[Illustration: Perspective Sketch of Bungalow (with Attic)
(See Plate 17)
Arnold W. Brunner. Architect. New York.]
COTTAGES
OR
HINTS ON ECONOMICAL BUILDING
CONTAINING
TWENTY-FOUR PLATES OF MEDIUM AND LOW COST HOUSES,
CONTRIBUTED BY DIFFERENT NEW YORK ARCHITECTS.
TOGETHER WITH
DESCRIPTIVE LETTERPRESS,
GIVING
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR COTTAGE BUILDING.
COMPILED AND EDITED BY
A. W. BRUNNER, ARCH’T.
TO WHICH IS ADDED
A CHAPTER ON
THE WATER SUPPLY, DRAINAGE, SEWERAGE, HEATING AND
VENTILATION, AND OTHER SANITARY QUESTIONS
RELATING TO COUNTRY HOUSES.
BY
WM. PAUL GERHARD, C. E.
1884.
NEW YORK:
WILLIAM T. COMSTOCK,
6 ASTOR PLACE.
COPYRIGHT,
1884.
WILLIAM T. COMSTOCK.
[Illustration: Preface]
The aim of this little book is simply to offer a few hints and
suggestions to those about to build, or those interested in building, and
to present a series of designs of low-cost cottages.
These designs were made, by request, by different New York architects who
have turned their attention to the subject. In view of the rapid growth
of “Art Ideas,” and the great improvement in taste that has taken place
during the last few years, it is believed that there is a demand for
dwellings reasonable in cost yet artistic and home-like.
ARCHITECTS WHOSE DESIGNS ARE CONTAINED IN THIS BOOK.
Mr. WM. A. BATES, 149 Broadway, New York.
Mr. CHAS. I. BERG, 152 Fifth Avenue, New York.
Mr. A. W. BRUNNER, 29 Union Square, New York.
Mr. JAS. D. HUNTER, Jr., 57 Broadway, New York.
Mess. ROSSITER & WRIGHT, 149 Broadway, New York.
Mr. THOS. TRYON, 152 Fifth Avenue, New York.
Mr. WM. B. TUTHILL, 52 Broadway, New York.
Mr. FRANK F. WARD, 59 Astor House, New York.
Mr. FRED. B. WHITE, 294 Broadway, New York.
[Illustration: Cottages
HINTS ON ECONOMICAL BUILDING]
I.
During the past few years our conception of what a country house should
be, has entirely changed. Simplicity, elegance and refinement of design
are demanded, and outward display, overloading with cheap ornamentation,
is no longer in favor.
Naturally the more expensive houses were the first to get the benefit of
the architectural inspiration drawn largely from England. But now that
English gables and dormers have spread so widely, now that we realize the
beauty of our own colonial architecture, and that the Queen Anne craze
is subsiding, so that only its best features remain, the less ambitious
dwellings must not be left to the mercy of those builders whose ideas of
beauty are limited to scroll-saw brackets and French roofs. It is our
intention, in presenting a number of designs for country houses, to show
what can be done with simple means, and to give sketches of cottages that
may meet the wants of many who desire inexpensive homes which shall be at
the same time cosy and picturesque.
It must be stated, however, that all we can hope to do in the compass
of this little volume is to give some hints on building and offer a few
suggestions and ideas which may be of value to those about to build. It
is by no means claimed that the drawings here given are sufficient for
constructing the houses. Proper working drawings are a much more serious
affair, and should in all cases be prepared by an architect. This is as
important for a cottage as for a mansion.
It seems hardly necessary to enlarge upon the importance of an
architect’s services, since that is now generally recognized. Sensible
people, when they are ill, consult a physician and not an apothecary; and
when they wish to plan a house, they take the advice of an architect and
not a builder. Both apothecary and builder are of course necessary, but
they must be wisely directed or they may be dangerous indeed.
In this “intensely new world,” as Matthew Arnold calls it, we have not
yet had time to pay much attention to our simpler kind of dwellings. One
can say but little for the majority of our cottages beyond that they give
us shelter from the sun, rain and wind. The quaint interest, the great
beauty of old European towns, are so marked, that we would do well to
remember that each of the houses in their picturesque old streets was
evidently built to suit the special tastes and requirements of its owner.
At present, the fashion is set; and, while it lasts, all cottages are
built to suit. The fashion changes and the next batch of cottages must
come up to the new standard. Now, ready-made houses, like ready-made
clothes, _may_ fit, but the conditions of house-planning are complex and
the requirements are many and varied. The house in which we live should
have some individuality, and not be a mere duplicate of our neighbor’s
dwelling. We do not care to confess that we are exactly like other
people. Of course we are not. We may not wish to be considered eccentric
or “funny,” but we do flatter ourselves that we have some ideas of our
own; so our home, if it is to be a home, must be planned just to suit our
habits. Regarding the exterior appearance, that, to a certain extent at
least, will proclaim both the disposition of the interior and its inmates.
