Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-09-06
Count Kumford.s London House. e

The counts residence in Brompton
row is minutely described in a letter
from his friend, NJ. Pictet. 1t had be-
fore it ga space planted with trees and
sown with grass" which have long
since disappeared, though the house is
still there. 1t was enclosed with double
windows, and adorned on every side
with shrubs and vases of flowers, the
tables on which the latter stood being
perforated so as to let in the hot air
which escaped by the side sashes of the
windows. The counts working room
on the second floor was so arranged as
to command ga view of the country" :"
the light "coming in through sec of
windows arranged in the arc of circle,
through which even in the middle of
the apartment, you may see quarter
of the horizon" The "illusion," adds
NJ. Pictet, sis complete. You might
suppose yourself in the country close
to garden bordered by park. Be-
hind the main house is structure of
outbuildings which enclose a stable
and coach house, a chemical labora-
tory, etc. The two buildings are sep
arated by small garden; but there is
between them a communication by a
coverered gallery, which is warmed in
the winter by pipe of hot air. All
the other arrangements in the house
reflected the ingenuity Of its master.
The mantel pieces did not project into
the rooms, and were so masked in Sum-
mer with painted canvas as to be con-
founded with the wainscot panels.
These again were hung on sunken
hinges, SO contrived as from panels to
form writing tables, and rice cersd. The
window sills and other recesses were
utilized as closets for clothes and books
all masked i'm like manner. Nor was
less skill displayed in the bed chambers,
where the beds were concealed under
the forms of elegant sofas, the mattress
ses being made to fold up in such way
as to be converted by day into ottomans,
so that what was a bed by night was
converted after breakfast, almost with
out trouble, into an ornamental piece
of furniture" "The ingenuity shown
in the details of the house," he adds
sis equalled only by their simplicity
and tasteful application of color and
form to every article" The dining
room appears to have been most ingen-
ious in its arrangements. "Its area"
writes Pictet, sis changeable at will by
means of partition of window sashes
with large panes. forming large double
door, which opens on the side of case
ments for the sunlight, and by which
also the heat escapes in the Winter.
When the folding doors are open at
right angles they correspond with the
windows and the room is to that extent
enlarged; the same doors then form
two side recesses which answer for two
sideboards, communicating within and
outside the room by which the service
of the table is performed without the
servants having to come in. Again If
you wish to contract the room and to
preserve its warmth by the effective
agency of double windows, you can
close the folding doors, and, without
depriving yourself Of light and of the
shrubbery which all the windows COM
mand, you are completely protected
from all chills." NJ. Pictet repeatedly
calls this mansion ga charming dwell
ling" and San Elysium." The house
contained, also, in one of the upper
floors, a concealed kitchen, which
seemed to have escaped Mr.. Pictet's
attention, or at all events is omitted