The country house; a practical manual of the planning and construction of the American country home and its surroundings

Front matter

Residence of Mrs. Elizabeth O. T. McKay, at West Medford, Mass. Wm. Y. Peters, Architect.

A simple modern treatment of the Colonial, retaining some of the interesting crudeness of the parent style.

Illustrated by KK30DERH0LTZ ~ " : and others. i'”

Chapter I. — Selection of the Site

Business centre (5) — Sources of supply — Privacy — Public nuisances (6) — Soil (8) — Water supply and drainage (10) — Natural possibilities (n)— Purchase (12) — Title and deed — Style and site (13) — Practical example (15;.

Chapter II. — Planning the House

Client and architect (22)— Rough sketches (25)— Rules of planning (26)— Practical example (32).

Chapter III. — Construction of the Shell

Soil (42) — Laying out — Foundation (43) — Concreting (45) — Underpinning — Piers (46) — Braced frame (47) — Balloon frame (49) — Floor timbers (51) — Partitions (52) —Roof (54) — Boarding (55) — Floors (56) — Brick walls (57) — Stone walls — Lathing (58)— Plastering (59).

Chapter IV. — Details of Finish

Cornices (61) — Gutters (64) — Conductors — Roof shingle (65) — Slate — Tile (66) — Flashing (68) — Outside finish (70) — Stucco — Brick (72) — Window and door openings (73) — Stonework (74) — Piazza (75) — Steps— Interior details (76) — Painting (78) — Hardware (79).

Chapter IX. — Living and Other Rooms

Drawing room (150) — Reception room — Library (152) — Smoking room (154) — “Den” (155) — Billiard room (156) — Morning room (157) — Salon (158) — Ballroom— Music room (161) — Bedchamber (162) — Boudoir — Dressing room (165).

Chapter X. — The Dining Room and Kitchen and thf.ir Relations Early treatment (166) — Banquet hall (167) — Breakfast room (168) — Dining room (169) — Furniture (1 7 1) — Kitchen (172) — Practical example (179).

Chapter XI. — Heating, Ventilation and Lighting

Adaptation (183) — Natural heat (184) — The fireplace — The stove (185) — The furnace (186) — Direct radiation (189) — Indirect radiation — Direct-indirect radiation (190) — Systems of steam and hot water (191) — Ventilation (193)— Inlet and outlet locations (194) — General principles (195)— Example (198) — Lighting (201).

Chapter XII. — Plumbing

Service (205) — Tank-supply system (207) — Hot-water boiler (208) — Pipes (210)— Cocks (213) — Pump (214) — Tanks (217) — Lavatory — Sink (219) — Tubs (220)— Shower bath — Closets (221) — Wastes — Traps (222) -Back-vent system (224) — The simple system (225) — Tests (227).

Chapter XIII. — Water Supply and Drainage

Problems (228) — Water (229) Wells (230) Springs— --Storage (236)— The “ram” (241) — Pumps (242) — “Under” and “deep” drainage (243) — Sewerage (244)— The cesspool (445) — Sub-soil system (247) — Garbage (249).

Chapter XIV. — Outbuildings, Gateways, Etc

Stables (250) — Barns (255) — Poultry houses (257) — Pigeon houses (260) — Automobile houses — Ice houses (261) — Boat houses (263) — Bath houses (264) — Swimming (266) — Gate lodges (267) — Fences (268) — Gateways (270).

Chapter XV. — Gardens and Their Accessories

First considerations (273) — Formal gardens (275) — House and garden (277) — Flowers (278) — Pergola (281) — Arbour and trellises (282) — Summer houses, fences and walls (283) — Steps (284) — Seats (285) — Fountains (280) - Sun dials, statuary and garden pots (287) — Urns, free columns, Herma; and lanterns (288) — Bridges and gates — Old models (289).

Chapter XVI. — Contract and Specifications

Remarks (299)— Form of contract (300) — Remarks (303) — Form of specifications (303) — Masonry (304) — Carpentry (306) — Metal work (311) — Painting (312) — Plumbing (3x3).

