THE FRANKLIN BRETT HOUSE
Floors are an important detail in the remodeled house. Sometimes the
original building has many that are in fairly good condition so that
they can be saved. There is a great advantage in keeping these old
floors if possible, for they were made with plain edge, of strong timber
and laid close together. The earliest floors were not double in
treatment, therefore the edges had to be either lapped or rabbited.
These wide boards that were used in the early construction stand the
test of furnaces and modern heating a great deal better than do modern
ones of the same width. The latter are much more apt to shrink and open
joints. It will be found that the better floors are in the second story
in almost every house.
It is probable, however, that if you are remodeling your house, you will
have to lay at least one or more floors, and in such cases, matched
hemlock is the most advisable for the under floor; but the boards
should be laid diagonally and close together. The usual method is to lay
them matching the upper floor. It is a great mistake, even if advised to
do so by an architect, to lay only one floor, for with shrinkage come
cracks through which cold air and dust can rise; even a carpet does not
remedy the trouble.
Hardwood boards make the most popular floors and come in varying
thicknesses, the oak being generally three eighths of an inch thick and
the North Carolina pine averaging seven eighths of an inch. Both are
employed for new floors and for re-covering old, soft-wood ones. The
narrow width of oak is more satisfactory, as the narrower the stock the
smaller the space between the strips and the less danger of unsightly
appearance. They may be a little more expensive than the wider ones, but
they make a much better showing. Then, too, the shading and figure blend
more harmoniously than when the broader strips are employed.
Narrow widths also obviate any danger of the flooring strips cupping, as
they are laid and stay absolutely flat. One should be careful not to lay
oak flooring while the walls and plaster are damp; in fact, if you have
to do much remodeling, the floor should be the last thing attended to,
as it is a better plan to get everything else done and thoroughly
dried--even to painting, wall hangings, and decorating.
Hard pine is best for the kitchen, as it does not splinter, is more
reasonable in price, and has fine wearing qualities. It must be taken
into consideration that oak flooring is cheaper in the end than carpet.
A yard of carpet is twenty-seven inches wide by three feet in length and
contains six and three quarters square feet. Clear quartered-oak
flooring can be bought, laid, and polished for one dollar per carpet
yard, and when you consider the lasting qualities of the wood and the
beauty of a polished floor, you will make no mistake to put in one of
the better quality, more sanitary, and the best background for rugs,
instead of laying a floor of cheap wood.
Carpets, with the exception of straw matting, are inadvisable for a home
like this. They are unsanitary, hold the dust, and are not nearly as
attractive as rugs. These may vary in price with the purse of the owner,
and can range from Oriental rugs, costing hundreds of dollars, to the
simple rag rug which is always appropriate and in good taste.
The absolute carrying out of the Colonial idea is not necessary, for it
would not be appropriate to have old-fashioned rag mats in every room of
the house. They can be used, however, in the dining-room or in the
chambers, and to-day the woven rag carpets and mats are so attractive in
their weave and so lasting that they are satisfactory adjuncts to the
house furnishings. In the parlor and living-room, while they can be used
if desired, there are so many attractive low-priced rugs, both Oriental
and domestic, that it is an easy matter to get something both suitable
and in good taste.
[Illustration: THE FRANKLIN BRETT HOUSE--FRONT VIEW]
This attention to floors and their covering is nowhere better shown than
in the Franklin Brett House at North Duxbury, Massachusetts. This house,
which is over two hundred and fifty years old, was put up at auction
several years ago, at just the time when the present owner was looking
for an old farmhouse to remodel. It was a double house that had been
occupied by two families. The frame, excepting certain parts of the
first floor joints and also portions of the sills, was in very good
condition, but the first-floor boarding was badly worn and was not fit
to be retained for use. It was replaced by a new one of narrow boards.
The second story, however, was in much better condition, and the floors,
with the exception of the one in the bathroom, could all be used. The
house was particularly ugly, displaying a combination of bright yellow
paint and dark red trim, and the exterior was wholly devoid of any
artistic design.
[Illustration: Before Remodeling]
At the front of the house there was a wide porch;--just a simple
flooring and two doors that stood side by side. The old place was so
forlorn that it was bid in during the excitement of the auction partly
out of sympathy. It showed so little possibilities that at first the
owner was doubtful whether it had been a good purchase, for the building
did not in any way fit his ideal of what was desired in order to make a
suitable summer home.
[Illustration: As Remodeled]
After careful examination, however, various possibilities were
discovered indicating that there was a very good chance to make it
attractive. Originally the house was built for one family only; in
architecture it was square-framed, containing two stories and an attic,
with ells at the rear and one side and a deep, sloping roof broken by
two chimneys. In the old house there were nine rooms on the first floor
and five rooms and a hallway on the second. Some of these on the first
floor have been combined by removing partitions to make a living-room
and dining-room, together with a hallway.
