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[Illustration: Book Cover]
REMODELED
FARMHOUSES
[Illustration: THE CURTIS HOUSE FROM THE ROADSIDE]
REMODELED
FARMHOUSES
BY
MARY H. NORTHEND
AUTHOR OF "COLONIAL HOMES AND THEIR FURNISHINGS,"
"HISTORIC HOMES OF NEW ENGLAND," ETC.
_WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS_
[Illustration]
BOSTON
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY
1915
_Copyright, 1915,_
BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.
I DEDICATE THIS BOOK
TO MY FRIENDS IN MY NATIVE CITY
TO WHOM I AM INDEBTED
FOR MANY KINDNESSES
PREFACE
There is a certain fascination connected with the remodeling of a
farmhouse. Its low, raftered interior, its weather-beaten exterior,
never fail to appeal. Types vary with the period in which they were
built, but all are of interest.
In this collection, which has been pictured with great care, pains have
been taken to show as many different types as possible, so that the
student will be able to find numerous interesting details that can be
incorporated into his contemplated remodeling. In the study of this work
I have grown to feel a deep reverence for the old homes of our
forefathers, and have come to realize as never before the care and
painstaking thoroughness of the old master builders.
I wish to thank the owners of these homes who have so kindly thrown open
their doors to my inspection, and who have told me the interesting
stories connected with the houses.
Acknowledgment should be made to _American Homes and Gardens_ for
permission to use various articles of mine which they have previously
published.
In the contents of this book I trust there may be much of value to those
who are contemplating the remodeling of a farmhouse and that the work
will bring to them the same enjoyment that the study of the subject has
brought to me.
MARY H. NORTHEND.
AUGUST, 1915.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
PREFACE vii
I. IRISTHORPE 1
II. LIMOVADY 15
III. THE KITTREDGE HOUSE 28
IV. THE CURTIS HOUSE 38
V. GREEN MEADOWS 49
VI. NAWN FARM 61
VII. BOULDER FARM 71
VIII. THREE ACRES 84
IX. THE ROBERT SPENCER HOUSE 100
X. THE DAVENPORT BROWN HOUSE 110
XI. THE DOCTOR CHARLES E. INCHES HOUSE 124
XII. THE CHARLES MARTIN LOEFFLER HOUSE 136
XIII. LITTLE ORCHARD 146
XIV. WILLOWDALE 155
XV. THE GEORGE E. BARNARD ESTATE 166
XVI. THE W. P. ADDEN HOUSE 177
XVII. THE KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN HOUSE 187
XVIII. THE FRANKLIN BRETT HOUSE 198
XIX. THE GEORGE D. HALL HOUSE 208
XX. THE WALTER SCOTT HOPKINS HOUSE 220
XXI. HENRY W. WRIGHT'S HOUSE 231
XXII. THE HOWLAND S. CHANDLER HOUSE 243
INDEX 255
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
THE CURTIS HOUSE FROM THE ROADSIDE _Frontispiece_
FACING PAGE
IRISTHORPE, FRONT VIEW 4
The Entrance Porch 5
From the Garden 8
The Entrance Porch, Another View 9
The Dining Room, and the Living Room 12
The Morning Room, and the Out-door Living Room 13
LIMOVADY, REAR VIEW FROM THE GARDEN 18
Side View 19
Two Views of the Living Room 22
The Dining Room, and the Lounge 23
Two of the Chambers 26
AN OLD CAPE COD HOUSE 27
Side View 30
The Attic Chamber, and the Living Room 31
The Kitchen 36
THE CURTIS HOUSE, THE ENTRANCE PORCH 37
Before Remodeling, and Remodeled 42
The Hall and Unique Stairway 43
Side View, and the Dining Room 48
GREEN MEADOWS, FRONT VIEW 49
An Old-fashioned Chamber, and the Living Room 56
Two Views of the Den 57
NAWN FARM, FRONT VIEW 64
Rear View, and the Living Room 65
Two Views of the Dining Room 68
The China Closet in the Dining Room 69
BOULDER FARM, FRONT VIEW 74
The Front Doorway 75
The Hall 78
The Den, and the Parlor 79
Two Views of the Dining Room 84