Chapter XVII.— Practical Hints ....... This chapter is arranged alphabetically

PACE

LLUoTRATIONijV^np

Old door-knocker from Goldsboro, Me.

Pool and Casino at the Falkner Farm, Brookline, Mass. Charles H. Platt, architect ....

House at Bronxville, N. Y.

Residence of Mrs. Elizabeth O. T. McKay Old Nichols’s doorway and gates at Salem, Mass.

Porch in the style of French half-timber work A modern hallway ......

An Italian jar .......

House on the “North Shore,” Mass.

Facing Chapter I. — Entrance Gates to “Maxwell Court”

. Cover inlay.

. Front lining

Half title . Frontispiece

. T itle page

. Dedication

. . Preface

Contents List of Illustrations

PAGE

. . . 2

Heading, Chapter I. — The Maine hill country ..... 3

A California avenue of palms ........ 4

The old Royal House, Medford, Mass. ....... 5

A bit of the Berkshire Hills ......... 7

A summer cottage at Boothbay, Me. ....... 9

The lodge at “Yaddo,” Saratoga ........ 10

An estate on the Hudson River . . . . . . . .11

Looking across Newfound Lake, N. H. ...... 12

The Orchard House, Concord, Mass. ....... 13

A site in Roxbury, Mass. ......... 14

A California vineyard .......... 14

xiii

XIV

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS — Continued.

PAGE

On the Penobscot River, Me. . . . . . . .15

A site on the Hudson River. A practical example . . . . 16 & 17

A hill site in Dutchess County, N. Y. . . . . . .18

View of Frenchman’s Bay . . . . . . . . .19

Old birch growth on the Maine coast ....... 20

Heading. Chapter II. — A $12,000 house of field stone .... 22

House at Osterville, Mass. ......... 23

Brick and stucco house at Manchester, Mass. ..... 24

An excellent adaptation of English and French half-timber work . . 25

Log and stone house at Bar Harbor, Me. ...... 26

Residence of E. S. Hand, Esq., Southport, Conn. ..... 27

Stucco house in the English influence ....... 28

An excellent example of English design . . . . . 29

Plan of the practical example on the Maine coast ..... 30

Plan and views of the site on the Maine coast . . . . • 31

Stucco house at Glen Ridge, N. J. . . . . . . .32

Another view of the Glen Ridge house ....... 33

A Most interesting stone house ........ 34

The Old Royal House, Medford, Mass. ...... 35

A stucco house at Cohassett, Ma ss 36

Entrance side of Cohassett house ........ 37

A gambrel-roofed Colonial house ........ 3^

An eight-room gardener’s cottage ........ 40

House of General Harrison Gray Otis ....... 41

Heading, Chapter III. — A modern Colonial house .... 42

Fig. 1. — Showing the use of batter-boards ...... 43

House at Lawrence Park ......... 43

Fig. 2. — Sections showing wood and brick construction ... 45

Central motive of the Hammond House ...... 46

Fig. 3. — Braced framing ......... 47

Fig. 4. — Balloon framing ......... 48

Showing rough stucco walls ... ...... 49

“Maxwell Court,” Rockville, Conn. ....... 5°

Fig. 5. — Section through frame of house . . . . . • 51

A simple cottage ........... 52

House at Bronxville, N. Y. . . . . • • • -53

Showing a rough-stone and shingle combination ..... 54

Portion of old Whipple House . . . . . . . -55

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS — Continued.

XV

PAGE

House at Chestnut Hill, Mass. ........ 56

“Foregate,” the summer home of Mrs. Gordon Price .... 57

“Eastover,” at Wyoming, N. J. . . . . . . .58

A modern development of the Colonial ....... 59

A simple New York State type ........ 59

Court side of Royal House ......... 60

Heading, Chapter IV. — A mission house Fig. 6. — Sections of wooden cornices Portion of house near Philadelphia, Pa.

“Maxwell Court” ....