Now the intelligent client will of course consult a competent architect,
but being intelligent, he and Mrs. Client will first talk it all over
very carefully, and after discussing the matter thoroughly will decide
upon just what they need. When a decision has been arrived at, they will
go to Mr. Architect and tell him their wants, and he will proceed, to the
best of his ability, to solve the problem. This solution he presents in
the form of plans, elevations and sections, which is his way of showing
how he intends to fulfill the conditions imposed. But Mr. and Mrs. Client
may not find it such an easy matter to decide upon what they ought to
have. Building a house is generally a new experience, and many and vexed
are the questions that arise. Being a bright, well-informed couple, with
ideas of their own, they wisely decide to think it out for themselves and
not to tell the disciple of Sir Christopher Wren to make them “something
real pretty—you know what we want—and we’ll call to-morrow to see the
drawings.”
No, they know better than that. It is for them to say _what_ they want;
and _how_ it is to be done, is the architect’s province. So, to help
the worthy couple in their deliberations, we will mention some of the
points to be considered in building a country home, only touching upon
them, however; for volumes might be, and indeed have been, written on the
numberless considerations that present themselves. A little thought and
time spent before commencing to build may avoid a great deal of trouble
and regret when it is too late to effect alterations. Even when the
house is in the course of erection, changes are unduly expensive, as one
deviation from the plans is likely to entail another. The superficial
knowledge people have of their own houses is often surprising, and it
would be well for Mrs. Client to examine critically her present dwelling,
while Mr. C. takes a few measurements of some of the rooms. This will
bring their ideas of dimensions to a more definite shape and greatly aid
them to fully understand a set of plans.
II.
The first thing to be decided is where the cottage shall be placed. For
a castle in Spain, any picturesque spot would do, nor need we choose it
until our castle is quite complete. But for a real house, one that will
keep out the cold and keep in the heat, one that will be comfortable to
live in and presumably beautiful to look at, one that is subject to many
practical as well as artistic conditions, we will proceed to select the
prettiest piece of ground in the healthiest neighborhood we can find.
Healthy—of course. Better not build at all than make our house the
abiding-place of malaria. So we will carefully avoid marshy or
ill-drained ground. Sandy or gravelly soil is good. Clay is bad. A
side-hill has many advantages and affords opportunity for something
picturesque. We need not fear it, for a broad trench dug deep as our
cellar, and running obliquely back of the house, will leave us high and
dry. If we are sensible rather than ambitious, we will not choose the
summit of a hill. Sooner be a little lower down on the slope, securing
shelter from the wind and a readier water supply. The question of site
is an important one, and much depends on a wise selection. Even a small
lot offers some choice, and a few feet in either direction may avoid damp
cellars and future fevers.
But if we have a wider choice, let us exercise it well, and secure a
position where we can study nature in her varying moods and enjoy her
beauty. Let us be surrounded by meadows and flowers and trees. Trees by
all means. Not too near, or we may shut out sunlight and secure dampness
instead; but trees are good neighbors, and we owe them grateful shade in
summer and shelter from winter storms. A stately oak and a few graceful
maples, or perhaps some faithful evergreens, will take away the barren
and forlorn appearance a house often presents when standing quite alone.
A little terracing and grading, besides helping to shed the surface
water, often give the building the appearance of being well and firmly
placed.
Care will of course be taken to see that an abundant supply of pure water
is obtainable; to decide its quality a few preliminary borings should be
made.
Having roughly chosen the position and driven a stake in the site, we
must decide in which direction our house shall face. The living rooms
should look to the south or south-east, as they will be cooler in summer,
receiving the southern breezes, and warmer in winter—and always cheerful.
Next to a southern exposure an eastern one is best. We must consider how
the grounds shall be laid out, the approaches to the house, position of
the public road, and proximity of objectionable neighbors. Our friend
Mr. Architect will want to know all this and more too. He will ask you
from what directions come the prevailing winds, what is the character
of the scenery, and whether there is any choice of prospect, or our pet
view will stand in danger of being wasted on blank walls, or visible only
from the kitchen. Then, after telling him how much we wish to spend, he
will be in a condition intelligently to go to work and plan the house. A
thorough understanding between architect and client is most desirable.
III.
“A history of house-planning is the history of civilization, one of
the best means by which we can realize the social condition and family
life of successive times,” says Stephenson in his interesting book on
House Architecture. The gradual change in the arrangement of dwellings
indicates most clearly the development of what we call civilized ideas.
In all important houses in the Middle Ages, the Hall, which was
frequently an immense apartment, was the chief feature. To quote
Stephenson again, “It was in reality the house, and hence (in England)
country houses are still called Halls.” The ends were screened off by
wooden partitions, the kitchen at one side, the private apartments at
the other. The Hall was used as a dining-room and sitting-room, and the
household would sleep there, both tables and beds being movable. Later,
the tendency arose to have separate apartments for different purposes,
and the number of rooms in a house multiplied. In modern planning strict
privacy is essential, and each room must be accessible from the halls and
stairways. As soon as a room becomes a mere passage to another, it loses
its chief value. The arrangement of a house is, to a certain degree,
influenced by considerations of exterior effect, but use and comfort are
of prime importance. In the so-called “classic” houses, where symmetry
was imperative, convenience of plan was often sacrificed.
