of construction.
Properly cured adobe blocks last for centuries.
Two treatments can be suggested for the front entry. It might be framed
with brightly colored Mexican tiles set into the stucco or adobe, or the
lintel and sides might be made of heavy hewn timbers.
Whether adobe or stucco is used, the roof should be of shakes or
sun-baked tiles.
Inside, the early day spirit can be carried out by the use of rather
rough plank walls, whitewashed, or oiled cedar panels. The living room
should extend to the roof, with the rafters stained brown or painted
with a gay Mexican design. Attention to details, such as the fireplace,
which may be of adobe or other handmade bricks, and the choice of
hardware, will add much to the charm of such a house.