Entrance motive to house in Swampscott, Mass Entrance motive to house at Peterboro, N. H.

Entrance to a brick house

Entrance motive to house at Locust Valley, L. I.

Living side of house at Kingston, N. Y.

Entrance motive to house at Philadelphia Servants’ quarters of house at Newburgh Portion of house at Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Fig. 7. — Portion of chimney .

Showing difference between pine and cedar shingles Fig. 8. — The square window Entrance to “Belle Aire”

Fig. 9. — Several types of stone wall Fig. 10. — A portion of brick or stone gable Three chimneys adapted to the English style Showing an open cornice, etc.

Page from modern hardware catalogue Old music gallery at Alexandria, etc.

66 66

68 69

Heading, Chapter V. — Old Dutch door ...... 80

Old doorway on Washington Street, Boston . . . . . .81

Doorway of old Custom-house, Portsmouth, N. H. . . .82

Doorway to Hammond House ........ 83

Doorway on the lines of the Renaissance ...... 84

Doorway in the Chase House ........ 85

An adaptation of the Japanese ........ 86

The old Longfellow doonvay . . . . . . . .87

Street entrance to Royal House ........ 88

Courtyard entrance to Royal House ....... 89

XVI

LIST OF ILLUSTRATION S — Continued.

PAGE

Interior doorway at Gunston Hall ........ 9°

Interior doorway at Whitehall, Md. . . . . . . .91

Fig. 11. — Diagram showing parts of an ordinary panel door ... 92

Doorway of Hammond House ........ 93

Fig. 12. — Old and new methods of door construction .... 93

Vestibule door at Alexandria, Va. ....... 94

Doorway at old Whitehall, Md. ........ 95

Old doorway at Deerfield, Mass. ........ 96

Fig. 13. — Fine example of Colonial architraves ..... 96

An interior doorway .......... 97

An unusual door-hood . ......... 98

Fig. 14. — The veneered door ........ 98

A modern doorway at Arlington, Mass. ....... 99

Heading, Chapter VI. — A modern treatment of the circular bay . . 100

French window motive . . . . . . . . . .101

Modern Colonial bays . . . . . . . . . .102

House at Chestnut Hill, Mass. . . . . . . . .102

An example of the English casement window . . . . . .103

Entrance motive to house at Cambridge, Mass. . . . . .104

Entrance motive to house at Lynn Mass. ...... 105

Mullioned window in old house at Flushing, L. I. . . . .106

Interior of (above) window ......... 107

Fig. 15. — One method of building the casing ...... 107

Old church window at Newburgh, N. Y. . . . . . .108

Fig. 16. — Plan of three-opening mullioned window ..... 108

Portion of house at Wayne, Pa. ........ 109

A semicircular bay .......... 109

Excellent glass motives . . . . . . . . .110

Window in old Bowne House . . . . . .111

A second-story bay . . . . . . . . . .112

A bay at Newburgh, N. Y. . . . . . . . .112

Fig. 17. — Section of a simple window frame . . . . . .113

Fig. 18. — Section of a window in a brick wall . . . . .114

Fig. 19. — Showing the construction of a “ French ” window . . .114

Entrance motive to the Emerton House . . . . . . .115

Fig. 20. — Showing the construction of a cellar window . . . .116

Heading, Chapter VII. — In the Peabody Institute . . . .117

Hooded fireplace in studio . . . . . . . . .118

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS — Continued. xvii

PAGE

Fig. 21. — Showing the use of the old fire frame . . . .119

A delightful example of delicate detail . . . . . . .119

Mantel in the Nichols House, Salem, Mass. ...... 120

A modern hooded Gothic example ........ 121

A library alcove at Chestnut Hill ........ 123

Fig. 22. — Showing a safe method of chimney and fireplace construction . 124