A well-studied plan is characterized by compactness and the absence of
any visible make-shifts or after-thoughts. Everything fits well and seems
in its natural place.
A rectangular house is the cheapest and best, the octagonal and circular
forms are better adapted for bays or projections only. Very irregular
and straggling plans may produce picturesque results, but are sure to be
comparatively expensive. A square house has always been a favorite with
many practical-minded people. It is such a “sensible” shape and cuts up
well into rooms. True, a given length of line, as a square, encloses
a greater area than in any other rectangular form, so we get the most
house for our materials and money. Still, we will probably find that,
after arranging our plan, considering comfort and convenience alone,
it will not result in a mathematical square; but, if it be compact and
capable of being simply roofed, we need not reproach ourselves with undue
extravagance.
All space occupied in passages and corridors, increasing the size but not
the capacity of the building, is wasted.
Light and air are, we know, essentials of life. Let us not forget it in
planning our house. Dark passages and stairways should not be tolerated.
In our cities, where land is very expensive, and the houses which often
cover nearly the entire building lot are crowded closely together, many
expedients have to be adopted to render the inner rooms habitable.
Light-shafts are used, and rooms often receive only borrowed light by
means of glass doors or partitions. In country houses these methods are
inexcusable. Fresh air and the light of day should have access to every
nook and corner.
IV.
In our modern houses the hall is generally a mere narrow passage
connecting the rooms, and only large enough to contain the staircase.
Lately there has been a tendency to give the hall greater prominence;
and, as many of the plans in this book show, it may be made a most
desirable sitting-room, by adding a few feet to what before was almost
waste space. It may have an open fire-place and some little nook arranged
with a seat. The stairs may be partly or wholly screened, a treatment
giving opportunities for a picturesque effect. Let us have plenty of
light on our staircase, and plan it so that even at night one is not
liable to stumble. “Winders,” that is to say, steps which radiate at
the corners, are to be avoided as much as possible, for it is easy to
slip on the narrow end. Do not try to have your stairs in a single run.
Platforms, which should be square, form a convenient rest. For ordinary
stairs the risers may be 7½ inches, and treads 10 inches. If the risers
are less, the treads must be proportionally greater. The old rule of a 6
inch riser and 12 inch tread is almost too luxurious, and when the risers
are less than 6 inches they become actually uncomfortable and tiresome.
If newels are used, as they are in the better class of work, have the
tops rounded, and let there be no sharp angles that would be disagreeable
to the touch.
The dining-room should have an eastern or north-eastern exposure, so that
it may receive the cheerful rays of the morning sun. A western outlook is
undesirable, for at sunset the “western waves of ebbing day” will flood
the apartment, making it necessary to close the shutters, excluding the
air and leaving the room in darkness. 11 feet in width is sufficient to
admit of chairs on both sides of the table, with space for a servant to
pass around, but a larger room is desirable.
The kitchen should be near the dining-room. It may be in the basement,
and if the house is on a side hill this is a good arrangement, as the
kitchen may then be entirely above ground. In some of the Southern
States it is the custom to separate the kitchen entirely from the house,
thereby avoiding all the smell and heat of cooking. It is a good plan
for summer cottages to have the kitchen in a wing by itself, even if
not disconnected with the rest of the house. In a small house, where
the dining-room and kitchen must be placed next to each other, a pantry
with doors not opposite each other, between the rooms, will do much to
intercept odors and noises.
A sitting-room or living-room should be bright and cheerful. Let it have
the benefit of any good view that the situation of the house may command.
Give it broad, generous windows, admitting plenty of light and sunshine.
Sunshine may not be good for the carpets, but you are not building the
house for them, and the health and cheerfulness of the inmates are the
first consideration. If carpets will fade we may use matting, which is
now obtainable in good designs and excellent colors. Or let us have good
honest wood floors oiled or waxed, for they need not be very expensive.
Then with a pretty rug, perhaps, in the middle of the room, we secure
greater cleanliness than is possible with a carpet, and need not be
afraid of the light of day, two points which should help to decrease our
doctors’ bills. In providing for light it is better to have one large
window than two small ones. A broad casement with a window-seat, or a
three-sided or semi-circular bay, with room for a few flowers, or perhaps
a small work-table and chairs, will be a delightful feature.
In the pride of our heart we may want a parlor, or drawing-room, as our
English cousins would call it.
Well, let us have it if we must, for hospitality is a virtue to be
cherished. But true hospitality consists in giving our friends what we
deem to be our best. Now a parlor that is kept for state occasions and
is such a prim, formal room, that everything in it is too awfully nice
to touch, is not a place where true friendship is likely to flourish. If
we need another apartment for our guests, let it merely be an extension
of our sitting-room. The room we occupy most will be the pleasantest in
the house, as we will naturally surround ourselves with the objects we
love best. But the spirit of cheerfulness and cosiness should pervade the
entire house, and the selection we make of books, pictures and ornaments,
will do much towards giving a room a friendly or unfriendly aspect.
