Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 188, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1910 — The American Home [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The American Home

WILLIAJ^Xr RADFORDS Editor^

Mr. William A- Radford will answer Questions and give advice FREE OF COST on all subjects pertaining to the subject of building for the readers of this paper. On account of his wide experience as Editor, Author and Manufacturer, he Is, without doubt, the highest authority on all these subjects. Address all inquiries to William A. Radford. No. 194 Fifth Ave., Chicago, 111., and only enclose two-cent stamp for reply. It Is sometimes quite a problem to design a house of medium size and moderate cost for a large family. If one is able to put up a residence of unlimited size with wings and ells and third-story additions, at the same time having no thought as to the cost, the task of the architect in providing suitable accommodations for all the members of a large household Is comparatively easy. All he has to think of Is the architectural effect; and, other things being equal, the larger the, house the more beautiful and Imposing It Is from an architectural standpoint. Unfortunately, however, or rather fortunately, the great majority of home builders in this country have to count the cost and have to figure to get the required accommodations in a residence of medium size and cost. And it is just this which has brought the science of house planning to such perfection during the past four or five years. Architects have made a special study of the requirements of the small or medium sized residence, with the result that today American house planning has reached a degree of perfection never before equaled. The house illustrated herewith is one of these designs. In size 29

feet 6 Inches by 36 feet, and costing S3OOO, this house gives ample accommodations for a large family. The first floor is very little broken up, most of the space being given to the large living room, 13 by 28 feet the dining room, 13 by 18 feet, and the large central stair hall connecting these two rooms. Thus more than three-fourths of the entire downstairs space 1b available for the activities of the home life. The large porch, 26 feet 6 Inches by 7 feet, forms a valuable addition aIBO to this space. The second floor, on the other hand, Is divided into five bedrooms, each rather small, yet large enough for all practical purposes. Each bedroom has a clothes closet in connection. The general design and exterior appearance of this house is of a type which right now is enjoying a great popularity. It Is exceedingly simple,

being square and plain and without ornamentation, yet the low hip roof, the grouping of the windows, the projecting alii courses and the general proportions of the parts unite to make this a very pleasing design. Cement plaster on wood lath is the method of construction used for this design. Stucco siding has been used almost to the entire exclusion of clapboards, shingles, etc., on all houses built during the past three or four years, and has proved entirely satisfactory. When this-form of siding was Brat introduced the claim was made for It that no painting would ever be required aver it Experience has proved otherwise however, especially In cities where there Is a gfeat deal of fmoke'and dirt, cement plaster walls require brightening up with paint the 'MUM as any,other surface. There are kpecial paints and preparations for •** , r*f 'r *- - • ** “■‘rfe N r

this purpose which do double duty in this respect, acting both as a waterproofing coat and as an artistic coloring. Cement plaster does not require painting so often as clapboards, it is true. One coat every five years should be enough to keep the building in first-class condition in any atmosphere. . As a general thing the cement plaster Biding is liked because it gives the Impression of permanence and durability at a cost only slightly in excess

of that of clapboards. At the same time it affords a slight protection against fire, even though wood lath is used. With metal lath the cement plaster coating may become a real fireproofing. This design, combining these desirable modern features of materials, in-

terior arrangement and exterior appearance, is one of the best yet produced. «

Second Floor Plan

First Floor Plan