WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR $1,600?--THE CLOSET IN THE HALL.--A SMALL
CONVENIENT KITCHEN.--CLOSETS IN THE BEDROOMS.
This house--Plan No. 13--was finished at a cost of less than $1,600.
This included, besides the house itself, a woodshed, well, and cistern.
There is a cellar under the hall and parlor. The building has a brick
foundation, and the wood-work begins two feet above the grade. The
stud-walls of the exterior are lined, first with dressed sheathing, then
with heavy building-paper, and finally covered with weather-boarding.
The first and second tiers of joists are two by ten inches; the
ceiling-joists of the second story are two by eight inches. All of the
studding is two by four inches. The windows have box frames with iron
weights and cotton cords. The first story is ten feet high, the second
eight and a half feet. These details of construction are mentioned so
that any one interested may know that it is a substantial,
well-constructed building. The interior finish is of pine, part of which
is varnished and the remainder stained and varnished. The front door and
stairway are of quartered oak.
The front porch is 10-1/2 feet wide and 7-1/2 feet deep. It has a high
roof over it, as will be seen by the elevation. The entrance, being at
one side of the porch, gives more available space for uninterrupted use
during the warm weather. The hall is 10 feet wide and 10-1/2 feet long.
The stairway has first two steps to a broad landing, and then a
continuous movement to the second floor. If this landing were reduced
in size by making the approach more direct, say turning directly to the
left as one enters the door and going through a landing the width of the
stairway before making the general ascent, there would be more available
room in the hall. It is shown this way in the drawing, because it is the
way the house was built. There is a closet in this hall. There are many
houses built without a closet on the first floor, but it is certainly
better that one be provided.
[Illustration: Plan No 13.]
As will be seen, there are three rooms on the first floor, and four and
a bath on the second. It is an easy house to care for, because there is
no waste space, and all the rooms are readily accessible without extra
steps. Waste room means waste of energy and waste of money in more ways
than one--waste not only as to the unnecessary expenditure in the cost
of building, but in carpets, and in the labor of sweeping and caring for
them.
[Illustration: Fig 14.]
In the parlor at the right of the hall are two windows and a grate; one
window is in front and the other at the side. The dining-room is
similarly equipped. It has a large china-closet which connects with the
table in the kitchen by means of a slide. There is also a door between
the kitchen and dining-room. Eleven by twelve and a half feet is not
large for a kitchen. The availability of kitchen space is not entirely
dependent, however, on its dimensions, but rather upon the disposition
of the wall-space and the conveniences which have to do with a kitchen.
It will be seen that there is a space for the kitchen-range or stove
near the flue which does not conflict with the use of any other part of
the kitchen. Also there is a space between the door which leads into
the pantry and an outside wall which gives place for a kitchen-safe,
which may hold the kitchen utensils. It is out of the way and yet
convenient to the range. The safe might be placed opposite the tables at
the other end of the kitchen, if thought desirable. The kitchen window
is placed about three feet above the floor. This gives wall-space under
it. Where a safe is not used, a cabinet, to contain pots, kettles, etc.,
can be placed there.
[Illustration: Plan No 14.]
The pantry is quite convenient to the kitchen. There is an enclosed
cupboard on one side which has doors and shelves above and below, and in
the recess next to the dining-room wall is a place for open shelves.
Near the pantry window is a dough-board and a place for flour. Here,
also, is the entrance to the cellar. It will be seen that there is a
door between the pantry and hall, which makes it possible to pass from
the kitchen to the stairway or from the kitchen to the front hall
without going through other rooms. The enclosed cupboard in the pantry
makes it possible to keep it always tidy. There is a glazed door in the
rear of the kitchen.
[Illustration: Fig. 15.]
It may be noticed that there is not a large hall to be carpeted or swept
on the second floor. This hall is well lighted by a window at the side.
From here one can go into any of the rooms on the second floor. As to
the bedrooms, there is a convenient place for bedroom furniture in all
of them. There is at least a choice of two places for each bed, a space
for a dressing-case where it will get the best light, and room for a
wash-stand. There is a closet in each bedroom, of ample capacity.
The right-hand house in Fig. No. 10 shows the exterior of Plan No. 13.
Plan No. 14 is another edition of Plan 15. The room lettered parlor is
properly a sitting-room. By dispensing with the grate in the
reception-hall this house could be built, as it was at one time, with a
stairway meeting the one coming up from the dining-room and passing from
thence to the second floor. The elevation of this house shows it with an
attic, though the plan does not contemplate this arrangement. Without
the attic and with a lower-pitched roof, this building, without
appurtenances, can be finished for $1,500.
Fig. 15 is an elevation of Plans No. 14 and 15.
[Illustration: Plan No 15]
Plans No. 13 and 15 belong to the same class. No. 15 is more elaborate
in its details, and larger. From the sitting-room one passes to the
landing where it meets a stairway coming up from the kitchen. From
thence there is a common passage to the second floor. On this floor are
four bedrooms, a bath-room, and a liberal supply of closets. One of the
front chambers is supplied with two, and the hall with two. There is one
in the bath-room, and each of the other rooms. The cellar and attic of
this house are plastered. The building, without appurtenances, as per
schedule "B," cost $2,550.
Fig. No. 16 is an elevation of Plan No. 15.
[Illustration: Fig. 16]