In a large country-house a separate room for a library is convenient,
also a breakfast or morning-room, and a billiard-room, is a luxury to be
enjoyed, if possible. If we can manage it, a nursery, where the children
can make a noise and have a real good time without shocking anybody’s
nerves, will be found a great comfort. Give the little ones space, where
they can romp to their hearts’ content, a large, sunny room, with broad
windows and a big fire-place, a room with nothing in it that will spoil
by contact with little hands, and you will contribute much to their
happiness.
If we can contrive a little retreat or “den” in some out-of-the-way
corner of the house, it may be well, for, although man is a social
animal, “solitude sometimes is best society.”
Many of us will appreciate a little sanctum entered by one door only,
where we can leave our books and papers, having the sweet satisfaction
that they will remain undisturbed.
The bed-rooms should be specially light, airy and well ventilated.
Space must be left for the bed, a consideration which, if overlooked in
the plan, may make it necessary to put the bed in front of a window or
against a closet door.
The arrangement of doors and windows requires particular attention, and a
little care in regard to this will contribute much to comfort. A certain
amount of wall-surface should always be left, or there will be no place
to put the furniture—a fault often found in our houses, and productive
of much discomfort. Every bed-room should have a closet, and, indeed, an
abundance of closets is necessary, it being hardly possible to have too
many of them. One for coats, in the front hall, one for linen, one for
stores, and a good-sized pantry for the kitchen, are dear to the heart of
a housekeeper.
No house should be without a bath-room, large and conveniently located.
Care must be taken that the plumbing apparatus is not exposed to the
cold, or the pipes will freeze in winter. The matter of ventilation
and construction of the plumbing work, is ably discussed in a separate
article devoted to that and other sanitary questions.
V.
Doors are generally hung according to the sweet will of the carpenter,
but there are two ways to hang a door, one so as to expose the room,
the other so as to screen it. The first may be good for the more public
rooms, but, in regard to bed-rooms, the doors must swing so that, when
partly open, they will shield the apartment from view. Closet doors
should be hung so that the closet may receive light from the nearest
window. Doors are sometimes made to swing out on stair landings or halls,
and who has not seen two doors so placed that they strike each other when
opened? It is hardly necessary to say that these methods should not be
adopted.
The question of how to heat a house is discussed at length elsewhere,
but from the point of beauty, cheerfulness and comfort, we must enter
a plea for the open fire-place. It may be troublesome to keep clean,
although this may be obviated by an ash-shoot to the cellar. We admit
that the open fire-place is wasteful, as two-thirds of the heat goes up
the chimney. And then most of the foul air in the room goes with it,
and we have the best and surest ventilating flue yet devised. But the
cheerful appearance, the crackling of the logs, the sparkling embers,
the ruddy flames twisting themselves into fantastic shapes—are these
worth nothing to us? Contrast a roaring fire of hickory logs, blazing on
a broad brick hearth, with the dismal hole in the floor or wall covered
with a cast-iron register. The cricket on the hearth is a little out of
fashion now, and with it has gone the sense of comfort that the broad,
picturesque chimney-piece always gave. Open fire-places alone are often
insufficient in our climate, and furnaces are extremely useful for
heating the halls and the house generally; but to rely on their heat
entirely excludes one of the features which make home more home-like.
The fire-place should be in a position so as to admit of a group sitting
around it; it should not stand between two doors, for instance. A
little nook or seat may be contrived next to it, making a cosy corner
in the room. Chimney-stacks can be combined if the house be judiciously
planned, and a saving of expense effected. The plans in Plates VI, X and
XVII, show how one stack can serve three rooms on the same floor with
fire-places, and in the case of the double houses all the designs show
that this method of saving expense has been adopted. Chimneys must be
carefully built of good, hard brick, laid in cement mortar, the flues
straight and smooth and of uniform size. To allow of better arrangement
in the upper floors, the flues may be safely drawn on one side to at
least 30° from the perpendicular. There must always be at least 8 inches
of brick work when the chimney-stack comes in contact with any wood-work.
Every house should have a cellar with stone or brick walls and cement
floors. And it is of the utmost importance that the cellar be dry. To
insure this, the greatest care should be given to the _outside_ finish
of the walls—reversing the usual practice of carefully finishing the
interior, and on the exterior allowing the rough edges of stone to
project and form little courses and channels through which the moisture
will pass. In case the cellar extends only under part of the house, the
rest of the walls should be supported upon brick piers, only filled
in between with wooden lattice, giving free access to the air, thus
preventing dampness and rotting of timbers.
If the reader desires to study construction, or intends to superintend
the building of his own house, he cannot do better than consult Mr. T. M.
