Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 235, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1911 — THE American Home [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE American Home

WILLIAM A. RADFORD Editor

Mr. Witttam A. Radford will anawer XfSSSttlilia and give advice FREE OF COOT on all subjects pertaining to the Mhjiul of buUdtnc. for the readers of this Raper. On account of his wide experience an ■ttter. Author and Manufacturer, he M, without doubt, the highest authority on an these subjects. Address ail inquiries to William A. Radford, No. 178 West Jackson boulevard, Chicago, HL. and only antiose two-coat stamp for reply. When pinned right down to action, an building owner wants a cheap job on Ida house. If cheap work la accepted by the owner, it la usually because he la Incompetent to judge. Interior workmanship and materials a Httie under the best grades look all right to him. and a poorly built job goes through; but inferiority is bound to show up later on. Moat architecta are loyally and energetically trying to get good work on every building they design, whether a 13,000 house or a >3,000,000 office building. Most contractors take pride ta building up a reputation for honesty and integrity, since their earnest, conscientious methods of doing business are as much in the interests ofarchitecture as in their own. Tnere Is no excuse for cheap work. Every inferior job is occupying space which would be better utilised by a budding of endwring construction. It endangers surrounding buildings, depreciates the entire architectural profession and contracting trade by conveying false ideas of cost to building owners, and hgrts reputations of architects, builders and owners. Even in real estate work, houses bunt to sell bring no profit in the long nm to owners through whose hands they pass, unless they are honestly bunt On the other hand, most reputable real estate operators have proved time and time again that well-built attractively designed houses yield larger profit although the first cost any be much greater than for houses fllmsily built. When it comes to frame houses, the beet is none too good, as a frame

structure Is under greater stress of wear and tear than any other by reaaon of the perishable quality of the Material. They should, therefore, be beflt substantially of the best structural material obtainable. It Is also Important for houses to be finished well Inside, if they are to prove a desirable investment. For Instance, hardwood doors and trim cost very little more than soft wood, yeTTncrease the value of the property many times. Also, the important rooms of the house need some central architectural feature to catch the eye

at the first glance—the key-note, as 11 were, to the room. From the earliest days of building, the fireplace with its accompanying mantel shelf has served as that feature in every country whose climate has made artificial warmth a necessary thing in winter. Even though we have provided for the actual warmtag of the house by means of hot- air furnace or steam heater, there is a uoatlment that makes the open flrethe center of the home circle. There is a sense of warmth in the eight of the fire that does not belong the steam radiator or the grated

hole in the wall or floor through which a stream of over-heated air is pouring. The fireplace must be planned tor in building the house, or it must be done without. It is almost impossible, at least It is very expensive, to put one in as an after-thought after the building is otherwise completed. The selection of the mantel is something deserving careful consideration. Wood mantels will naturally be chosen for the dwelling house of average

cost, because the trim of the windows and doors is made of wood, and the mantel made of the same material and finished in the same color will harmonise with the general decorative scheme of the room far better than one made of any other material. Most architects want mantels made from their own special designs and expressing their own individuality; but this will cost more than a mantel selected from the catalogue of some manufacturer who makes a specialty of mantels and who effects a consid-

erable saving on the cost of the individual mantel by making up each pattern in considerable quantities. Were it possible nowadays to obtain only those clumsy and ugly patterns which were found in the best catalogues a dozen years or so ago, there might be some necessity for having specially designed mantels in your house; but the same evidence of the progress of good faith is to be found in the present-day factory mantels that will be found in up-to-date furniture. Nobody thinks nowadays of going to a cabinet maker and having him make our tables chairs, bedsteads, or chiffoniers to order. Instead, we visit the furniture store, where we find in stock, or will be shown photographs of them in the catalogues, artistic and well-made furniture of every period style, as well as in the modem so-called “new art” or “craftsman" type. The design shown herewith has been selected as a worthy example of some of these points already brought out Although of comparatively small size, the plans and specifications for this design call for an exceptionally well-built structure. The design provides for a compact residence, and permits of nothing showy or elaborately ornate to become dilapidated or to get out of style. The interior of the house is arranged most extensively, with a good sized reception hall, large connecting living room and dining room, besides the kitchen and pantry on the first floor. The central decorative feature of the interior is a large open fireplace with beautiful mantel, in the living rooom. A sideboard of buffet could also very easily be built into the space left for it along the inner wall of the dining room. Altogether, the effect of the downstairs is light and cheerful and exceedingly homelike.

On the second floor are two large bedrooms with clothes closets. The bathroom is also on this floor, being directly over the kitchen. This house has been built complete for >2,500, using thorough construction and good grade of building materials. The total size is 11 feet wide by 35 feet long.

First Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan