Litchfield enquirer., 1876-06-15
A Model House.

lsE A Model House.
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 Some two months since we visited and partially described the new house MT. John Jay White has'been building on the Col. Beebe place. about two miles south west of the village. It is such model building, so complete in every detail, and such a fine specimen of neat and thorough workmanship throughout, that we wish every joiner in the county could pay it visit and see with his own eyes the per lection to which his art can be carried. At the time of our former visit much re- mained to be done and, now that the work is finished, we have no doubt our readers will take an interest in full des- cription of it. even if there is occasional repetition of former details.
 The outside of the building is fine but not at all pretentious in appearance. It is two stories high, 45x49 feet on. the ground, with an ell, 19x29, in the rear It is in the Swiss style of architecture, with fronts both to the north and west. The western entrance is through piazza connecting two bay windows from the sit ting room and library. The roof of the piazza rests on neatly designed columns and pedestals, and a common roof extends over veranda and bay windows. The north, or main entrance, is through a porch placed On granite steps and but resses. its roof resting on two clusters of three pillars each. in front, and on the vestibule in the rear. Its general effect is quite massive without seeming in the least heavy. On the east there is a veranda ex. tending the whole length of the parlor to the dining room, which projects six feet EEUIn Siso u.Iatuu Nuiiaius aud iuae OvmtiIuu roof with the veranda. The gables are very tastefully finished with heavy verge boards supported by ornamental brackets. The tower rises sixty-four feet from the foundations, with an observatory that af- lords splendid view of the lake to the south, of the village to the northeast, and of a pretty, rolling country in ether direc- tions. The lower cornice, or 'jett," is very neatly cut Tn figures, the design being brought out by marking the depressions with India red. The house is painted outside in three colors: the groundwork being light drab, with trimmings of darker shade, while the ornamental work and beyeled edges of the corner boards, window frames, etc., are striped with In- dia red. The chimneys are brought out from the roofs with Danvers:: pressed brick, capped with block of Nova Scotia stone which is surmounted in turn with double tops of Scotch tile, each having a heavy moulded cap, and base fitting into the stone. The fiat of the main and ell roofs is edged Nith an'ornamental iron "crest- ing. !" which appears also on the piazza, porch and veranda roofs, and has orna- nented iron peaks at the corners as well as on prominent points of the gables, dor mer windows and. tower. The window panes are large-two or four. to the wIn- dOw-of French glass, double thickness.
 It is Impossible to give any adequate idea of the neatness of design and execu- ton. and of the complete harmony in gen. eral effect which characterize the outside appearance of this house. It abounds, without being in the least overloaded, with ornamental work; and. with every variety of front and innumerable projections. by way ofgable, bay and dormer window, etc. thsre is never anything like an ex. crescence.
 The entrance at the north front is through double doors of solid black wal. nut. 5Slby 6 feet, and three inches thick ; of elaborate workmanship. and fitting to a hair. The doors at the western entrance are nct quite so large bnt of the same style and workmanship. The main hall ls entered through vestibule, 4lx9 feet, by doors with upper pannels of em. bOsasd plate glass. This hall is 1Ox15 feet. and is separated by heavy, beauti. fully Ornamented, double arch from the staircase hall. 1Ox30. The hallsare main. scOtted in black walnut. in Italian style, about three feet from the floor. Here, and in fact throughout the whole house, the galls are white. hard finished, with heavy eornioss and center pieces. The largest room is the parlOr. 16x24. on the north. east. beautifully finished in pine, with black WAlnut doors and with inside blinds, also of black walnut. and having '.rabbit ted" slnts % as to present an even surface when closed. There is soap stone fire place. with black marble hearth and fine mnntel of statuary marble, besides the furnace register. Opposite the parlor, tt the northwest. is the library, 16x2O, witt bay window. .4xS. .on the west, and finished in black walnut throughout The library Band parlor both open by double doors in to the main hall; and, when thus throwr together. will practically make one large parloE. 45x22 in size. To the southwest ii the nittlng room. 16x2O. finished in pine with black walnpt doors and blinds, and bay window matching that of the library Like all the other rooms below the attic lt has it's fireplace as we'll as its furnac, regizter; and its mantel, of bright. Knox vile AaEble. is the finest in the house. .ant
 the finest ws ever saw. Between librar, and sitting room is an entrance hall, lead