Clark’s book on “Building Superintendence.” The standard of workmanship
that it gives may be a little too high for cheap work, otherwise it is an
extremely useful volume.
VI.
Planning has been called a series of compromises, and in fact we will
nearly always find it impossible to secure all we desire. Something
must be sacrificed, and the best plan is the one that fulfills the most
important requirements at the expense of the minor ones. After securing
the proper relative arrangement of rooms, their exposure may be wrong,
or the chimneys will not combine. We secure an economical combination of
chimneys and find that the doors come “all wrong,” and the staircase is
crowded to one side. Then the shape of the rooms is ugly, the veranda
seems only possible in front of the kitchen, the entrance porch faces the
north, and there is no way of getting to the cellar.
These little difficulties overcome, we find that we cannot get up-stairs,
and even if we could, the rooms in the upper floors come just as we do
not want them, and the hall will be dark. Then we will begin all over
again. The amateur must not be disheartened if this is the result of
his first attempt to plan a house. The best and seemingly most simple
arrangement of rooms is generally the result of the most study.
In planning, as in many other things, the simplest is often the best,
and what appears so satisfactory and looks as if it were quite the
most obvious thing to do, was probably arrived at only after much
consideration and thought.
Irregularities in our plan may be turned to account and picturesque and
useful features result, but they must come naturally and not be forced,
or they will give the appearance of striving to be eccentric.
It is a comparatively easy matter to plan a house which is intended
exclusively for summer or for winter occupancy. But in those sections of
the country where we have successively samples of every conceivable kind
of weather, and we wish to build a permanent residence, the difficulties
are numerous.
During part of the year we need broad verandas, large windows and doors
so arranged that we can get a current of air through the rooms. The heat
from the kitchen distresses us, and the refrigerator is regarded with
more affection than the fireplace. In a few months the veranda only
serves to shut out the precious sunlight, and double sashes for the
windows may be desirable to keep out the cold too easily admitted by the
doors. We draw close to the hearth, piled high with blazing logs, and
rejoice that the slight heat from the kitchen chimney is not wasted on
the outer air.
Fortunately, what keeps out the heat keeps out the cold—or rather keeps
in the heat—and walls constructed so as to keep the house warm in winter
will keep it cool in summer.
The veranda is a particularly American feature, and should be encouraged,
not only because it is American, but because it is a great comfort and
a sensible contrivance. Let it be broad and low, to keep out the sun’s
rays; let it be large enough for plenty of chairs and a work table, and
perhaps a rattan sofa or a hammock, and during the long summer months it
will be a most delightful retreat.
Even in winter the veranda serves to keep the wind, sleet and snow from
our windows, and so contributes a little warmth if it does rob us of some
sunlight. It can be so constructed that it may be enclosed in winter, but
it is difficult to heat, even if the cellar extended beneath it.
VII.
Materials of all kinds have been used for building, but for our purpose
only stone, brick and wood are suitable, and mud, papier-maché, glass,
iron, and many others need not be considered. Stone is the favorite for
all monumental buildings, but it may be occasionally used to advantage
in low-cost country houses. If it must be brought from a distance, and
is to be cut, tooled and dressed, it will be much beyond the average
cottager’s means. But when found in the immediate vicinity and laid in
irregular courses “just as it comes,” with the corners squared off only
enough to make good joints, we shall get excellent effects without great
expense. It is well to use it only for the first story of the house, as
shown on Plate XII. If cut stone lintels and jambs are too costly, we
may use brick, either red or buff, selecting the one which harmonizes
best with the color of the stone. The doors and windows in this case will
be arched and not square-headed. Stone walls need not be very thick—18
inches will be ample—and they need not be damp if properly furred,
leaving an airspace.
Frequently use large stones, the entire thickness of the wall, as
“binders,” and leave the natural surface as much as possible. Then, if
the stones are well selected, we shall have a beautiful surface, whose
color, softened by that of mosses and lichens, and partly covered by the
creeping ivy, will become more beautiful and mellow with age.
Brick is a most valuable building material, wonderfully durable, as the
remains of the old Roman buildings testify, and fire-proof, as often
demonstrated. To the minds of many, brick suggests all the ugliness
of the immense crop of buildings that has sprung up in our American
cities—buildings with wondrous painted and sanded cornices and window
caps, with a front pierced with regularly spaced square-headed openings.
But the builder and not the material is at fault, for as countless
European examples show us, brick can be used with most excellent effect.
Bricks are now made in many shapes, and good mouldings can be obtained
for cornices, belt courses, etc.
Then terra-cotta, which is nothing more than its name implies, baked
earth, or brick in other forms, comes to our aid, and we have ornamental
panels, columns, pilasters, voussoirs and all sorts of architectural
finery. For small cottages we may use brick laid in red mortar, combining
it with wood, and perhaps some of the simpler mouldings, with a
terra-cotta panel or two, to give character to the design.
