THE CHARLES MARTIN LOEFFLER HOUSE
It was a staircase that was responsible for the remodeling of one house
which had no other unusual feature. It was designed by a village
carpenter whose object was four walls and a shelter rather than
architectural beauty. The structure was so simple and unobtrusive that
it did not arouse any enthusiasm in the heart of the architect who
examined it, for it presented no chance to show his ability in its
remodeling. It was the kind of a farmhouse that one would find in almost
any suburban town, built without any pretensions, its only good feature
being the staircase which saved it from passing into oblivion and caused
it to be remodeled into a charming, all-the-year-round home.
It had been unoccupied for a long period and with exterior
weather-beaten and interior uninhabitable, it presented a forlorn
appearance, repelling to most would-be purchasers. It stood by the side
of a traveled road and in its best days was occupied by a farmer and
his family who cared more for the barn adjoining the house than they did
for the farmhouse itself.
The estate was a large one that had been neglected and allowed to run
down until weeds and rank grass were so intermingled that it seemed a
discouraging task to bring it back into a good state of cultivation.
Adjoining the house, and connected with it by a shed, was a large barn
with sagging roof and so dilapidated that it seemed past restoring.
Across the front, defining the estate, was once a neat paling fence that
had been torn down until only a small portion remained.
Many acres of the estate were meadow-land which swept to the horizon of
trees, yet the once fine apple orchard, though sadly in need of pruning,
showed promise, and there were possibilities in the whole estate that
needed only attention and development to make them profitable. There had
been no one to care for the old house, and it stood discouraged by the
roadside awaiting a sympathetic owner.
[Illustration: Before Remodeling]
It was in this condition when first seen by Mr. Charles Martin Loeffler,
whose experienced eye discerned its possibilities. It is the wise man
who fits his house to his grounds and who in the general scheme
considers its surroundings. The grass land, the garden, the orchards,
the fencing of the estate, each one of which demands separate treatment,
should be so arranged that they will be profitable in the end. The new
owner realized this and also that he could not be too careful in
combining house and garden so that they would make a harmonious whole.
The location was ideal, quiet and retired and exactly what had been most
desired, so the remodeling was placed in the hands of a careful
architect, who, after thoroughly considering the situation, decided it
could not be done. It was then that Mr. Loeffler took the matter into
his own hands, drawing exact plans of what was necessary to achieve the
desired result, and it was under his personal direction that the workmen
began to remodel the unattractive little cottage. It was borne in mind
that even the addition of a porch or veranda must be carefully
considered to avoid confusion of architecture so that the house itself,
when finished, should follow a single idea and not a composite mass of
details that were entirely out of place and in bad taste. It was
realized that no house, no matter how situated, should have discordant
surroundings. Out-buildings should not be allowed to mar the symmetry
of the house and should be removed so that they would not be an eyesore
but in keeping with the general plan.
The house itself, however, demanded attention first; it was very small,
with a pitched roof in the upper story and a long ell connecting it with
the farm buildings. The exterior was left practically as when first
purchased, with the exception of a small and well-planned porch at the
front, a long ell for servants' quarters, and a wide veranda at the rear
that extended the entire length of the house. In the porch settles were
added on either side which help to give the house an air of dignity and
invite the guest to rest and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
[Illustration: As Remodeled]
The screened-in veranda at the back is used as an out-of-doors
living-room. It is wide, carpeted with rugs, and furnished with simple
but substantial pieces. It is a most comfortable place, where charming
views and wonderful vistas can be enjoyed, for beyond lie the old
orchard with the meadows between and a background of finger-pointed
pines that seemingly melt into the blue of the sky. Trellises were built
on the garden side of the house to carry vines, but this was after the
house had been given a coat of white paint and the blinds painted green.
Over the veranda a balcony was built which can be used for outdoor
sleeping purposes if desired. The picket fence was restored and painted
white to match the coloring of the house, and a stone wall was built at
the farther end to enclose the garden; on the outside wild shrubs were
planted to give a note of color to the gray stone. The old trees,
pruned, took on a new life and are now in a most nourishing condition;
across the entire front, as a partial screening, silver-leafed poplars
were planted. The farm lands were reclaimed, new trees planted in the
old apple orchard, and at the side of the house an attractive garden was
laid out with a background of apple-trees. It was a small garden, only
about an eighth of an acre in size, and filled with old-fashioned
flowers to make it harmonize with the period in which the house was
built. A single path divides it in two, and its color schemes have been
given careful study.