An interesting dining-room fireplace . . . . . .125

Parlour mantel at Jamaica Plain, Mass. ...... 126

Old mantel from the Lee House ........ 127

A well-tied fireplace motive ......... 128

An old Salem mantel .......... 129

Fig. 23. — Showing a fireproof staircase ....... 130

Old fireplace and accessories . . . . . . . 13 1

A most excellent rendering ......... 132

Mantel at Fairhaven, Mass. ........ 133

Fig. 24. — Showing an effective form of fire escape ..... 134

Fireplace in a Bohemian cottage . . . . . . . .134

An American development of the English Renaissance .... 135

A simple, big and home-like treatment ....... 135

“Indian Harbor,” Greenwich, Conn. ....... 135

Heading, Chapter VIII. — A simple and well-lighted hall . . . 136

An upper stair-landing .......... 137

Old Colonial stairs at Jamaica Plain, Mass. ...... 138

A Japanese rendering at Fall River, Mass. ...... 140

Upper hallway (of above) ......... 141

A modern hall at Hingham, Mass. ....... 142

An example at Cambridge, Mass. ........ 143

A simple staircase . . . . . . . . . .143

Old stairway at Carters Grove, Va. ....... 144

An Elizabethan treatment ......... 145

An old staircase at Alexandria, Va. ....... 146

A modern hall at Williamstown, Mass. ....... 147

Fig. 25. — Showing the construction of stairs ...... 148

Heading, Chapter IX. — Den in house at Overbrook, Pa. . . . 149

Living hall at Bayville, L. I. ........ 150

A. billiard room at Cambridge, Mass. ....... 15°

A general living room at Cohasset, Mass. . . . . . .151

PAGE xviii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS — Continued

Showing musical instruments . . . . . . . . .151

Parlour in the style of Louis XV. and XVI. . . . . . .153

Living room at Fall River, Mass. . . . . . . 155

“Den” in house at Salem, Mass. . . . . . . . .156

Parlour at Salem, Mass. . . . . . . . . 157

Living room at Newburgh, N. Y. . . . . . . . .158

Billiard room at Jamaica Plain, Mass. . . . . . . .158

An informal general living room . . . . . . . .159

Reception room of Messrs. Price and McLanahan . . . . .160

Library at Montclair, N. J. . . . . . . . . . 162

Corner in library at Kingston, N. Y. . . . . . . 162

A simple chamber .......... 163

A chamber alcove .......... 163

Dressing room at Cohasset, Mass. ........ 164

An unusual “den” at Osterville, Mass. ....... 165

Heading, Chapter X. — A winter dining room ..... 166

A dining room at Montclair, N. J. ....... 167

Dining room at Wenonah, N. J. . . . . . . . 168

An old-time kitchen . . . . . . . . . .168

A dining room at Bronxville, N. Y. . . . . . . .169

A simple dining room at Magnolia, Mass. . . . . . .170

Fig. 26. — Showing an isolated kitchen . . . . . . .171

I he wainscoting and the ceiling are noticeable . . „ . .171

Dining room at Jamaica Plain, Mass. . . . . - . .172

Dining room at Winchester, Mass. . . . - . . 1 73

A dining room at Montclair, N. J. . . . . . . .174

A fine, simple design . . . . . . . . . .174

A kitchen corner . . . ... . . . . . 1 75

Fig. 27.— Section through a kitchen sink . . . . . .175

Everything is simple and to the point . . . . . . .176

Fig. 28.— Section through draught box . . . . . . .176

This shows the exposure of the kitchen utensils . . . . .177

A light and convenient kitchen . . . . . . . .178

A kitchen dresser . . . . . . . . . .178

The feeling of simple comfort . . . . . . . .179

Fig. 29. — Section through dresser . . . . . . • J79

Fig. 30. — Plan showing a good outlay ....... 180

Fig. 31. — Detail of a revolving service box . . . . . .180

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS — Continued.