Wood is the material that will commend itself, as being the cheapest for
building country houses, needing only a light foundation and being easily
handled. The old “half timbered” houses give us suggestions for a most
picturesque treatment. In these buildings the frame is exposed and filled
in with brick or stucco, producing an excellent effect. In the north of
France, where rain is abundant, the exposed wood is sometimes covered
with slate. This method of construction is adapted to our climate, but
brick is better for filling in than plaster or stucco, which is likely
to be affected by our severe frosts. Clapboards and shingles are both
excellent. The shingles may be cut in different shapes, or irregularly
laid, giving a variety of surface. Tiles, which are more durable but more
expensive, may be substituted. Battened houses, that is, houses faced
with vertical boards, the joints of which are covered by narrow strips of
wood or “battens,” are not recommended.
VIII.
The first four plates in this book show designs for the simplest kind
of cottages. Strict economy has been observed, and the arrangement is
as compact as possible, no space being wasted. The first has two rooms
on a floor—the living-room containing the stairs. The roof is unbroken,
overhanging enough to cover the bay, and merely extending to form the
porch. Plates II, III and IV show a separate hall for the stairs, and
closets and pantry are provided. In one case the upper floor contains
two large rooms, in the others, four smaller chambers. Plate III shows
the kitchen and living-room separated by a pantry with two doors, and
in the next design, communication between these rooms is had through
the hall, an arrangement quite suitable for such a small house. Nothing
could be plainer, or more straight-forward, than the plans and exterior
treatment of these four cottages, and the result is interesting in
showing that even the simplest house may be planned with some reference
to comfort, and a pleasing exterior expression attained without the least
ornamentation.
Plates V, VI and VII, give designs for slightly larger cottages, with
three rooms on the first floor. The roofs are boldly treated, and in
Plate V we see the picturesque effect obtained by an exterior chimney.
This design also shows an effective treatment of windows in the
sitting-room, and a broad low veranda covered by a continuation of the
main roof. Designs VI and VII are two six-room cottages very compactly
planned; the exteriors show clapboards on the first-story, and shingles
above.
Plate VIII gives a cottage without a kitchen (there is space for it
if desired), which may be built in connection with a hotel. This is
becoming a favorite way of living during the summer, the inmates of the
cottage taking their meals at the hotel, and thus much of the trouble of
housekeeping is avoided. Several of the plans in this book could be used
in a similar way; the space for kitchen devoted to other uses or omitted
entirely. In this plan the two rooms on the first floor open into each
other, making practically one large airy apartment, which, with the shady
veranda in front, is an arrangement well adapted for warm weather.
In Plate IX we have a small seven-room house. The sitting-room has a
large fire-place with seats at the side, screened by an arch or transom,
and making a pleasant little nook.
Plate X is a design of a picturesque cottage which shows in plan a nearly
square hall with a fire-place, opening into a broad piazza. At a little
extra expense the small bed-room on the second floor could be made
wider, or a bath-room added to advantage.
The plan of Plate XI provides an entrance hall or vestibule, which will
be of special use if the house is occupied in winter. The side door opens
into the end of the main hall, and the arrangement of rooms is well
studied. The overhanging gables have a bold effect, and the materials
used are the same as in nearly all the preceding designs.
Plate XII gives plans and elevations for a house, the first story
of which is to be built of stone—the second of wood. The stone is
irregularly laid, the rough surface contrasting well with the shingles
above. The plan provides for six good-sized rooms with plenty of closets.
In Plate XIII we have a house planned so that the two main rooms on each
floor are exposed on three sides, an arrangement which, if the size and
shape of the lot permits, is good for a summer residence. The treatment
of exterior also indicates this use.
Plate XIV gives a design for a seven-room cottage, with a wide hall and
a bath-room. The kitchen is conveniently placed, both in regard to the
dining-room and front door. The balcony in the second story adds to the
exterior effect by giving more shadow to the front.
Plate XV is a design for a sea-side cottage. The hall is so arranged that
the stairs are screened, thus making a little vestibule. The dining-room
and parlor are only divided by an arch, and may be separated by a
portière or thrown into one large room, while the veranda gives the shade
so desirable at the sea-shore.
Plate XVI shows a picturesque house broadly treated. The second story
overhangs the first, covering the piazza. The rooms are large and of good
proportion, and each bed-room has its closet.
Bungalows, as the one-story houses used in India are called, seem adapted
to some parts of America, particularly as summer cottages.
Plate XVII and the frontispiece show a house which will commend itself to
those who dislike going up and down stairs. This plan provides a hall,
dining-room and kitchen, each with its fire-place and closet, and three
bed-rooms. The door of the bath-room and that of the bed-room opposite
are misplaced, and should open into the corridor. There is a small
stairway to the attic, where there is space for dormitories, if desired.
The construction of this sort of house is so simple, and the foundation
may be so light, that it will cost but a trifle more than if the rooms
were arranged in the ordinary way. The bungalow here given is very simply
treated, the roof being only broken for the outlook from the attic, and
extending to cover the veranda.
Plate XVIII shows a house suitable for an ordinary “fifty-foot suburban
lot.” The entrance hall is divided by an arch and book-cases, making
an agreeable sitting-room or library. The second story contains three
bed-rooms and a bath-room. There are accommodations in the attic for
servants.
Plate XIX is a design for a cottage on a side hill, with the kitchen in
the basement. The projection of the stairs in the main hall gives place
for a seat opposite the fire-place, and may be made a cosy little corner.
The dining-room, hall and sitting-room, open into each other.
The last four Plates are designs for double or “semi-detached” houses.
If, instead of building single houses, two persons will combine,
adopting some arrangement such as these designs show, they will effect
a considerable saving of expense. The houses, although receiving light
and air only on three sides, are bright and comfortable. Privacy is not
destroyed, as the entrance porches are separated, and windows placed so
as to avoid looking from one house to the other.
The exterior treatment in Designs XX and XXI seems to indicate more
clearly than the others that they are double houses, while Nos. XXII
and XXIII, though not concealing this fact, have more the air of large
single houses. This is a nice question of “expression” which our readers
may decide for themselves.
These drawings show different architects’ conceptions of what small and
medium-sized cottages should be. They differ greatly from each other,
both in plan and exterior design, but the general expression seems to
be much the same. They are not pretentious, and no ornament exists for
its own sake. Chimneys and roofs are boldly and frankly treated, and a
certain breadth and hospitality are expressed by nearly all. Only a few
of their special features have been mentioned, a fuller description being
deemed unnecessary.
IX.
It will be noticed in all these designs that whatever grace or charm
they may have is the result of the simplest treatment. A building should
be logically designed, and the exterior be the natural expression of
the plan. This is what is meant by Truth in Architecture. But just how
much need be expressed, is not always clear. A proper regard for our
architectural morals does not require us to exhibit to the passer-by
every detail of construction and arrangement. Only what _is_ shown must
be _true_. A building ought at least to declare its purpose, which should
be recognizable at a glance. But a house may well express more than the
fact that it is a house. It may have a pretentious and showy appearance,
or be modest and unassuming. It may look cheerful and hospitable, or cold
and forbidding.
Now, for a cottage to be pretentious is in bad taste. It need not be
so humble as to nestle among the violets, but it can assert itself
sufficiently without being decked with tawdry ornaments, or the vanity of
cupola or towers.
On the other hand, it would be equally false for a large mansion which
should have an air of dignity and magnificence to attempt to assume a
simple, rustic appearance. Indeed, Southey informs us that the devil’s
“favorite sin is the pride that apes humility.” Proportion—that is, the
relation of parts to each other and to the whole, is the most important
element of beauty in architecture. This has been the subject of much
discussion and controversy. The parts of a building having a certain
mathematical relation to each other, numerous attempts have been made
to formulate this and establish reliable rules for the guidance of the
designer. All the theories, however, are conflicting; notwithstanding
that most of them are proved by their authors to apply directly to the
Parthenon, which
“Earth proudly wears...
As the best gem in her zone.”
It seems that the sense of proportion, like an eye for color or an ear
for music, is an innate quality possessed by some and lacked by others;
and that it is as impossible to design a building as to make a musical
composition by mathematical rules.
Beauty alone is not sufficient to constitute architectural excellence.
Architecture is the art of building, and utility is the first
consideration. If the architect be an artist, endowed with an
appreciation of form and color, he will so combine the materials at his
command that he will produce a building at once useful and beautiful.
Exterior ornament should be sparingly used on cottages, and, if at all,
should be so employed as to emphasize the design. But it seems more
sensible in an economical dwelling to keep the exterior quite simple.
While we should not inflict our neighbors with an ugly house, we will not
be open to the charge of selfishness if we choose the extravagance of
a daintily carved oak mantel in our sitting-room to that of ornamented
brackets and posts on the veranda.
X.
In these designs for cottages it will be observed that there has been no
attempt made to adhere to any historical style. And this, we believe,
shows a greater appreciation of the beauties of architectural styles than
if they had been misapplied and tortured into what once was known as
“Rural Gothic” or “Italian.”
After defining architecture to be “the material expression of the wants,
faculties, and the sentiments of the age in which it is created,” Owen
Jones, in his “Grammar of Ornament,” said that “Style in architecture
is the peculiar form that expression takes under the influence of
climate and the material at hand.” Accepting this definition, we see
the absurdity of copying buildings erected under totally different
conditions from ours. Although an Italian villa is more adaptable to our
wants than a Greek temple (and our country-houses have often copied both
with lamentable results) it does not readily submit to be Americanized.
Italy may give us suggestions, and France, England and Germany offer
us many and valuable ones, but in adapting them to our country houses
we must show discrimination. And our own wants and sentiments, if well
and naturally expressed, take forms that are not displeasing, even if
Corinthian columns and Gothic arches are absent.