THREE ACRES, FROM THE MAIN ROAD 85
Front View 90
Side View 91
A Corner of the Living Room 94
The Living Room, and the Dining Room 95
THE ROBERT SPENCER HOUSE ON CAPE COD 100
Front View 101
Two Views of the Living Room 106
The Attic Chambers 107
THE DAVENPORT BROWN HOUSE 112
The Hallway 113
The Sun-Parlor or Out-door Nursery, and the Library 118
Two of the Chambers 119
The Nursery, and the Service Wing 124
THE CHARLES E. INCHES HOUSE, FRONT VIEW SHOWING THE OLD WELL 125
Before Remodeling 130
Across the Lawn 131
The Hall and Stairway, and the Living Room 134
THE STUDIO OPPOSITE THE CHARLES M. LOEFFLER HOUSE 135
THE CHARLES M. LOEFFLER HOUSE BEFORE REMODELING 138
As Remodeled 139
Two Views of the Living Room 142
The Dining Room, and the Music Room in the Studio Building 143
LITTLE ORCHARD, THE HOUSE FROM THE DRIVEWAY 148
The Angle of the Ell 149
The Stairway 152
The Entrance Porch, and the Dining Room 153
WILLOWDALE, BEFORE REMODELING, AND THE FRONT VIEW 158
The House from the Garden 159
A Rear View, and the Living Room 162
Two of the Chambers 163
THE GEORGE E. BARNARD HOUSE BEFORE REMODELING, AND THE FRONT OF
THE HOUSE 166
The House from the Terrace 167
The Pergola-Porch 172
The Hall, and the Alcove in the Living Room 173
The Den, and the Dining Room 176
THE W. P. ADDEN HOUSE 177
The Stairway 186
QUILLCOTE, MRS. KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN'S SUMMER HOME 187
The Hall 192
Two Views of the Living Room 193
The Den, and the Dining Room 196
Two of the Chambers 197
THE FRANKLIN BRETT HOUSE, FRONT VIEW 202
Before Remodeling, and as Remodeled 203
The Pergola-Porch 206
A First-floor Vista, and the Living Room 207
LONE TREE FARM 212
As Finally Remodeled, and the Sun-Parlor 213
The Living Room, and a Corner in the Dining Room 218
The Sewing Room, and the Den 219
THE WALTER SCOTT HOPKINS HOUSE BEFORE REMODELING 224
As Remodeled 225
The Living Room 228
Two Views of the Dining Room 229
THE HENRY W. WRIGHT HOUSE 236
The Living Room, and the Dining Room 237
Two Noteworthy Chambers 242
THE HOWLAND S. CHANDLER HOUSE 243
End View 248
The Hall 249
The Sun-Parlor, and the Living Room 252
The Den, and the Kitchen 253
CHAPTER I
IRISTHORPE
As you drove slowly along the country road, did you ever stop to
consider the many possibilities for development that lie hidden in the
old Colonial farmhouses found here and there? Some are situated quite a
distance from the main road, while others are placed practically on its
boundary line. Many of the types are disguised by the unattractive
additions that have been built to accommodate the growing needs of their
occupants. Others, with sagging roofs and weather-beaten exteriors,
stand mute witnesses of the days when our country was making history for
itself. Some of these unattractive old dwellings in their early days
sheltered the most ardent patriots of our land, men whose gallant deeds
have made them famous, and who now lie forgotten.
Fortunately for us, these old houses were not all built in the same
century, but present a variety of types which makes them all the more
interesting both to architect and house owner. The age of the house is
clearly defined in its design. Many of the earliest examples were framed
in white pine, a wood whose lasting qualities have been plainly shown
through their power to withstand the ravages of time. Others were
constructed of stone or brick and are equally interesting in character.
From an architectural standpoint, most of these houses, no matter how
dilapidated their condition, show good lines. To be sure, these are
often hidden under poor surroundings, for as the families grew larger
and additions became necessary, the new parts were often badly placed.