[Illustration: The Pergola-Porch]
In the living-room were found some hand-hewn, second-floor joists, and
it was decided to leave these exposed and plaster in between them,
instead of bringing the ceiling down to its original level. In
practically every room the plaster was in good condition and needed only
to be treated in places. The chimneys were touched up wherever needed,
but on the whole very few repairs were necessary. In the lower story
to-day there are four rooms and a good-sized hall, while the second
story is divided into six rooms and a bathroom. Five additional windows
were added down-stairs and two in the second story, in order to secure
proper light. Very little new material was put into the house, the work
consisting chiefly of tearing out old material and patching woodwork and
plaster. At the rear of the house, on a line with the larger ell,--the
smaller kitchen ell having been torn down,--a rustic pergola was
constructed and a covered veranda, over which grape-vines were trained
for shade. The roof was partially reshingled, and the house was painted
light gray with white trim, with green for the blinds. At the front a
Colonial porch was added with latticed sides and a settle, which is in
direct keeping with the architecture of the house. In its remodeled
condition, with its setting of closely cropped lawn, it bears little
resemblance to the ugly farmhouse of a few years ago.
There was no plumbing in the old house, so a single bathroom was put in,
a hot-water boiler was added in the kitchen, and a hot-air engine and
pump were installed in the cellar which furnish water under pressure
from a thousand-gallon supply tank. Later on, a hot-water heater was
installed, so that with the modern improvements the house was made very
comfortable for habitation all the year round if desired.
[Illustration: A First-floor Vista]
The original parlor on the left has been utilized for a morning-room;
the bedroom, dining-room, and pantry have been combined into a
living-room. The partitions between the old hallways have been removed,
converting them into one good-sized hall. The remaining portion of the
old dining-room has been made into a large pantry. The kitchen in the
main ell has been left practically unchanged as to size and shape,
although the shed opening from it, as well as the kitchen itself, have
been entirely renovated and equipped with up-to-date improvements.
Paint and paper and rugs have effected an interior transformation that
is most attractive. There are no doors in the house, wide openings
making it appear as though it were one large room.
The hallway is entered from the Colonial porch and is unique because of
its spaciousness. The stairs are at the further end, opposite the door.
The Colonial atmosphere has been maintained in the wall hangings, the
braided rag mats, and the old furniture.
At the left of the hall is the morning-room with its wide, open
fireplace, its Colonial paper, and Oriental rugs which are in color
tones to correspond with the paper.
[Illustration: The Living Room]
Opening from this room is the living-room, where the same kind of rugs
are laid on the hardwood floor. In this room, after the house was
purchased, a fireplace was discovered hidden away behind the partition.
It was opened up and restored to its original size. At one side a closet
was glassed in, while in either corner cosy, built-in settles give an
inglenook effect that is very interesting. The furnishings are wholly
Colonial and in keeping with the general character of the apartment.
Here the low stud, the beamed ceiling, the depth and lightness of the
room, are most attractive. From the long French window one steps out on
grass land which commands a most attractive vista of shrubbery and
trees.
In the planting around the house, great care has been taken to secure
shade and picturesqueness, so that in its new life the remodeled
farmhouse is surrounded by charming effects.
On the opposite side of the hallway one enters the long dining-room. It
is finished in red and white, with one-toned hangings; at the farther
end is a quaint corner cupboard; a handsome fireplace has been
introduced at one side. Many of the pieces in this room are very rare,
especially the Hepplewhite sideboard, the chair-table that was once
owned by Governor Bradford, and the rush-bottomed chairs. Long glass
windows open on the side veranda and combine with attractively grouped
windows to make this room light and cheerful.
Opening out of this is the pantry, conveniently equipped with cupboards
and shelves, and beyond is the kitchen and shed which have been made
entirely modern in their appointments.
The chambers up-stairs are large, square, and fitted up with furniture
of the period. In taking a "secret" cupboard out of a closet, there
was discovered some paneling that had been plastered and papered over.
On removing the plaster, it was found that the whole side of the room
was paneled. By the restoration of this old-time finish, the chamber
became even more indicative of the period in which it was built. Here
the wall hangings are all Colonial in design.
Few houses, even among the many that are being restored, have retained
the old-time atmosphere throughout as completely as has this farmhouse.
Each room has been made comfortable and given an air of space, and
consistency has been shown in the furnishing, thus securing a result
that is perfectly harmonious and in the best of taste. By comparing the
appearance of the old house at the time of its purchase with the results
that have been obtained, one realizes how much thought and care have
been put into its every part. The lines remain the same but have been
extended by the introduction of the pergola at one side and a porch
which are very attractive features in themselves. The combination of old
and new, correctly treated, has done much to make a harmonious whole.