The question of color is an important one, as an unfortunate selection
may spoil the (otherwise) prettiest house. We have discovered that
considerations of cleanliness do not require us to paint our houses
white, which, even with the addition of green shutters, is hardly
satisfactory. The staring, conspicuous effect of these white houses is
what we should avoid, and the tints we choose must be those that will
blend harmoniously with the surrounding landscape. The pearly gray that
shingles become after exposure to the atmosphere has a very good effect
if relieved by contrast with some other color. A good treatment is to
give the house a coat of crude petroleum, and, if desired, a transparent
stain may be mixed with it which will show the grain of the wood. A range
of soft yellows, reds and browns, may be so obtained. Messrs. Rossiter
and Wright have published a book entitled “Modern House Painting,” which
gives excellent directions and examples.
XI.
If we strive to give to the exterior of our houses a pleasing appearance,
how much more reason is there to beautify the interior.
It has been claimed that pretty and comfortable homes exert a decided
moral influence. Be this as it may, we are all interested in making our
homes attractive. And there is no reason why they should not be so. We
are apt to think that costly things must be beautiful, but this is by
no means true, nor is it true that inexpensive objects must be ugly.
The same materials used in the construction and decoration of an ugly
apartment might, with the exercise of a little taste, be so employed that
a graceful combination result.
Low ceilings give an air of comfort, while very high ones have a cold and
barren effect, and increase the cost of the house.
The ventilation of a room should be quite independent of the height
of its ceiling, that is to say, a room with a low ceiling may be
well ventilated, and one with a high ceiling may gain nothing by the
extra height but greater facilities for retaining poisonous gases and
foul air. Gwilt gives as a rule that the height of the ceiling of a
rectangular room should be the same as the width of the room; but since
the apartments on a floor are of unequal size and the ceiling commonly
of the same height throughout, no such proportion can be kept. Nor is it
necessary for a small cottage. From 9 to 10 feet is ample for the first
story rooms.
The proportion of a room may be modified by the treatment of its walls.
Vertical lines give an appearance of greater height, and horizontal
lines make a room look lower. Accordingly, the division of a wall into
horizontal bands by means of the dado and frieze, now in such favor, has
a tendency to make a room look lower than it really is. This division,
however, is a good one. The dado is simply a substitute of a cheaper
material for a paneled wainscot of wood. The wooden base board and
chair-rail should be retained, as they serve to protect the wall. A broad
frieze is an excellent decorative feature. It should be separated from
the wall surface by a picture-moulding from which the pictures will hang.
The excavations at Pompeii have shown many beautiful examples of
harmonious wall decoration. The walls are divided by dado and frieze, the
dado being generally darker and the frieze lighter, than the intermediate
surface. We will do well to follow this arrangement even if we do not
adopt the Pompeian colors.
If the plaster is finished with a rough surface (sand finish) it takes
color well, and makes a satisfactory wall. Within the last few years,
wall-papers have been manufactured which are good in design and low in
cost. Many of them, printed in two tones of the same color, are delicate,
and make good backgrounds for pictures. Being delicate and quiet does not
necessarily mean that the paper must be gray and colorless. It may have
a decided color, and still harmonize well with the pictures and other
objects in the room.
Dark red matting used for a dado gives a most satisfactory effect. It may
be continuous or divided in panels by narrow strips of wood.
Cartridge or ingrain-paper is now made in excellent colors, and is a good
substitute for printed wall-papers. To break the flat surface a stencil
pattern may be traced on it, or this may be done directly on the plaster,
which must first be colored.
A good ceiling is made of simple felting-paper in lieu of plaster; the
paper divided into small panels by narrow beaded strips of wood.
Lincrusta-Walton is a valuable material for some choice bit of decoration.
For door and window trims and other interior woodwork, white pine is
recommended, as it is the cheapest, and, if properly finished, looks very
well.
It may be stained, if too light—the transparent stains merely darken the
wood and do not conceal the natural grain. Under no circumstances try to
imitate oak or walnut by graining. Such shams deceive no one and are in
the worst taste. If we use paint for interior work let us use it frankly,
carefully selecting the color, and avoiding a shiny surface, a flatted or
dull finish being preferable.
We have a great variety of wood to choose from, if not limited in
expense, but “hard woods,” such as cherry, oak, mahogany, etc., not only
are expensive in themselves, but require more labor. Ash is the cheapest
of them. If some of the patent “fillers” are used, an excellent surface
may be given to the wood, but these require to be finished with shellac,
and carefully rubbed down. For cheap work, two coats of boiled oil may be
used; or, if a polished surface is desired, varnish may be substituted.
Our fire-places may be of brick laid in red mortar, with wooden shelves,
and perhaps lightly framed with wood. Tiles are appropriate for facings
and hearth, as they are not affected by the heat. Let our windows be
large and extend well up to the ceiling. Have window-seats if we can, and
dispense with interior doors as much as possible. A curtain of some soft
material (it need not be expensive) will look better than a six-panel
door, and it may be pushed to one side, while the door is irrepressible.
Let us make our hall a bright, cheerful apartment, that may aid us to
“welcome the coming, speed the parting, guest.”
XII.