This makes it hard for an inexperienced eye to detect where the old
house leaves off and the additions begin. It must be remembered that the
early tillers of the soil took little interest in their homes save as
shelters for themselves and families, and chose for their buildings
material that lay nearest at hand. All their ready money was expended in
the building of large and spacious barns to house their cattle.
There is a wealth of possibilities in the reconstruction of old
farmhouses that are easily recognized by the experienced eye of the
architect. The study of lines which determine the size and design of
the old building is most interesting and teaches a lesson in old-time
architecture which is extremely fascinating. The adaptation of the house
to new and different purposes, the creation of a picturesque result
wholly unlike and yet following the lines of the original building,
calls into play not only skilful designing but careful planning.
Many of these old houses contain fine woodwork which is often hidden
under layer upon layer of hideous wall-paper bought with an eye to price
rather than good taste. The fireplaces are sometimes bricked up and
plastered over to permit the use of a modern "air-tight"; the wainscot
and molding are buried under coats of unattractive paint and give little
impression of their value until the original walls and woodwork lie
bare. Some houses, more especially those situated near the coast and
erected during the period of commercial prosperity, were built by ship
carpenters and wood-carvers during dull seasons. In these, one comes
occasionally upon a wonderful old fireplace or perchance a porch that
shows artistic carving. Many of these old dwellings naturally show
original treatment, and it is to these that the architects of to-day
turn for details to be introduced into the modified Colonial house. They
were built by men who were forced to use their brains, since they were
unable to turn to books for ideas.
As originally built, many of them stood with their backs to the road,
their long, sloping roofs sweeping to the ground, their front doors
opening on to extensive farm lands. Before the door usually stood the
father and mother elm, their graceful branches seeming to hover
protectingly over the dwellings. Many of the trees were there when the
houses were built, while others have replaced their worthy sires and
contribute a bit of landscape picturing that adds much to the
attractiveness of the home.
In these old houses, more especially those that are past complete
restoration, the architect of to-day frequently finds choice old
woodwork. Sometimes it is a rare bit of pumpkin pine such as is seldom
seen; again it is a fine old wainscot, or a wonderful staircase that has
been saved from the ravages of time. Often some of these details are
introduced into another remodeled farmhouse to replace parts too far
gone to be used. The growing vogue of the country home has led to the
restoration of many of these old-time farmhouses and has saved many a
valuable structure from falling into decay. Fortunately the appreciation
of their possibilities came before it was too late to save them from
destruction, although many that could have done service were allowed to
go to ruin. There are, however, many fine examples still standing, and
some of these have been altered to suit modern uses. Little wonder the
old farmhouse has come into its own, its attractiveness after remodeling
making it available for summer or all-the-year-round uses. To-day there
is scarcely a farm or country resort that does not show one or more of
these old-time buildings in their new dress. Some have interesting
history connected with them and are associated with legends that have
been handed down from generation to generation. Often the house has been
photographed to show both its former appearance and the results of the
restoration. Some owners, however, have given little thought to the
original structure, and it is left to the imagination to picture the
house as it used to be.
[Illustration: IRISTHORPE--FRONT VIEW]
It was six years ago, while hunting for a place to locate a summer home,
that Doctor and Mrs. Homer Gage of Worcester, Massachusetts, discovered
at Shrewsbury a simple little farmhouse, showing no claim to
architectural beauty. It was such an unattractive, plain, little
building, that only the experienced eye could discover its fine lines.
This house stood close by the dusty highway; the fence which formed the
boundary line had fallen into decay, while the farm lands, run down
through hard usage, showed no trace even of an old-fashioned garden,
such as many of the housewives of the earlier day so loved to tend. The
house was built before the Revolutionary War, being erected in 1760, and
was considered in those days to be a good example of what a farmhouse
stood for. Surely it was an excellent type, considering the usual lines
in the New England farmhouses of that day,--this small, unpretentious
dwelling, whose entrance door out of plumb and windows irregularly
placed made a curious combination that was in reality fascinating and
appealing.