XIX

PAGE

Kitchen and dining-room suite . . , . . . . .181

House at Woodmere, L. I. . . . . . . . . 182

Heading, Chapter XI. — A fireplace of stone ..... 183

Sun parlour in Japanese house ........ 184

A New England sun parlour ........ 185

Hanging vestibule lantern . . . . . . . . .185

A fireplace in Colonial kitchen ........ 186

Old mantle in the Ladd House ........ 187

A hall fireplace at Wynnewood, Pa. ....... 188

An adaptation from the Japanese ........ 189

Fig. 32. — Section showing indirect system . . . . . .190

Fig. 33. — Section showing direct-indirect system ..... 190

A glazed-tile mantel .......... 191

A parlour mantel at Lynn, Mass. ........ 192

A parlour mantel at Salem, Mass. ........ 193

A dressing-room mantel . . . . . . . . .194

A good fireplace of tile . . . . . . . . .195

The screen of this unique bracket lamp ...... 196

Exterior bracket lantern ......... 196

Mantel in living room .......... 197

Plans and section showing ventilation and heating ..... 199

Hanging electrolier .......... 200

A hanging electric lantern ......... 202

Electric sconces ........... 203

Electric table lamps .......... 204

Heading, Chapter XII. — Portion of a small bathroom .... 205

Fig. 34. — Section showing the plumbing of a house ..... 206

Fig. 35. — Section through hot-water boiler ...... 207

A kitchen range with suspended hot-water boiler ..... 208

A large soapstone kitchen sink ........ 209

An elaborate structure of brick and stone . . . . . .211

A summer house . . . . . . . . .211

An excellent example of shingle work . . . . . . .211

Example of popular adaptation . . . . . . . .211

End of a first-story laundry . . . . . . . . .212

A good example of modern bathroom ....... 214

Fig. 36. — Showing two types of pumps . . . . . . .214

XX

PAGE

Portion of a bathroom . . . . . . . . . .215

A double lavatory . . . . . . . . . .216

A simple porcelain lavatory . . . . . . . . .21 7

Fig. 37. — Horizontal section of a wooden tank . . . . .217

Portion of a small bathroom . . . . . . . . .218

Tin-lined copper sink . . . . . . . . . .219

Fig. 38. — Section of basin ......... 220

Fig. 39. — Section of a modern syphon closet . . . . . .221

Fig. 40. — Section showing trap forms ....... 223

Fig. 41. — Types of the non-syphoning trap ...... 223

Fig. 42. — Section showing the installation of the back-vent system . . 225

An enamelled kitchen sink ......... 226

House at Merion, Pa. . . . . . . . . .227

Heading, Chapter XIII. — Nearly concealed by cedars .... 228

Detail of rustic well .......... 230

A rustic-well house . . . . . . . . . .231

Fig. 43. — Sectional diagram showing a well ...... 2 32

Windmill on farm of I homas W. Lawson, Esq. ..... 233

The hacienda of Mrs. Hearst ........ 235

The outlay best fitted to sand stretches ....... 235

The Girard Foster House, at Lenox, Mass. ...... 237

Inner court of house at Bryn Mawr, Pa. ...... 237

Cottage at Grindstone Neck, Winter Harbor, Me. ..... 237

Elizabethan house of Allen H. Reed, Esq. ...... 237

Supply tank and lookout ......... 238

Door to tank house (above) ......... 239

Water tank of Mrs. Hearst ......... 240

Fig. 44. — Section of hydraulic ram ....... 240

Old powder house .......... 241

A water tower at Roxbury, Mass. ........ 241

Fig. 45. — Blind and combination drains ....... 243

A tank at West Hampton Beach ........ 244

Tank and windmill at Southport, L. I. . . . . . • • 245

Hiding an iron standpipe ......... 246

A windmill that is not unsightly ........ 247

Fig. 46. — Showing the flush tank ........ 248

Windmill and tank combined ........ 249

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS — Continued xxi

PAGE

Heading, Chapter XIV. — A modern Colonial stable .... 250