At one side of the garden a rustic pergola has been built with a central
path of grass, and over this a grapevine has been trained which makes it
a restful, shady place in summer, while in early fall the vines are
loaded with great clusters of purple grapes. Everywhere surrounding the
garden are stretches of green lawns that prove a fitting setting to the
bright blossoms in the trim and well-kept beds. The fields beyond have
been brought back to a good state of cultivation and present a beautiful
green tract beyond which stretch rich meadows with waving grass where
flit the bobolink and the red-winged blackbird. In the trees around the
house orioles and robins nest, while everywhere the old apple-trees
grow, many of them gnarled and twisted with age. In the early fall,
loaded with fruit, they form an attractive color note of red and yellow
in the landscape. Great care has been taken to remove the branches of
the old trees in order to afford attractive vistas. This gives a
landscape picture carefully planned and creates a delightful feeling of
restfulness and a sense of relief from the bustle of city life.
Over the porch has been built a lattice to be covered eventually with
rambler roses, and in order to obtain more light, clusters of windows
have been let in on either side of the front door.
The interior as well as the exterior has been carefully planned with a
regard to light and views. One enters the house through the little
porch and finds himself in a spacious hallway which extends to the
living-room. The staircase is at the right of the' entrance. It is not a
primitive affair of the ladder type which is the earliest on record;
neither is it steep with flat treads, high risers and molded box
stringers, but the kind that shows simple posts and rail with plain
balusters. It is of the box stringer type and has no carving in either
post or balusters; it is perfectly straight and leads by easy treads to
the second-story floor.
[Illustration: The Dining Room]
The dining-room is at the left of the hallway and is a room built for
comfort and for everyday life, showing plenty of windows. A feature is
the great, open fireplace and the bricked chimney-breast, with small
closets at one side. The woodwork in this room is the same that was in
the house when it was discovered by Mr. Loeffler and, cleaned and
treated to a coat of paint, is most attractive. The wide board floor has
been retained and stained dark to bring out the color schemes of the
rugs.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: Two Views of the Living Room]
This room leads directly into the living-room which extends entirely
across the house and is also entered from the hallway. Its windows face
the green fields studded with trees and also overlook the
old-fashioned garden which is near enough to the house so that every
summer breeze wafts the perfume of its flowers to the occupants. A
central feature is a bricked-in fireplace that has been built into the
room. Instead of plastering, the old oaken cross-beams have been left in
their original state, and the room is finished with a wainscot painted
white, above which is a wall covering of Japanese grass-cloth. Bookcases
form an important furnishing of this room which also contains many
pieces of antique furniture. It is a cheerful, homelike apartment, into
which the sun shines practically all day long. Through large French
windows one steps from the living-room on to the veranda. The second
story is devoted to chambers and bath.
Its location has a distinctive charm, as it is not too near the city or
too far away from neighbors. It is well adapted for outdoor living, with
its wide, inviting veranda and the side garden where bloom the stately
phlox, the gaudy poppies, and the bright-hued marigold.
[Illustration: THE STUDIO OPPOSITE THE CHARLES M. LOEFFLER HOUSE]
[Illustration: The Music Room in the Studio Building]
As time went on, the house grew too small for the owner's needs, and so
another house just across the way that had passed its prime and stood
desolate and deserted was also purchased and remodeled into a studio,
one room expressly designed for Mr. Loeffler's work,--large and
commodious with high, vaulted ceiling. Here, too, a veranda was built
across one end that can be used if need be for an outdoor living-room.
It is shaded by many trees, more especially some fine old elms whose
graceful branches shadow the house, while a stretch of lawn extends to
the street. Across the front a paling fence corresponding in style to
that across the street was built, entrance being through a swinging gate
that leads directly to the outside porch. This house shows less
remodeling than the first one; it is principally in the interior that
changes have been made. The whole front of the house is made into a
music-room of unusual type, being hung with pictures of the old masters.
Here the second-story flooring has been removed, and the ceiling vaulted
and sheathed, in order to secure acoustic properties.
A large chimney has been introduced into the inner wall, with brick
mantel and chimney breast, and big enough to hold a six-foot log. The
floors are of polished hardwood, and the ornamentation shows Chinese
ships hung upon the walls,--an interesting feature for interior
decoration. The room is entered through French windows that lead on to
the outside porch.
In addition to the music-room, this house is also used for the caretaker
and week-end guests. The long ell at one side is used for the former,
while at the back of the music-room several rooms are fitted up for the
use of guests, thus solving a problem that is to-day vexing the minds of
many a house owner, more especially in suburban towns.
There is about the whole place a restfulness that has been achieved by
careful planning and attention to details. There is no part of the
estate where one may wander without coming upon picturesque bits of
landscape, that while apparently in their natural state, yet are
restored and preserved with a true appreciation of nature. This estate
is a lesson in reclaiming and remodeling that cannot fail to be
instructive to all home builders. It goes to show that forethought and
ingenuity can create a comfortable and inviting home in the midst of
desolation, and transform an old dilapidated cottage into a charming and
picturesque abode.