It was two stories in height, with an attic under the eaves,--a hot
little place during the summer months and cold in winter, but good for
storage of furniture and unnecessary household belongings. The roof had
a pitch at the back and sloped to meet the kitchen, which was only one
story in height. Two sturdy, six-foot chimneys had been built on one
side of the house, as stoves were unknown in those days. The frame was
of white pine, well seasoned, and the timber hand-hewn, with the mark of
the adze plainly showing in the beams, for it was built when honest
labor prevailed and was as stanch as in the days when the bush stuck in
the chimney or ridge-pole showed that the carpenters' work was done. The
farm buildings were connected with the main house and comprised a barn,
hen-house, corn-crib, and byre, all huddled together in the most compact
kind of way. It had not been occupied since Doctor Brown, the original
owner, paid his last visit and left the house to its fate. The interior
was not as dilapidated as in most old houses, being in tolerably good
repair. And so, with little alteration, it was used as a dwelling house,
while the new home which was being built near the center of the estate
was erected.
After the cellar was built and the foundation partly laid, the work on
the new house was stopped. There was something about the old clapboarded
farmhouse that appealed so strongly to the new occupants that they fell
under its charm and decided not to supplant it by a modern home. But
the house stood too near the road; there was no privacy and no freedom
from dust. It was of such solid construction, however, that its moving
could be easily accomplished. So, slowly but surely, it slid down the
hill and finally rested on the foundations which had been designed for
the summer house.
[Illustration: The Entrance Porch]
Under the direction of Mr. George Hunt Ingraham, the remodeling was
begun. The old lines of the roof were left unaltered, and although more
room was needed, dormers were left out in its reconstruction. Nothing,
the new owners felt, could so destroy the lines of the house as to break
them with intrusions such as this. The long, unbroken skyline is one of
its greatest charms, and even the long slope at one side, reaching down
and over the one-story kitchen ell, has been carefully retained and adds
not a little to the harmonious effect of the whole structure. At the
front was added a small porch showing Colonial treatment, in the center
of which hang graceful vases filled with iris. The same latticed effect
was carried out across the front of the house in the space between the
windows of the first and second stories. On either side of the main
dwelling, outdoor living-rooms were secured by the introduction of
screened piazzas, the roofs of which were painted with water-proof
paint. One of these living-rooms opens on to a water-garden with its
arches of roses at one side of the house. It is fitted up with willow
furniture, in the coverings of which is introduced the prevailing
flower, the iris, which is also shown in the table cover and the shape
of the vase filled with the same flowers. The opposite porch is also
fitted up as a living-room and overlooks the home garden. The exterior
of the house is painted white with conventional green blinds, the
chimneys following the same treatment, while the windows remain
unchanged. The massive stone fireplaces were not taken out, although the
old kitchen chimney had to be altered slightly in order to meet present
needs. The house to-day overlooks extensive grounds and is embowered in
a wealth of rambler roses and iris. It resembles the old house in its
lines but shows in its remodeled form a most wonderful effect and
reveals what beautiful results can be obtained by correct restoration.
[Illustration: From the Garden]
The house is named "Iristhorpe," the name being chosen by the mistress
of the house, who since her childhood has taken great interest in the
iris because of a fairy tale told her by her grandmother, in which the
flower was supposed to be the home of the fairies.
[Illustration: The Entrance Porch. Another View]
With modern methods of living, it would have been an impossibility to
retain the old house in its entirety. More room was needed, and a
service department was an absolute necessity, but in its enlargement
such careful attention was paid to carrying out the lines of the
original type that to-day it is almost an impossibility to find where
the old house leaves off, and the new one commences. In the old
structure, as it stood facing the main road, there were three rooms in a
row on the first floor, with the kitchen ell attached at the rear, and
the upper part of the house cut up into small rooms. In remodeling,
these rooms were changed over into morning-room, living-room, and
library, and occupy the entire front of the house, just as they did in
the original building. They are connected with doors so carefully placed
in line that they give one the impression of greater space than is
really found at Iristhorpe. At the rear, the old kitchen was converted
into a most attractive hallway and stairway, with closets and lavatory
located at the farther side.
[Illustration: The Dining Room]
The dining-room, which is at the rear of the living-room, has been added
and conforms in every respect to the original design of the old house.
Back of this are the service rooms, which are admirably planned and
equipped with butler's pantry, servants' dining-room, kitchen pantry,
rear hall, and stairway, together with a kitchen. In the remodeling, the
second story was divided into four servants' bedrooms, a bathroom, and a
large sewing-room at the rear. An interesting feature is that this
department has no connection on the second floor with any other room in
the house.
The porch door opens directly into the living-room, which has never been
changed from its original place in the old house. Its central feature is
the old fireplace, which has been opened at the opposite side into the
new dining-room. This was originally the old kitchen chimney and
contained the brick oven. It has been bricked in for modern use, and
here, as throughout the house, the iris motive prevails. It is shown in
the graceful andirons, in the coverings of the Sheraton wing chair, in
the sofa pillows, and even in the lamp-shade. This room contains fine
woodwork, which is, in fact, a noticeable feature of every part of the
house, and the Colonial idea has been carefully carried out in all the
furniture used.
[Illustration: The Living Room]
The library opens out from the living-room at the right, and from that
one passes to the outdoor living-room. On the opposite side of the
living-room is the den or morning-room, with glass doors which open on
to the porch. Here again the iris is always the motive of decoration. In
this room particularly the old paneling has been retained, as have the
old strap hinges and latches, which, when missing, have been replaced by
others of like design. This room was originally the doctor's office, and
in the cupboard was found, at the purchase of the house, some of his old
stock.
One of the most interesting rooms is the dining-room, which contains an
old brick oven and paneling so exactly corresponding to the character of
the original that at first glance it is impossible to differentiate
between them, either in age or workmanship. The window sashes, with
their small well-shaped panes, give to the room an appropriate scale,
and the old iron and brass hinges and latches lend an effective tone.
The iris, charming in nature and no less decorative in its
conventionalized form, appears here and there in the carved woodwork and
always gives a delicate twist to the Colonial design it embellishes. The
beamed ceiling carries out the old-time idea, while wonderful
Japanese panels have been inserted in the finish over the fireplace, and
huge iron andirons show an exact reproduction of the fleur-de-lis. This
flower is found also in the cushions of the Chippendale chairs, the
decoration of the table, the china, and in a beautiful Japanese screen
of most graceful design that hides the service entrance into this room.
[Illustration: The Morning Room]
The white woodwork is a noticeable feature of the interior, where
harmony has been so carefully maintained that on entering one feels as
if he were in a really old house, rather than one restored. It should be
noted that in the architectural treatment, especial consideration has
been given to lighting and air; the windows have been distributed so
that the light is concentrated, giving the rooms an effect of
cheerfulness that could not be obtained otherwise. Even the hanging of
the curtains, which are of the Colonial type, adds to the charm of the
house.
[Illustration: The Out-door Living Room]
The bedrooms, on the second floor, of which there are four, show the
same low stud that is characteristic of the lower floor. They are small
but most conveniently fitted up, even to the conversion of a small
closet, which the architect had considered impractical for use, into an
extra bathroom. Every bit of available space has been made usable.
An unusual feature is the guest house, which has been created in the
second story of the large stable which stands at one side of the estate.
This is especially useful for week-end parties. The loft has been
converted into a suite of bedrooms, pool-rooms, and a screened veranda
that can be used for sleeping accommodations.
Iristhorpe might be called a conventional farmhouse, one of the type met
with on almost every country road. It has no exterior adornment of any
kind, but is a fine example of how a picturesque building can be evolved
from an unattractive one, and is probably one of the best examples of
remodeling that can be found. The house is typical of the best American
architecture, and credit should be given the pioneer who first laid the
foundation of the old farmhouse. As Iristhorpe now stands, its graceful
lines cannot be improved upon, and clever as the alterations undoubtedly
are, the great fascination that grips us as we view the house arises
from the fact that it is a part of the early architecture, when hewn
beams were first primed together, and when dwellings were erected that
would endure for centuries.