Stable at Overbrook, Pa. ......... 252

Stable at Dedham, Mass. ......... 253

Stall room of stable at Newburgh, N. Y. ...... 254

Barn and poultry house ......... 254

Stable on the D. C. Blair estate ........ 255

Fig. 48. — A good stable or barn vent ....... 256

Fig. 49. — Section through a barn ........ 256

Two views of barn at “Fairacres” ....... 257

The Thomas W. Lawson dove-cote ...... 258

The most approved form of poultry house ...... 259

Old dove-cote at “Shirley” ......... 260

Fig. 51. — Small pigeon house ....... 261

Pigeon house in stable . . . . . . . . . ,261

A clean, rich, free treatment ......... 262

Stable at Woodmere, L. I. . . . . . . • • 262

An ideal barn and courtyard ......... 262

Old Colonial gates at Salem, Mass ....... 263

Fig. 52. — Sketch for a combined boat and bath house .... 264

A dignified treatment of the entrance wall ...... 265

Boat house at Southport, L. I. . . . . . . . . 266

Fig. 53. — Plan and section of a swimming pool ..... 266

Gate lodge at “Pine Banks” ........ 267

Ice house at Kingston, N. Y. ........ 267

Old gates at Medford, Mass. ........ 268

Fig. 54. — Sections of picket fence and stone wall ..... 268

An English lich-gate ......... 269

Garden gate of Royal House ....... 269

Gate-lodge at Lawrence Park ........ 270

An interesting circular barn and stable ....... 271

The summer house of the Royal estate ....... 272

Heading, Chapter XV. — A pergola ....... 273

The Blair garden ........... 274

Plan of Blair garden 274

Garden of Mrs. D. C. Blair ......... 275

Japanese' fountain .......... 275

XXII

Garden steps

Garden wall at Greenwich, Conn.

Pergola and sun-dial

Garden gate at Glen Ridge, N. J.

Hermes

“Maxwell Court,” Rockville, Conn.

A vase at “Maxwell Court”

Wall of entrance court

“Maxwell Court.” The garden gate

A side porch

Old Prince House at Flushing, L. I.

A rustic summer house .

1 he garden at Mt. Vernon The Italian well-curb “Maxwell Court.” Pergola Sun-dial in cedar garden A vista in the Stevens5 garden Seat in the Stevens’ garden An ivy-covered stone bridge

A rough-stone bridge Stone steps in formal garden Garden of JVlrs. Larz Anderson Plan of the Anderson garden Fountain in garden at “Fairacres”

A bit of the rock garden at “Yaddo”

A modest gate

Bit of garden at Newburgh, N. Y.

Rock garden, “Yaddo”

Heading, Chapter XVI.— An interesting rendering A shingled house .

An eighteenth century Dutch stone house A children’s playhouse Wyanhoe,” James River, Virginia A modern type of American country house I he Goddard House at Brookline, Mass

Heading, Chapter XVII. — House at Bronxville, N. Y.

.6- 55-~ Section and plan of balcony Flg‘ 56.— Sketch showing construction of a bulkhead

* 277 . 278 . 278

• 279 280

. 283

. 284

• 292

• 293

• 294

. 296

. 297

. 298

• 299

' 315 . 316

• 3*7

• 318 xxiii

PAGE

Fig. 57 . — Section through wall and drain

. 320

Fig. 58.— An outside closet ......

. 320

Fig. 59. — Section of bed of drive .....

. 321

An inexpensive flower trellis ......

. 322

Fig. 60. — Section of casing ......

• 323

Fig. 61. — Showing the right-angle triangle

• 325

Fig. 62. — A bay window ......

• 325

Fig. 63. — Showing the laying of shingles ....

. 326

Fig. 64. — Suggestion for a trap .....

• 327

Fig. 65. — The queen-post truss .....

. 328

End of a simple arbour ......

. 329

Section of bridge .......

• 33°

Mantel at Kingston, N. Y.

• 33 1

A typical Southern Colonial house ....

Author’s thumb-mark and signature in decoration

Colophon

Pergola at “Indian Harbor,” Greenwich, Conn. Carrere

Hastings,

architects .... ...

•

End linings

THE, COUNTRY HOUSE.

Entrance Gates to “ Maxwell Court,” Rockville, Conn. Charles A. Platt. Architect

THE COUNTRY HOUSE I

.r